Rising Shadows: Uchiha's Wrath

Translator Note :

Been a few days since the last update, so I merged some chapters to make up for it(4.4k). Enjoy!

***

While the Mist forces wrapped up the final stages of the Rainbow Kingdom's conquest, Kaito turned his attention elsewhere. He sensed the presence of two intriguing individuals entering the Land of Water.

One possessed the cold and sharp aura of an elite Jōnin, while the other, though weaker and still a child, carried a strange and chilling presence. Recognizing them from his knowledge of the future, Kaito realized these were Zabuza Momochi and Haku.

Zabuza, a rogue ninja wanted by Mist, had returned to steal one of the legendary swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Disguising himself with his old Mist forehead protector, he underestimated the changes that had taken place in his homeland.

Unlike in the past, where Mist Ninjas were feared and despised, Zabuza noticed that civilians now greeted him with respect and even admiration. Children waved at him, calling out, "Big Brother Ninja!"—a stark contrast to the hatred he remembered.

Confused but cautious, Zabuza led Haku through the bustling streets of a Mist-controlled town. However, his presence did not go unnoticed.

Three Mist Ninjas shadowed him, their movements subtle but unmistakable to a seasoned shinobi like Zabuza. Sensing danger, he prepared a distraction using a hidden explosive tag, ready to create chaos and escape with Haku.

Just as he was about to act, a young girl approached Haku with a smile, holding out a skewer of candied fruits. "Big Brother Ninja, this is for you!" she said cheerfully. Zabuza froze in surprise, unsure how to react. Nearby, the girl's mother nodded kindly, holding a tray of more sweets. These were the same civilians whose lives had been saved by Mist Ninjas during the earlier conflicts. Their gratitude and trust in the Mist were evident.

Haku hesitated before accepting the gift, softly thanking the girl. Zabuza, still wary, noticed the three Mist Ninjas had stopped their approach.

One of them called out, "Momochi Zabuza…"

Realizing his cover was blown, Zabuza grabbed Haku and bolted from the town. The Mist Ninjas, though capable of engaging, held back, unsure if a fight was necessary. One of them, Kurogane—a ninja wielding both water and earth chakra—sighed. "Captain, should we pursue?"

Kurogane shrugged and said, "I haven't been in the Land of Water for years, so I have no idea how much it's changed in the past few months!"

"But either way, we need to catch up with him first and explain everything!"

"After all, there are only a handful of truly talented swordsmen in the village. If we can convince him to return, then Lord Mizukage would be pleased with us!"

The two Mist Ninjas following him nodded immediately.

***

With that, Kurogane led them in pursuit of Zabuza. At this time, both he and Zabuza were elite jōnin, and since Zabuza had a child with him, Kurogane was confident they wouldn't lose track of him.

However, he didn't want to engage in a reckless fight that could harm civilians, so he kept a steady distance behind.

Just like that, the two groups left the town.

"Damn it, why did I freeze up just now?"

As he ran, Zabuza cursed himself.

If he had just thrown the explosive tag, he could have escaped safely with Haku instead of running away like a beaten dog! But the little girl's face made him hesitate. And when he saw those kind eyes around him, he suddenly couldn't bring himself to do it.

After all, a single explosion in that densely populated area would have killed at least ten people.

"You're the 'Demon of the Hidden Mist'—how can you afford to be soft-hearted?"

Zabuza carried Haku as he ran, occasionally glancing back at Kurogane and the two Mist Ninjas chasing them.

They had been relentlessly following since they left the town! But with Haku weak in his arms, it was only a matter of time before they caught up.

"Tch... Looks like I have no choice but to use that technique!"

Zabuza steeled his resolve and quickly spoke to Haku.

"Hold onto my clothes!"

"Yes!"

Haku immediately tightened his grip on Zabuza's collar.

With both hands now free, Zabuza rapidly formed hand seals.

"Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

A dense fog quickly spread across the area, completely obscuring Zabuza and Haku in an instant. The mist thickened, expanding outward.

Kurogane murmured, "I see, so you're trying to escape?"

But then a smirk appeared on his face.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm the one you're facing today!"

He swiftly formed a hand seal as well.

