Naruto: Manipulation-Chapter 114: Are You Kidding Me!

Sometimes...

It's really no wonder that Black Zetsu dislikes Uchiha Obito.

Compared to the meticulous and thorough Shigen, Obito acts on impulse and always manages to make careless mistakes in every situation.

Fortunately...

Kisame Hoshigaki had a strong sense of professionalism.

Even after learning Obito's true identity, the Kirigakure ANBU operative didn't immediately betray him. In fact, he was even willing to listen to Obito's orders.

"Assassinate the Fourth Mizukage..."

Kisame listened to the mission brought by Kabuto and even seemed intrigued by it. "Then, become an S-rank rogue ninja and infiltrate his organization to gather intelligence? Sounds a little strange..."

"That's right."

Kabuto also found the situation odd. He furrowed his brows and asked Kisame, "You don't seem inclined to reject his orders?"

Right now, Kisame was a high-ranking member of Kirigakure's ANBU. By assassinating the Mizukage and defecting, he would be stepping into a completely different life.

"For me..."

Kisame adjusted the bandages on Samehada as if he understood Kabuto's confusion. "In this false world, my life has never had any real meaning. At the very least, that man gives me a shred of hope."

"Perhaps..."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses and refrained from finishing his sentence. He wouldn't take it upon himself to recruit someone for Shigen.

Even though he considered Kisame a potential ally, he would only report this possibility to Shigen later.

"Perhaps what?"

Kisame asked casually.

"Nothing."

Kabuto smiled again, and even his eyes carried a hint of amusement. "Everyone will eventually find their own purpose..."

"Looks like you've already found yours."

Kisame chuckled at Kabuto's luck. Grabbing Samehada, he turned and walked toward the exit. "Unfortunately, my entire existence is meaningless. Even the bit of hope I had seems to be nothing more than an illusion..."

"Are you going to assassinate the Mizukage right now?"

Kabuto asked in surprise as he watched Kisame.

This guy...

His actions were way too fast, weren't they?

"I need to find the right location first."

Kisame's steps paused slightly, and his voice carried a trace of melancholy. "It's better if the Mizukage dies sooner rather than later. Many in this village wish for his death, including perhaps the Mizukage himself. At the very least, he wouldn't have to continue existing in a world he never truly experienced..."

Yes.

The Fourth Mizukage had probably longed for death.

Having been under Obito's genjutsu control for so long, Yagura's mind had likely given up long ago.

After all, Kirigakure had enforced the Bloody Mist policy for years. Graduating from the academy required students to kill their classmates, and it wasn't until a boy named Zabuza Momochi slaughtered his entire class that this brutal tradition finally ended.

Even so...

The village remained in turmoil.

The shinobi of Kirigakure couldn't trust one another and were often assigned missions to eliminate their own comrades. Under Yagura's rule, the entire village suffered, and many shinobi who couldn't endure the cruelty of the Bloody Mist policy chose to defect.

As the leader of the village, the Mizukage should have been the one protecting it. Yet, he had become the very force that destroyed it. He must have lived in constant torment.

Kisame didn't know what Yagura truly thought, but he felt that killing him would at least set the man free.

"Do you need my help?"

Kabuto asked as he watched Kisame's back, offering assistance. He adjusted his glasses and said softly, "If your assassination fails..."

"That won't happen."

"I will kill him."

Kisame grinned, revealing his sharp, shark-like teeth. To him, assassinating the Mizukage was not a difficult task.

And indeed...

It wasn't.

At the Shores of the Land of Water

Rain poured from the sky in torrents.

Kisame stood in the downpour, gripping Samehada tightly.

The elite ANBU squad assigned to protect the Fourth Mizukage lay sprawled across the battlefield, their bodies motionless. At the center of the scene, the corpse of Yagura rested in the rain.

Kabuto held an umbrella as he stood to the side, having witnessed the entire intense battle unfold. He hadn't expected Kisame's strength to be so overwhelming—he had single-handedly slain a Kage.

"What terrifying power..."

Kabuto's eyes lifted slightly, gazing through the rain at the tall figure. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "He truly is... the tailless tailed beast of Kirigakure."

"..."

Kisame nudged Yagura's body with Samehada, showing no particular concern for his accomplishment. "I just happened to counter his abilities."

As a member of the Hoshigaki clan, Kisame had a natural talent for absorbing chakra. His most powerful water-style jutsu could also absorb chakra from enemy techniques, making them even stronger.

