'Ao!'
As Sasuke's eyes registered the newcomer's distinctive features, a name sprang to his mind.
This veteran Jonin from Kirigakure possessed the Byakugan in his right eye—a war trophy seized during the Third Shinobi World War after battling the Hyuga Clan's Main Family.
This act had landed him on Konoha's Golden Wanted List, with the Hyuga Clan spearheading the pursuit.
In the original timeline, while the Hidden Mist Elder and Terumi Mei spearheaded Fourth Mizukage Yagura's downfall, Ao's Byakugan had played a crucial role!
What puzzled Sasuke was how a secondhand Byakugan could dispel a genjutsu capable of controlling even a perfect Jinchūriki.
Especially since this genjutsu was highly likely to be one of Uchiha Madara's hidden contingencies!
Putting that aside for now, Sasuke recalled from his past life's anime binges that Ao had perished during the Fourth Shinobi World War.
Along with Yamanaka Inoichi, Nara Shikaku, and others, he had been killed in the Command Center by the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb.
Yet later, Sasuke had heard rumors that Ao hadn't died, merely suffered severe injuries, and had even reappeared in Boruto.
In his previous life, Sasuke had devoured every anime episode, novel, and side story of Hokage.
But when it came to Boruto, he'd only seen the movie and the widely acclaimed episode 65.
He hadn't watched a single other episode, so he was completely unaware of the later twists and turns, the bizarre new plot holes that had emerged.
Sasuke was mildly surprised to see Ao here, yet somehow, it also felt inevitable.
From a detached, godlike perspective—treating it all like a typical shonen anime—he wouldn't have bothered delving into the Land of Waves' hidden schemes and political maneuvering.
But now, as a living, breathing Sasuke within this real world, years of accumulated information and intelligence allowed him to grasp the core truth with minimal thought: nothing had suddenly appeared out of nowhere; every event left a trail.
Gato's arrival in the Land of Waves had occurred exactly one year ago. (Just like in the anime!)
Coincidentally, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura's fall from power and the Land of Water's opening of its ports for trade had also occurred exactly one year ago.
Gato's company, specializing in maritime transport, had instantly seized control of the small nation's economic lifeline and transportation network.
How could the president of a mere ocean shipping company possess such power?
Even if he had ties to the underworld, this was beyond his reach!
When it comes to maritime trade and shipping, no nation in the entire Ninja World surpasses the Land of Water in scale and expertise.
The answer is a resounding no!
Whether in his past life or this one, nations across the world were fundamentally categorized into continental and maritime states.
Continental states are characterized by agriculture and animal husbandry as their primary modes of production, while maritime states thrive on commerce and trade.
These starkly different developmental paths have destined maritime states to maintain a long-term advantage in maritime transport and trade.
This dominance only began to erode with the technological explosion of his previous world, eventually being surpassed.
Coincidentally, most of the rogue ninja under Gato's command were former Kirigakure defectors from the Fourth Mizukage Yagura's era.
Yet, the Hidden Mist seemed to turn a blind eye to their presence.
Zabuza had been hired by Gato to assassinate Tazuna not long ago, and the assassination squad that had been relentlessly pursuing him suddenly vanished without a trace.
(This information was hinted at in the original Land of Waves arc. Although Gato cursed Zabuza as a "worthless scum from Kirigakure," Haku later clarified that they couldn't kill Gato yet, or they'd be hunted down by Kirigakure's assassination squads. This proves they faced no pursuit during their time under Gato's employment. Of course, this is just my personal interpretation based on piecing together clues from the original story. If official lore contradicts my theories, defer to the official canon!)
Originally, this evidence alone wasn't enough to definitively prove that Kirigakure was behind Gato.
It could have been mere coincidence, or perhaps Gato was a peripheral figure in Akatsuki, serving as a black hand to siphon funds.
After all, Uchiha Obito had manipulated Kirigakure for nearly a decade, naturally establishing special connections and influence within the village.
But when Sasuke witnessed Kurosuki Raiga's appearance, he became certain that Kirigakure was the organization backing Gato!
Even though Sasuke knew Ao represented Kirigakure, he felt no apprehension or fear.
After four years of honing his blade, it had finally been drawn, tasted blood, and tasted sweet victory.
He refused to cower or retreat before some insignificant nobody who had suddenly emerged from nowhere.
'It's one thing to endure when you're weak, but to hide your strength and avoid taking action? What's the point of training then? Might as well find a mountain cave and wait to die.'
