I, Naruto Uzumaki, don't need your approval.

……

After nightfall, Zhishui and the others randomly chose a house to stay at.

The elderly family members were wary of the strangers who came to visit late at night, but after being persuaded by the young people, they finally opened the door and let Zhishui and the others stay overnight.

"You lot are probably not native to the Land of Waves, are you?"

Tazna brought over miso soup and rice, and casually inquired about it by the stove.

Shisui accepted the rice and miso soup, and nodded slightly: "We are indeed not locals, but travelers who have been traveling through the ninja world. This time we plan to stay in the Land of Waves for a few days to experience the local customs and culture."

Upon hearing the words "ninja world," a glint flashed in Tazuna's eyes, and he said with a surprised expression:

"So you're a traveler, that's truly remarkable. However, the Land of Waves is nothing but seawater, there's really no need for tourism there. If you really want to travel, the Land of Hot Springs would be more suitable for you."

Shisui picked up the conversation: "Did the old man also travel to various countries?"

Tazner sighed softly: "I ventured out when I was young, but now that I'm old, I still think home is the best. Although home is poor, it is still the place where I was born and raised. It would be even better if we hadn't been exploited by the shipping company."

"Is it Kado's shipping company? Isn't it a big company? How could they be exploiting you?"

"If he didn't suppress us islanders, how could Kado have become such a big company? That guy and his men monopolized the food, clothing, housing, and transportation of the people of the Land of Waves. All we can do is barely survive."

At this point, Tazner sighed softly, but the child next to him walked over, put one hand on his hip and said, "Grandpa, don't talk so discouragingly. Dad has decided to rebel against Kado's tyranny. We'll be able to overthrow Kado's company sooner or later."

Tazner glanced at the kid: "Overthrowing a company isn't that simple. That guy has a lot of gangs under his command."

Kesha quickly said, "Father, don't say such discouraging things. As long as we unite with the other villagers, we will definitely be able to overthrow Kado, and then the villagers' lives will improve."

"Don't discuss these things in front of guests..."

Tazuna sighed, walked over to Shisui, and said with a smile, "It's getting late. Guests, you should get some sleep. Leave the Land of Waves as soon as it's light. Gato will extort a hefty sum from the intruders."

After dinner, Shisui and the other two squeezed into the living room. Zabuza snorted and said, "That old man must have realized we were ninjas, which is why he brought up Gato on purpose."

Shisui nodded; he knew what Zabuza could perceive.

The changes in an ordinary person's expression are not something that can escape the observation of a ninja, let alone the fact that these three are not ordinary people.

Haku, who had remained silent until now, asked, "Lord Shisui, Lord Zabuza, do you think these ordinary people can resist Gato's tyranny?"

Zabuza shook his head dismissively, saying, "Of course they can't resist. With Gato's wealth, he can easily hire Jonin-level ninjas. These ordinary people, let alone ninjas, can't even handle Gato's bodyguards."

"No matter how much they devise a plan, it will be in vain unless they can get ninjas to intervene. But they are so poor, where would they get the money to hire ninjas, so there is still no possibility of a successful rebellion."

Bai was silent for a few seconds, then said helplessly, "Is there no one who can save them? It was like this in the Land of Water, and it's still like this in the Land of Waves."

Zabuza patted Haku's head: "Who would do something without a benefit? The Land of Waves is so poor, it definitely can't afford to support a ninja village. We'll return to the Land of Whirlpools after we complete our mission."

At that moment, Shisui remembered what Naruto had once said, and a smile appeared on his lips:

“No, other villages might abandon ordinary people, but Lord Menma won’t do that. He chose to target Kado, so he definitely won’t ignore ordinary people.”

Zabuza scoffed at this statement, saying that all ninja villages in the world are equally corrupt, and Uzushio Village could be no exception.

But seeing Shisui's fanatical gaze, he dared not say it outright: he was no longer the arrogant and ignorant demon Zabuza.

Bai nodded in agreement, adding, "I believe Lord Menma can do it."

Zabuza rolled his eyes and said irritably, "Haku, you're a ninja from Kirigakure. There's no need to keep calling him 'Menma-sama.' He's the leader of Uzushio Village, not the Mizukage."

"But you and Lady Manyue both address Lady Menma as 'Lady'." Bai looked completely bewildered.

