On the way back, Rei Kaguya and the others did not encounter any obstruction.
After all, at this moment, the Land of Water and the Land of Fire had not yet officially declared war on each other.
The main forces of the Land of Fire were also still stationed at the borders between the Land of Fire and the Lands of Lightning and Earth, guarding against two old enemies that had yet to formally reach ceasefire agreements.
Even if Konoha's higher-ups had already received Kakashi Hatake's intelligence, they absolutely did not have time to temporarily pull together a defensive line at the Land of Fire's border capable of capturing Rei Kaguya and the others in one net.
Unless the person who received the information immediately was Minato Namikaze in standby mode.
But if it had been the Yellow Flash, the fastest shinobi in the world, then how could he possibly wait until Rei Kaguya and the others withdrew from the Land of Fire before arriving on the battlefield?
Therefore, Rei Kaguya's group successfully returned to Kirigakure by the evening of the next day.
…
"Above is the full process of this mission, as well as the final cause of its failure, Lord Third."
Inside the Mizukage's office, Rei Kaguya, wearing the mask of the assassination unit, submitted the mission report he had finished writing on the road and quietly waited for the Third Mizukage to read it and respond.
Even after learning that the mission had failed, that two veteran jonin had died in battle, that only six of the dozens of Anbu who infiltrated the Land of Fire had returned alive, and that the Three-Tails Isobu had fallen into a long resurrection cooldown period, the Third Mizukage did not show much emotional change on his face.
He quietly finished reading Rei Kaguya's mission report.
Then he pointed to a section on the scroll and asked in a deep voice,
"An intruder possessing the Mangekyo Sharingan, a step beyond the three-tomoe Sharingan, and also capable of using suspected Wood Release ninjutsu… Rei, is this intelligence absolutely reliable?"
"I heard about the Mangekyo Sharingan from an Anbu senior who experienced the Second Shinobi World War after the battle ended."
"Because the space-time ninjutsu used by that intruder was not any secret technique I know of, and because the appearance of that Sharingan was not the traditional tomoe shape, I judged that it should have been a special dojutsu he obtained when awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan."
"As for the suspected Wood Release ability… This subordinate has not yet heard of any Kekkei Genkai or secret technique other than Wood Release capable of growing large numbers of trees as hard as steel in a short time."
Rei Kaguya calmly explained the reasons behind his judgment, neither servile nor arrogant.
After hearing Rei Kaguya's explanation, the Third Mizukage put down the intelligence scroll in his hand and looked at Rei Kaguya with interest.
"Wood Release. Mangekyo Sharingan…
"Back then, the reason Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were able to obtain status far above other shinobi in that chaotic era, break the traditions of the Warring States Period, and establish the current hidden village system was precisely because of the power of Wood Release and the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"It is no exaggeration to say that if the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the Senju clan had been close enough back then for the two sides to exchange bloodlines, then the current Konoha would probably already be powerful enough that no shinobi village would dare challenge them."
"Fortunately, the hatred between the Senju and Uchiha was deep enough that even belonging to the same village could not fully erase it. That gave the other four great shinobi villages time to develop and grow, and gave us the ambition to compete with Konoha for hegemony…
"But now you are telling me that Konoha secretly cultivated a young shinobi who possesses both the Mangekyo Sharingan and Wood Release without anyone knowing? You truly brought me back a huge problem, Rei."
Rei Kaguya did not respond.
He only silently waited for the Third Mizukage to make a judgment on this matter.
After pondering for a while, the Third Mizukage sighed and asked Rei Kaguya, who was quietly awaiting orders,
"Other than you, does anyone else know this information?"
"There are also five Anbu members who were separated from us. They witnessed that Konoha shinobi's battle."
"Separated… is it?"
The Third Mizukage narrowed his eyes meaningfully and thought for a while.
Then, with his hands behind his back, he gave Rei Kaguya his judgment.
"In that case, Rei, stay on standby in the village for three days. If they return to Kirigakure and report to me within three days, then I will only pursue their responsibility for retreating before the enemy in battle.
"If any of them have not returned to the village after three days… Rei, that will be your work."
"Yes, Lord Third."
Rei Kaguya lowered his head, indicating that he understood his next mission.
"Also, tell the people who came back with you that information regarding the shinobi who possesses both the Mangekyo Sharingan and Wood Release must not be leaked to anyone in any form."
"This intelligence must be permanently sealed away as top secret, accessible only to the Mizukage."
"Yes… However, if we hide that Uchiha's existence, how should we explain the heavy casualties of this mission to the other jonin?"
Rei Kaguya paused, then asked the question he cared deeply about—the cause of the mission failure, as well as how responsibility for that failure would be divided.
"Say that you encountered one of the Konoha Sannin. After Matsuda and Ringo died in battle, you were forced to abandon the mission and choose to retreat…"
The Third Mizukage sighed and shook his head.
"Although this explanation will not allow you to gain a reputation matching your actual battle record, it will at least prevent the elders in the village from thinking you are incompetent."
"This subordinate understands."
Rei Kaguya nodded in satisfaction.
"Return and stand by. In the coming days, there will be many missions that require you to lead teams, Rei."
…
Watching Rei Kaguya's figure disappear beyond the entrance of the Mizukage Tower, the Third Mizukage withdrew his complicated gaze.
His expression also slowly became stiff.
He returned to his desk and sat down. Lightly tapping his fingers against the surface of the desk, he muttered in a hollow voice,
"He ignored Wood Release: Cutting Sprigs Technique, endured the strangling force of Wood Release: Hell's Chaos head-on, displayed the Kaguya clan's strongest Bracken Dance, discovered the flaw in that brat Obito's Mangekyo ability in such a brief exchange, and even knew to hide his true trump card…
"Heh, heh, heh. Kirigakure has produced a rather capable little brat too. No wonder even those idiots in the Kaguya clan, whose heads are filled with nothing but killing, would try every possible method to pave the way for your promotion."
"Unfortunately, I have already chosen Obito as my successor. In that case, you are useless…"
"Still, speaking of it, that brat Obito seems to hold quite a bit of hatred toward you… Heh. Then I'll let you live a little longer and build a bit more fame.
"If he learns that the target of his hatred is growing into a pillar and hero of Kirigakure at an astonishing pace, that brat Obito's motivation to become stronger should become even greater."
"As for the other survivors… I'll arrange for them to die in the coming war."
…
After walking into several secluded alleys and empty corners in a row, yet never receiving the assassination he had expected, Rei Kaguya silently withdrew the state of alert he had maintained ever since entering the Third Mizukage's office.
Unhappily, he clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Madara, that old fox, really can endure. The news that Obito got crushed by me should have reached him faster than I returned to Kirigakure, yet he showed no intention of using the Kirigakure forces under his control to target me at all."
"Is he worried that Kirigakure, without the Seven Ninja Swordsmen present, doesn't have full confidence in keeping me here? Or… does he have some other idea about me too?"
"Forget it. I don't care what Madara Uchiha is thinking. In an age of war, the speed at which I accumulate trump cards and grow stronger will only exceed the limits of your imagination. Once you, old bastard, finish teaching Obito and kick the bucket, just watch whether I arrange that lunatic Obito properly or not."
Raising his head to look at the moon that had yet to pass the center of the sky, Rei Kaguya leaped up and swiftly rushed toward the Kaguya clan grounds.
If he went back and slept now, maybe he could still wake up in time to eat Sister Kazumi's breakfast tomorrow morning.