"Uchiha ninja," Ao said, his voice softening slightly, "perhaps there was a misunderstanding in my previous words. That wasn't my intention."
Ao took a deep breath, struggling to regain his composure. The boy's Sharingan stirred up painful, unspeakable memories.
"Oh~" Sasuke responded with a knowing tone. "Is there anything else?"
'This guy!'
Ao's carefully maintained calm shattered again at Sasuke's dismissive tone. After a moment to gather his thoughts, he said:
"Konoha ninja, let's forget what happened earlier. But Kurosuki Raiga was a traitor to Kirigakure. His corpse holds vital intelligence about our village's secrets, and the two Thunder Blades are our village's treasures. I must request that you hand them over to us. Thank you!"
Since Kurosuki Raiga was already dead, Ao knew arguing further would be pointless. Moreover, the fact that this Uchiha youth had slain Raiga in a one-on-one battle proved his strength.
'Another Uchiha Shisui!'
Ao thought to himself, 'Uchiha Shisui is another one of my psychological shadows.' He had never actually fought Shisui, only observed him from afar with his Byakugan.
Even from that brief glimpse, Ao knew he was no match for Shisui. Charging in recklessly would be suicide, so he wisely retreated.
Before arriving here, Ao had used his Byakugan to survey the entire battlefield, witnessing the course of the battle.
Having witnessed Sasuke's power firsthand, Ao knew he stood no chance against him.
Even with his elite squad, they could at best achieve a fifty-fifty stalemate against a wounded Sasuke.
Sasuke might die, but they could all perish here as well!
"By what right?"
Just as Ao was lost in thought, Sasuke's cool voice cut through the air.
Ao froze, about to respond, when Sasuke continued, his voice unwavering:
"Kurosuki Raiga was my enemy during a mission. I killed him. His corpse, his weapons—they are all spoils of war. By what right do you claim them? 'Hm?'"
"Hmph!" One of the ninja couldn't contain himself, sneering coldly, "Lord Ao! Let's stop wasting time with this brat. He may have killed Kurosuki Raiga, but judging by his injuries, he's at his limit. Let's just kill him outright!"
"Shut up!" Ao snapped, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Sasuke's position. "Have you forgotten the village's current peace policy?"
'And this guy isn't as weak as you think!' Ao sighed inwardly.
Through his Byakugan vision, Ao could see that Sasuke was covered in injuries, some dangerously close to being fatal.
Yet Sasuke's overall chakra surged like a flame fueled by an accelerant, burning ever brighter!
Ao knew this phenomenon was a sign of Sasuke's rapid growth in power after a life-or-death struggle.
Chakra is formed from physical and spiritual energy.
When facing imminent death in mortal combat, a person's emotions and spirit undergo tremendous upheaval, sometimes even transformation.
This explains why young ninjas in wartime often experience explosive growth in strength despite their incomplete physical development and unstable foundations.
Ao was no stranger to this phenomenon. During the war, countless teenage prodigy ninjas had emerged through similar circumstances.
But he had never witnessed such an instantaneous battlefield breakthrough like Sasuke's.
This wasn't just genius anymore—it was a monster!
The Uchiha remained the Uchiha, after all.
Ao sighed inwardly, took a deep breath, and said sternly, "Konoha ninja, our nation and village have been engaged in friendly talks and cooperation with the Land of Fire and Konoha for the past year. You wouldn't want to jeopardize the relations between our countries over such a trivial matter, would you?"
'Using the Land of Fire and Konoha to pressure me?'
'Hmph.'
"True enough," Sasuke mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully before nodding. "That makes sense. However..."
His tone shifted as he locked his gaze on Ao's right eye, a dazzling smile spreading across his face.
"Your right eye is the Byakugan, isn't it? In that case, I'll just kill you and deliver the Byakugan to my village. I doubt the Daimyo and Hokage would hold it against me, right?"
"After all, you've been a high-priority target on the gold-tier wanted list at the mission center for quite some time, haven't you?"
The moment those words left his lips, Ao's expression hardened, his alertness spiking.
The Hidden Mist Squad flanking him instantly moved their hands to their weapons, subtly positioning themselves to shield Ao in the center, preparing for battle.
Facing the battle-ready Hidden Mist Squad, Sasuke smirked faintly and pointed his Kagutsuchi directly at them.
"What do you say? Sound good to you, Hidden Mist ninjas? Hmm?"
