66-70

*Chapter 66: Severing Ties, Rain Over the City*

On the crumbling city wall,

two people stood watching Shennong leap away, their expressions momentarily dazed.

Shinji took a deep breath, glanced at the scroll in his hand that contained Zero-Tails’ dark chakra, and stuffed it into his leg bindings.

The Zero-Tails, known as the embodiment of dark chakra, is a naturally occurring power in the ninja world, distinct from the nine Tailed Beasts.

The darker a person’s heart, the greater the power they can unleash using this energy.

Holding this scroll, Shinji felt a weight settle in his chest.

To be honest, he couldn’t understand why someone like him, acting recklessly under the guise of righteousness, would receive such a valuable gift.

It served as a wake-up call for him.

His current actions, though driven by slightly warped motivations, were starting to resemble those of the protagonists in hot-blooded shonen manga.

Taking risks had become easier,

but it also came with the side effects of being a shonen protagonist—

like inexplicably receiving help from a mysterious old man at critical moments. What nonsense was that?

Something about it didn’t sit right.

All he ever wanted was to avoid involving anyone else, refrain from altering any major plotlines, and face the great war of the ninja world alone.

His plan was to find the right moment, the right formidable enemy, and then die in battle.

So where had things gone wrong?

Shinji furrowed his brows, feeling that the situation was far from simple.

“Let’s go. What are you spacing out for?” Beside him, Terumi Mei noticed his pensive look and waved a hand in front of him, softly urging him to move.

Shinji’s furrowed brows deepened, and his suspicious gaze shifted to the young woman who had spoken.

Suddenly, he came to a realization.

The root of the problem lay with this seemingly adorable yet devilishly annoying girl!

She had insisted on tagging along, then brought in Hidan and Shennong, creating this absurd little squad.

As expected, women only make dying harder!

“No rush,”

Shinji’s face immediately darkened. He brushed aside Terumi Mei’s hand and, after a brief flicker of complex emotions, turned to her and asked coldly:

“If I remember correctly, you mentioned you needed to find someone crucial to you and your village. Am I wrong?”

Terumi Mei froze for a moment.

“That’s correct,” she replied.

She carried the heavy burden of Kirigakure’s future on her shoulders. She had to find the leader the entire village was waiting for.

That was the reason she had come to the Land of Hot Springs.

Shinji’s cold gaze bore into her, sharp with accusation:

“I also recall you saying on the cliff that if I created an opening for you, you’d find the information you needed and locate Hidan.”

“So, did you find it?”

Faced with Shinji’s increasingly icy stare, Terumi Mei felt more and more uneasy. She frowned and tried to explain:

“I’ve already found Hidan’s location. We’re heading there now. You don’t have to—”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

Before she could finish, Shinji interrupted her, his tone unrelenting:

“I’m asking if you’ve found the information you were looking for.”

Terumi Mei’s heart sank, a storm brewing inside her.

Shinji’s words shattered the illusion of a heroic ninja adventure, where justice would triumph over evil.

Reality came crashing back.

After a moment of silence, she bit her lip, nodded, and said quietly:

“I’ve found it.”

Shinji nodded and continued:

“In that case, you have no reason to continue moving forward, do you?”

His eyes locked onto the girl in front of him, his detached and accusatory tone making it feel like an interrogation:

“You’ve already gotten what you wanted. In exchange, all I need is for you to use your Lava Release to create an opening here so I can dive down.”

“After that, stay out of my way and get as far away as possible.”

“Do you understand?”

Terumi Mei couldn’t help but look up in shock, her emerald-green eyes widening slightly.

“Wait, Shinji, didn’t we agree to rescue Hidan? He’s one of us too—”

Shinji cut her off with a cold, sharp tone:

“Shut up!”

---

He looked at the young girl in front of him, sneering coldly, his face filled with disdain and disbelief as he asked:

“This squad was already strange enough, but now it’s even stranger. You, a ninja from the Hidden Mist Village, one of those who ravaged this land—do you actually feel pity for a little brat from the Land of Hot Water?”

“Who are you pitying?”

“In the end, all you did when facing Kakuzu was stand there in shock. What exactly can you accomplish?”

“If your decision had been a bit more decisive at the time, we wouldn’t have run into Kakuzu. And if you had led everyone to flee immediately afterward, Hidan wouldn’t have been captured by Kakuzu.”

“Every step you took landed squarely on the wrong choice. How foolish—how can I trust someone like you?”

Each word tore apart a layer of Mei Terumi’s illusions,

causing her expression to darken. She raised her head, and the look in her eyes gradually grew colder.

“Shinji!”

“What exactly do you take everything we’ve been through up until now for?!”

Hearing this, Mei Terumi clenched her fists, glaring coldly at Shinji.

