Diarmuid had already been gone from Konoha for three or four days by the time Hiruzen, the Hokage, realized it. This spoke volumes about how casual and "trusted" Diarmuid's presence in the village had become.
An S-rank criminal had vanished from Konoha for nearly half a week before the Hokage even noticed.
"Minato, where is that Diarmuid?" Hiruzen asked while reviewing documents.
Minato was sitting at a small desk not far from him. Two days ago, Minato had been officially appointed as Hokage Assistant. Under the guise of a heavy workload, Hiruzen had begun involving Minato in the day-to-day governance of Konoha's affairs.
Though nothing had been explicitly stated, anyone with political savvy could see that the Third Hokage was grooming Minato to be the next village head. It was a clear political signal. According to the "rumors" circulating in the village, the Third Hokage planned to step down and retire as an elder once the war concluded.
Minato was undoubtedly the chosen successor of the Hokage faction. He understood this well; becoming Hokage had been his dream since childhood. He had worked tirelessly for it. It was a noble ambition, one he felt no need to hide or decline with false modesty. When Hiruzen extended the offer, Minato accepted immediately.
He knew that while his strength met the criteria of a "Kage," he lacked sufficient administrative experience. By creating the previously non-existent title of "Hokage Assistant," Hiruzen was personally mentoring him in the art of being a Hokage, ensuring a smooth transition of power.
"I haven't seen him for a few days. Perhaps he's training somewhere?" Minato replied.
"Sage Mode?" Hiruzen murmured, then added, "Is it possible he's already left Konoha?"
Minato paused. "It's possible. But would he really leave without saying a word?"
On second thought, while the man acted like he owned the place, making them strangely accustomed to his presence, he was still technically an "outsider" with no deep ties to them. Leaving without a goodbye seemed perfectly in character.
In fact, other than informing Orochimaru (a fellow "organization" member), Diarmuid hadn't told anyone before departing.
"Should we look for him?" Minato asked after a moment's hesitation.
Hiruzen considered it. "Send the Anbu to check around and gather information. If he's truly gone, it might actually be for the best."
"Understood." Minato stood and left the office.
Half an hour later, he returned with confirmation: Diarmuid Rodriguez had left the village three days ago. By now, he might not even be within the borders of the Land of Fire.
Hiruzen was bewildered. What is wrong with Konoha? This guy waltzes in for no reason, then disappears just as randomly, and I, the Hokage, only find out three days later... Aren't we in a state of war? He realized he needed to seriously bolster the village's security awareness.
Meanwhile, on the southeast coast of the Land of Fire.
A relatively prosperous port city known as Shioro (Tidalwave) City. It was the largest city on the southeastern border. From here, traveling east led to the Land of Waves, while traveling south led to the territory of Konoha's ally, the Land of Eddies.
The Land of Eddies was a peninsula nation sharing land and sea borders with the Land of Fire. Many years ago, they possessed their own shinobi force: Uzushiogakure. This was the ancestral home of Minato's wife, Kushina.
The Uzumaki Clan and the Land of Eddies had maintained a close alliance with Konoha for generations. The bond was so tight that Hashirama's wife was an Uzumaki, and the standard Konoha shinobi flak jackets bore the Uzumaki crest. They were essentially two bodies with one soul.
However, while Konoha wasn't looking, Uzushiogakure had been mysteriously destroyed by unknown forces. The Uzumaki Clan was scattered, much like the Hagoromo Clan during the late Warring States period. Survivors fled across the globe, mostly living in hiding. Kushina had come to Konoha as a result, becoming the next Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails.
On the docks of Shioro, Diarmuid was speaking with a ship captain.
"Times are unstable, my lord. If you want to go to the Land of Water, I can't take that job. There are too many pirates and rogue ninjas on the sea. We only stick to the coastal waters now," the captain said, shaking his head.
"The coastal waters? Does the Land of Waves count?" Diarmuid asked.
"The Land of Waves? Oh, that's fine. No problem at all," the captain nodded quickly.
The Land of Waves wasn't too far from the Land of Fire. Years later, a massive bridge would span the distance between the two, so the stretch of sea wasn't particularly daunting.