Zabuza was speechless and could only say, "It seems that there has been less ninja training lately. After this mission, the intensity should be increased. We can't let you continue to be so relaxed."

Shisui remained unmoved by the bickering between the master and disciple, instead pondering how to find Kado.

Only by finding Gato can this mission be completed. As for the future of the Land of Waves, he believed that Lord Menma would not disappoint him.

Just then, a crow flew from the window to Zhishui's shoulder and spat out the note from its beak.

Shisui opened the note. There was no specific signature, but the message read: "Be careful, Gato has hired some ninjas. You don't want the mission to fail, do you?"

Zabuza and Haku also noticed the crow and came closer: "Did Uzushio Village send over some information?"

Shisui nodded, his expression grave, and said, "Kado has hired powerful ninjas. We must find Kado quickly and end this mission."

Chapter 138 Itachi and Shisui's Farewell

After landing on the island, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame, led by Tobi, found Gato.

"Lord Gato, we are Akatsuki ninjas, and we have been ordered to defeat the ninjas of the Land of Whirlpools."

"How did you ninjas find me?"

Hiding in the secret room, Kado was somewhat surprised, not understanding how he had been exposed. But this also proved the strength of the two ninjas, especially the muscular, shark-faced ninja, who was clearly very powerful.

"These are some tips for ninjas when they eat... We can identify someone by their smell and footprints."

Itachi Uchiha was very polite to his sugar daddy.

“I see. But before we deal with those bastards in Uzushio Village, you have to do one more thing for me…”

Just as Gato was about to have Itachi and Kisame deal with Obito, the masked man appeared behind them, instantly freezing Gato's expression.

"Lord Kado, please speak!"

Kado coughed lightly and said slowly, "It's nothing, just testing your service. After all, I paid a lot of money for this. You just need to deal with those Uzushio Village ninjas..."

Itachi Uchiha noticed Gato's change in mood, but didn't pay much attention to it.

These wealthy and famous figures in the ninja world can use coercion and bribery to control wandering ninjas, but they cannot control Akatsuki ninjas. For example, Akatsuki ninjas are S-rank rogue ninjas who are wanted by various countries and cannot be threatened at all.

At that moment, Kisame noticed the chakra fluctuations outside and said expressionlessly, "Itachi, the enemy has come knocking... The chakra feels familiar."

Not only Kisame felt the chakra was somewhat familiar, but Itachi also sensed the familiar chakra.

If his perception is correct, the Jonin leading the opposing team should be Shisui, one of the ninjas he least wants to face.

After exchanging a glance, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame used the Body Flicker Technique to leave the secret room.

After the two left the secret room, only Gato and Obito remained inside. Looking at the silent Obito, Gato said tremblingly, "We meet again. Those two are your friends."

Obito nodded: "You're quite lucky. You secretly hired a ninja and ended up hiring one of my subordinates."

Upon hearing this, Gato was terrified, but since Obito remained silent, he dared not make any rash moves.

……

After exchanging glances, the two sides recognized each other.

Itachi Uchiha and Shisui need no introduction. The two were once close friends, but due to differences in their ideals, they chose completely different paths and eventually left Konoha Village, becoming rogue ninjas.

Zabuza and Kisame's relationship is much simpler. They are both members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, but one is a rogue ninja who betrayed the village, while the other remains loyal to Kirigakure.

After staring at Kisame for a long time, Zabuza said to Shisui, "Shisui, that is Kisame Hoshigaki, who failed to assassinate the daimyo. He once killed a Jonin from Suigetsu Mountain and is a powerful Jonin who is proficient in water release and taijutsu."

"Proficient in Water Release and Ninjutsu..." Shisui nodded: "Then Kisame is yours to deal with. I'll intercept Itachi Uchiha. Haku, find a way to find Gato. Gato must be hiding nearby."

After completing the simple division of labor, Shisui gripped his katana and lunged at Uchiha Itachi.

Zabuza drew his Executioner's Blade, his face grim as he faced Kisame. Although they were both Jonin from Kirigakure, there were differences between Jonin. The difference between him and Kisame was that of an elite versus an ordinary.

"Water Release: Mist Concealment Technique!"

With a low shout, thick fog drifted in from the sea, instantly enveloping half of the company's premises. In this dense fog, it was impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face.

Faced with the Mist Concealment Technique, Kisame had no intention of dispelling it at all, and obediently formed the hand seals.

