Faced with this sudden attack and before the village and Mizukage could issue any concrete orders, the Hidden Mist ninja had already begun to act on their own initiative.
In the current situation, Mist didn't require any sophisticated tactics. To put it simply, elite units like the Anbu were moving forward to handle the threat and manage the emergency. The regular ninja who lacked crisis response abilities fell back, either guiding civilians to safety or holding defensive positions in specific areas of the village.
"Captain, did you receive intelligence from above? What exactly is going on, and what about the identity of the intruders?"
Although the elite ninja had already taken action, they were just as confused.
How could such a "large-scale" invasion occur without any warning in the Land of Water—a place surrounded by water on all sides?
"This kind of large summoned beast attack wasn't mentioned in any prior intelligence, but... our top priority now is eliminating the enemy. Other questions can be looked into later."
The logic made sense, but how were they supposed to handle so many enormous creatures—those giant toads, snakes, and slugs?
Wouldn't targeting the summoner be the most efficient solution? The problem was, where exactly was that summoner hiding?
Well, they no longer needed to dwell on that question.
Just as this four-man squad prepared to move forward, an icy voice with a distinct rasp suddenly rang out in their ears:
"Are... you looking for me?"
It was as though their nerves had been pierced all at once. At this moment, all four lost their ability to move—in technical terms, their nerves really were pierced.
Pushing aside the elegant mist, which drifted like fine gossamer, one could see the alley floor already swarmed with countless snakes—dense and intertwined, surging like a tide of vivid colors.
Each snake's fangs could effortlessly sink into any ninja.
After all, during his time on the Western Front, Orochimaru had constantly battled poison users, so naturally, his thinking had evolved along those lines.
Thousands upon thousands of poisonous snakes weren't necessarily less deadly than one oversized summoned beast.
For these four enemies, being bound by snakes wasn't the real horror. Because the next moment, Orochimaru pulled out a scroll—and various small knives.
Then silence—and color itself vanished from the alley.
Right now, Orochimaru possessed a fundamental side he rarely revealed.
He could still suppress certain emotions—after all, showing even a hint of them around someone like Haseo meant facing brutal punishment, maybe even hanging upside-down from a beam.
While Orochimaru was gathering scientific gadgets for future experiments, on the other side of Kiri...
"I've got a pretty good idea who you are. You're Haseo Yu, the current commander of Konoha's Eastern Front. You've crushed Kumo's elite squads before—and even taken down two Jinchuriki. Rumors say you're Konoha's new Nine-Tails Jinchuriki too.
And from what I hear, you've got some special tricks when it comes to handling Jinchuriki and Tailed Beasts.
Putting it all together, it's risky for someone of your caliber sneaking into Kirigakure, but I can see why you'd end up standing here in front of me."
Though the Mist ninja's emotions had stirred slightly, his actions remained highly restrained—it was only natural given his age and strength. He wasn't some hot-headed kid who'd charge in at the first sign of trouble.
Haseo's name had started spreading across the hidden villages toward the end of the last Great Ninja War. After the war ended, he stirred up more than a little chaos, drawing serious attention from every major village.
On top of that, he now served as the special commander targeting Kiri.
Almost every village possessed detailed intelligence and research files on a ninja like him. And since the Frostfield Battle, major villages had already forbidden Jinchuriki from directly engaging him.
Yet this ninja still showed no reaction after recognizing Haseo's identity—even though he himself was a Jinchuriki.
"Since you found me, I suppose you already know plenty about me. Still, out of courtesy, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mukan, and I am Kirigakure's Six-Tails Jinchuriki."
As he spoke, Mukan's gaze finally shifted past Haseo for the first time, locking onto Uchiha Kushan. Wearing a Mist ninja uniform, Kushan's status as a spy was obvious—anyone could tell just by seeing him operate alongside Haseo.
"Your name isn't really important. As for your identity, like you said, I already knew it long before arriving here," Haseo replied.
Kiri held two Tailed Beasts—the Six-Tails and the Three-Tails—but Haseo was alone, so naturally he'd target the bigger one… After all, the more tails a beast had, the more imposing its presence.
"You plan to severely damage Kiri by unleashing the Tailed Beast under your control, giving Konoha an overwhelming advantage in the upcoming war. Your strategy isn't complicated.
But releasing a Tailed Beast isn't easy. Even though you pulled it off once before, according to intel we've gathered over the years, you paid a heavy price for that victory.
So even if you somehow manage to trigger another rampage from the beast inside me, the risk involved would likely be enough to keep you from ever leaving Kiri alive.
Still, for someone like you, this kind of move feels way too reckless."
However... your appearance at least clarifies one thing: you are not the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. The intelligence we previously received was wrong," Mukan said.
If Haseo were really the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, there's no way he could have come to Mist, unless the Third Hokage had completely lost his mind.
"You're mistaken. First, regarding my plan to infiltrate Mist, you only got half of it right—liberating the Tailed Beast?" Haseo shook his head but didn't continue explaining.
"Second, whether or not I'm the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has nothing to do with whether I'd be permitted to carry out this infiltration mission. People you believe would absolutely never come to Mist aren't necessarily going to stay away."
Just as Haseo finished speaking, behind him a pair of crimson [Sharingan] abruptly snapped open. Blood vessels crawled across Uchiha Kushan's eyes, and in an instant, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki—who had been talking confidently moments ago—lost control of his own body before stiffly collapsing to the ground.
Was it successful?
The pressure from the genjutsu caused Uchiha Kushan's [Sharingan] to close just as quickly. He clutched his right eye but charged straight at the enemy without checking his condition.
Haseo, however, reached out and stopped him, motioning for the other to withdraw from this direction instead.
"If your dōjutsu worked, then there's no need for you to release another technique like that; but if your dōjutsu failed, then it's even less necessary." Haseo explained this way when he saw Uchiha Kushan's confusion.
Even genjutsu techniques, especially those from the [Sharingan], rarely work on jinchuriki. Possessing two distinct types of chakra, both abnormally powerful, is the hallmark of a jinchuriki—and it's also the key that allows them to easily disrupt their own chakra flow and thereby break free from illusions.
Uchiha Kushan gritted his teeth in frustration. Seeing how resolute Haseo remained, he reluctantly completed his role as guide and withdrew from the courtyard.
Moments later, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki stood back up again.
"A [Sharingan] user? An Uchiha? Working here in Mist as a spy?"
His question made it clear what was on his mind. Compared to having just been hit by a [Sharingan] illusion, what caught Mukan's attention more was why someone from the Uchiha clan had appeared in Mist as a spy. Shouldn't Konoha be protecting such bloodline bearers carefully...
The actions of the person standing before him truly defied logic.
Mukan's certainty about whether or not Haseo was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki began wavering shortly afterward.
Still...
Although the duration of the illusion lasted merely an instant, for a ninja like Haseo who emphasized speed above all else, it seemed just long enough to attempt a finishing blow.
Yet he did not attack—he simply stood rooted to the spot, unmoving.
Because...
While freeing the Tailed Beast wasn't his objective, killing a Jinchuriki either wasn't his goal.
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