"Wind Style: Passing Typhoon!"

A powerful hurricane erupted, sweeping through the mist and dispersing it instantly!

"Damn it! He knows this technique?!"

Zabuza's expression changed drastically.

The Hidden Mist Jutsu was a signature technique of the Mist Ninja Village—difficult to learn and even harder to master. But Zabuza was one of the best at using it.

The technique infused chakra into the mist, making it denser and resistant to normal wind currents.

To counter this, Yagura had developed a special Wind Style jutsu—Passing Typhoon. By infusing chakra into the hurricane, it neutralized the chakra in the mist, allowing it to be blown away easily.

However, very few Mist Ninjas ever bothered to learn it since they were already proficient in the Hidden Mist Jutsu.

But as luck would have it, Kurogane had mastered this technique.

"Tch... Looks like I have no choice but to fight head-on!"

Zabuza sighed and stopped running. He knew that fleeing any further would only waste his energy.

Turning around, he faced Kurogane and his two pursuers with a wary gaze.

Kurogane stepped forward, speaking in a firm tone.

"Zabuza, we mean you no harm."

"We came to bring you back to the village!"

"Back to the village?"

Zabuza suddenly let out a mocking laugh.

"Why the hell would I go back? I assassinated the Mizukage—if I return, Yagura will just hunt me down!"

"It's not like that!"

Kurogane quickly explained.

"Yagura is already dead!"

Zabuza froze. His breath hitched, and for a moment, he simply stared.

"...What?!" His voice came out hoarse, almost disbelieving. His eyes widened in shock, flickering with a mix of emotions—confusion, disbelief, and something dangerously close to hope.

***

"So that's how it is… The Uchiha clan has come to the Land of Water, and Uchiha Kaito has become the Fifth Mizukage?"

"No wonder the Uchiha name disappeared from the ninja world."

After hearing Kurogane's explanation, Zabuza finally learned about the battle that took place six months ago.

For the past two years, he had been wandering the mainland and was well aware of the Uchiha clan's defection.

But the Land of Water was isolated from the rest of the world, and with Kaito taking power, all foreign spies had been eliminated. Other nations had lost all sources of intelligence regarding the Land of Water.

"So, he's the one who wants me to return to the village?"

Zabuza asked, frowning.

Kurogane shook his head.

"No, Mizukage-sama doesn't bother with trivial matters like this. This was Terumi Mei's idea!"

"The village is in ruins. We need your strength!"

"Come back, Zabuza! Fight for the village with us!"

Unexpectedly, Zabuza sneered.

"Heh... You sure say 'Mizukage-sama' so naturally. Just another bunch of obedient dogs!"

Ever since his assassination attempt three years ago, Zabuza had lost all faith in the Mist Village.

Back then, it was clear that Yagura was destroying the village from within, yet everyone turned a blind eye.

As a result, the village lost 70% of its military power.

Kurogane sighed.

"It's not what you think."

"At first, yes, we were forced to submit because of Mizukage-sama's overwhelming strength."

"But now, the Mist Ninja have long since abandoned their prejudice against him."

"Because in just six months, he has truly rebuilt the Mist Village!"

"You saw the eyes of the townspeople just now, didn't you?"

"Do you remember how, a few years ago, Mist Ninjas were feared and despised by the people of the Land of Water?"

"But now, thanks to Mizukage-sama's reforms, Mist Ninja have become heroes in the eyes of the people!"

"Under his leadership, the 'Blood Mist' era is over!"

"This is the real hope Mizukage-sama has brought to the Land of Water and the Mist Ninja Village!"

"Ah..."

To Kurogane's surprise, Zabuza still sneered.

"The Uchiha clan is infamous for their unmatched genjutsu. Who's to say you're not all under his illusion?"

"And those villagers—what if they're all just being manipulated?"

"All of this could just be a trick to deceive me!"

Despite his words, a part of Zabuza had already begun to believe Kurogane.

However, this was only Kurogane's version of events.

Just as Zabuza was about to respond, a cold voice interrupted him.

"You're in no position to decide, Zabuza. Nor do you have the ability to fool me!"

With those words, two figures suddenly appeared between Kurogane and Zabuza.

