Chapter 461: What Exactly Is Uchiha Madara Planning?

Yagura, who had spent much of his life patrolling the seas, was well aware of the speed of Kirigakure's warships.

As long as nothing unexpected occurred, there wouldn't be any significant deviations in timing.

Carefully examining the map, Takuya absentmindedly twirled a kunai in his hand.

"Are you certain the route and timing won't be an issue?"

"They won't," Yagura replied firmly.

"There are people aboard the ship working with us—more than one, in fact. If something unexpected happens, we'll be the first to know."

Every village had its own methods for transmitting critical messages. Konoha was no exception, and neither was Kirigakure.

Takuya, Sakumo, and Minato didn't press further. As long as Yagura was confident, that was good enough.

The only fear was that the Third Mizukage might sense something amiss and change his course at the last minute.

Thankfully, water routes were inherently slower than land travel. However, this also meant they were less likely to alter course, a benefit in their current situation. The Third Mizukage would never imagine that members of his own village would conspire with outsiders to target and investigate him.

There was still plenty of time before the plan would be executed. Takuya momentarily entertained the idea of setting up a small barbecue. Earlier, he'd spotted several large crabs scuttling into a nearby bush—roasting them might make for a delicious snack.

But on second thought, dry rations would suffice.

Glancing at Yagura's solemn expression, Takuya figured if he suggested a barbecue, the perpetually youthful-looking Mizukage might snap at him.

Speaking of which, Takuya wondered what Yagura's wife looked like. Didn't she mind her husband looking like he'd never grow up?

"What's wrong?" Yagura asked, noticing Takuya staring at his face. His sharp eyebrows furrowed slightly, a hint of offense in his expression.

"I was just thinking about your wif—" Takuya quickly coughed to cut himself off.

"Ah, nothing. I was just wondering... Isn't it strange that no one noticed your Mizukage had been under someone's control for all these years?"

"You—" Yagura's face flushed with embarrassment and anger. He wanted nothing more than to kick Takuya. If you know it's an offensive question, why ask?

How could I have known the Mizukage was being controlled? Yagura thought to himself bitterly. If not for his increasingly erratic behavior, who would have even suspected?

Would you suspect your own Third Hokage of being controlled?

"Sigh, Takuya."

Sakumo smiled wryly, shaking his head as he shot Takuya a disapproving look.

Even if you're curious, there are better ways to ask. You're practically jabbing at an open wound.

Minato, for his part, didn't know what to say.

"We never considered it before," Yagura said grimly.

"It wasn't until the Mizukage began personally leading battles, making reckless decisions that cost the village heavily, that we started to suspect. His behavior had changed since recovering from his illness. For example, he spent hours in the restroom every single day."

Despite the awkwardness, Yagura divulged this peculiar detail.

There was no mistaking it—this was White Zetsu's doing. Who else would be so fixated on experiencing the sensation of using the restroom?

So my previous infiltration wasn't just bad luck, Sakumo thought, feeling a mixture of relief and frustration. Turns out, I stumbled into the middle of the problem head-on.

He finally had an explanation for why he'd encountered the Third Mizukage in the bathroom during his infiltration of the Mizukage's office. It wasn't bad luck; the Mizukage's behavior had been unusual all along.

Seriously, who spends hours a day in the restroom? Was he sleeping in there?

Yagura's face darkened as his expression became more serious.

"His erratic decisions didn't make sense. Mizukage-sama was someone who had served under both the First and Second Mizukages. He was incredibly talented and strong..."

"So, it's not about poor leadership," Takuya interrupted.

"He was deliberately sending Kirigakure's shinobi to their deaths while dragging Konoha's forces down with him, right?"

Yagura nodded in agreement.

Takuya frowned. It wasn't even time for Uchiha Madara to make his moves yet.

What was White Zetsu playing at?

Could this be preparation for Kaguya's eventual resurrection?

But what was the point? They didn't even have a suitable vessel yet. Draining Kirigakure and Konoha's resources like this seemed pointless. By the time they found a vessel and nurtured it, both villages would have recovered from the war.

It didn't make sense. None of it did.

There was no reasoning with beings like White Zetsu, whose minds seemed solely preoccupied with strange and trivial obsessions.

Maybe this wasn't part of Uchiha Madara's plan at all, Takuya mused. Perhaps White Zetsu and Black Zetsu were simply doing their own thing.

After all, in Madara's eyes, the five great ninja villages were nothing more than a collective of ants. If he were to resurrect, wiping them out would merely require a bit of extra effort.

The Five Great Nations vs. Uchiha Madara? At most, they might manage to tire him out enough to make him sweat a little.

It wasn't that Takuya underestimated the Five Great Nations or their top-tier shinobi. It was just that Madara's power defied logic. Even if Hashirama Senju were to be revived, it would only delay the inevitable.

Without intervention from forces beyond reason, Madara with the Rinnegan was essentially invincible.

And those forces? Well... who even knew if young Naruto and Sasuke would exist in this timeline?

Konoha's trajectory had already deviated significantly.

Sure, Minato's girlfriend was from the Uzumaki clan, but who said their child had to be a son?

Why couldn't it be a daughter instead?

And besides, Minato hated the name Naruto. Especially "Uzumaki Naruto." It made him feel like a curse had been placed on him, as if his son would disown the Namikaze surname.

Minato had already sworn he would never name his child Naruto, not even Namikaze Naruto.

And what if the reincarnations of Indra and Ashura's chakra manifested as sisters this time?

Uchiha Sasuke as a girl? Itachi going from an overprotective brother to an overprotective sister?

The mere thought sent shivers down Takuya's spine. He couldn't unsee it.

"What are you thinking about?" Minato asked, nudging Takuya out of his thoughts. Yagura had left to set up surveillance around the island, ensuring no one would approach by accident.

"Nothing," Takuya replied, shaking off his strange musings.

"I was just thinking about Naruto."

"..."

Minato's face darkened as he snapped,

"Get lost! I, Namikaze Minato, will never become a live-in son-in-law! And my child will never be named Naruto. Never!"

"What if it's a daughter?"

"Uh..." Minato hesitated, his anger dissipating slightly.

The idea of having a daughter—someone sweet and adorable—was surprisingly appealing.

Hopeless, Takuya thought, his expression turning wry.

Was Minato really on the path to becoming a doting father to a daughter?

A daughter-obsessed Minato and an Itachi-level sister-obsessed Sasuke. What a terrifying thought.