As a ninja from the Hidden Mist Village, raised from childhood with the creed of “a ninja is but a tool,”

this day, long and yet fleeting,

was an entirely new experience for Mei Terumi.

This feeling of exchanging sincerity for sincerity, of completely entrusting her back to someone—

That fleeting fantasy of something beautiful was ruthlessly shattered by Shinji.

Shinji’s face remained cold and indifferent. He raised an eyebrow and said,

“Maybe it was just a mutually agreed transaction?”

He stared at Mei Terumi coldly and said flatly,

“This is the end.”

“If you keep following me, you’ll only get in the way of my plans!”

“Make your choice—”

“Will you finish this transaction and leave, or turn around and walk away now? Either way, you’ve already gotten what you wanted, haven’t you?”

“Or perhaps,”

“After hearing such harsh words, you, a brainless woman with nothing but a large chest, can’t accept it and want to kill me right here?”

At this, Shinji couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Hmph, if a ninja from the Bloody Mist made that choice, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

The next moment,

he activated his Sharingan, his icy scarlet eyes fixed intently on Mei Terumi, waiting for her decision.

Mei Terumi took several deep breaths before raising her cold green eyes,

her gaze laced with anger.

Clenching her fists, she remained silent for a moment before finally exhaling deeply and gritting her teeth as she said:

“If you insist on considering everything that happened before as just a transaction—”

“So be it.”

“I’ll open the passage, and then let you jump to your death!”

“I won’t care anymore!”

Hearing this, Shinji couldn’t help but laugh.

“In that case, nothing could be better.”

Coming to this world, Shinji had always been playing a lonely and predestined game.

All he needed to do was charge forward, and that was enough!

Such meaningless bonds—they could be severed.

Such forced expectations—they could be discarded.

It didn’t matter. It never mattered.

Connections between hearts only dulled his senses and slowed his actions.

In that moment,

Shinji saw his true self and understood his path.

At some point, heavy clouds had gathered over the castle, and a light but steady rain began to fall.

With this resolve in his heart, he and Mei Terumi walked silently toward the center of the castle.

Not a word was spoken along the way.

Finally, they stood before the castle gates.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 67: Madara’s Gaze, Hōzuki Mangetsu

Deep within the underground caves of the Jashin cult—

Tap. Tap. Tap.  

In the darkness, the sound of slow footsteps and a cane striking the ground echoed.

Torches mounted on the walls flickered to life, illuminating the figure’s face.

Long, grayish-white hair, an aged face, clad in a deep blue robe, and leaning on a wooden staff.

He looked frail and weak.

But when he slightly opened his eyes—

Within those eye sockets—

A pair of sinister, chilling Three-Tomoe Sharingan glowed menacingly.

This man was the legendary figure who had once shaken the entire ninja world—

Uchiha Madara!

His very name alone symbolized unparalleled power.

Madara casually found a flat rock and slowly sat down.

Before long, another set of heavy, rigid footsteps echoed from the darkness.

An elderly man with a refined face, long grayish-white hair, and blue bead ornaments on his head approached slowly, his eyes habitually shut.

A blue kasa hat with the kanji for "Water" (水) on it adorned his head, clearly marking his identity.

He was the most enigmatic Kage in the Mist, one who had once followed the First Mizukage and participated in the First Five Kage Summit. As the First Mizukage’s successor, he had taken the mantle of the Third Mizukage.

In his hands, he dragged a mummy wrapped in sealing bandages and tossed it in front of Madara.

After a brief silence, he spoke in a calm tone:

"Madara, I’ve brought you the Three-Tails Jinchūriki."

Madara did not reply. Instead, he placed his palm on the sealed stomach of the Three-Tails’ host.

A massive surge of chakra was effortlessly extracted by Madara, flowing into his body, then through his system, and finally spreading into the Earth’s ley lines.

The energy rapidly coursed towards the Outer Path Golem in the distant Land of Frost.

In the end, it transformed into pure life force, feeding back into Madara’s body.

It revived his spirit—just a little.

Moments later, Madara slowly raised his head, gazed at the Third Mizukage, and spoke in a cold voice:

"You’re early this time."

"Yagura Karatachi has discovered my routine of taking the Three-Tails’ Jinchūriki out of the village periodically."

The Third Mizukage shook his head and got straight to the point:

"Madara, I need you to control Yagura."

"Because of the trouble Hōzuki Gengetsu caused, Iwagakure is about to go to war with Kirigakure."

"We can’t afford to let Yagura’s faction act recklessly at a time like this."

"They are likely to do something… very dangerous."

"Hmph." Madara let out a cold sneer. "Are you scared now? This is nothing but the consequence of your own actions."

"A talentless fool forcing himself into a position beyond his capabilities—of course, the backlash was inevitable."

The Third Mizukage remained silent, simply staring at Madara with cold determination.

"So, Madara—what is your answer?"

