Fugaku has gone mad; he's going to create a new Uchiha clan in Kirigakure.

"Gurgle~~"

In the deep sea, Hozuki Suigetsu swims like a fish.

He remembered the information his brother provided and kept sinking, sinking...

He continued to descend until he could no longer see the sun, and the surroundings became increasingly dark before stopping. He then formed a hand seal.

A layer of water, a unique layer of water, slowly seeped out of his body, gathered together, and then turned into a scroll.

It is the Hozuki family's most treasured summoning scroll, capable of summoning the seven ninja swords.

He unrolled the scroll in the water, formed the hand seal again, and pressed it onto the pattern of the long sword and sewing needle.

"Bang!"

A faint burst of white bubbles quickly dissipated under the water pressure, revealing a slender, sharp ninja sword with strange threads in its blade in his hand.

He released his grip, watching the long sword and sewing needle slowly sink into the seawater.

A few seconds later, accompanied by a violent surge of chakra, it did not come from him, but from the sword!

The spiritual energy incantation on the blade was activated in reverse.

A figure appeared out of thin air in the dark seawater, the faint light formed by chakra outlining his silhouette. He grabbed the long sword, Sewing Needle, which was about to sink into the deep sea.

It was none other than Uchiha Fugaku.

After he appeared, the intense chakra fluctuations quickly diminished and dissipated in the water.

Clearly, this is also the reason why Hozuki Mangetsu made this arrangement: to use the pressure of seawater to quickly absorb chakra and minimize the chance of being detected by the sensory ninjas along the Kirigakure coastline.

Hozuki Suigetsu glared angrily at the man who was about to become his "stepfather," waved his hand forcefully at him, then twisted his body and transformed into a transparent fluid almost indistinguishable from seawater, swimming rapidly towards the Kirigakure peninsula without looking back.

As Fugaku Uchiha watched the mass of "water" rapidly recede into the deep blue background, a slight smile curved his lips. With a gentle wave of his fingers, countless silts rose into the air, transforming into a mud dragon that pulled him towards the direction where Suigetsu Hozuki had gone, gliding silently through the deep sea.

...

A deep entrance, half-hidden by seaweed and reefs, appears at the base of the rock wall at the lowest point of the peninsula where Kirigakure is located, hidden as if it were a natural crack.

The stream of water that Hozuki Suigetsu transformed into was the first to plunge in.

Fugaku Uchiha controlled the mud flow and followed closely behind.

After swimming diagonally upwards for a while along this secret passage that clearly showed signs of human excavation but had long been smoothed by the passage of time and ocean currents, a faint light and the shimmering shadows on the water finally appeared ahead.

"Splash—"

Hozuki Suigetsu was the first to emerge from the water, panting heavily, and climbed onto a slippery stone platform using both hands and feet.

He shook his wet, silver, spiky hair, splashing water everywhere.

Fugaku Uchiha then surfaced, and the silt quietly dissipated and merged into the underground river the moment he stepped ashore.

"How do you brothers communicate?"

Following behind Hozuki Suigetsu, walking up the narrow natural crevice, Uchiha Fugaku asked, his voice echoing slightly in the enclosed space.

"The Secret Technique of Water Interaction"

Hozuki Suigetsu didn't turn her head, her voice muffled.

"My brother left a drop of water in the letter he wrote to my mother. I absorbed that drop of water, which contained a brief message telling me to go ashore and find an opportunity to fight him. I knew then that he wanted to convey more information to me."

Hozuki Suigetsu didn't stop, continuing to grope his way forward in the dim light.

"Afterwards, on the shore, we both used the Water Transformation Technique together. When our bodies merged, more information was transmitted, such as bringing the scroll disguised by the Water Transformation Technique to Kirigakure, summoning the longsword Sewing Needle, and so on..."

Hozuki Suigetsu took a deep breath and didn't continue, but Uchiha Fugaku knew that the child was holding back tears.

"He has a bloodline disease, and you knew about it all along. You even told him about it and devised a plan before that monster found him..."

"Also, my mother will marry you."

He stopped and finally turned around, staring intently at Uchiha Fugaku.

"I really want to marry you."

"You must be good to my mother."

