Opening his eyes from the darkness, the single eye glowing with a crimson halo looked especially unsettling in the pitch-black Mizukage Tower. The masked man had been unusually irritable lately due to an endless stream of bizarre dreams.
He had originally given the fools of Kirigakure ten days to bring Zabuza's body to him.
But in the dead of night, he suddenly changed his mind.
Black market rumors claimed that Zabuza was in the Land of Waves, a trap set by the cunning man named Gatō. While Kirigakure's ANBU were already on their way...
On a sudden whim, he decided to personally deal with that arrogant fool, Zabuza Momochi—who dared to dream of staging a coup against the village, just like the Uchiha clan!
At three in the morning, he vanished into the swirling vortex of his mask's hollow right eye!
Using Kamui's dimension to travel, he arrived in the Land of Waves five days before the useless Kirigakure ANBU.
He arrived at dawn and effortlessly located Zabuza's hideout. He was about to transform into Yagura Karatachi and fight his way from the lower entrance to confront Zabuza!
However, there were no guards at the entrance of the hideout.
"Hmph."
He snorted coldly, uncertain whether Zabuza had learned of Gatō's black market announcement or if he had truly fallen so low that he no longer had any followers!
Entering the hideout, he climbed the stairs one by one.
The food on the table was still fresh, meaning the occupants had only left a few minutes ago.
The scene in front of him was chaotic, a picture of people fleeing in fear, as if they had seen something horrifying.
When he reached the top floor, he found the main doors wide open, and voices could be heard inside.
Driven by curiosity, he retreated into Kamui's Dimension, moving closer to the source of the voices...
...
Inside Zabuza's hideout in the Land of Waves.
"Yagura Karatachi!"
Zabuza gripped his great sword and called out.
"Didn't expect you to arrive so quickly."
He stared at the man before him, consumed by madness and bloodlust. The very killing intent radiating from him made Zabuza cautious.
At that moment, Zabuza realized this man was Yagura Karatachi, the bloodthirsty shark Minato Namikaze had mentioned yesterday, drawn in by Gatō's black market rumors!
Haku stood beside Zabuza, already in an attack stance, ready to strike at any moment.
Obito, transformed into Yagura Karatachi, remained silent, simply lifting an eyelid.
The hatred in his eyes, as though he wanted to slaughter everyone in the room, made Zabuza secretly break out in a cold sweat.
Meanwhile, in Kamui's Dimension, the masked man stared at everything unfolding before him. That eerie, absurd feeling sent an unexpected chill down his spine!
Yagura Karatachi?!!
Wasn't that man always controlled by the Sharingan?!
Why was he here?!!
No! That's impossible!
During his time in Kirigakure, taking over the Mizukage's duties, he had hidden the unconscious Yagura Karatachi within Kamui's Dimension!
Obito glanced back. And sure enough...
The real Yagura Karatachi stood on a square stone platform less than two hundred meters behind him!
Then who was this Yagura Karatachi facing Zabuza?
An imposter?
The sensation of impersonation made the 'Masked Man' feel something indescribable!
It was exactly the same as when he himself had impersonated Yagura Karatachi!
The person facing Zabuza wasn't impersonating the real Yagura Karatachi. They were impersonating the Yagura Karatachi that he himself had once impersonated!!
"Zabuza, you should know the fate awaiting a Missing-nin of Kirigakure."
Yagura Karatachi's voice was flat, yet carried a chilling, sinister tone.
Zabuza clicked his tongue. "Don't think this will make me submit to your slaughter."
"Hah. The outcome will be the same."
That unwavering confidence, that sense of toying with the lives of Kirigakure's ninja—it was unmistakable!
It was him!
The Fourth Mizukage! Yagura Karatachi!!
"Before we continue, is there anything you want to ask me?"
Yagura Karatachi jabbed his black, double-grooved staff into the ground.
His posture seemed to say:
Since you're all going to die anyway, answering your questions and easing your doubts is my final act of mercy.
Too familiar!
The masked man's heartbeat quickened involuntarily!
The darkness, the madness, the hatred of the person before him—it was exactly like his own!
He couldn't help but wonder.
Who is this person? Who can impersonate 'him' so perfectly?
Black Zetsu?!
No, that doesn't make sense!
Then who could it be?! Unless...
Had Madara been resurrected by someone without his knowledge?!!
The thought filled the masked man with a deep sense of unease.
He clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on the reactions of everyone outside Kamui's Dimension.
Zabuza hesitated for a moment. "There is something I want to ask you."
Yagura Karatachi remained silent.
Zabuza pressed on. "Why do you despise the Kirigakure ninja? Why do you hate Kirigakure Village? Why do you hate the Land of Water so much that you're willing to destroy it at any cost?!"
Masked Man: !!!!
So that bastard Zabuza had figured it out long ago.
But what difference did it make? His fate would be the same, regardless.
'Yagura Karatachi' seemed to contemplate the question for a moment.
"Hate?"
"That no longer matters."
"Now, I'm simply starting with the Land of Water, trying to save you wretched souls trapped in this false world."
"I will create a brand-new world! A world without regrets! Without suffering! A world where people can truly open their hearts to one another!"
...