Naruto: The Nine-Tails' Legacy

"The Fourth Mizukage? Isobu, the Three-Tails?"

"Hm? Don't tell me you didn't know the Fourth Mizukage was Isobu's jinchūriki?"

"I knew that much."

Kakashi shook his head.

"But I've only met the Fourth Mizukage once."

"The next time I heard his name was recently, when I met Uchiha Itachi."

"He mentioned that the Fourth Mizukage had joined the Akatsuki."

"Come to think of it, Itachi also gave me a crow with a Sharingan—"

Before Kakashi could finish, a violent wave of dizziness suddenly washed over him.

The next moment, his figure vanished from the mental world.

...

"The connection was interrupted."

Kurama checked briefly before speaking.

"Something outside caused it."

Both he and Minato were left stunned by the information Kakashi had dropped before disappearing.

The Fourth Mizukage...

Joined the Akatsuki?

How was that possible?

Minato frowned.

"If the information came from Itachi, then it's probably true."

"Thinking about it that way... perhaps he joined temporarily to escape something."

"At this stage, the Akatsuki should still be gathering powerful fighters."

"A combatant at the level of the Fourth Mizukage would certainly be valuable to them."

"Then perhaps things spiraled out of control, and after Uchiha Shisui intervened, the Mizukage finally managed to leave the organization."

"That makes no sense!"

Kurama immediately objected.

"The Akatsuki's goal from the very beginning was collecting the tailed beasts."

"Even if the Fourth Mizukage wanted to play along temporarily, do you think Isobu would've agreed?"

"Once caught under Sharingan control, a tailed beast becomes little more than a puppet!"

Minato's eyes narrowed.

"Then perhaps that possibility actually supports the theory."

"Just as you said, Isobu likely resisted."

"But whether it was Obito or Nagato, both possessed enough ocular power to control a tailed beast."

"From their perspective, controlling the Mizukage and Isobu would've seemed completely reliable."

"They would've trusted their own power."

"Then Shisui arrived."

"If he truly broke the control placed upon the Fourth Mizukage, Isobu would've immediately helped its jinchūriki regain freedom."

"In that case, escaping the Akatsuki becomes completely reasonable."

Kurama thought for a moment.

"...So Isobu spent the whole time being manipulated without even knowing it."

"And somehow managed to survive because of it."

"Hmph. Lucky bastard."

When Kurama thought about it objectively, the explanation did make sense.

After all, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Obito had directly controlled multiple tailed beasts.

From a purely military perspective, a jinchūriki and tailed beast possessed tremendous strategic value.

Yet Minato still looked troubled.

"There's still something that doesn't fit."

"When we examined Shisui's corpse, we found a seal on his heart."

"At the time, we assumed it was the Akatsuki's method of controlling people."

"But if that's true, then why wouldn't the Fourth Mizukage have a similar seal?"

"Could the Akatsuki really be so careless?"

The more Minato thought about it, the more inconsistencies emerged.

"I think we're missing something important."

"If the Fourth Mizukage truly joined the Akatsuki while under control, then what about Shisui?"

"How did Shisui join the Akatsuki in the first place?"

Suddenly, Minato realized there were many questions he had unconsciously stopped pursuing after confirming Shisui's death.

The Akatsuki recruited notorious rogue ninja.

How had Shisui entered the organization?

What relationship had he shared with Obito?

If Shisui had infiltrated the Akatsuki as a spy, had he maintained contact with Itachi?

Judging from Kakashi's description, Itachi most likely still didn't know Shisui was dead.

And perhaps most importantly—

Why sacrifice himself to save the Fourth Mizukage?

Was preventing the Three-Tails from falling into Akatsuki hands truly worth his life?

As his thoughts expanded, Minato began to suspect Shisui's death wasn't nearly as simple as it first appeared.

Because it reminded him of Obito.

A heroic death during wartime.

A sacrifice that eventually became the beginning of countless conspiracies.

...

"If you can't figure it out, then stop overthinking."

Kurama lazily flicked his tail.

"If necessary, send Naruto to Kirigakure later."

"We can ask the Fourth Mizukage directly."

"Or better yet, ask Isobu."

"Or today we can revisit Shisui's corpse and let you investigate to your heart's content."

The thought that Isobu was probably still alive put Kurama in a surprisingly good mood.

Yet his casual remark caused Minato's eyes to light up.

"That's true."

"Perhaps I've been approaching the problem incorrectly."

"I shouldn't focus on what the seal does."

"I should focus on who placed the seal there."

"If I examine it from that angle..."

"I might discover something I overlooked before."

...

Meanwhile, Kakashi slowly opened his eyes.

The pure white world was gone.

Above him was Naruto's slightly worn ceiling.

And standing nearby was Sasuke, whose expression carried equal parts vigilance and concern.

"You're awake?"

"What happened?"

"Why were both of you under a genjutsu?"

Kakashi rubbed his head.

The dizziness felt strangely familiar.

Not unpleasant, merely nostalgic.

After a few moments, he adjusted and smiled at Sasuke.

"It's nothing."

"Naruto and I were testing a genjutsu."

"Something went wrong."

"Is that so?"

Sasuke clearly didn't believe a word of it.

He turned toward Naruto, who was also beginning to wake up.

Naruto's face looked utterly blank.

Completely confused.

A little foolish, if anything.

Seeing that expression actually reassured Sasuke.

At least Naruto appeared normal.

"Good."

"For a moment I thought somebody had attacked you in broad daylight."

Sasuke stood up.

Originally, he had intended to return home and finally get some sleep.

His gaze briefly lingered on Kakashi's Sharingan.

After hesitating, he decided not to ask.

Instead, he changed the subject.

"Now that you're out of the hospital, are we taking missions again?"

"Give me a few more days."

Kakashi waved his hand.

"There are some things I absolutely need to do first."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You call running around doing things 'taking a few days off'?"

"Can't help it."

Kakashi sighed.

"Looks like I'm doomed to be overworked."

Before he could continue, Naruto suddenly sprang up from the bed.

His eyes finally focused again.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"Come with me somewhere."

"Oh, right."

He immediately pointed at Sasuke.

"You too."

Kakashi instantly guessed what had happened.

Sasuke, meanwhile, looked utterly confused.

"Hey."

"I haven't slept all night."

"Right now all I want to—"

Naruto grabbed his arm.

"At least let me change clothes first!"

"You idiot! Stop pulling me!"

Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> [email protected]/AiraTales7 (replace @ with a)