"Good." Diarmuid handed over a stack of bills. "I'm in a hurry. Don't wait for other passengers. We leave now."
"As long as the money is right, I'll sail an empty ship for you," the captain grinned, ushering Diarmuid aboard. "By the way, have you been out to sea before, my lord? Any motion sickness? If so, tell me now so I can prepare some medicine."
Diarmuid chuckled. "Seasickness? Don't let my appearance fool you. I've lived on the sea for decades. You could call me the 'strongest' and you wouldn't be wrong. I've even taken down a Pirate King..."
The captain gave Diarmuid a strange look and smiled without saying a word, clearly treating it as a joke. He assumed this noble young lord was just boasting. To a man who lived on the sea, Diarmuid's skin looked far too soft and fair; real sailors were bronzed and weathered by the salt and sun.
A Pirate King? The captain thought. I, Higuma, have been on these waters for years and I've never even heard of a 'Pirate King.'
However, once the ship cleared the harbor and hit the open ocean, Higuma realized the "noble lord" really knew his business. The rocking of the waves didn't affect him in the slightest; he even began leisurely fishing.
"How long until we arrive?" Diarmuid asked, holding a fishing rod in one hand and his pipe in the other.
"If the wind holds, three days," Higuma replied. While the Land of Waves was close to the Land of Fire at its nearest point, Shioro City was a different starting location.
"I see," Diarmuid said. "Is the Land of Water really that infested with pirates and rogues?"
"You bet," the captain nodded. "The Hidden Mist Ninjas are always defecting, so rogue ninjas are a constant threat on the sea. The Land of Water's economy isn't great either, so fishermen often moon-light as pirates. We stay away, especially now since they're a hostile nation in this war."
"Why do their ninjas defect so often?" Diarmuid frowned. Had he misunderstood something?
"I heard their rules are incredibly harsh. There's a reason people call it the Bloody Mist," the captain remarked with a shrug.
Wait, the Bloody Mist? Diarmuid thought. Wasn't that name coined after Obito took control of the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura?
Then it clicked. He remembered that when Obito saw Kakashi kill Rin, the Hidden Mist ninjas involved already referred to their village by that name. It seemed the Hidden Mist had been brutal long before Obito's interference; he had just made it even more twisted. That high-pressure environment would persist until Mei Terumi took over as the Fifth Mizukage and changed the village's way of life.
"I see," Diarmuid nodded.
He spent the next three days chatting with the captain, Higuma, until they finally reached the docks of the Land of Waves.
"Do you need me to wait for you, my lord? Are you heading back the same way?" Higuma asked. Customers as wealthy, generous, and easy-going as Diarmuid were hard to find.
Diarmuid waved him off. "No need. I'm not sure when I'll be heading back."
The captain looked disappointed but didn't press further. Just as they were about to part, Diarmuid suddenly spoke up. "Higuma, I meant to ask... do you work part-time as a mountain bandit in the Land of Fire?"
Higuma froze, then blurted out, "How is that possible?! I, Higuma, am an upright man! I'd never be a bandit, and I certainly never smashed a bottle over anyone's head! Don't talk nonsense! I'm leaving!"
He turned and practically fled. He looked exactly like a man with a guilty conscience.
Diarmuid: "???"
I never said you smashed a bottle over anyone's head!
Smiling, Diarmuid didn't waste more time on the captain. He entered the port city and began looking for the markings Kakuzu had left behind. Following the trail, he left the urban area and headed into the interior of the Land of Waves.
Soon, he reached the capital, Eihajo (Eternal Wave) Castle. Unlike other nations, the Land of Waves had no Hidden Village and no Daimyo. Its political landscape was unique. A merchant-led nation governed by trade guilds. Without a Daimyo, there was no Daimyo Castle; the capital was simply the largest city.
Inside an inn in Eihajo City, Kakuzu sat in a chair. Bound to a chair opposite him was a man who looked thoroughly annoyed.
"Just give me a quick death already," the man spat. "Stop stalling, or the Fourth Mizukage really will come and drag me back for execution."
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