After making sure Hozuki Mangetsu wouldn’t hurt any classmates, Hatake Satoru gave a short, basic lecture.
These students were used to hands-on combat training anyway—most of their past teachers had just thrown them into outdoor fights.
So a classroom-style lesson felt pretty unusual to them.
Being liked by students wasn’t a bad thing, but getting stared at so intensely by Mangetsu made Hatake Satoru feel uncomfortable.
Respecting strong people was fine and all, but getting stared at like that was just weird!
Luckily, once the regular schedule resumed, both Hozuki Mangetsu and the other students were allowed to leave the building and go home.
They had been stuck in a standoff here for almost a week. The teachers before him had either been killed or just disappeared.
Hatake Satoru’s arrival finally brought an end to this messed-up school atmosphere.
At 3 p.m., the gate guard watched the students walk out one by one—and then saw Hozuki Mangetsu walk out last, practically glowing with excitement.
His jaw almost hit the floor.
This was the Bloody Mist Village, where only one person was supposed to graduate.
Normally, students here treated each other like enemies even during class.
Today, only one dead body was sent out, and the rest of the kids walked out like it was just another school day.
The guard had never seen anything happen here.
Hatake Satoru returned to the teachers’ dorm, while Shisui stayed behind to escort the students out, jumping down from the balcony afterward.
"This is for you. Your current look probably won’t blow your cover,"
"But just in case you instinctively use your Sharingan and reveal yourself, it’s better to wear this."
Hatake Satoru pulled out a bunch of sunglasses from a box and casually tossed a pair to Shisui as he walked in.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Shisui, but near the higher-ups in Kirigakure, there were plenty of skilled ninja.
If something went wrong, Shisui’s identity might get exposed.
Wearing sunglasses was just a bit of extra safety.
Teaching at the school was just a cover.
The real mission was about to begin.
As Shisui put the sunglasses on, he looked around, adjusting to the darkened view through the lenses.
Hatake Satoru opened up another map, this time showing all of the Land of Water, with a detailed layout of Kirigakure Village and its surroundings.
"I can handle things at the school on my own. There’s something else I need you to take care of."
He circled the location of the Fourth Mizukage with a pencil, then looked at Shisui, who had leaned over in his new shades.
"Try to find out Karatachi Yagura’s recent plans as quickly as possible."
"And make sure you don’t get into any fights. No matter what you find, just come back and tell me."
The Fourth Mizukage had too much power in Kirigakure Village—
from big matters like international affairs to small things like school rules,
his influence was everywhere.
And hiding behind him, Obito was secretly controlling the whole game, pulling all the strings.
To deal with them, you’d have to first figure out what their current plans were.
Only then could you find a way to get in.
As for the old man in Kirigakure, the former advisor—
he didn’t have the strength to fight Yagura head-on.
All he could do was try to protect himself in the background.
Shisui nodded, seeming deep in thought, and then disappeared from where he was standing.
Hatake Satoru picked up the cup of hot tea on the table.
The three stacked sugar cubes had almost completely melted.
Amegakure Village, the Akatsuki base.
A heavy sky and never-ending drizzle filled the whole country.
It had been a few days since Itachi joined Akatsuki, and he was starting to get used to the way things worked here.
Even though they were all dangerous S-rank rogue ninjas,
in truth, most of them just did whatever they wanted.
Weird ideas, strange personalities, but unless there was a mission, they were pretty free to do as they pleased.
As for Orochimaru, from the moment Itachi joined, he made it way too obvious he was very interested in him.
He kept asking to be paired with Itachi on missions.
But Pain wasn’t the kind to throw a newcomer straight into the fire,
so he just gave Orochimaru and Sasori something else to do and sent them away.
Meanwhile, Biwa Juzo became Itachi’s partner and was helping him get used to how things worked in Akatsuki.
There hadn’t been any missions yet, so Itachi finally had some rare free time around the base.
After becoming a ninja—and especially as a double agent for both Konoha and the Uchiha—he barely ever had time to rest.
Strangely enough, after leaving the village, he finally had a bit of peace.
Itachi was quietly standing at the cave entrance eating a dango when—
A mature woman with light bluish-purple hair suddenly appeared at the entrance,
her expression serious as she stared at the two of them.
"You two, come with me."
Itachi thought about it but didn’t ask.
Biwa Juzo didn’t seem surprised either.
Though they usually went on missions together, it wasn’t rare for Konan to lead them.
But when the two men followed her and ended up standing at the shopping street in Amegakure,
both of them couldn’t help but twitch their eyebrows.
Before they could even ask what the mission was,
Konan took a deep breath with her back to them and said firmly:
"Everyone usually wears their own clothes.
Even though we’re part of the same group, it doesn’t *feel* like a group at all!"
"So we’re here to fix that—time to get matching outfits."
"Oh?! That actually sounds great! I’ve always wanted something cool to wear!"
Biwa Juzo grinned wide, flashing his sharp shark teeth.
Itachi stared at the two excited figures walking ahead and frowned slightly, confused.
Was this really the place where all the S-rank rogue ninjas gathered?
Matching outfits? What were they, a band getting ready for a concert?
Ninjas needed clothes that were practical and easy to move in.
Since everyone in the group besides Konan was male,
Itachi and Biwa Juzo became the test models for the outfit try-on.
After going through a bunch of shirts that looked like they came from a cheap pyramid scheme—
Konan finally looked over at the black cloak with red clouds hanging nearby.
It was just a coat, but the moment you put it on, it really gave off a strong presence.
She and Biwa Juzo locked eyes for a second, then nodded firmly.
Itachi didn’t have any specific dress code for missions, but when he saw that bold and flashy cloak, his fist clenched slightly.
So this is what arrogance looks like in a rogue ninja?
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