"She has a sensitive stomach and can't eat cold food. She's also timid and gets scared during thunderstorms..."

"Otherwise, I will definitely kill you. Even if I go to the Pure Land, I will not let you go!"

"My love will be divided equally among all women, but I promise that every share will be given sincerely."

"snort!"

Hozuki Suigetsu casually tossed the scroll in his hand to Uchiha Fugaku.

"You can leave now. According to my brother, if that guy has controlled the Fourth Hokage for so many years, he must know about this secret passage. I'll hide here and act as bait."

"Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"I'm just young, I'm not stupid."

Hozuki Suigetsu pouted.

"As long as my brother doesn't give anything away, I'm a valuable hostage. Why would they kill a hostage? And once your plan is implemented, they won't have a chance to kill me."

He paused, then added fiercely.

"And don't expect me to call you Dad."

Upon hearing this, Fugaku Uchiha chuckled softly.

"it is good."

He nodded.

"Just like your brother said, we each have our own perspective."

---Divider line

Mizukage Village, Mizukage's Office.

The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, stood motionless in the corner not far away, looking just like a rag doll; even his breathing was barely audible.

Obito Uchiha sat casually in the high-backed chair that belonged to the Mizukage, his legs crossed and propped up on the large desk, his hands behind his head, and his single eye under the mask staring at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought.

"puff."

From the office floor, Black Zetsu emerged silently as if floating from water, his upper body exposed while his lower body remained blending into the floor.

"Found it."

Black Zetsu's hoarse voice rang out.

"The Hozuki kid is hiding in the emergency passage that the Second Hozuki built, in the cave near the exit of the underground river. He usually likes to stay there, and he's hiding there crying right now. He's crying very sadly."

"Being betrayed by your own family is something to cry about."

Obito slowly sat up straight, putting his feet off the table. He seemed to recall some distant past, and after a moment, he let out a short, cold laugh.

"Go and capture him for me; that's one of our... objectives."

"Yes."

Yagura, who had been as still as a statue, immediately reacted, silently opening the office door and walking out.

Obito looked at Black Zetsu.

"How's the situation now?"

"Not so good. The situation is still unclear. According to the plan, you captured several important figures from the non-bloodline faction. After the White Zetsu instigated the conflict, the non-bloodline faction was very angry. However, just as we predicted, they are angry, but they do not intend to start a war."

"Ha, a bunch of cowards."

Obito scoffed dismissively.

"Once they have status and wealth, they no longer want to fight. Fugaku Uchiha is indeed a troublesome enemy. If he had attacked back then, we could have easily united these non-bloodline factions. But he chose not to attack, which instead allowed the non-bloodline factions' stance to soften slowly..."

That's just how people are.

Hei Jue replied hoarsely, his voice echoing in the empty office.

"However, as the number of missing persons continues to increase, coupled with the constant provocations from the disguised White Zetsu, they will lose their minds. After all, once they have wealth and status, if someone wants to take them away, they may become even more insane than before."

"Buzzing..."

Suddenly, a strange chakra fluctuation, as if space itself was trembling, spread out without warning.

The office light seemed to be swallowed up by an invisible force, quickly dimming. It wasn't complete darkness, but a deep, oppressive gloom.

In the darkness of the distance, a blurry figure slowly emerged, and one could vaguely make out a head of long, blood-red hair and a pair of purple eyes with concentric wavy patterns. It was Nagato.

"Greetings, Chief."

Obito Uchiha almost reflexively sprang up from the Mizukage's high-backed chair, his tone instantly switching to a perfectly measured level of respect and flattery, making him a complete sycophant.

Since Fugaku Uchiha healed his legs and restored some of his life force, Nagato's strength has been vastly different from before. The most obvious difference is that he no longer needs the six Pain clones, each with different functions, as a medium and extension of his power.

Right now, his physical form is the strongest weapon.

Facing such a powerful Nagato, Obito Uchiha knew very well that at this stage, he would have difficulty not only defeating him but even maintaining his undefeated record.

At the very least, he has no room for error when facing the Human Path's abilities; one touch and he's dead, unless he activates Izanagi beforehand. However, he doesn't have many three-tomoe Sharingan.