He knew full well that he lacked the talent for leadership.

At the first Five Kage Summit, every village’s First Kage had brought along their chosen successors—who later became the Second Kage of their respective villages.

Only he had been overshadowed by Hōzuki Gengetsu. It was only after Gengetsu’s death that he finally became the Third Mizukage.

With no true talent of his own, he could only rely on the power of the man before him, using Madara’s strength to enforce an iron rule in Kirigakure and suppress all opposition.

This was nothing more than a cold, calculated exchange of interests.

However—

Madara slightly raised his head, his blood-red Sharingan gleaming as he cast an indifferent glance.

"Are you threatening me?"

A sharp alarm rang in the Third Mizukage’s mind. His already shut eyes clenched even tighter—

A giant blue hand suddenly appeared and gripped him tightly.

It squeezed, forcing him to open his eyes just a fraction—

And he found himself staring into a pair of sinister, chilling, blood-red eyes.

Genjutsu: Sharingan!  

The Third Mizukage’s pupils shrank, swallowed by an expanse of crimson.

The three tomoe within his eyes spun slightly before fading away.

In the next moment, he fell to his knees before Madara like a lifeless puppet, completely under his control.

"A mere grain of sand… not even worthy of comparison."

Uchiha Madara effortlessly waved Susanoo’s giant hand, slamming the person into the wall with disdain and a mocking chuckle.

At that moment, a pale figure, completely wrapped in a carnivorous plant resembling a pitcher plant, crawled out from the cavern wall and spoke excitedly:

“Lord Madara, something interesting seems to be happening above.”

“There’s even an intriguing Uchiha brat among them.”

“Would you like to go take a look?”

Madara raised an eyebrow slightly. Using his cane for support, he stood up from the rock.

“Oh?”

“Then let’s go have a look.”

---

On the surface,

the castle gates stood wide open, as if welcoming guests.

Standing before the gates, Shinji furrowed his brows slightly, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

A sense of foreboding crept over him.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already scouted the area. There are no chakra signatures inside,” Mei Terumi said coolly. She then pointed toward the circular platform in the center of the castle hall, which was covered with cattail leaves, and continued:

“Just use Lava Release here to corrode an opening, and you’ll find a massive underground cavern below. Hidan is down there.”

Shinji nodded, not saying much, and followed Mei Terumi as she walked forward.

This type of castle hall, built for lords, was generally used for formal audiences.

The first sight upon entering was the stone-arched ceiling, supported by eight stone pillars.

The ceiling was decorated with colorful stained glass that allowed light to pass through, illuminating the hall. The stone carvings, red carpets, and murals created a scene of extravagant grandeur.

It stood in stark contrast to the ramshackle shelters outside the castle, barely capable of keeping out the wind and rain.

However,

just as the two stepped onto the red carpet—

Creaaak—  

The two massive gates slammed shut with a heavy groan.

From the ceiling above, six figures leaped down.

All six were dressed in the uniforms of the Kirigakure Hunter-nin Corps, their faces hidden behind four-water-ripple masks with expressions of somber pity.

Six cold gazes pierced through the eyeholes of their masks, falling indifferently upon the intruders.

Five of the six began forming hand seals.

Immediately, a thick, pitch-black rain cloud appeared on the ceiling.

Moments later, fine raindrops began falling gently.

The leader of the six-man squad,

a white-haired hunter-nin with a mask and striking purple eyes, slowly drew a long blade from his waist. In a detached voice, he said:

“Mei Terumi, you are not one of Kirigakure’s loyalists. There’s no need for you to throw your life away for something like this.”

“Just tell us honestly: where is Yagura Karatachi right now?”

Upon hearing his voice and seeing his figure, Mei Terumi’s pupils contracted sharply.

Her face tensed, and her expression darkened.

“This is trouble. Why is he here?”

She quickly tilted her head slightly toward Shinji and whispered,

“Run.”

“You can’t possibly take him on.”

Shinji narrowed his eyes as he looked at the six people across from him, his gaze lingering on the leader in particular.

White hair, purple eyes.

Such a combination of hair and eye color was exceedingly rare in the ninja world. It instantly reminded him of a future member of Team Taka: Suigetsu Hozuki.

And this man was a Kirigakure ninja.

That meant his identity was as obvious as Hatake Kakashi’s when he donned the Konoha ANBU mask.

This man was none other than the famed Kirigakure “prodigy,” a genius capable of perfectly wielding all seven of the legendary ninja swords, and the possessor of the “Seven Ninja Swords Summoning Scroll.”

Hozuki Mangetsu!

(End of Chapter)  

Chapter 68: I Am Standing at a Historic Turning Point!

Facing me stood none other than Hōzuki Mangetsu.

Shinji narrowed his eyes immediately.

It wasn’t because of the opponent’s immeasurable combat power.

