Hatake Tatsuya in Naruto

Hearing Shisui's words, Itachi quickly regained his composure. He thought that if I let this chance slip due to my impatience, I'll regret it for the rest of my life.

"Konan-San, is there no way to counter this sensing jutsu?" Rin asked, turning her gaze to Konan.

Konan paused, considering the question before responding, "...As far as I know unless it's Madara's space-time ninjutsu, which allows spatial transfer, there's no other way to bypass the perception of the Rain Tiger at Will Technique."

Her answer left everyone in silence.

"As long as the chakra is of someone from Kirigakure, it should work, right?" Minato spoke up, breaking the quiet. "I think I might have a method we could try."

...

...

Half an hour later, a figure approached the front gate of Kirigakure. 

The two Kiri shinobi on guard duty immediately stepped forward, requesting his identification. Despite the Mist Village forehead protector he wore, strict regulations had been in place since the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, took power, pushing village security to an almost obsessive level.

"Hōzuki Kaito, Chūnin of the Hōzuki Clan, just returned from a C-rank mission," he stated, holding out his identification.

One of the guards glanced over the documents, giving a quick nod. "Mission details?"

Kaito replied with a calm but clipped tone, "Patrol and reconnaissance along the northeastern coast, near the Whirlpools. We had reports of minor insurgent activities—stragglers from foreign shinobi nations hiding in the border territories. Tasked to investigate possible smuggling routes and eliminate any low-level threats."

The guard raised an eyebrow. "Encounter any resistance?"

"A small band of rogue shinobi, exiles from the Land of Water. Nothing beyond standard procedures," Kaito said. "They'd been sneaking into the coastal villages, trading stolen supplies. We managed to track and dismantle their network before they could get far."

"Understood." The guard handed back Kaito's documents, his stern expression softening slightly. "Good work out there. Since Yagura came into power, every returning shinobi needs to be verified; you know how it is."

After verifying his identity, the guards nodded, returned to their posts, and signaled that he could enter. Yet, this "Hōzuki Kaito" did not head toward the Hōzuki family compound once inside. Instead, he walked calmly to the Mizukage building, easily recognizable by the large "water" symbol at its center.

Without hurrying, he made his way to the building's entrance, attracting no attention from passersby—none of whom noticed the subtle flicker of three tomoe Sharingan in his eyes. This shinobi was put under Sharingan's Genjutsu control by Shisui!

Without delay, "Kaito" reached into his sleeve, drawing out a special trident-shaped kunai. It was Minato's Flying Thunder God Kunai!

In the next instant, Hōzuki Kaito hurled the kunai toward the window of the Mizukage's office on the top floor.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Pain's Deva Path, stationed on high alert atop the building, instantly detected the threat. With a flick of his hand, he unleashed a wave of repulsive force, deflecting the kunai midair.

"What's the problem with this guy?" Nagato muttered through Deva Path Pain muttered, frowning as he looked down at Hōzuki Kaito.

Just then, a sudden flash of light drew his attention back to the kunai he had deflected. To his surprise, several figures appeared in the air, materializing seemingly out of nowhere. Among them was Konan, his close friend he hadn't seen in six years.

"Konan!?" Deva Path Pain called out, startled.

"Everyone split! Find Obito!" commanded Minato, who had used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport the team directly from outside the village. In one swift motion, he threw another Flying Thunder God kunai toward the Mizukage's office window. This time, there was no chance to intercept it.

With a resounding bang, Minato appeared inside the office moments later, ready to act.

Shisui suddenly clasped his hands together, disregarding the toll on his chakra. 

"Wood Style: Great Binding Pillars Technique!"

Massive, rectangular wooden beams erupted from the ground, surrounding the building and sealing all doors and windows, ensuring no escape.

"No one is getting out!" he declared.

Itachi frowned. "Shisui, against an enemy with space-time ninjutsu, won't this technique be ineffective?"

"I know," Shisui replied, "but if he even touches these wooden barriers, I'll be able to sense his exact location." He gestured to the single remaining entrance and shouted, "Let's go!"

At once, everyone in the Konoha squad, along with Terumi Mei, rushed into the Mizukage building, leaving Konan outside to face the Six Paths of Pain.

"Why haven't you reached out all these years?" Konan asked, her voice filled with concern. "Nagato, I've been worried that Madara… that he is using you."

Nagato, speaking through the Deva Path, replied after a brief pause. "Konan, hunting the Tailed Beasts is too dangerous. Madara was right; you don't need to be involved. I promised Yahiko I would protect you."

"You're sacrificing yourself, Nagato," she said, her voice breaking slightly as she reached out, only for the Deva Path to step back, away from her reach. "Madara is using you. He'll drain you of everything—your strength, your hope, even your life."

"Enough, Konan." His voice was cold, yet she could detect a tremor in it, a slight hesitation that betrayed his inner conflict. "Madara may have his motives, but I am in control. Our dream for peace… Yahiko's dream… I'm the only one left who can see it through."

Konan's gaze hardened. "Then let me help. Let me be there to support you like we promised each other back then. You don't have to do this alone, Nagato. Working with Madara is far too dangerous—you're risking everything!"

Deva Path said, shaking his head before using Shinra Tensei to push her back. "Go back to the Rain Village, Konan. Forget what you've seen here. I'll protect you… even if you can't accept how."

...

...

Inside the Mizukage's office, Minato and the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, stood in a tense confrontation.

Minato held a Flying Thunder God kunai in each hand, his gaze icy. "Six years, and you still don't dare to show me your true face? The one who calls himself Uchiha Madara…" He paused, and then his tone shifted sharply. "Or should I say, Obito?"

A sudden ripple distorted the space just behind Yagura's right shoulder, and a masked figure materialized from it.

"Sensei…" the figure growled, his voice unmistakably that of Uchiha Madara, yet his frustration was evident.

Minato's suspicions deepened. Though he couldn't see the masked man's expression, he was almost certain of the anger in his tone.

Bang!

Just then, the door behind them burst open. The Uchiha duo, Kakashi, Rin, Terumi Mei, and others arrived shortly after.

"Lord Mizukage has truly been under Genjutsu!" Terumi Mei gasped as she saw Yagura, who stood slack, expressionless, like a puppet. Tatsuya's earlier prediction had come true: the Mizukage was indeed under genjutsu, just as Shisui had used the Sharingan to control Hōzuki Kaito.

"So, you're the one who made the Uchiha clan suffer so many years of injustice?" Itachi, usually the most stoic of them all, was suddenly filled with anger. Seeing his enemy of so many years standing right in front of him, he unsheathed his blade and charged forward.

"Wait, Itachi! Be cautious of his space abilities!" Shisui warned, but it was too late.

"Hmph!" Obito grunted, unfazed by the young Uchiha's charge. As Itachi's blade slashed through Obito's head, Itachi's eyes widened in shock. Without missing a beat, Obito swiftly drew a kunai and thrust it toward Itachi's heart.

"Stop!" Rin's desperate shout filled the room, momentarily halting Obito's movement.

Had Tatsuya been present, he might have sighed, noting that some old habits—even as small as this momentary hesitation—are hard to break.

---

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