Did you receive the gift from [Zhu]?

"received."

Obito nodded quickly, his hands unconsciously making a small, rubbing motion, like a fly rubbing its hands together.

"This 'gift' that the leader gave me should give Uchiha Fugaku a 'surprise,' hehe. So, leader, aren't you afraid that Uchiha Fugaku will find out? After all, this is considered direct interference."

"He invaded the Heavenly Path, read Yahiko's memories, and learned a lot about me. Combined with our past attack on the Nine-Tails, it wouldn't be difficult for him to deduce that the Akatsuki was collecting the Tailed Beasts. In fact, he might know even more. After all, I can't give a complete conclusion about that kind of strange ability."

Nagato looked at Obito Uchiha and spoke slowly.

"My relationship with him is like playing a game of chess. As long as I don't appear within the Land of Water, he won't harm Konan. As for the rest, it's just a matter of each using their own methods on this chessboard to determine the winner and loser. He won't naively think that I will stop because of Konan, and I won't naively think that he will keep Akatsuki's secret for me. The reason he hasn't revealed Akatsuki is simply because the timing isn't right."

"I understand, Chief!"

Obito immediately straightened his back and made a solemn vow.

"Don't worry, this time, I will definitely teach Uchiha Fugaku a lesson he won't forget!"

"Try your best. If you can't kill him this time, remember to take the Fourth Mizukage with you. After that, we may face Fugaku Uchiha's crazy revenge, or even the entire ninja world's encirclement and suppression. It will be difficult to have such a close opportunity to get close to a Jinchuriki again."

At that moment, in a corner of the darkness, Zhu, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.

"Chief, in that case, perhaps we should consider not provoking him for the time being. You have already personally subdued the Six-Tails. If we can also successfully take the Four-Tails, the Land of Water will no longer be a necessary target for us in the short term. Is it worth risking the loss of important combat power and completely enraging a powerful enemy for a revenge that may not even succeed?"

"Anyone can die for that purpose, including Konan."

Nagato's voice lowered slightly.

"But the battle with Fugaku Uchiha has made me completely realize that I no longer consider myself a 'god'. I am just a person with great power who wants to change the world. And people have emotions."

He stared directly at [Zhu], as if speaking to himself.

"This is my only, and perhaps last, chance to try and pull Xiaonan back from the edge of that whirlpool. I'm going to give it a try."

"The tacit understanding between him and me will gradually break down as the Akatsuki's goals are achieved. When the collection of the tailed beasts is nearing completion, or when my existence itself becomes an intolerable threat to him, that tacit understanding will fail. At that time, it may be Konan's death day."

"You are the same, [Zhu], or rather... Uchiha Itachi."

Itachi Uchiha's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, but he controlled it well, and his voice remained steady.

"What's wrong with me?"

"you..."

Nagato tilted his head slightly, as if recalling something.

"Why run away? I mean, escape from Konoha."

"If your previous plan succeeded, then it would be reasonable for you to betray Fugaku Uchiha, kill your own family, and ultimately leave Konoha, because outsiders don't know that the Uchiha clan was going to betray them. They only know that you killed your parents and your clansmen, so your escape would be reasonable."

"But the problem is, Fugaku Uchiha successfully left, and everyone knows that it was the militant faction, the faction that no longer obeyed the clan leader's orders, that was going to rebel. Your father left Konoha with the moderate faction. At this time, you killed the militant faction members. It wasn't a case of a rogue ninja. On the contrary, it was a case of killing one's own family for the greater good."

"So, why did you leave Konoha and join Akatsuki?"

"An eternal Mangekyou Sharingan?"

"It's a pity you couldn't kill your parents. Your brother won't hold a grudge against you; he'll just think you're crazy. And your parents abandoned your brother afterward. Even if you kill Fugaku and Mikoto now, your brother might not awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"hehe..."

Nagato suddenly chuckled softly.

"Therefore, I conclude that you have some other purpose."

"Of course, I don't mind. On the contrary, like I said, you also have one chance. Before you use this chance, I don't care what your true purpose is. As long as you don't hinder Akatsuki's plans or betray the organization, I won't even let you go to fight Konoha..."