Just knowing that he was Hōzuki Suigetsu’s older brother was enough to infer that whatever techniques Suigetsu knew, he would as well. And the techniques Suigetsu didn’t know—he might even have mastered them too.

Hydrification Technique, Powerful Water Arm Technique, Water Gun Technique, Shield-Ebōshi... and even the Second Mizukage’s Oil Transformation, Steaming Danger Tyranny, Mirage, Summoning Beast: Giant Clam, and Genjutsu: Misty Steam Tower.

On top of that, this period was different from the Fourth Great Ninja War in the future.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were at full strength.

This meant that this guy could even summon all seven swords, maximizing offense, defense, endurance, and even genjutsu, almost achieving perfection—a walking hexagonal warrior.

Even though he didn’t seem much older than Ji, his tactical system was already fully formed. On paper, his strength was already at Kage level.

A true prodigy, living up to his reputation.

But was this the reason Shinji felt wary?

Obviously not.

Even if Kakuzu appeared before him, Shinji would still have the guts to make a move.

Now, this was nothing more than a stronger version of Suigetsu. He wasn’t afraid at all.

What truly made Shinji realize something was off was the man’s current status.

Why was Hōzuki Mangetsu a hunter-nin?

The Mist Village had an extremely strict political system, where every position had precise duties and ranks.

Hunter-nin were responsible for carrying out the Mizukage’s orders and hunting down defectors created by the oppressive policies of the Mist.

They reported directly to the Mizukage, leaving no survivors and refusing to take enemy captives. Their mission was absolute annihilation.

The fact that Hōzuki Mangetsu was a hunter-nin contradicted Ji’s past speculations.

Based on Madara’s schemes in the original story, Obito’s future control over the Mist, Zabuza’s ideology, and the Mist ninjas’ evaluation of Zabuza,Shinjihad deduced that a major event had taken place in the village.

To simplify the reasoning, three key points emerged—

1. The high-ranking officials in the Mist during this period were likely in cahoots with the elderly Uchiha Madara or even directly under his control. This would explain why, in the future, Madara could so easily manipulate Mist shinobi into implanting the Three-Tails into Nohara Rin.

2. Yagura Karatachi was one of only four perfect Jinchūriki in history, proving that he had an untainted heart and was widely supported when he became the Fourth Mizukage.

3. After being controlled by Obito, Yagura reinstated the Bloody Mist policy. The "Demon" Momochi Zabuza, who once followed Yagura in overthrowing the old system, sensed something was wrong and led his former comrades in a coup against their leader.

Adding to this, in the original story, Hōzuki Suigetsu did not wear a rogue-ninja forehead protector and had no allegiance to any village. This suggested that he had been preemptively sent away from the village.

When Suigetsu drew the Executioner’s Blade, he spoke of Zabuza with respect and mentioned, "My brother died on the path to fulfilling his dream."

This all but confirmed—

Momochi Zabuza, the "Demon" of the Mist, had attempted to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage, who had reinstated the Bloody Mist policy, all for the sake of justice.

And the one who supported him from behind the scenes...

Was none other than the Mist’s child prodigy, the inheritor of the Dual Swords: Hiramekarei—Hōzuki Mangetsu!

Like Zabuza, he was once Yagura’s most loyal subordinate and comrade.

Yet, this very man now stood before Shinji as a hunter-nin, interrogating Mei Terumi about Yagura’s whereabouts.

This proved that, at this moment, he was not Yagura’s ally.

Being ever-cautious, Shinji immediately realized—

At this very moment,

He might be standing at a pivotal turning point that would determine the future course of a major nation in this world.

Hōzuki Mangetsu’s allegiance—whether he sided with the Third Mizukage or with Yagura—

Could very well be the key factor in the Mist’s two coups.

This realization made Ji, who usually avoided altering major storylines, feel a heavy weight on his heart.

Saving Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Seichirō…

Rescuing minor characters like them didn’t significantly impact the original plot.

Ji didn’t feel too burdened by those actions.

But now, things had changed.

The grand storyline of the Mist involved Madara’s schemes, the future direction of the village, the potential success of the Bloody Mist rebellion, and the imminent Third Great Ninja War.

How the Mist, a village with immense wartime potential, would choose to act…

At the center of it all—

Was the fact that Mei Terumi had accompanied him here!

Originally, upon receiving the intel, she could have left immediately.

But now, in an attempt to open a path here to save Hidan, he prematurely encountered Hozuki Mangetsu, who belonged to the opposing faction under the Third Mizukage.

The Third Mizukage had dispatched a tracking unit to hunt down Yagura, making his intentions glaringly obvious.

The purpose of the tracking unit was simple: kill.

Cold, emotionless, and ruthless, this unit was the epitome of unfeeling tools of destruction.

The conflict between these two forces had already reached the point of no return, a powder keg waiting for a spark to ignite the flames of rebellion.