"Mizukage-sama! Terumi-san!"

Upon seeing the two figures, Kurogane and his companions immediately called out, their voices filled with excitement.

Indeed, the ones who had just arrived were none other than Kaito and Terumi Mei. Kaito gave them a slight nod, silently instructing them to stand aside.

Terumi Mei's gaze fell upon the two figures standing before her.

"Zabuza… It's been a long time."

Zabuza narrowed his eyes, muscles tensing instinctively.

"More than three years, huh? Yeah… It has been a while."

Despite facing his former teammate, Zabuza didn't lower his guard. Instead, his wariness only intensified.

Before, when dealing with Kurogane and the others, he had only felt that they were a mild nuisance.

But now—now that Kaito had arrived—an unsettling feeling crept up from the depths of his heart.

He had heard whispers of Kaito's feats. The man who single-handedly crushed Konoha's elite forces and led his clan to annihilate countless enemies. Back then, Zabuza had dismissed the rumours, thinking they were exaggerated.

But then he learned about the battle half a year ago. He heard the firsthand accounts of Kaito's overwhelming strength.

A single man… going against the power of an entire shinobi village.

Zabuza gritted his teeth, suppressing the instinctual dread creeping up his spine.

"You're Momochi Zabuza, correct?"

Kaito's cold, indifferent voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Yes…" Zabuza responded cautiously. "What does the Mizukage Sama want from me?"

The situation was clear. Against Kaito, resistance was meaningless.

Kaito's tone remained casual, almost uninterested.

"I don't have any orders for you, nor do I particularly care about you."

He flicked his gaze toward Terumi Mei.

"However, Terumi Mei believes your skills could be of use to Kirigakure's reconstruction. She requested a pardon for you—despite your attempt to assassinate Yagura."

A pause.

"Not that he didn't deserve it."

Zabuza stiffened.

Kaito's voice was calm, but his words carried undeniable weight.

"So, here's your choice."

His piercing gaze locked onto Zabuza.

"You can accept Terumi Mei's offer, return to Kirigakure, and be pardoned… Or, you can refuse and walk away."

"But know this—" Kaito's eyes darkened, a subtle but suffocating pressure filling the air. "Your refusal will not change the course of history."

Silence.

Zabuza clenched his fists.

He wanted to refuse. He had fought for years, taking on assassination missions, struggling to gather funds for a coup—to change Kirigakure with his own hands.

But now… everything had changed.

The Mist Village, the entire Land of Water… it was unrecognizable.

And the man standing before him—Kaito—was not someone he could oppose.

Was this truly the right decision? Would he be helping the village… or just aiding another tyrant?

Seeing his hesitation, Terumi Mei stepped forward.

"Zabuza, you've seen it for yourself. The era of the 'Blood Mist' is over."

Her voice was firm but sincere.

"The village is rebuilding. We need strong shinobi who can help lead this change."

She met his eyes, unwavering.

"You once fought to rid Kirigakure of Yagura's rule. Now, I'm giving you the chance to protect the village you once loved."

Zabuza fell silent, the weight of her words pressing against him.

Finally, after a long pause, he exhaled deeply.

"…Fine."

Lifting his gaze, he met Terumi Mei's eyes.

"I'll return to Mist. Thank you for your generosity… Mizukage-sama."

Kaito studied him for a moment before giving a slight shrug.

"Then let's go."

Before anyone could react, the world around them blurred—

—and in an instant, they found themselves standing inside the Mizukage's office.

Gasps filled the room as the shinobi processed what had just happened.

Zabuza's eyes widened slightly. Teleportation…

The others stared at Kaito with growing awe.

For him, however, this was nothing remarkable. Ever since he had refined his understanding of space-time abilities, teleportation had become as effortless as breathing.

Ignoring the stares, he casually placed several scrolls on the desk before turning toward a certain figure.

A young boy with delicate features, standing quietly at Zabuza's side.

Kaito's lips curled into a faint smile.

"You must be Haku."

Haku blinked, slightly overwhelmed by the sudden attention. Instinctively, he turned to Zabuza.

Zabuza gave him a small nod.

"From now on, Lord Mizukage is my superior. Show him the respect he deserves."