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Ao's forehead as he found himself at a loss for words.
If he didn't fight, he'd lose prestige and never be able to hold his head high around Konoha shinobi again.
But if he did fight, victory wasn't guaranteed, and before their mission, Mei Terumi and Elder Genji had warned him:
'Remember, avoid any major conflicts with the great nations during this mission.'
Even if he could defeat Sasuke, Ao had to consider Kirigakure's current policies. Starting a conflict, or even a war, with Konoha was a responsibility he couldn't bear.
"Sasuke!" 'x2'
Just as Sasuke and the Hidden Mist Squad were about to clash, Naruto and Sakura suddenly arrived, rushing anxiously to Sasuke's side.
Seeing Sasuke covered in injuries but still full of energy, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sasuke, you jerk! I'm so glad you're okay!" Naruto slapped his chest, shouting loudly. "But man, your fight earlier was insane! How'd you cause such a commotion?"
Sakura, her heart aching at the sight of Sasuke's wounds, bit her lip and whispered, "Sasuke, what are the Hidden Mist doing here? Did you clash with them earlier?"
Sasuke shook his head slightly. "It wasn't exactly a clash. Whether things escalate depends on their next move."
As he spoke, the trio turned their gaze toward the Hidden Mist Squad.
Seeing the situation, Ao gritted his teeth, raised his hand, and commanded:
"Move out! We're heading to Zabuza's position!"
Ao had already used his Byakugan to detect the immense chakra within Naruto's body, along with the faint aura of a Tailed Beast emanating from him.
'This brat is the Nine-Tailed Jinchūriki!'
Jinchūriki often represent a village's nuclear weapons.
Though Ao couldn't determine the extent of this Nine-Tailed Jinchūriki's control, he dared not test it!
As for the pink-haired girl, his Byakugan revealed her chakra and presence to be weaker than Sasuke's and Naruto's.
Yet her chakra was exceptionally pure. The fact that she was allied with both the Nine-Tailed Jinchūriki and Uchiha Sasuke clearly marked her as no ordinary ninja.
Realizing the situation was unwinnable, Ao abandoned his immediate pursuit of Kurosuki Raiga's corpse and Raiga's Twin Swords, deciding to regroup with Zabuza first.
No sooner had the words left his lips than Ao leaped forward. Though puzzled, the Hidden Mist Squad immediately followed.
'Why are Konoha's talents—these prodigies—so numerous?!'
As they hurried onward, Ao clenched his fist, his heart heavy with resentment as he thought of his village's dwindling talent pool and severe personnel shortages.
'Why does fate favor the Land of Fire and Konoha so overwhelmingly?'
Not only did they possess the most fertile lands and vast plains in the ninja world, but successive generations had also spawned an endless stream of geniuses and prodigies.
In stark contrast, Kirigakure, plagued by years of internal strife and the annihilation of numerous Bloodline Clans, had dwindled to an unprecedented state of weakness.
Ao sighed inwardly, recalling Fourth Mizukage Yagura's dying words after regaining consciousness—mentioning the mastermind behind everything: Uchiha Madara.
Elder Genji and Mei Terumi had initially speculated that this Uchiha Madara was a Konoha operative, but Yagura had vehemently denied it.
During his time under mind control, Yagura had personally heard the man claim responsibility for the Nine-Tailed Beast attack on Konoha and even hint at his involvement in the Uchiha Clan's annihilation.
Therefore, Yagura insisted, Madara could not possibly be from Konoha, let alone an Uchiha.
For a time, the identity of this Uchiha Madara remained shrouded in mystery, his true nature as elusive as ever.
Suddenly, Ao's expression twisted. His Byakugan, its veins bulging ominously, seemed to have witnessed something that shook him to his core.
He urgently barked, "Hurry! We must hurry!"
But they were too late. By the time they reached the battlefield, the battle was already drawing to a close.
Kakashi, his hand radiating a brilliant blue light, had pierced Zabuza's chest, shattering his heart and vital organs.
"It's over, Zabuza!"
Kakashi stared coldly at Zabuza's lifeless form as he withdrew his hand, blood and viscera gushing from the wound like a fountain.
"Zabuza!" "Senior Zabuza!"
The Hidden Mist Squad gasped at the sight, while Kakashi's expression darkened as he tensed, his guard rising.
Fortunately, just as the Hidden Mist Squad arrived, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura reached Kakashi's side, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
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