"The Land of Whirlpools?"
Inside the Mizukage's office, after listening to the Third Mizukage's mission intelligence, Rei Kaguya raised his brows behind his mask and asked in slight surprise,
"Why did they run there?"
"Perhaps because Uzushiogakure has already been destroyed, and the Land of Whirlpools no longer has its own native ninja village. They likely thought they could hide their tracks well there and live like local tyrants, doing whatever they pleased."
The Third Mizukage rubbed his brow. His tone carried obvious ruthlessness and displeasure.
"Five cowards who fled in the face of battle, yet only one chose to return to the village and accept punishment…
"Rei, you should understand, shouldn't you?
"For people who dare to openly defect like this, what has Kirigakure's usual method of handling them always been?"
"I understand."
Rei Kaguya calmly nodded.
"But since they fled from the Land of Fire to the Land of Whirlpools, were they watched by Konoha ninja along the way?"
"Our spies mentioned in the intelligence they sent back that another force is tracking those missing-nin. There is a high chance they are Konoha's intelligence personnel, but we still cannot confirm what kind of lineup Konoha will send to capture them."
"I see. So that is why this mission is S-rank, Lord Third?"
Rei Kaguya nodded in understanding.
While maintaining the posture of listening to the Third Mizukage speak, he looked at the mission information that had just refreshed before his eyes.
[Mission: Pursue Kirigakure Missing-Nin.]
[Mission Description: Infiltrate the Land of Whirlpools. Before Konoha's Anbu squad does, find the four Kirigakure ninja who defected on the battlefield. Kill them, or bring them back to the village.]
[Mission Reward: Two minor runes.]
[Optional Mission 1: Kill all members of Konoha's Anbu squad. Reward: One secondary rune draw chance.]
[Optional Mission 2: Find a lost descendant of the Uzumaki clan and gain the target's trust. Reward: One secondary rune draw chance.]
"Only two optional missions, and both rewards are just one secondary rune draw chance…
"Tch. An S-rank mission's difficulty is only this much? It can't even produce one optional mission that gives a Keystone Rune draw.
"But there's actually an option to gain the trust of a lost descendant of the Uzumaki clan…
"Last mission's information mentioned Konoha reinforcements, and that turned out to be Hanabi Hyuga from decades in the future. This time, it can't be Karin from decades in the future, right?"
Relying on the cover of his mask, Rei Kaguya shamelessly let his mind wander in front of the Third Mizukage, whose expression was heavy with bitterness and hatred.
After nodding in agreement with Rei Kaguya's earlier judgment, the Third Mizukage sighed and said,
"Complete the mission and return as soon as possible, Rei…
"The war with Konoha is about to begin. There will be many missions that require you."
"Yes."
Rei Kaguya came back to his senses and subconsciously nodded. He was about to turn and leave the Mizukage's office.
But before he pushed open the office door, he stopped because he remembered something. He turned back and asked the Third Mizukage,
"Um, Lord Third? Am I the only one carrying out this mission? Do I not need a sensory-type companion?"
"You mean Mikazuki, don't you?"
The Third Mizukage's eyes went blank for a moment. Then he sighed with great distress.
"Unfortunately, there are currently too many missions in the village that require sensory-type ninja, while the number of sensory ninja in Kirigakure has never been able to rise.
"So even though I know pairing you with a sensory-type companion would improve mission efficiency, it is difficult to draw out suitable manpower for the time being."
Who do you think is to blame for the shortage of sensory ninja?
Isn't it because sensory ninja have weak combat ability in the early stages and find it hard to survive the partner-killing Ninja Academy graduation exam you established?
That's why even children with talent in that area would rather study taijutsu and lethal ninjutsu.
Oh, no. Lord Third, you're a puppet controlled by Madara.
If Kirigakure had too many strong sensory ninja, maybe someone would discover that one day…
Heh. Madara Uchiha's schemes to wipe out future threats really are linked one after another. Not bad at all.
The corner of Rei Kaguya's mouth twitched. He worked very hard to restrain the urge to point at the Third Mizukage's nose and curse on the spot.
Then, in the calmest tone possible, he replied,
"I will complete the mission and return as soon as possible, Lord Third."
"I'm counting on you, Rei."
…
Konoha.
Inside the Third Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Minato Namikaze, who had just pushed open the door and entered. He put down the Telescope Technique crystal ball in his hand and asked with a serious expression,
"Has Kakashi remembered anything?"
"I am very sorry, Lord Third. Kakashi…"
Minato Namikaze hesitated for a moment. In the end, he spoke with a self-reproaching tone,
"After waking up, his mental state has remained extremely unstable.
"He keeps feeling that his hands are still stained with a comrade's blood that cannot be washed away. He keeps feeling that he failed to fulfill the promise he made to his comrade. More than once, he has even shown thoughts of ending his own life…
"Under these circumstances, I truly do not want to force him to recall what exactly happened that night."
"I see… Then let Kakashi quietly rest in the village for a while first."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. He picked up an intelligence scroll from the desk and tossed it toward Minato Namikaze.
"Minato, take a look at this."
"Yes."
Minato Namikaze opened the intelligence scroll.
Originally, he thought it would record Kirigakure's recent personnel movements and speculation on when Kirigakure would formally declare war on Konoha.
But unexpectedly, this intelligence did not contain those major matters. Instead, it recorded information about several suspicious ninja appearing in the Land of Whirlpools.
"Lord Third, this is?"
Minato Namikaze frowned in confusion. He did not understand why Hiruzen Sarutobi had shown him this information.
"According to the intelligence sent back from the Land of Whirlpools, those suspicious ninja fled there from the direction of the Land of Fire."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe and slowly said,
"They acted suspiciously, did not wear forehead protectors symbolizing a village, and just happened to flee from within the Land of Fire to the Land of Whirlpools a few days ago…
"Minato, what does that make you think of?"
"Are you saying those sneaky ninja may be members of the Kirigakure Anbu who attacked Kakashi's team earlier, Lord Third?"
With the conversation reaching this point, Minato Namikaze's experience and mind naturally led him to a highly probable conclusion.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded to confirm Minato's guess, he exhaled smoke and said,
"According to the ninja sent by the village as support, they found the suspected place where Kakashi fought the Kirigakure Anbu and discovered some very strange traces there.
"I judge that those traces may have something to do with Kakashi's miraculous survival, as well as the strange actions of those Kirigakure Anbu who fled to the Land of Whirlpools."
Minato Namikaze's eyes sharpened.
How Kakashi Hatake, who had collapsed from overusing his Sharingan and chakra, had survived under the encirclement of so many Kirigakure Anbu was something that puzzled everyone, including the Third Hokage.
Danzo Shimura had even excitedly suggested using Yamanaka clan ninja employed by Root to probe Kakashi's mind and see what exactly happened that night.
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had sternly and righteously rejected Danzo Shimura's proposal, saying he was not curious about this question would absolutely be a lie.
"Then, Lord Third, do you want me to investigate this matter?"
Minato Namikaze asked with great motivation.
"No. Minato, your primary mission right now is still to personally guard the border of the Land of Lightning and make sure those warlike elements in Kumogakure do not develop any improper thoughts because of Kirigakure's restlessness."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, then continued,
"However, I hope you can provide each member of the Anbu squad I am sending to investigate this matter with one of your special Flying Thunder God kunai.
"That way, if they encounter a troublesome enemy during the mission, they can receive your assistance and bring the intelligence they have already gathered back to the village."
"I understand, Lord Third."