"Shimura Danzō" led two supposed "Konoha shinobi" deep into the mountains, arriving at a concealed cave shrouded in mist. Once they confirmed there were no chakra signatures nearby, the Transformation Technique was lifted. In a swirl of smoke, the rigid, aged face of the legendary elder gave way to the handsome, sharp-featured visage of Mizuki Ryosuke.
At the same time, the two "Konoha shinobi" removed their standard-issue ANBU masks. One bore shark-like facial features with sunken gill-like scars—Hoshigaki Kisame. The other, with a bald head and eerie, browless eyes—Kaguya Yuta of the Dead Bone Pulse.
"Kisame, Yuta," Mizuki Ryosuke greeted calmly. "You've done well."
"You flatter us, Lord Ryosuke," the two replied in perfect synchronicity, their tones disciplined and resolute.
Their seamless execution said everything. This elaborate mission was a tightly orchestrated deception, conceived and directed by Mizuki Ryosuke himself. Hoshigaki Kisame and Kaguya Yuta, disguised as Konoha operatives, staged a fake operation. Ryosuke took on the persona of Shimura Danzō—the infamous "Darkness of the Shinobi World"—a scapegoat who had long carried the weight of countless sins. One more accusation wouldn't shake his legacy.
This operation began two days earlier.
Upon receiving intel on Uzumaki Nagato from Hanzō of the Salamander, Ryosuke immediately crafted a bold plan: to blame the Rinnegan's theft on Danzō and Konoha. Given Danzō's shady reputation in canon—his illegal experimentation, ROOT's shadow operations, and his bid for the Hokage seat—he was the perfect fall guy.
Step one: Kisame and Yuta, disguised as Konoha agents, abduct Nagato. Their swift and precise actions triggered a ripple effect, intentionally drawing the attention of Black Zetsu, whose instinctive surveillance of Nagato would force his hand.
Upon triggering the reverse Summoning array hidden in the region—a technique similar to what Pain used to call the Animal Path—Nagato was transported directly to Ryosuke's secured location. Meanwhile, Kisame and Yuta deployed a decoy to mislead Black Zetsu and buy time.
To avoid suspicion, neither could use their signature abilities—no Samehada, no shark-based Water Release, no Dead Bone Pulse. This limitation suppressed their fighting strength, reducing their output from near-Kage level to Elite Jōnin at best.
To compensate, Ryosuke had previously gifted Yuta the Akimichi clan's Expansion Jutsu, reshaped through cursed bone control. This unconventional jutsu helped confuse Black Zetsu further. In addition, Ryosuke armed both with ice kunai laced with Three-Tails chakra, allowing Ryosuke to pinpoint their location if "Plan B" was necessary.
Fortunately, his intervention rendered Plan B unnecessary.
While the two delayed Black Zetsu, Ryosuke completed the critical procedures: transplanting Nagato's Rinnegan (similar to how Madara implanted his eyes in Nagato), applying his Danzō disguise, and cloaking himself with a chakra signature-masking seal.
Appearing before Black Zetsu as Shimura Danzō, Ryosuke carried Nagato's limp form and—after a tense interaction—intimidated the ancient parasite into fleeing. Given Danzō's past possession of Shisui's Mangekyō and his reputation for brutality, Black Zetsu's retreat was believable.
Thus, Ryosuke shifted the narrative entirely. Konoha and Danzō would bear the consequences of this mysterious attack. Black Zetsu and Madara's secret plans were now in shambles, and Ryosuke held the Rinnegan.
"This is top-level classified," Ryosuke warned gravely. "Not a single word escapes, understood?"
"Yes, my lord!" Kisame and Yuta straightened, eyes fierce with loyalty. Ryosuke nodded with approval. He had selected his operatives well.
Inside the cave, they incinerated all evidence: fake Konoha flak jackets, ANBU masks, even forged forehead protectors with the Hidden Leaf emblem—standard black-ops misdirection. When the last ember died out, the three vanished via the reverse Summoning array their subordinates had established earlier, leaving no trace.
Meanwhile, tension escalated across the ninja world.
With Rain Shinobi's bold declaration of war, the balance between the Five Great Nations was cracking. Everywhere, alliances were questioned, and anxiety surged beneath the surface of diplomatic calm.
In Sunagakure, the recently ascended Third Kazekage—renowned for his mastery of Iron Sand, said to be inspired by the magnet release of the Second Kazekage—sat deep in thought. The Land of Wind, barren and unforgiving, was a country of resolve and scarcity.
Despite military strength reaching a peak under two generations of Kage leadership, Sunagakure's strategic materials were critically limited. The cost of maintaining war readiness, especially during Rain's offensive, drained their stores further.
Worse yet, Sand's true concern wasn't Rain—but the opportunistic movements of Konoha and Iwagakure, their more powerful neighbors. Should either exploit Sand's stretched lines, the Kazekage feared a full invasion.
This fear explained why he remained in the village despite the war's outbreak. Without materials to maintain the front or reinforce supply lines, Sunagakure's military might would mean nothing.
While pondering this, his aide entered with urgent news.
"Kazekage-sama, a delegation from Kirigakure requests audience. They claim to bear a message directly from the Fourth Mizukage."
The Kazekage's expression darkened.
"Mist Shinobi?" he muttered.
The Land of Water was notoriously isolationist, especially after the First Great Ninja War. Kirigakure rarely interacted with foreign powers and had become increasingly secretive under the Fourth Mizukage—Yagura, the Three-Tails jinchūriki, known for his iron-fisted rule and rumored internal purges.
Sunagakure and Kirigakure traditionally kept to their corners of the world, with little interference.
So why now, and why in person?
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