Unfortunately for Yagura...

He was a Jinchūriki with an abundance of chakra.

This made the battle effortless for Kisame, as he drained his opponent dry without expending much energy. And when Yagura finally broke free from the genjutsu before his death, he had already given up and chose not to resist Kisame's assassination.

"Let's go."

After confirming Yagura's death, Kisame signaled for Kabuto to take him to Obito.

"Alright."

Kabuto nodded.

As they left, Kabuto hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose not to take Yagura's entire body—he only took one severed hand.

A small piece of flesh...

Would be enough to revive him through Edo Tensei in the future.

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Although Yagura hadn't demonstrated exceptional strength during the battle and still looked like a child, he might still prove useful.

Inside Kirigakure

The assassination sent shockwaves through the village.

The shinobi of Kirigakure were divided in their reactions.

On one hand, many were overjoyed that Kisame had killed Yagura. Perhaps the oppressive Bloody Mist policy that loomed over them for years would finally disappear.

On the other hand, they feared the village would now spiral into political chaos without a leader.

Fortunately, Elder Genji was still present.

The old man quickly stabilized the situation, issuing an order to hunt down and execute Kisame while simultaneously abolishing the cruel policies that had plagued the village.

"Kisame-sama is a hero, isn't he?"

A female Kirigakure kunoichi voiced her dissent against Genji's order. "Just like Zabuza in the past, he destroyed the tyranny of the Bloody Mist. Must we really treat him as a criminal?"

"This is unavoidable."

The old man shook his head, unwilling to change his decision. "If assassinating the Mizukage and defecting are forgiven, then the title of Mizukage will lose its authority..."

If the shinobi of Kirigakure no longer feared the Mizukage's power...

It would be far more disastrous than simply recalling a hero.

Besides...

Kisame likely had no desire to return to Kirigakure.

Land of Fields – Orochimaru's Base

Kisame finally met Uchiha Obito.

He did not underestimate his new superior despite Obito being younger. He knew Obito possessed formidable power.

"I apologize for deceiving you..."

Obito's attitude was unexpectedly good, and he even sincerely apologized. "Though I represent Lord Madara's will, I had to conceal my identity back then to avoid unnecessary trouble..."

"It doesn't matter."

"This world is full of lies anyway."

Kisame's tone was indifferent. He didn't care for such trivial matters. "If you truly represent that great man's will, I just need to see the plan you spoke of come to fruition..."

"Next..."

Kisame lifted his head. "I'll be joining your organization and keeping an eye on their every move, correct?"

"Exactly."

Obito nodded before explaining the current state of Akatsuki. "A powerful figure who once worked alongside Madara has been resurrected and forcibly taken over my organization. I fear he isn't truly committed to our plan, so I need you to infiltrate and monitor him..."

"Interesting..."

Kisame grinned. "And who is this great figure?"

Obito's expression darkened.

"Emiya Shigen."

Kisame's expression shifted instantly.

What kind of joke was this?!

That man... how could he possibly be involved in something like this?

Even in the distant Land of Water, Shigen's name was well-known.

Especially in Kirigakure, where the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki, had once openly expressed his admiration for Shigen, acknowledging his role in ending the First Shinobi World War.

Later, when the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars broke out, bringing endless suffering, the shinobi world never forgot the man who had once brought true peace.

But now...

A man so widely respected—someone viewed as a hero of the past—was supposedly the mastermind behind a dangerous organization?

"This is..."

Kisame's usual smile faded, replaced by something bitter.

"It's getting harder and harder to tell what's real and what's fake..."

Kisame struggled to comprehend how Shigen could be the leader of the Akatsuki. He had never imagined that someone like himself would cross paths with such a legendary figure.

This...

This was beyond absurd.

Obito, however, fully understood Kisame's reaction.

After all, when he first learned that Shigen had been the one to propose the Eye of the Moon Plan to Madara, his own reaction had been almost identical.

"Don't dwell on his identity too much..."

Obito's voice was cold.

"He's just another relic of the past."

"Though he was the one who first conceived the Eye of the Moon Plan, I don't believe he is someone worthy of our trust."

"For now, just stay active on your own for a while."

Obito had a solid grasp of Akatsuki's situation. The organization was constantly searching for new talent, and given their urgent need for manpower, it wouldn't take long for them to invite a powerful S-rank rogue ninja like Kisame to join.

"Akatsuki is recruiting, and they'll likely bring you in soon."

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