Chapter 87: Clues to the Tailed Beasts!
Time slipped by unnoticed, and it was already noon.
Oborotsuki stretched lazily, then suddenly heard a knock on the office door.
His perception instantly swept outward—he didn't even need to look to know it was Kushina.
And not just her: Mayumi, Yūhi Kurenai, and Konan were with her too.
"All four of them at once?"
Oborotsuki was a little surprised. He glanced back at Risa, who had already dressed.
"Come in."
He spoke casually as he walked to the desk and sat down as if nothing was unusual.
Kushina entered carrying a food box, followed by the other three women.
"Oh, Risa's here too?"
"Good thing I brought enough food. You two haven't had lunch yet, right? Put down your work and come eat first."
Kushina walked toward the sofa area.
Meanwhile, Red, Konan, and Mayumi curiously looked around the entire Mizukage office.
This was their first time here.
The massive room—easily over 200 square meters—was neatly divided into distinct zones: work area, rest area, file storage, and more. The luxurious setup left all four women quietly astonished.
"So this is where the Mizukage usually works? No wonder you like spending so much time here, Oborotsuki…"
Mayumi gave him a meaningful look.
Oborotsuki had already stood up. Hearing her words, he smiled lightly:
"It's just work. There's nothing to like or dislike."
"Have you all eaten? Come join us."
"We already ate."
The four beauties finished browsing the office and walked over to the sofa.
Risa felt a little awkward.
Everyone here held a higher status than she did.
She wasn't sure whether she should join them.
"Risa, come over. What are you standing there for?"
Mei noticed her hesitation and immediately beckoned her over.
Oborotsuki also looked up at her:
"Come eat with us. Don't be so formal."
"Y-yes…"
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Risa nodded and carefully walked over, sitting down about one seat away from Oborotsuki.
"Right—there's an intelligence file on the desk. You mentioned Mei told you to handle it earlier, but I forgot to look at it."
"Now let me see."
Oborotsuki pointed at the file sitting on the corner of the desk.
A few hours ago, Risa had said it was something Mei instructed her to personally take care of while she was out.
Since he had time now, he figured he might as well see what it was.
Because this afternoon, he had no intention of staying in the office.
He'd rather go have a heart-to-heart talk with Uzuki Yūgure or Yekura.
Of course, there was also a good chance he'd head to Konoha.
Sasuke should be about the same age as Naruto now. If he could take Uchiha Mikoto, he'd probably get a reward right away.
While these thoughts ran through his mind, Risa had already brought the intelligence file over.
Kushina, Konan, and the others immediately gathered around, curiously watching as Oborotsuki opened the document.
After reading a few lines, Kushina's expression changed.
Konan, Mayumi, and Red also showed varying degrees of surprise.
"Kirigakure is investigating tailed beast intelligence?"
Kushina asked in confusion, looking at Oborotsuki.
The document in their hands was a report from Kirigakure ANBU who had been sent on external missions.
It stated that tailed beast clues had been discovered in the Land of Lightning.
ANBU were currently tracking the exact locations of the jinchūriki involved.
This left Kushina deeply puzzled.
"No wonder she told me to handle this matter personally…"
Oborotsuki pinched his chin and nodded to himself.
Mei had never mentioned this to him before—hadn't told him she had dispatched Kirigakure ANBU to secretly investigate tailed beast intelligence.
But Oborotsuki could understand her decision.
After all, he had repeatedly told her about Akatsuki.
Mei already knew that Akatsuki's goal was to collect the tailed beasts from every nation.
She even knew they planned to use the tailed beasts' power to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Still, Oborotsuki hadn't expected her to be so bold.
Dispatching Kirigakure ANBU to interfere in these matters directly.
"Well… that's actually good."
"Getting ahead of the game and learning the locations of the tailed beasts or their jinchūriki will make things much easier for me later."
"Once I collect all the tailed beasts, let's see how Obito plans to carry out the Moon's Eye Plan—and how Black Zetsu plans to revive Kaguya Ōtsutsuki!"
Oborotsuki thought to himself, inwardly approving of Mei's actions.
Right now, even he didn't know the exact current locations of the other tailed beasts in different villages.
Intelligence like this was extremely valuable.
"What's going on, Oborotsuki?"
Konan, one of only two people present who knew Akatsuki's secrets, frowned deeply with worry after reading the document.
"Mei isn't in the village right now. When she returns, I'll ask her directly what's happening."
"I don't know the full details yet."
Oborotsuki replied casually, putting the intelligence file away.
He brushed off the women with an offhand answer, but in his mind he was thinking about something else.
Mei had secretly sent Kirigakure ANBU to investigate tailed beast intelligence in other countries.
There was nothing inherently wrong with that.
In fact, if Oborotsuki had known in advance, he would have fully supported it.
What worried him was something different.
Akatsuki already knew he possessed both the Three-Tails and the Nine-Tails.
That's why, during this period, Oborotsuki had stayed mostly within the Land of Water. Even when leaving Kirigakure, he always left Flying Thunder God markers to return instantly.
He was worried Akatsuki might come looking for trouble.
But Obito had been completely silent—like a dead man.
There wasn't the slightest movement.
"That guy obviously didn't die that night…"
"His breathing was still steady when he escaped!"
Oborotsuki thought coldly.
Akatsuki knew he was in Kirigakure. They knew he had the Three-Tails and Nine-Tails.
Yet they hadn't made any move.
There was only one possible explanation.
They were targeting the tailed beasts in other countries and villages!
The moment he realized this possibility, Oborotsuki's eyes flashed with a sharp, dangerous glint.
"Oborotsuki, what's wrong?"
Kushina noticed the change in his eyes and asked worriedly.
"Nothing."
"Just thinking about something exciting."
"I still have important work to handle. I'll skip lunch for now. Risa, you take over the office work."
"As for the rest of you—head down to your new office later."
"I'm heading out now."
With that, Oborotsuki stood up and left the office.
He was going to find Sasori of the Red Sand.
Right now, aside from Orochimaru, Sasori should be the one in Kirigakure who knew the most about Akatsuki's internal affairs.
Oborotsuki wanted to confirm the suspicion in his heart.
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