At Yagura's command, silhouettes blurred out of the dense forest. Using the thick mist as cover, they rapidly encircled the members of Team 7.
Uchiha Obito was hidden among the many Mist ANBU, wearing the same standard uniform as the others, peering through the fog.
His Sharingan's genjutsu was not like Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, which could rewrite a person's will permanently. To maintain continuous control over Yagura's actions, Obito needed to exert influence from a relatively close distance.
Thus, he participated in this mission personally, disguised as an ordinary Mist ninja, blending in perfectly.
Upon arriving at the scene, Obito saw the corpse of Zabuza Momochi, who had been executed by Kakashi. This elite Mist Jonin had been killed cleanly with a single fatal blow to the chest. It was a stark testament to the significant gap between Zabuza's strength and Kakashi's.
Having controlled the Mist Village through Yagura for many years, Obito had a deep understanding of their overall military strength and had privately marked powerful ninjas to watch out for. Zabuza was one of them.
Seeing such an excellent ninja killed so easily allowed Obito to make a preliminary judgment on Kakashi's current strength. Compared to the Kakashi of years ago, he had undoubtedly grown stronger.
But this progress did not make Obito happy. On the contrary, it filled him with resentment and rage.
Since you are this outstanding, this talented, and this powerful... why couldn't you fulfill the promise you made to me?! Why couldn't someone as "excellent" as you protect Rin?!
Seeing Kakashi again caused Obito's heart to burn with agitation as the tragedy of that day replayed in his mind.
The members of Team 7 were initially unaware they were in a desperate trap. Naruto, still riding the high of victory, was excitedly describing how difficult the enemy had been.
When he mentioned that Hinata had killed the foe—who had caused them so much trouble—with a single strike, even Kakashi couldn't help but look at her with newfound respect.
He hadn't expected this relatively quiet girl to be the key to victory. At the same time, it gave Kakashi a new realization of the Byakugan's power.
The Gentle Fist, capable of defeating stronger opponents with a single internal strike, possessed a terrifying lethality that other methods lacked.
Thinking of Hinata's strength at such a young age, and then considering her reclusive older brother, Kakashi found it hard to imagine how far Shinichi's strength had climbed.
Compared to Hinata, Hinata Shinichi was the "peer" who truly made Kakashi feel immense pressure—even though Kakashi was several years older.
"Those two who attacked us were Mist ninja," Kakashi said, crouching by Haku's side to search for identification. Aside from the featureless Mist ANBU mask, he found nothing. "We've been attacked by Mist ninja before.
If their target was Tazuna, they shouldn't be sending more so soon after such losses... unless their target isn't Tazuna. If that's the case, we're in big trouble."
Kakashi used this moment to analyze the situation for his students. Usually, a village wouldn't obsessively throw multiple teams at a single standard mission unless national interests were at stake.
Encountering Mist ninja twice in one mission was highly irregular. Either the Mist would give up, or the mission would be flagged for extreme priority, meaning the next wave would be vastly more numerous and powerful.
Staying in the Land of Waves was now a massive risk. But reality was moving faster than Kakashi's judgment.
Silence. An eerie silence fell over the forest. The birds and insects had stopped chirping.
"Something's wrong... it's too quiet," Kakashi muttered, looking up. He couldn't see through the mist, but he sensed the aura of elite ninjas. Animals are sensitive to the presence of killers.
"You three, get behind me. Hinata, use the Byakugan. Scan the perimeter!"
Hinata obeyed. As her veins pulsed and her vision expanded, her face paled with shock. They were completely surrounded. Then, her eyes landed on Yagura. Her pupils constricted as she began to gag.
"Ugh—"
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, grabbing her shoulder.
Hinata was seeing Yagura's terrifying chakra. Through his body, she saw the vastly different and gargantuan chakra of the Three-Tails. The sheer pressure of that energy was physically nauseating to the young girl.
We're surrounded... and... Hinata stared blankly. Beyond the Three-Tails, she noticed two ninjas in the crowd who had anomalous chakra reactions in their eyes. She didn't link it to mind control; she just thought it was another "divine" power of the enemy.
"We... we are surrounded by enemies!" Hinata stammered, her legs trembling.
Kakashi drew a kunai, his heart sinking. He hadn't noticed them until they were right on top of him. This meant the enemies were masters of stealth.
Step— Step—
Footsteps echoed from the fog. A small shadow emerged. Yagura, looking no older than twelve or thirteen, walked out to face them.
"Hatake... Kakashi. I recognize you," Yagura said tonelessly.
Kakashi's hair stood on end. He didn't know Yagura by sight, but he felt the aura. The young Kakashi was once paralyzed by Orochimaru's killing intent; Yagura, the creator of the "Bloody Mist," radiated an intent even heavier.
"Who are you?" Kakashi asked, his voice rasping.
"My name is Yagura. I am the Mist's... Fourth Mizukage!"
Obito, through Yagura, relished the moment. The pressure intensified.
"The Mizukage?!" The Genin gasped. They knew the weight of that title.
Kakashi froze. The Mizukage himself was in the Land of Waves? This wasn't about Tazuna. They are here for the Byakugan.
As Yagura revealed himself, the mist thinned, showing hundreds of ANBU masks surrounding them. Kakashi's heart went dark. This wasn't a fight he could win, let alone while protecting three children. He calmed himself, facing death with a sharp mind.
"Lord Mizukage, why is a man of your stature here in the Land of Waves?" Kakashi asked, hoping to buy time or send information out via a summoning.
"Don't worry, it's not for you," Yagura said, pointing a finger. "My goal is the girl behind you. Hyuga Hinata... correct?"
Obito wanted to tear Kakashi apart psychologically. Protecting comrades? You couldn't even protect Rin! I'll make you watch while your students are taken!
"Hinata? They're after Hinata!" Naruto growled, his anger overriding his fear. "I'll never hand her over!"
Sasuke gripped his kunai, his trembling hands finally steadying.
"Hand her over, Hatake Kakashi, and the rest can live," Yagura said, glancing at Naruto. Obito had no intention of killing the Fourth Hokage's son or Kakashi—he just wanted to break them.
"I will never hand over a comrade!" Kakashi declared. He had already decided: he would die before letting them take the Byakugan.
"You won't? Then I'll take her myself!"
Yagura gripped his hooked staff. He would take Hinata and prove to Kakashi once more how truly powerless he was.
But just as Yagura prepared to move, he felt a weight on his shoulder. A hand had appeared there, silently and impossibly.
A cold, calm voice rang out across the battlefield, silencing everyone:
"Taking a Byakugan... did you think to ask me, the master of the Hyuga family?"
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