Hatake Tatsuya in Naruto

Two days later, the sky remained shrouded in darkness. Most of the Konoha villagers were still deep in sleep, unaware of the gathering at the village's entrance. Several elite shinobi had already assembled.

Among them was the Minister of Intelligence, Namikaze Minato; the captain of the Jōnin team, Hatake Kakashi; and Nohara Rin from the Medical Department. It was almost a reunion of Minato's original team, but the bonds they once shared were no longer the same. When Nohara Rin arrived, Minato and Kakashi exchanged nods in acknowledgment, but the warmth from their earlier days was absent.

Rin, while not as renowned as Tsunade, had a smile that radiated like an angel's. Her connection with Hatake Tatsuya was the subject of quiet speculation, though no one dared to speak openly about it.

Soon, more figures joined the group. A top Anbu operative, Uchiha Shisui, codenamed Crow, arrived alongside his new teammate, Uchiha Itachi, codenamed Weasel. Itachi's title coincidentally aligned with the meaning of his name and Shisui as crow summoner is apt.

Shisui, wearing his mask, spoke solemnly, "Minato-san and Kakashi-senpai are here too... as expected, you heard the news?"

Minato nodded gravely. "Yes, I wanted to confirm it with my own eyes."

Kakashi's expression mirrored his. "If it is Obito, I need to know why he became like this."

As Obito's former teacher and mentor, Minato and Kakashi had questions of their own for him. Meanwhile, Shisui and Itachi had a different mission—to capture Obito alive and clear the Uchiha clan's name. They hadn't informed their clan of the mission, disguising it as an S-rank task assigned by the Anbu.

Terumi Mei, however, had no personal agenda against Obito. Her sole focus was uncovering the truth behind the tragic events in her homeland. Tatsuya had informed her the previous night that the Third Mizukage had been controlled by illusions until his death. Worse still, it seemed likely that the current Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was also under the sway of genjutsu. This revelation left Terumi Mei in cold sweats—two consecutive Mizukages, puppets of illusion? The thought was horrifying and deeply saddening.

"Is it really alright for Nohara-san to come along?" Shisui asked awkwardly, his words trailing off. The implication was clear: Rin was too weak for such a mission, and if something happened to her, they wouldn't be able to bear the responsibility.

Kakashi, sensing Shisui's concern, reassured him. "Don't worry. It seems Uncle has arranged some backup for Rin."

"Backup?" Shisui and Itachi exchanged confused glances, wondering what kind of assistance had been secured.

Just then, a new set of footsteps echoed louder than the rest, drawing everyone's attention.

Everyone turned their heads to see a blue-haired woman, a few years older than Kakashi and Rin, with cold, sharp features. The Rain Shinobi forehead protector she wore made her identity clear.

"It's you..." Shisui and Itachi exchanged surprised glances. They had encountered her before.

"You want me to protect her?" Konan asked, her gaze falling on Rin. Tatsuya had contacted her, offering information on Nagato and a chance to reunite with Nagato—but on one condition: she had to protect this girl. Internally, Konan found it a bit disgraceful that someone in her forties was tasked with protecting a girl barely in her twenties, but she accepted the mission nonetheless.

"What a beautiful..." Rin remarked, blinking in awe.

Caught off guard, Konan hesitated for a moment before awkwardly replying, "Uh... thank you."

"With everyone here now, can we finally set off?" Terumi Mei asked impatiently. She had been waiting long enough. Seeing Konan only added fuel to her silent frustration as she cursed Tatsuya in her heart. How many women has that bastard gotten involved with?!

"I won't let him escape this time!" Shisui declared, clenching his fists in determination.

Even Itachi, usually calm and collected behind his mask, gritted his teeth. Tatsuya had said this was their last chance—and they were determined to seize it.

This elite team, strong enough to take down two Kage, said nothing further. In an instant, they disappeared like shadows, speeding toward the Land of Water.

"You're not going?" Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow. She was at home, enjoying breakfast prepared by Kurenai Yuhi. Tatsuya sat across from her, casually eating his poached eggs.

"If I go, Obito and Nagato will flee the moment they sense me," Tatsuya replied nonchalantly. "But with Minato and Kakashi leading, he might just face them head-on."

Pausing for a moment, he added with a calm smile, "Don't worry, I've got my plan."

...

...

"The closer we get, the stronger the smell of blood becomes. Along the way, how many ninja and civilian corpses have we passed in the wilderness?" Kakashi muttered, his unease growing as the team neared Kirigakure.

A week into the journey, Kakashi felt a deep sense of dread. Isn't this supposed to be a time of peace? Yet the Land of Water was littered with the bodies of ninjas and civilians alike.

Terumi Mei was too shaken to speak, her face pale. She couldn't fathom how her home had turned into this nightmare in the short decade since she left the Mist Village. Yagura-senpai, are you really under control?

As the group moved closer, the distant outline of Kirigakure came into view. Dark clouds gathered ominously above the village, and heavy rain began to fall.

"It's raining... This isn't ideal for stealth," Kakashi frowned. Rain would mean fewer people on the streets, making it harder for them to blend in.

"This technique... Could it be..." Konan's expression tightened as she whispered, "Rain Tiger at Will Technique?"

"Rain Tiger at Will Technique? What's that?" Minato asked, turning his head with curiosity. Despite his vast knowledge, this was the first time he had heard of such a technique.

"It's one of Nagato's Rinnegan abilities," Konan explained. "He uses chakra to create dark clouds and rain infused with his chakra. If any unfamiliar chakra enters the area, he can sense it immediately."

She paused, then affirmed, "There's no mistake. Nagato is here, in this village."

"In other words," Itachi muttered, gripping his saber tightly, "the man who pinned the blame on the Uchiha is here too?"

"Stay calm, Itachi," Shisui cautioned. "Last time, Tatsuya and I tried to surprise him, but he managed to escape. If we rush in again, we might not even get a glimpse of him."

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