This dark and chaotic era buried in history, where turbulence surged beneath the illusion of stability in Kirigakure,

had now begun to unfold!

At this moment,

Standing in the center of the hall,

Standing on a blood-red carpet,

Standing on a new path leading to an unpredictable future,

it felt as though he was standing at a fork in the road.

One path led to a throne drenched in blood and littered with corpses.

The other led to the nearly perfect conclusion described in the original story.

Shinji’s body began to tremble slightly.

He couldn’t pinpoint this feeling—it felt like excitement, yet also like fear.

His heart pounded wildly.

A surge of hot blood rushed from his toes to the top of his head, and his body’s instinctive reaction had already prepared him for battle.

His right fingertips silently turned pitch-black as his left hand reached for the ninja tool pouch behind his waist.

With a flick of his fingers, four shuriken were already clasped between them.

He slowly lifted his head, looking at the six people opposite him, his gaze narrowing as his expression grew increasingly serious.

At that moment,

Above his head, beneath the dome, the thick, heavy black clouds churned.

Cold raindrops began to fall.

Faster and faster, harder and harder.

Inside the castle’s grand hall, a rainstorm began to pour indoors.

Shinji frowned, raising his hand to examine his right fingertips.

“This is... Water Release: Rain Severing?”

The rainwater, falling on the hardened earth spear-like skin of his Earth Release technique, silently weakened its defense by more than one layer—an ability known for its nearly impenetrable toughness.

To restore the original strength of the earth spear technique, he would need to use at least three times the usual chakra.

Even if he managed to restore it,

under this rain, it would continue to be weakened.

Water Release: Rain Severing—

This was a Kirigakure-exclusive secret technique capable of weakening all ninjutsu and chakra outside of water release. Even Naruto’s Rasengan would falter under this jutsu.

“This is going to be troublesome.”

“It looks like they observed my battle on the city walls earlier and gathered intel on me.”

“But at the very least, I can’t let Mei Terumi die here.”

Shinji took a deep breath, abandoning his attempt to further activate Earth Release: Earth Spear. He drew his ninja sword with his right hand.

In his eyes, a pair of crimson Sharingan suddenly lit up.

Two tomoe circled his pitch-black pupils, silently observing the battlefield.

At that moment,

Hozuki Mangetsu also noticed Shinji, who had assumed a battle stance, and cast a cold glance in his direction.

In his purple eyes, a lifeless and indifferent killing intent began to shine.

“Oh? Another Uchiha?”

He turned his head to Mei Terumi, who was nervously clenching her fists, and asked coldly:

“Mei Terumi,

Have you fallen so far that you need to enlist ninja from other villages to support your rebellious actions?”

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 69: The Assassin Seeking Answers

On the battlefield, as Hozuki Mangetsu’s words fell, Terumi Mei’s heart tightened uncontrollably.

She glanced at Uchiha Shinji and bit her lip before quickly shouting, “He has nothing to do with this!”

“Whether he’s involved or not, does that really matter?” Hozuki Mangetsu shook his head, his eyes—numb from taking too many lives—coldly glancing over.

“You should understand what the duty of a hunter-nin is.”

Terumi Mei took a deep breath, furrowing her brows as she looked at Hozuki Mangetsu.

The hunter-nin were the Mist Village’s most ruthless unit for hunting down rogue shinobi. Currently, they were the most fearsome force in the Land of Hot Water.

Hozuki Mangetsu stared at the two of them calmly and said in a subdued tone:

“Although I don’t know why the Third Mizukage wants to kill the leader of the Jonin squad, Yagura Kagekatsu…”

“Mist Village shinobi are just like that.”

“We’re nothing more than tools, pawns for those above us. Our only job is to follow orders.”

“That’s the meaning of our existence.”

Hearing this, Terumi Mei clenched her fists, shook her head, and her gaze turned icy.

“No!”

“That’s just the Third Mizukage’s excuse to distort right and wrong!”

“The bloody elimination system at the academy, the oppressive political environment where one wrong word can lead to death, the ruthless ideology that abandons teammates in pursuit of efficiency, and the cold-hearted hunter-nin chasing down rogue shinobi—”

“All of it is wrong! Mist Village shinobi deserve a better path!”

Hozuki Mangetsu raised an eyebrow, staring at Terumi Mei. He frowned and asked:

“Then, where is this better path?”

“Those of you clinging to so-called ‘righteousness’—what have you done any better?”

Hozuki Mangetsu sneered dismissively and said in a cold tone:

“All the injustices you’re experiencing now were built under the orders of the Third Mizukage.”

“That’s right, he’s the one who pushed Mist Village to the edge of the cliff.”

Hozuki Mangetsu narrowed his purple eyes and asked:

“But what will you do?”

