Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

It doesn't matter anymore; he and Itachi will soon have a showdown.

Orochimaru took in all of Sasuke's changes, but he already had his own judgment.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke snapped out of his daze, glanced at the huge ferry that was already approaching the shore, and stood up.

"gone."

He uttered two words and took the lead in walking towards the ferry.

"Hehe..." Orochimaru chuckled and followed.

The Land of Water, the Hidden Mist Village.

The "Bloody Village," once known for its brutal graduation exams and closed-door policy, is now a completely different place.

After the death of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, the village implemented a completely different open policy.

The port was bustling with activity, and both ninjas and ordinary tourists were welcomed like never before.

Of course, beneath this "openness" lies a deeper level of vigilance.

For those ninjas who land on land, especially those powerful ninjas who already have a reputation in the ninja world, the Hidden Mist Village's screening will only be more rigorous than ever before.

Fog Concealment Dark Base.

The current head of the Dark Division, Qing, was frowning as he dealt with the backlog of documents in his hands.

"Lord Qing!" A figure appeared instantly and knelt on one knee in front of his desk.

Qing didn't look up, her voice steady: "Speak."

"We found this name on the latest list of people who applied to enter Wuyin through normal passenger channels."

The secret service handed over a list.

Qing took it, her gaze sweeping over the rows of unfamiliar names, finally settling on the very last one.

—Uchiha Sasuke.

"boom!"

With a muffled thud, the pen in Qing's hand was snapped in two by his grip.

He suddenly raised his head, his single eye fixed on his subordinate: "Is that Uchiha Sasuke from the Land of Fire?"

"Yes."

The answer from the shadows instantly chilled the air in the office.

Qing's face darkened, and her mind raced.

Uchiha Sasuke...

This name is no secret among the top leaders of the five major powers.

After the Konoha Collapse Plan, he single-handedly rescued Orochimaru and then maneuvered among the Sannin, eventually leaving calmly with Tsunade. He was listed as an S-rank rogue ninja by Konoha.

Their formidable record was enough to make any village take notice.

Kirigakure had already investigated the complex relationship between him and Konoha through various channels.

He was neither a close protector like Jiraiya, nor a pure enemy like Orochimaru.

Their ambiguous relationship seems more like Konoha's unilateral attempt to re-bind this powerful "fighting force" back into their own chariot.

Why would someone who has been active in the Land of Fire for so long, like a lone wolf, suddenly come to Kirigakure?

"Did he apply through the passenger list?" Qing suppressed the turmoil in his heart and asked in a deep voice.

"Yes." The ANBU confirmed again, "He was accompanied by two other people. Based on the comparison of their physical characteristics, they were initially identified as Orochimaru and his trusted confidant, Kabuto Yakushi."

"..."

Qing's single eye narrowed into a thin slit.

These three together are practically a walking disaster.

"Don't alert them yet."

After a brief moment of thought, Qing calmly issued the order: "Since they came in as passengers, treat them as ordinary passengers for now, secretly increase surveillance, and confirm their purpose."

"Yes!" The secret agent accepted the order and was about to leave in a flash.

"Wait a minute," Qing called out to him.

"Master Qing?"

Qing stood up, walked to the window, and a resolute look flashed in her eyes.

"Inform Mei Terumi-sama and tell her to approach Sasuke Uchiha."

.........

The ferry slowly approached the shore, and a heavy gangplank was set up.

The shoving crowd surged down like a tide, with Sasuke and his group walking at the very back, unhurried and unhurried.

"There doesn't seem to be any particular warning." Pharmacist Kabuto adjusted his glasses and immediately assessed the surrounding environment.

On the dock, apart from a few Mist Shadow squads maintaining order and conducting routine patrols, there were no additional troops deployed, let alone any ambushes specifically set up against them.

This calm surprised him slightly.

Sasuke and Orochimaru's names are no secret in the ninja world.

When they are near the border of the Land of Fire, or even just near those small countries, the ninja villages to which they belong will immediately go on high alert, and even sound the alarm for war.

Why is Wuyin so "calm"?

"We're just 'tourists'," Orochimaru, who was walking at the front, said softly, as if he had expected all of this. "After all, Kirigakure is one of the Five Great Ninja Villages. They must have some confidence in their own strength."

