Fortunately, thanks to the timely warning shouted by one of the Konoha shinobi, most of them managed to avoid the deadly blast. In the end, Konoha's losses were not as severe as they could have been.
Only nine ninja had died outright, though the number of wounded exceeded fifty, and many of them were gravely injured.
Uchiha Fugaku and Takano quickly ordered the injured to be escorted back before leading the remaining forces onward without pause.
"The Hyūga and Inuzuka clans were intercepted on the western side of Kirigakure," someone reported. "The enemy's defenses there are extremely strong."
"But the Akimichi clan has already moved in to reinforce them."
Fugaku narrowed his eyes slightly before speaking. "We can circle around from the north and launch a rear assault to relieve the pressure on them…"
He paused for a moment, then added calmly,
"Or we could strike the Mizukage Building directly."
Before either Shimizu or Takano could respond, Fugaku continued.
"The enemy already knows we entered Kirigakure through the northern route. They've likely guessed our objective as well and have probably prepared ambushes along the way."
"In that case, abandoning the original plan and attacking the Mizukage Building directly may actually be safer."
Takano finally could not hold back any longer.
"But if we do that… the Hyūga forces won't receive our support."
"They don't necessarily need us," Fugaku replied evenly. "Yoshimaru's thousand-man force can reinforce them at any moment."
Then his gaze sharpened.
"And if we attack the Mizukage Building, it will still divert pressure away from them. Kirigakure's ninja won't be able to ignore an attack on the heart of their village."
In the end, no matter how he dressed it up, Fugaku simply wanted to seize the greatest achievement for himself by capturing the Mizukage Building first.
Shimizu, however, immediately noticed the flaw in his reasoning.
"And what if Kirigakure has already predicted that?" he asked. "What if they've prepared an ambush specifically on the route to the Mizukage Building?"
Fugaku answered without hesitation.
"If they have enough manpower to hold back the Hyūga clan in the west, then they must have concentrated most of their forces there. This side won't have many defenders."
Shimizu stared at him for a moment before nodding lightly.
"Then proceed with your plan, Fugaku-senpai."
He motioned for Satomi to follow him.
"I still have another mission to complete, so I'll be leaving first."
Takano blinked in surprise. "What?"
"A direct assignment from the Hokage," Shimizu replied calmly. "I'm afraid I can't disclose the details."
Fugaku's expression darkened instantly.
"Then we'll assist you."
"Classified mission."
After saying that, Shimizu gave a small nod toward Shisui and Megumi in the distance before vanishing with a Body Flicker Technique.
Satomi immediately followed after him.
Fugaku stood silently in place, staring toward the faint outline of the Mizukage Building hidden within the sea of mist, his expression grave.
...
"Senpai… where are we going now?" Satomi asked as they moved through the fog.
"Straight to the Mizukage Building."
She did not ask why they weren't traveling with the main Konoha force. The answer was already obvious enough.
Even if their destination was ultimately the same, Shimizu had no intention of letting Uchiha Fugaku use him as a weapon.
As for the "mission from the Hokage," Satomi already knew part of it. The ANBU messenger from before had delivered orders for Shimizu to investigate the true reason behind Kirigakure's sudden invasion of Konoha.
What she did not know was that the Third Hokage had also privately mentioned another possibility—
That the Third Mizukage might have ties to Uchiha Madara.
"It's not entirely out of stubbornness," Shimizu explained as they traveled. "They're moving too slowly, and there are too many people. I'm worried they'll alert the enemy."
Anything connected to Madara demanded extreme caution.
Moving together with the main army would certainly be safer, but how could they infiltrate the Mizukage Building under those circumstances?
"Senpai really trusts my strength quite a lot," Satomi said softly.
"There aren't many people I can trust," Shimizu replied. "And besides, you're a jōnin. Have a little confidence in yourself."
With her Revolving Heaven technique, Satomi could block most threats head-on. In terms of survivability, she was more than reliable.
And her Byakugan's scouting ability was invaluable.
"Can you still see clearly?"