“In this village, where people fight tooth and nail for mission rewards, where tasks are scarce, and funds are tight—what will you do when you gain power?”

Under Hozuki Mangetsu’s questioning, Terumi Mei fell silent.

She couldn’t provide an answer.

Since the Second Mizukage gambled the nation’s fortune in the previous ninja war against Iwagakure, resulting in mutual destruction, Mist Village had been in decline.

The Daimyo of the Land of Water had no faith in the Third Mizukage.

Ever since Hozuki Gengetsu’s death, the Daimyo had grown suspicious and indecisive, fearing rebellion from Mist Village. As a result, he reduced funding year by year and secretly cultivated his own influence within the village.

The forces led by Yagura and the bloodline clans within the village council had only managed to survive by relying on the Daimyo’s support.

While the Third Mizukage’s methods were extreme,

He had, at least forcefully, held the village together.

It could even be said that, given the current resources, he had done remarkably well.

“How unfortunate.”

“Any drastic action will cause this rotten village to crumble completely.”

“All you can do is perpetuate the same system, sew everyone’s mouths shut, feign ignorance, and let the decay continue.”

Terumi Mei clenched her trembling fists, her shaking hands revealing the turmoil in her heart.

Hozuki Mangetsu gave her a cold glance before slowly drawing the ninja blade from his waist.

“It seems you don’t have an answer either.”

“You’re a tool—just like me—a tool used by the council and Yagura to maintain communication.”

“Tools don’t need their own ideas.”

“As tools, you won’t tell me Yagura’s whereabouts.”

“And I won’t stop hunting him down to claim his head.”

The coldness in Hozuki Mangetsu’s numb eyes deepened.

Before killing his target, he always asked the same question.

But, unfortunately, no one ever gave him an answer.

Instead, he always left with one more Mist Village shinobi’s life on his hands.

In the end, this was a village beyond saving.

Why did he even bother asking such foolish questions?

---

Terumi Mei watched as Hozuki Mangetsu slowly drew his blade. Her pupils shrank, and she couldn’t stop herself from trembling.

She had witnessed his strength firsthand—after all, they were from the same village.

He was definitely not an opponent she could face right now.

Compared to her, he was a true genius—a real “prodigy.”

But having her resolve dismissed so easily left her feeling deeply unwilling.

She clenched her fists, her gaze flickering with struggle as she retorted:

“There must be a way to make Mist Village better!”

Terumi Mei couldn't help but recall what Shinji had once said under the moonlight. Gritting her teeth, she muttered:

"If we don’t take action, then there’s no future to speak of!"  

"The Elder Council has placed their hopes on Yagura—there must be a reason for that!"  

Hozuki Mangetsu shook his head. Such words clearly wouldn't shake his resolve.

"Unfortunately, what I need right now isn’t useless comfort."  

As soon as he finished speaking, Hozuki Mangetsu dissolved into a puddle of water and seeped into the rain-soaked ground.

The next moment—

He suddenly appeared behind Terumi Mei, emerging from a splash of water, and slashed at the girl's neck!

As the blade neared, Terumi Mei's eyes widened in shock—she had no time to react.

"How is this possible? So fast?!"  

She hadn’t seen Hozuki Mangetsu make any motion resembling the Body Flicker Technique!

Just then—

Clang!  

Sparks flew as a pair of crimson Sharingan eyes lit up.

Shinji, who had been silently observing from the sidelines, instantly drew his blade to intercept.

"You stupid old hag, you're so dumb!"  

"The one in front of you has always been just a water clone. He had already infiltrated beneath your feet using the rainwater."  

Cursing under his breath, Shinji kicked Terumi Mei’s perky butt, sending her flying.

Then—

He locked eyes with the masked Hozuki Mangetsu, gripping his sword tightly and grinning wickedly.

"Under these eyes, I can see through all your movements!"  

"A prodigy? You’re nothing more than a sneaky little rat!"  

Hozuki Mangetsu remained silent.

This move of his had always been highly effective—first breaking the opponent’s composure with words, then launching a sudden attack.

As a Hunter-nin, he was an assassin through and through.

Hozuki Mangetsu placed one hand against his blade while the other swelled like an inflating balloon, bulging with thick, knotted muscles, veins crawling across his skin.

*Water Release: Great Water Arm Technique—activated!*

He launched a powerful punch directly at Shinji’s grinning face!

Boom!  

Shinji was sent flying like a cannonball.

But Hozuki Mangetsu frowned—he had never punched someone whose face felt as hard as diamond.

"Shinji, you—!" Terumi Mei, still reeling from the forceful kick to her rear, nearly fell flat on her face. She turned back, fuming.

But before she could even blush, she saw a dark figure flying toward her.

Fortunately, Shinji, a half-decent acrobat, twisted in midair and landed steadily.

However, the spot where he had been punched by the Great Water Arm had already swollen badly.

"He~tui!"  