The three walked forward in silence, but as they approached the village entrance, they all stopped in their tracks.

"It seems I spoke a little too soon." Kabuto Yakushi looked ahead, his eyes narrowing slightly behind his glasses. "They weren't unprepared, they just used a different method."

Beneath the massive archway at the village entrance, shrouded in sea mist, two figures stood silently.

The leader was a female ninja wearing a blue strapless dress.

She had striking long, reddish-brown hair, meticulously styled into an intricate updo. Her emerald eyes shone brightly in the mist, and a perfectly timed smile graced her lips, exuding both allure and authority.

Beside her stood a male ninja with a serious face, wearing "talisman" ornaments on both ears, and his right eye completely covered by an eyepatch.

His expression was tense, radiating a sharp aura that kept strangers at bay.

From a distance of nearly a kilometer, the eye hidden beneath the blindfold had already completely locked onto these three "uninvited guests."

"They've arrived, Lady Terumi Mei." The voice of Keishi Ao, the head of the Kirigakure Anbu, was low and heavy.

"Hmm." The woman known as "Mei Terumi" responded softly, observing the young figure leading the group in the distance with great interest. "What does he look like?"

The Byakugan possesses the ability to perceive the flow of chakra within the body, allowing for the most direct assessment of a person's strength.

Ao's Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty. Even from a distance, the immense amount of chakra and spiritual pressure within Sasuke's body brought him a terrifying sense of oppression, as if he were facing the sun directly.

He swallowed hard, his voice tightening slightly: "His chakra is as abundant as the Three-Tails', no, even more so..."

Before he could finish speaking, the talisman pendant on his right ear, which served as a self-protection mechanism, was triggered by an invisible force, instantly twisting and expanding, and sticking tightly to the eye patch.

The next second, it shattered.

"Ugh!" Qing groaned, turning his head sharply as if electrocuted, raising his hand to cover his right eye, and a few streaks of bright blood seeped out between his fingers.

"Blue!" Mei Terumi's smile vanished instantly, her body lowered, and she was ready for battle.

"My Byakugan is fine!" Ao said urgently, enduring the excruciating pain, "It was Uchiha Sasuke who discovered my spying!"

Mei Terumi's chakra gradually subsided, but her gaze became more solemn than ever before.

"Is this how Kirigakure welcomes its guests?"

A cold voice rang out in front of the two of them.

Mei Terumi and Ao's hearts skipped a beat, and they looked up in horror.

Suddenly, the black-haired boy appeared before them, his scarlet eyes calmly fixed on them.

Mei Terumi's face quickly regained its smile. She took half a step forward, bowed slightly, and her posture was elegant and sincere.

"I am very sorry, this was indeed our rudeness, and I apologize to you on Qing's behalf."

She turned her head and glanced at Qing, who was still covering his eyes, her tone slightly reproachful, "This guy relies too much on his own abilities and subconsciously did something impolite. I hope you don't mind."

"Hehe, we understand." Orochimaru's figure appeared right after, returning the same polite smile to Mei Terumi.

The atmosphere eased temporarily.

Mei Terumi straightened up, indicating that these people could enter freely.

"Wait a minute," Sasuke said.

Mei Terumi's smile faltered slightly.

"Instead of letting the three of us wander around your village like headless flies, how about finding us a guide?"

Mei Terumi's heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her smile.

"Of course, no problem. May I have the honor of being your tour guide?"

"You?" Sasuke's gaze swept over her. "What is your identity in Kirigakure?"

"Hmm..." Mei Terumi pondered for a moment before giving a modest reply, "I suppose you could consider me the acting Mizukage."

She is now indeed the highest leader of the village, and she handles all matters, big and small.

Strictly speaking, however, she is not the true "Fifth Mizukage" until she has received the approval of the elder "Yuan Shi".

"Kage?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. "Are the 'Kage' of Kirigakure really that idle?"

“There are always suitable people to handle the miscellaneous tasks in the village.”

Mei Terumi covered her mouth and chuckled, taking half a step forward to close the distance with Sasuke, her eyes carrying a hint of teasing. "However, not just anyone is qualified to be your guide."

"..."

Sasuke was silent for a moment, then finally nodded slightly: "Then I'll be leaving the rest of the time to you."