"The fog here isn't as dense," she answered after activating her Byakugan. "I can observe everything within about eight hundred meters."
The Byakugan really was absurdly useful.
Under normal conditions, Shimizu's sensory range approached five hundred and forty meters. But with the mist covering the entire area, it had been suppressed to barely half that distance.
"Senpai," Satomi suddenly warned, her expression tightening. "There are people ahead… one squad… two… three squads. More than a hundred enemies."
"Let's try to avoid them," Shimizu said immediately. "They may not have discovered us. They could simply be moving to intercept Fugaku's forces."
"Understood."
The two instantly changed direction at high speed, attempting to circle around the enemy.
But after making a wide detour, they suddenly found their path blocked by a vast azure lake stretching before them.
If they wanted to continue toward the Mizukage Building now, they only had three choices—
Retreat the way they came.
Cross the mountains.
Or traverse the lake itself.
"Go straight through," Shimizu said as he stepped onto the lake first. "Stay alert at all times."
The two of them sprinted across the water at high speed.
"This lake…" Shimizu frowned slightly. "It's too calm. There aren't even any ripples."
Under normal circumstances, when the surrounding environment suddenly became deathly silent, it usually meant only one thing—
Someone powerful was lying in wait nearby.
"Watch out!"
With a loud splash, a massive hand suddenly burst out from beneath the lake and seized Shimizu's ankle.
Water Release: Water Prison Technique!
In an instant, a sphere of water enveloped him completely.
At the same time, a cold flash of steel erupted upward from beneath the lake surface—a massive Executioner's Blade nearly two meters long cleaved straight toward Satomi.
Revolving Heaven!
With a thunderous bang, the attacker was violently repelled backward.
"Well, that was embarrassing, Jūzō," another voice called out mockingly from behind them.
It was Kurosuki Raiga.
Jūzō Biwa rested Kubikiribōchō on his shoulder, clearly irritated.
"Then why aren't you attacking, Raiga?"
Raiga sneered.
"You think I'm as stupid as you? Can't you tell Suikazan Fuguki just caught a fake?"
The "Shimizu" trapped inside the Water Prison suddenly dissolved back into the lake itself.
A Water Clone.
When had that young Konoha ninja formed hand seals?
"This is the so-called 'Shunshin no Shimizu,' master of both Water and Lightning Release," Raiga said as he rapidly formed seals himself. "I already figured out where you were hiding."
"Let's see where you run now."
He crossed his twin blades together, and brilliant blue light instantly burst from their tips.
Lightning Sword Technique: Falling Thunder!
Several streaks of lightning pierced violently into the lake.
Splash!
Shimizu's real body burst out from beneath the water just as the lightning struck beneath him harmlessly.
"So fast…" Raiga muttered. "Even my lightning can't catch him."
"Idiot," Suikazan Fuguki growled as he swung Samehada viciously toward Shimizu's back. "It's not your lightning that's slow."
"It's your reaction speed."
A harsh metallic screech split the air.
Shimizu had somehow reversed his grip mid-motion and blocked the heavy strike behind him with his chakra blade.
"See?" Fuguki snorted. "Even when I ambushed him, he still blocked it."
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen…" Shimizu's eyes narrowed slightly in surprise.
He truly hadn't expected to run into enemies like this here.
Looks like he'd have to spend some chakra after all.
"You know us?" Fuguki asked coldly.
"Of course," Shimizu replied calmly. "The seven of you lost to a single Konoha genin… and four of you died."
"You—!"
Fuguki's face twisted with fury at the blatant humiliation. He swung Samehada again with explosive force.
At the same time, his orange hair suddenly hardened and fired outward like countless bullets.
Ninja Art: Needle Senbon!
But before the attack could land, Shimizu flickered once—
And instantly appeared beside Satomi.
Not speed.
Actual instantaneous movement.
The three Mist ninja stared in shock.
They had clearly recognized who he was, yet still chose to fight him on the surface of a lake.
Was their intelligence really that outdated?
Or were they simply idiots?
"Let's finish this quickly," Shimizu said. "You take one, I'll take two."