Rampaging was one thing—but killing so many Konoha shinobi…
Even if Naruto wasn't in his right mind, those who died by his hand would never understand.
Their families would always harbor resentment.
Some might even seek revenge.
Shigure exhaled softly.
He set Kurenai Yuhi down with care.
Around him, the surviving Konoha ninja stared—not with hostility, but with tangled, complicated emotions.
Because Shigure wore the Mizukage hat.
The billowing Mizukage robes made it impossible to forget:
The man standing here… was no longer a Konoha shinobi.
He was the Fifth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village.
"Shi—"
Shikamaru opened his mouth out of instinct, but stopped himself mid-syllable.
He couldn't call him by name anymore.
Not casually.
Not now.
Addressing a Kage by name would be disrespectful.
So Shikamaru closed his mouth, and everyone else remained silent, simply watching Shigure's back.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A deafening roar erupted as the rampaging Nine-Tails–cloaked Naruto appeared right before Shigure, claws raised to kill.
Shigure didn't even turn around.
It was as if he had left his back completely open.
Kurenai's eyes widened in horror. She lunged, grabbing his shoulder to pull him away—
But in the very next instant—
THUMP! THRUMMM!
A violent shockwave echoed through the ground.
Shigure didn't move.
Not a step.
The claw had raked across his back—
not even tearing his robe.
Kurenai froze.
Shigure glanced at her, calm as still water.
"…What are you doing?"
"You… you're completely unharmed…" she whispered, stunned.
Shigure let out a helpless breath.
"Leave the rest to me."
"Naruto is my friend. I'll bring him back."
He turned toward the heaving, feral figure of Naruto—completely overtaken by the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Then Shigure stepped forward.
And charged.
The Konoha shinobi watching nearly collapsed.
This was the Nine-Tails, fully rampaging—
And the Mizukage was rushing straight at him!?
Was he trying to die?
But the very next heartbeat—
Shigure vanished.
He appeared beside Naruto in a blur, gripping his shoulder.
"This place isn't suited for a fight."
"So—go over there instead."
CRACK! BOOM!
The air itself ruptured.
Shigure hurled Naruto like a cannonball.
The Nine-Tails–cloaked body shot across the battlefield—
straight toward Tsunade and the Six Paths of Pain.
THUD!!!
A roar erupted as Naruto slammed into Pain, knocking two Paths aside.
Nagato's real body widened its eyes through the link.
"What…?"
Before he could finish the thought—
Shigure appeared again.
ROOM — Transfer!
A shimmering sphere flashed into existence, distorting space itself.
Shigure stood within it, his form stabilizing beside Tsunade.
He glanced at her.
Tsunade's Yin Seal was undone.
Her Strength of a Hundred mark glowed.
She had activated Creation Rebirth—yet exhaustion was carved into her face.
She had been fighting Pain alone for far too long.
And still, she stood.
"You…" Tsunade breathed, startled.
"Why are you here?"
Tsunade looked genuinely surprised when she saw Shigure.
How could someone who had already become the Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village casually appear in Konoha?
Shigure smiled faintly.
"I keep an eye on the major ninja villages. Naturally, I know what's happening in Konoha."
Tsunade followed his gaze toward Pain in the distance.
"Then why are you here?"
"Naruto has lost control. I'm here to stop him," Shigure replied calmly. "Besides, you're already at your limit. Leave this to me."
"This is Konoha's business," Tsunade said coldly.
"It's my business too." Shigure's tone sharpened slightly.
"Your enemy just invaded the Hidden Mist Village. I captured one of them—the other escaped."
"So now, I'm here to settle accounts with the leader of the Akatsuki."
Tsunade didn't respond immediately. Her expression remained composed, but her heart stirred.
She could tell—
Shigure was forcing an excuse.
"Can you handle this alone?" she asked quietly.
A rampaging Nine-Tails, plus the Six Paths of Pain…
Even knowing Shigure's strength, the burden was terrifying.
"Hurry and save the wounded," Shigure said without hesitation.
"Konoha has already suffered too much. Saving even one more life will preserve hope."
Tsunade clenched her fist.
As a medical ninja—and Hokage—she couldn't refuse that.
"…I'll leave this to you."
With those words, she turned and leapt away, racing toward the injured.
Around the massive crater, the surviving Konoha ninja were still trying to process what they were seeing.
A Hyūga clan member suddenly spoke, his Byakugan still active.
"That man… is the Sixth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist!"
Hidden Mist.
Mizukage.
Sixth.
Didn't that mean—
The shinobi once abandoned by Konoha and handed over to Kirigakure?
Gekkō Shigure… was back?
Why now?
Did he still care about Konoha?
Among the crowd, Gekkō Hayate forced a bitter smile.
I never thought Konoha's survival would depend on Shigure…
And he isn't even one of us anymore.
"The Mizukage of the Hidden Mist," Nagato said, speaking through Yahiko's body, "it seems you still haven't forgotten Konoha."
Shigure looked at him coldly.
"No. What happens to Konoha has nothing to do with me."
"But your people invaded my village," he continued.
"Since I couldn't catch the one who escaped… I came to you instead."
Nagato's mood darkened.
Escaped?
That meant Obito's operation had failed—and now Shigure was involved.
This was far beyond his planned timeline.
Before he could finish thinking—
BOOM!
The ground exploded.
Naruto burst out, completely engulfed in Nine-Tails chakra, all nine tails lashing out at once, wrapping toward Shigure at terrifying speed.
Even Nagato was briefly stunned.
When he saw Shigure swallowed by the coiling tails, a smile spread across his face.
Good.
Let the rampaging Nine-Tails deal with him first… then I'll move.
Nagato immediately pulled the Six Paths of Pain back.
At that moment—
Shigure calmly raised one hand and formed a single hand seal.
Water Release: Water Wall!
A breath of water flowed from his lips, instantly forming a massive, rapidly rotating circular current around him.
Every tail slammed into the wall—
and was completely blocked.
The Nine-Tails roared and charged forward, trying to break through with brute force.
Shigure's eyes snapped open.
Water Release: Water Wave Hand!
Both palms thrust forward.
A colossal torrent surged out, carrying overwhelming impact.
The Nine-Tails was forced back, its tails stabbing deep into the ground just to keep itself from being swept away.
But Shigure didn't stop.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!
A roaring water dragon spiraled into existence, merging with the current and charging forward.
Its jaws clamped down on the Nine-Tails, slamming it into the earth and grinding it violently—
Before hurling it over a hundred meters away.
Shigure leapt into the air, drawing in a deep breath.
"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave—"
BOOOOOOM!!!!