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Shinji raised his chin and sneered at Hozuki Mangetsu.

"Didn’t you want an answer?"  

"Then let me tell you!"  

"How to save the Bloody Mist Village!"  

Hozuki Mangetsu scoffed. He was convinced this guy had been punched so hard that his brain had turned to jelly.

"What a joke. You think I need an Uchiha to teach me what to do?"  

He stomped forward, shattering the water beneath his feet, and threw another brutal punch!

Yet—

Just as his fist was about to land, Shinji’s next words stopped him cold.

The sheer force of the punch was enough to send ripples through the air, lifting his opponent's hair.

Shinji smirked at the close-range Hozuki Mangetsu and spoke slowly, savoring each word:

"You’ve been talking so much, but isn’t it just because you’re waiting for her to give you an answer that aligns with what you want to hear?"  

"You want someone to tell you—"  

"You may begin."  

Then, he stared straight into Hozuki Mangetsu’s eyes with his eerie, spinning Sharingan.

The black tomoe swirled hypnotically, reflecting the eyes hidden beneath Mangetsu’s tear-streaked mask.

It was as if his gaze had pierced through the assassin’s carefully constructed facade—

Digging deep into the buried madness within.

"Hozuki Mangetsu,"  

Shinji bared his teeth in a devilish grin, his voice dripping with temptation:

"The one who wants the tyrant dead the most—"  

"Isn’t it you, the so-called ‘tool’ who was willing to sacrifice himself for that very tyrant?"  

"So why not follow your deepest desire?"  

"Take the first step."  

"Launch a coup."  

"Assassinate the Third Mizukage!"  

"And reach for the future you long for—"  

"A Land of Mist reduced to ruins, just as you envisioned!"  

The next moment—

A notification appeared before Shinji:

*[Hozuki Mangetsu is deeply shaken and thinks your brain has been chewed on by a dog.]*

In the Shadows of the Great Hall—

An old man and a ghostly pale creature watched the battle unfold, their faces frozen in expressions akin to “subway old man looking at phone.jpg.”  

Silence filled the room.

Hearing Shinji openly plot the assassination of the Mizukage in front of one of his most loyal Hunter-nin—

Uchiha Madara nearly lost his grip on his cane.

Raising a brow, he stood in silence for a moment before glancing sideways at the Third Mizukage, who stood stiffly like a puppet.

"Hmm… now this is getting interesting."  

---

Chapter 70: Shocking Argument Strikes the Heart, A Reversal Killing Intent! 

With a single statement, the words landed forcefully!  

Under his mask, Hōzuki Mangetsu’s violet pupils widened slightly.  

"Are you kidding me?!"  

The next moment, his expression darkened, a trace of anger rising in his eyes. He threw a fierce punch straight at Shinji’s face.  

Boom!  

Instead of panicking, Shinji actually started laughing.  

This meant he had found a flaw!  

This kind of argument was the same tactic that the old man, Uchiha Setsuna, had used before he self-destructed with a forbidden jutsu.  

By seeing through his opponent’s desire to die, Setsuna had confidently constructed a seemingly logical reasoning to justify Shinji’s actions—forcing him into an argument that, while fundamentally flawed, was difficult to refute.  

It was a bold and extreme argument, formed by piecing together the available information.  

Now that Shinji was certain that, in the original timeline, Hōzuki Mangetsu ultimately chose to follow Yagura in rebuilding the Hidden Mist, and later, after Yagura was manipulated, resolutely joined Zabuza in an assassination attempt and coup—  

He could use this conclusion to reverse-engineer a strategy, crafting words that would strike directly at Mangetsu’s heart.  

Shatter his inner resolve, refute his will!  

The argument itself might not be entirely accurate, but as long as it struck a nerve, it could create the perfect opportunity for Shinji to turn the tide!  

Now, that opportunity had arrived!  

In the brief moment before the punch connected, Shinji was already prepared.  

His expression turned ruthless.  

Facing the incoming fist, the size of a sandbag, he neither dodged nor flinched—he took it head-on.  

At the same time, his right hand swiftly pulled out a small needle pouch strapped to his left wrist.  

With a flick of his wrist—  

Sixteen fine senbon needles shot out from Mangetsu’s blind spot, targeting three critical areas: his heart, eyes, and throat!  

Shinji knew that Mangetsu, possessing the Hydrification Technique, could virtually ignore physical damage.  

But only if he had time to react.  

Right now—  

With the close range, Mangetsu enraged by his words, and Shinji using such a cunning shooting angle to strike from a blind spot, the senbon were nearly impossible to notice!  

This was a guaranteed kill!  

Hesitation leads to defeat!  

Now, experience the true assassination techniques of the Ashina Style!  

[Ding!]  

[You have bravely challenged Hōzuki Mangetsu, who looked down on your intelligence!]  