Haku hesitated only for a moment before bowing politely.

Kaito chuckled.

"No need to be so nervous." He gestured toward the scrolls. "Here, I need your help with something."

Haku cautiously stepped forward.

"Try channelling your chakra into this scroll."

Haku obeyed, pressing his hands to the parchment.

A soft glow enveloped the scrolls, and almost instantly, the seals unravelled.

Terumi Mei's eyes widened.

"These are…!"

Recognition flashed across her face.

"The Yuki clan's secret scrolls…!"

She turned sharply toward Haku, her expression stunned.

Kaito's voice came softly—yet it carried undeniable authority.

"Yes. Haku is the last surviving descendant of the Yuki clan."

A sharp intake of breath.

Terumi Mei's shock quickly turned into something else—joy.

The Yuki clan had once been one of Kirigakure's greatest bloodline families, feared across the shinobi world. Their destruction had been a great loss to the village.

But now… there was hope.

And Terumi Mei couldn't be happier.

Meanwhile, Zabuza stared at Haku, his expression unreadable.

To his surprise, Kaito turned toward the boy and spoke again.

"You've helped me a great deal today."

A rare hint of warmth touched his voice.

"As thanks, you may study these scrolls as well."

Zabuza's eyes widened slightly.

These weren't just any scrolls—they contained the deepest, most guarded secrets of the Yuki clan.

And yet, Kaito was offering them freely.

Zabuza bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord Mizukage!"

Haku, realizing the gravity of the moment, quickly followed suit. "T-Thank you, Mizukage-sama!"

Kaito simply nodded.

Then, turning to Terumi Mei, he added, "Have Haku enrol in the ninja academy."

Terumi Mei blinked. "Huh?"

"He's young," Kaito explained. "He should have a normal childhood. Let him make friends, learn, and grow with others his age."

Terumi Mei nodded, a warm smile spreading across her face.

"Understood. I'll arrange it right away."

Today… was a good day.

Kirigakure was growing stronger.

And for the first time in a long time…

Terumi Mei felt a sense of true hope for the village's future.

More than ten days had passed since Zabuza and the others returned… At this moment, the battle in the Land of Rainbow had already ended three days ago! After the daimyo of the Land of Rainbow was beheaded, the captive ninja was taken back to Kirigakure.

As for the Land of Rainbow itself, it was temporarily handed over to the ordinary military forces of the Land of Water.

Kaito, however, paid little attention to any of this.

During this time, he had been focused on mastering the secrets of Ice Release, occasionally guiding Haku in their studies.

This peaceful life, though comfortable, also left Kaito feeling somewhat restless.

However, just today, the arrival of two pieces of news instantly lifted his spirits!

Kaito sat, listening to Terumi Mei's report.

"First, just yesterday, the team we dispatched finally tracked down the location of the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki, Utakata!"

"Right now, he's in the Land of Taki, and from our observation, he appears to be alone!"

"Excellent."

Hearing this, Kaito's eyes flashed with excitement.

At this stage, the only thing that could significantly enhance his strength was absorbing the essence of a Tailed Beast! Once he fused the essence of all nine Tailed Beasts, he would obtain the power of the Ten-Tails and reach the level of the Sage of Six Paths!

Even before that, simply merging different Tailed Beast chakras would provide immense benefits.

However, aside from a select few Jinchūriki, most were tightly guarded by their villages. Until Kaito was strong enough to take on the entire ninja world alone, he couldn't openly seize the Tailed Beasts.

This made Jinchūriki like Utakata incredibly valuable targets.

Terumi Mei asked, "Should we try negotiating with him first and persuade him to return to Kirigakure?"

Kaito shook his head. "Impossible. You know why Utakata defected."

"His master tried to extract the Six-Tails from his body in an attempt to free him from the burden of being a Jinchūriki."

"But the Six-Tails' chakra went berserk, killing his master instantly!"

"Because of that, Utakata mistakenly believed his master despised him so much that he wanted him dead."

"This is something that can't be solved with words alone."

"That's true."

Terumi Mei nodded.

Utakata's defection had caused a significant uproar back then, and she was well aware of the details.

She continued, "So what's the plan? Do we capture him?"

