Chapter 171: Kirigakure Becomes the Target of Everyone!
On this side, Black Zetsu and White Zetsu successfully fooled the Fourth Raikage, causing the entire Kumogakure to now believe that Kirigakure attacked their jinchūriki and captured both Killer Bee and Yugito Nii.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Uchiha Obito also used his own methods to smoothly inform Iwagakure that their Four-Tails and Five-Tails had been kidnapped by Kirigakure.
One stone stirs up a thousand waves. Iwagakure's ANBU had already been tracking and investigating the disappearance of their jinchūriki.
They had long received some intelligence and knew that Sunagakure and Konoha had already begun taking action.
Now, learning this "truth," the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki was similarly furious.
Iwagakure immediately gathered a large number of elite forces and set out for Kirigakure, intending to demand answers and make them pay.
Things had developed to this point.
Iwagakure was no longer simply interested in recovering their jinchūriki.
Although Kirigakure was isolated overseas, the Land of Water's economy was still relatively strong.
At a time like this, not taking the opportunity to extort a huge sum from them would be a disservice to Iwagakure's losses!
"Move out immediately!"
"We must reach Kirigakure and make our demands before the other ninja villages settle their issues!"
Ōnoki was inherently someone who loved stirring up trouble.
Now, with a legitimate pretext to attack Kirigakure, he was even more restless and excited.
Meanwhile, some smaller nations' ninja villages had also begun to sense the situation and started to stir restlessly.
Everyone knew a new great war was likely about to break out.
After all, whenever the five great ninja nations personally got involved, it always stirred up endless storms.
The timid began preparing to evacuate and escape the flames of war.
The warmongers tried to seize benefits that didn't originally belong to them in this war that was about to sweep across the ninja world.
…
When Oborotsuki brought Terumī Mei back to Kirigakure, the envoys from Sunagakure and Konoha had already arrived.
The captain of the ANBU Intelligence Division, Suika no Yama Fugu Oni, personally came to report the situation to the two.
"Lady Terumī Mei, Lord Oborotsuki, the envoys from Sunagakure and Konoha have arrived and are currently waiting in the reception hall."
"But this time they look clearly hostile and ill-intentioned…"
Suika no Yama Fugu Oni reminded them.
This guy—in the original story—secretly sold his village's intelligence to other nations.
He was discovered by his subordinate Hoshigaki Kisame and killed by Kisame.
Oborotsuki had no good feelings toward him. Hearing this, he just nodded casually.
He was already thinking about finding an opportunity to eliminate this traitor who betrayed his own village.
"Let's go meet them!"
Terumī Mei glanced at Oborotsuki, sighed inwardly but said nothing. She led her subordinates toward the Mizukage building.
Meanwhile, Oborotsuki turned his head and looked at Hoshigaki Kisame, who was following behind Suika no Yama Fugu Oni.
"You're called Kisame, right?"
He asked.
The other stopped and answered: "Yes."
"Does Lord Oborotsuki have any orders?"
When Kisame opened his mouth, a row of sharp shark-like teeth was revealed.
"Your chakra volume isn't bad at all."
Oborotsuki nodded in praise.
Hearing this, Kisame was slightly stunned. Then he showed an understanding smile.
Before Kisame could speak, Suika no Yama Fugu Oni spoke first:
"I didn't expect Lord Oborotsuki to have such powerful perception ability…"
"Kisame is known in Kirigakure as the 'Tailed Beast Without a Tail.'"
"Oh?"
"Sounds like you're pretty impressive!"
Oborotsuki looked back at Kisame.
The latter only smiled without speaking. Oborotsuki nodded again:
"Starting today, put down your original work."
"Lord Oborotsuki…?"
Kisame was stunned when he heard this.
He thought Oborotsuki was firing him.
"I'm giving you a new assignment."
"From today onward, your job is to protect the Fifth Mizukage. No matter what happens, you must keep her safe."
Oborotsuki ordered Kisame.
He knew very well how capable Hoshigaki Kisame was.
Just his chakra volume alone—comparable to a small tailed beast—was already stronger than many people.
If not for being countered by Might Guy, Kisame was stronger than most elite jōnin in single combat.
Of course, that was assuming he had Samehada.
Thinking of this, Oborotsuki's gaze drifted toward the large sword Samehada carried on Suika no Yama Fugu Oni's back. He said nothing.
"Understood."
Kisame breathed a sigh of relief when he realized Oborotsuki wasn't firing him but assigning him to protect the Fifth Mizukage.
From a regular ANBU squad member to now becoming the Fifth Mizukage's personal bodyguard—
This counted as a promotion.
Meanwhile, Suika no Yama Fugu Oni—Kisame's former superior—looked somewhat stunned upon hearing Oborotsuki's decision.
But Oborotsuki paid him no attention. He quickly led the others up to the Mizukage building.
…
Inside the reception hall.
The envoys from Sunagakure and Konoha—who had already been waiting here for a long time—were starting to grow impatient.
At this point, they couldn't help but complain.
"Does Kirigakure have a guilty conscience? They've kept us waiting this long without giving us any response!"
This time, the representative from Sunagakure was Maki—the Wind Shadow's aide.
The same man who—in the original story—had instantly killed Konoha's special jōnin Gekkō Hayate with one move.
Meanwhile, Konoha had sent Kakashi as their negotiator.
Of course, both had their respective entourages.
Kakashi had been sizing up Oborotsuki from the moment he saw him.
Konoha currently possessed quite a lot of intelligence.
Kakashi knew Oborotsuki had once come to Konoha and fought against Shisui and Itachi.
Not only that—he had single-handedly wiped out the ANBU Danzō sent to hunt down the Uchiha clan.
He had even stormed Root headquarters alone, killed dozens of ANBU members, escaped unscathed, and ultimately assassinated Danzō himself.
Because he understood how terrifying this man's strength truly was,
Kakashi had remained completely silent from beginning to end—trying his best not to provoke the enemy and risk ruining today's important mission.
At this moment, hearing Terumī Mei speak, he introduced himself:
"Lady Fifth Mizukage, I am Hatake Kakashi. I come on orders from Konoha's Third Hokage to negotiate with your Kirigakure."
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