[Heart Upgrade Progress: Water (96%).]  

A system message appeared, but Shinji had no time to check it. His gaze burned with intensity, locked onto Mangetsu.  

Overthrowing the strong with the weak sounded unrealistic—  

But in the shinobi world, as long as you were willing to risk your life, anything was possible!  

The weakened Earth Release: Earth Spear, affected by the Severing Rain Technique, vs. the Water Release secret art: Hydrification, caught off guard.  

Both were among the strongest defensive techniques in the ninja world.  

So—  

Let’s see who is more devious!  

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!  

The senbon sliced through the air, aiming for their mark.  

Just as Mangetsu’s fist smashed into Shinji’s face, he sensed something was wrong.  

Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of silver gleamed—  

In that instant, he realized he had been tricked by the same sneaky tactics he had once used against Mei Terumī.  

A wave of frustration surged within him, and he couldn't help but curse internally—  

Damn it! Who’s the real sneaky bastard here?!  

Since when did the Uchiha get so good at cosplaying as him?!  

There was no time to dwell on it. He immediately activated his Hydrification Technique at full power, liquefying the areas about to be struck by the senbon.  

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!  

The senbon pierced through his liquefied body, continuing their trajectory and embedding themselves into the glass ceiling above.  

Despite his quick reaction, in the midst of such a sudden ambush—  

Four senbon still found their mark.  

Two shot straight into his eye sockets, piercing through his mask.  

Blood gushed out.  

Mangetsu’s left eye was completely destroyed. The searing pain forced him to rip off his mask, clutching his face as he let out a pained howl. 

Another eye immediately flared with an aura of murderous intent so terrifying it was chilling.  

Shinji’s eyes twitched, and he cursed internally, "Damn it, he really noticed after all." 

Without hesitation, he flung a string-bound shuriken with a reverse grip, wrapping it around a beam in the hall. Grabbing Terumi Mei’s slender waist, he pulled the string and slid away, putting some distance between them.  

After landing, his brows furrowed deeply.  

In the hall, the water created by Water Style: Rain Cutter had already spread to ankle height.  

In such a confined space, all techniques other than Water Style were weakened. His shuriken, Earth Release jutsu, wire slicing techniques, and swordsmanship—all of it—could not inflict any substantial damage on Hozuki Mangetsu, who had the Hydrification Technique and was now on high alert.  

On the other hand, Mangetsu could use the water covering the ground for high-speed movement and break through Shinji’s defenses with the Great Water Arm Technique.  

Under such circumstances, forget saving Terumi Mei—Shinji himself couldn’t survive.  

If the future Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei, were to die here,  

one thing was clear:  

The Fourth Mizukage’s Blood Mist Policy would likely never end.  

Kirigakure might remain mired in subjugation under the control of the Sharingan.  

By the time the Five Kage Summit convened before the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kirigakure might even serve as a hidden agent, planted within.  

"Naruto’s already got enough on his plate trying to save the world." Shinji thought bitterly. "If there’s a traitor stabbing him in the back, who knows how much that could mess up the storyline and ruin the outcome?"  

If that happened, dying here would truly be meaningless.  

At this thought, Shinji’s expression darkened, and he glared at Terumi Mei, who was still dazed from having her mental defenses shattered. Unable to contain himself, he cursed loudly: 

"Damn it, Terumi Mei! You’re such a liability!"  

"What did you say, you idiot?!"  

Snapped out of her daze by his outburst, Terumi Mei glared at him indignantly. But when she noticed his face, swollen like a pig’s head, she couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.  

"Ha? You still have the nerve to glare at me?"  

Shinji raised his ninja sword and pointed it at Hozuki Mangetsu, speaking to Terumi Mei: 

"Now that you’re awake, get your act together and fight!"  

"Didn’t you notice? I provoked him, and he got angry. Do you not see what that means?"  

Hearing this, Terumi Mei’s eyes widened. 

Did she hear that right? 

This reckless idiot, Shinji, actually wanted to fight alongside her? 

Before this, no matter what kind of enemy they faced, this guy would always clap his hands together to form a barrier, isolate the enemy from his teammates, and dive headfirst into an all-out, man-to-man brawl like a lunatic.  

"Heh."  

As if something amusing came to mind, Terumi Mei’s lips curved into a sly smile.  

She quickly grabbed Shinji’s pants to steady herself, stood up, and turned her attention to the battlefield.  

Her fighting spirit reignited as she began to reassess the situation.  

Shinji’s words had clearly hit a nerve; otherwise, Hozuki Mangetsu wouldn’t have reacted so strongly.  

This suggested that deep down, Mangetsu might indeed harbor some horrifying desire—to destroy everything, to reduce the Mist Village to rubble, an ambition he had suppressed and endured for years.  

That very idea… might just be the key to victory.  

(End of Chapter)