"Exactly. The only option is to take him in by force."

Kaito's response was firm.

Hearing this, Terumi Mei began calculating their battle strategy.

"Utakata was already able to control the Six-Tails' chakra when he defected, so it's highly likely he has complete mastery over it now."

"To capture him, we'd need at least three hundred elite Mist ninja, along with a Kage-level fighter to lead them. Only then would we have a chance of bringing him back."

"Should I go, or should Kisame?"

"No need for all that."

Kaito waved his hand dismissively.

"I'll go myself."

"What?!"

Terumi Mei was taken aback.

She quickly objected, "No way! You're the Mizukage. You can't just leave the village like that!"

"And besides—"

Kaito raised a hand, cutting her off. "I've made my decision."

"And honestly, Kirigakure doesn't need me to babysit it right now. I stay here doing nothing all day. I might as well go out and stretch my legs."

"That's because you dump all the work on me!"

Terumi Mei grumbled bitterly.

Kaito had fully embraced the role of a hands-off Mizukage, leaving all the administrative burdens to Terumi Mei.

Her frustration with his irresponsibility was immeasurable.

What did he mean by "doing nothing"? He was just being lazy!

Terumi Mei sighed, knowing she couldn't change his mind.

"The second matter involves the Land of Lightning."

"According to our spies, Kumogakure has been increasingly active, constantly deploying ninja to the borders of the Land of Lightning."

"Furthermore, the two small nations between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning have not reacted to this. They may have been bought out by the Land of Lightning."

"It looks like Kumogakure will declare war on Konoha soon."

"Finally, something exciting is happening."

Kaito was not surprised by this news.

After he defected from Konoha, leading his clan away and crippling nearly sixty years of the village's development, he had expected the other Great Nations to seize the opportunity.

For the past half-year, the other villages had been monitoring Konoha closely.

Now, Kumogakure had finally decided to act.

Terumi Mei asked, "Should we take advantage of this situation?"

"No need."

Kaito shook his head, he explained, "Right now, Kirigakure's priority is to stay low-key."

"We could take some immediate gains, but it would also expose our current weaknesses."

"The best move is to remain in the shadows until Kirigakure fully regains its strength."

"Look at Iwagakure. During the Third Great Ninja War, they sacrificed nearly ten thousand shinobi just to take down the Third Raikage."

"Right now, their military strength is probably just as weak as Kirigakure's. Yet they're staying quiet."

"So, we should wait until the perfect opportunity and strike all at once."

"That's the safest and most efficient strategy."

"Understood."

Terumi Mei nodded in agreement.

***

Three days had passed since Kaito left the Land of Water.

To be honest, this was his first time truly exploring the ninja world. So, he wasn't in a hurry to find Utakata.

He had his subordinates secretly keeping watch. He would get there when he got there.

"Two bottles of sake and some side dishes."

Kaito ordered a meal and sat at a window-side table, gazing at the scenery of the Land of Hot Water.

"I've heard the hot springs here are excellent. I should check them out later."

He quickly decided on his next destination.

If Terumi Mei knew that instead of hunting Utakata, Kaito was casually sightseeing, enjoying the ninja world at a relaxed pace…

Not only that, but he was also planning to soak in a hot spring for leisure—

The overworked Terumi Mei would surely shed tears of frustration.

As Kaito sipped his drink, his gaze remained fixed on the street outside.

But suddenly—

Three familiar figures appeared, making him freeze.

"…This is…?"

His eyes locked onto a striking blond figure.

For a moment, he couldn't believe it.

Then his lips curled into a smirk.

"What a lucky encounter."

Without hesitation, he abandoned his meal, tossed a silver note onto the table, and swiftly pursued the figures.

This was an opportunity too good to pass up.

"Yugito Nii and her two teammates were rushing toward the border of the Land of Thunder."

This time, her mission was to lead these two men to gather intelligence on the Fire Nation's border to support future attacks by Kumogakure.

Now that the reconnaissance was complete, she had to move quickly to deliver the intel, ensuring Kumo could deploy its forces without delay. However, as she entered a dense forest, a sudden sense of oppression washed over her!

Sensing this disturbance, the Two-Tails inside her immediately reached out.