More than ten sharks formed from water-escape techniques appeared in mid-air and attacked indiscriminately in all directions. Then, they used the Great Waterfall Technique, causing floodwaters to instantly sweep across most of the city block.

Zabuza, who was walking through the fog, noticed that the water had reached above his calves and his expression changed drastically.

He overestimated Kisame's strength as much as possible, but he still underestimated it. Is this the massive chakra of a tailless tailed beast?

After sensing Zabuza's location using the water flow, Kisame leaped high into the air and slashed directly at Zabuza.

Zabuza brandished his Executioner's Blade to resist, but his strength was no match for Kisame's. Just as the Executioner's Blade was about to break, a chill appeared out of nowhere, freezing all the water in its path into solid ice.

Taking advantage of Kisame shattering the ice, Zabuza quickly created some distance and looked at Haku's position: "Haku, didn't I tell you to capture Gato? As long as we find Gato, we'll complete the mission."

Bai remained silent, forming hand seals to condense ice needles, which he then shot towards Kisame.

Kisame casually waved his hand, intercepting most of the ice needles. The remaining ice needles only scratched the skin and did not cause any real damage.

Licking the wound on his arm, Kisame looked at Zabuza and said with a smile, "Ice Release Kekkei, Zabuza, you also disobeyed the village's orders and secretly adopted the remnants of the Snow Clan."

Zabuza's expression changed slightly: "The Mizukage has broken free from the masked man's control and has canceled the order targeting the bloodline clans, but your crime of assassinating the daimyo can never be washed away, and you also joined Akatsuki!"

Kisame glanced at Zabuza and gave a meaningful smile: "Let's not discuss these things. We're enemies now. Let's do our best to complete our respective missions. Just don't let me kill you so easily."

Unlike Kisame and Zabuza, who frequently unleash wide-range ninjutsu, the battle between Itachi and Shisui was much simpler.

Both sides activated their three-tomoe Sharingan, engaging in a magnificent battle under the moonlight, filled with the violent aesthetics of the Uchiha clan. They even had the energy to gather information from each other while fighting.

"I heard that the clansmen have settled down in Wochao Village. It seems that you have chosen the right path, Zhishui."

After deflecting the incoming shuriken and wire, Itachi revealed a faint smile.

Itachi's smile disgusted Shisui, who scoffed, "That's all thanks to Itachi's Sharingan. If you hadn't defected to the Konoha leadership and massacred your clansmen, the Jonin in the clan wouldn't have left with me so easily. At most, some insignificant clansmen would have been sacrificed."

Itachi's expression changed slightly, then he chuckled and said, "Time really does change a lot of people. Even Shisui has learned to joke. That leader of Uzushio Village has changed you a lot. It's like you've become a completely different person."

"Are you referring to Kotoamatsukami?" Shisui said with some annoyance. "I suspect that you are the one who was truly afflicted by Kotoamatsukami. The Itachi I knew before would never harm his clansmen, much less wield a sword against his parents."

"Who knows? Maybe I've been pretending all along, and what I really want is power."

After a pause, Itachi continued, "There's a legend recorded on the stone tablet at the Naka Shrine: if you awaken the Kaleidoscope Sharingan in your closest relative and then take away their eyes, you can obtain the Kaleidoscope Sharingan that grants you eternal life. That's the power I'm pursuing. You, who have lost all your loved ones, will never obtain that power."

Chapter 139 The Distorted National Village System

Is Itachi killing his clansmen to prove his worth in order to obtain the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan?

Upon hearing this, Shisui frowned. This could indeed explain why Itachi attacked his clansmen, but he felt that something was amiss, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

After a moment of contemplation, Shisui continued, "Is this why you hid Sasuke?"

Itachi looked at Shisui and then nodded: "That's right. I killed my parents in front of Sasuke so that he would awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan. It's just a pity that his love wasn't deep enough. He only awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan, which disappointed me."

"Aren't you worried that I'll kill Sasuke and stop your ambition to obtain the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan?"

Itachi was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "The reason I'm telling you this is because you've already lost your chance to escape. You don't actually think that the only ninjas who have arrived in the Land of Waves are me and Kisame, do you?"

Before he could finish speaking, Itachi unleashed Amaterasu on Shisui, the dark flames sticking directly to the hem of Shisui's clothes.