"Yugito, I felt a… no, two familiar auras!"

"The chakras belong to the Three-Tails and the Nine-Tails. And they're merging—meaning they've been captured!"

"Be careful, someone is following us!"

"The Three-Tails and the Nine-Tails?!"

Cold sweat dripped from Yugito's forehead.

"Who… who could do this?!" she asked in disbelief. The Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails and Nine-Tails had been taken without a sound, and neither the Land of Fire nor the Land of Water had made a move.

Matatabi's voice was tense. "I don't know. But whoever it is, they're incredibly strong!"

"Now that they've absorbed the Three-Tails and Nine-Tails, we don't stand a chance. Run—now!"

"Lady Yugito, what's wrong?"

One of the Kumo-nin to her left noticed her sudden distress and immediately asked.

"Don't you feel that?!"

Yugito's voice carried a sharp edge of urgency, but both Kumo-nin only looked at her in confusion.

"No… feel what?"

At that moment, Yugito realized the truth—the presence in the shadows had targeted her alone. Only she could feel its overwhelming pressure!

Her mind raced. If she fell here, Kumo would lose crucial intel. She had to ensure the information reached Killer B and Lord Raikage!

She coughed slightly, then spoke in a steady voice.

"I have something urgent to take care of. You two, return immediately!"

"Deliver the intel to Killer B and have him prepare our forces at once!"

One of the Kumo-nin hesitated. "But… isn't Lord Raikage commanding this operation himself?"

The other, more perceptive shinobi immediately understood. The urgency in Yugito's voice, her sudden dismissal—an enemy was lurking in the shadows, targeting her!

If she was telling them to leave, it meant she wasn't confident in winning alone.

Realizing this, he nodded quickly.

"Understood! Lady Yugito, handle your mission—we'll go ahead!"

Without hesitation, he grabbed his still-unsuspecting comrade and sprinted away at full speed.

Yugito watched their retreating figures. No one stopped them.

Only when they completely vanished did she let out a small breath of relief.

Then, she turned to face the oppressive presence in the shadows.

"Come out. I can already sense you."

A chuckle rang through the trees, followed by a voice laced with amusement.

"You're quite perceptive, Yugito Nii."

From the darkness, a figure stepped forward.

Yugito tensed. She knew exactly who he was—the infamous Uchiha who had resurfaced and shaken the shinobi world.

"What do you want?" she demanded, eyes wary and body poised to fight.

Kaito smirked. "I'm here for the Two-Tails."

His voice remained casual, but the underlying intent was anything but.

"If you cooperate, I'll let you live," he continued.

"If you resist… I'll have no choice but to take it by force."

Yugito didn't hesitate.

Without a word, she lunged forward, claws extending with lethal intent.

"Tsk… what a shame," Kaito murmured.

"Clang!"

A sharp metallic sound rang out as Kaito effortlessly parried her attack with a single blade.

"You really won't reconsider?" he asked, his tone almost regretful.

"Shut up!" Yugito snarled, unleashing another flurry of attacks.

But under Kaito's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, her movements seemed sluggish—like she was moving in slow motion.

In an instant, Kaito evaded her strikes and struck back, sending her hurtling through the air.

As she skidded to a stop, her breath hitched.

"His eyes…!"

The blood-red pattern swirling in his gaze sent a chill down her spine.

"A Mangekyō Sharingan…!"

Her pupils constricted in shock.

There were only two Uchiha known to possess that power.

"Are you Uchiha Itachi or… Uchiha Kaito?!"

The massacre of the Uchiha clan and the Konoha coup half a year ago had made both names infamous across the shinobi world.

Kaito's smirk widened.

"Itachi? That traitor who turned against his own blood?" He scoffed.

"He's already been dealt with."

Yugito barely had time to react before Matatabi's voice roared in her mind.

"Yugito! Go full transformation—stall for time!"

"You can't beat him alone. But if Raikage gets here, together you might have a chance!"

"Understood!"

Yugito didn't hesitate.

As chakra surged around her, flames erupted, engulfing her form.

A feral growl rumbled through the forest.

"You're going all out from the start?" Kaito mused, his smirk never fading.

"This might be interesting."