146-150

Chapter 146: Kusanagi Sword: The Void Blade

The entrance of Kirigakure village clearly wasn’t a suitable place for a conversation. Sougen grabbed Kimimaro, who was completely immobilized by the curse mark, and led Shisui to their base in Kirigakure. Once they arrived at the office, Sougen threw Kimimaro onto the sofa and, as he let go, he also released the [Cursed Seal].

Kimimaro, regaining control of his body midair, moved his limbs and adjusted his landing to avoid injury. However, after his safe landing, he no longer dared to act recklessly. He sat obediently on the sofa, expressionless, observing Sougen.

“Speak! Shisui, what’s going on? I sent you to find a dead man, so how did you bring back this kid?” Sougen sat down opposite Kimimaro, staring at the green-eyed youngster.

“The mission failed,” Shisui, sitting beside Kimimaro, shamefully reported the outcome of his task.

“Failed? That’s not surprising. If it were easy to find, it wouldn’t have gone undiscovered for decades.” Sougen wasn’t entirely disappointed. In his plan, the Six Paths ninja tools could help him further master the essence of ninjutsu.

Of course, the tool Sougen wanted most was the Banana Fan, which could control the five elemental nature transformations of water, fire, wind, lightning, and earth without being limited by the user’s chakra nature. As for the rest of the tools, which were more cumbersome to use, he wasn’t particularly interested.

Now, with the Uchiha Fan in hand, even Samehada had taken a backseat.

Searching for the Six Paths tools was originally just to explore the power of ninjutsu and sealing techniques. The [Knight Does Not Die Empty-Handed] ability granted him absolute mastery over tools, allowing him to unlock the secrets they held. But unfortunately—

“It wasn’t that I couldn’t find it. Someone beat me to it.”

“...Who?”

As he asked, Sougen already had a hunch in his mind.

“Orochimaru.”

The name confirmed Sougen’s suspicion. Of course, it was Orochimaru, the best grave-robber in the ninja world, who had started by digging up his own clan’s graves and, after leaving Konoha, had expanded his business internationally.

“Orochimaru, huh?” Sougen frowned slightly but then relaxed. The news wasn’t too bad.

If the item ended up in Orochimaru’s hands, there would still be a chance to retrieve it, whether by force or negotiation. The only problem was that Orochimaru had hideouts everywhere, making it hard to track him down.

He had already sent Uchiha Akitaro to the Land of Rice Fields to find Orochimaru, but they hadn’t even seen a shadow of him.

“Encountering Orochimaru was purely accidental…” Shisui explained the entire process of his encounter with Orochimaru in detail, finally sighing in regret. “It’s a pity I didn’t realize that Orochimaru’s soul had issues. If I had used genjutsu from the start, it wouldn’t have turned out so badly.”

“You’re overthinking it,” Sougen poured cold water on Shisui’s reflections without hesitation. “Defeating Orochimaru might not be too hard, but killing him... even I don’t have much confidence. His survival skills are too strong. Even if we use eye techniques, it’s not certain we can truly take him down.”

After all, he was an immortal who had lived through the unburnable times.

“No wonder he’s one of the Legendary Sannin,” Shisui wasn’t bothered by the cold water. He just marveled at Orochimaru’s abilities. In truth, after witnessing Orochimaru’s strange techniques, he knew killing him wasn’t an easy task. Then, Shisui took out a sealing scroll from his pocket. “This scroll contains the blade Orochimaru stabbed me with. It’s a very special sword. It can be controlled from a distance without using wires or any other tools. If it weren’t for that…”

As he spoke, he unlocked the scroll’s seal and took out the sword he had seized as a trophy.

“Where was your Susano’o?” Sougen glanced at Shisui’s shoulder and snapped, “You have Susano’o but didn’t use it, instead letting yourself get stabbed. Be careful you don’t hold back so much that you never get to use your real skills. What if Orochimaru had poisoned the sword? What would you do?”

“I was careless this time,” Shisui admitted his mistake helplessly.

Reflecting on the battle afterward, he realized that after grabbing Orochimaru’s true body, he had been too confident. As Sougen said, if Orochimaru had tampered with the strange blade, he might have been in serious trouble.

Sougen didn’t bother responding. He reached out, picked up the sword, and activated his [Knight Does Not Die Empty-Handed] ability. Instantly, the contract imprint on the sword was erased. Whatever backup plans Orochimaru had left behind, they would no longer work.

“This is a Kusanagi sword,” Sougen said as he examined the blade, unsurprised.

Orochimaru’s obsession with collecting Kusanagi swords was no secret. Any ninja who had fought alongside him knew that Orochimaru owned more than one Kusanagi sword, the most famous being the one that could extend and retract its length at will.

“It really is a Kusanagi sword!” Shisui had also heard of the Kusanagi swords.

The Kusanagi sword wasn’t just a single sword but rather a system of blades. As for how many Kusanagi swords existed in the ninja world, that was as mysterious as the origin of the swords themselves. Perhaps Orochimaru, a die-hard Kusanagi sword collector, knew a thing or two.

Even the Uchiha clan’s archives didn’t have detailed records of the Kusanagi swords, only mentioning two: one that amplified lightning-style techniques and another that strengthened wind-style techniques. These had been collected by their ancestors, though the lightning-amplifying Kusanagi sword had unfortunately been lost, leaving only the wind-amplifying one.

That sword—

It was now hanging at Uchiha Chihaya’s waist.

“Kusanagi Sword: Air Blade.”

Sougen read aloud the name of the sword in his hand, a look of interest appearing on his face. “Interesting. This Kusanagi sword can fly according to the wielder’s will. It really is an effective tool for sneak attacks.”

It reminded him somewhat of a “flying sword.”

But—

It had its limitations!

Decapitating someone from a thousand miles away was impossible; its range was limited to around a hundred meters, depending on the wielder’s mental strength.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 147: A Good Horse Needs a Good Saddle

“Since your small sword broke, use this Kusanagi sword as a replacement,” Sōgen said, flipping the Kusanagi Sword, Sky Blade, in his hands. He erased his control over the blade and handed it back to Shisui. “I’ve removed Orochimaru’s summoning seal from it. All you need to do is establish a new summoning connection to fully master it.”

Ninja tools can also be bound by summoning contracts.

A typical example is the Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist Village. Hozuki Mangetsu had a scroll that allowed him to summon all seven swords. His title of “prodigy” was tied to the Seven Swordsmen. At around age seven, he was already able to control all seven swords with ease, even taming the notoriously picky Samehada, which obeyed him without question.

Thus, he was called “The Prodigy Loved by the Swords.”

Unlike the contracts for summoning creatures, ninja tool contracts are quite rare. While many ninjas who can master summoning techniques are considered skilled, the techniques for binding ninja tools are not as widespread.

However, the Uchiha Clan certainly doesn’t lack the techniques for contracting ninja tools.

Even though Shisui hadn’t mastered the related techniques, Sōgen was undoubtedly an expert in this field.

“Sōgen, if you like these special tools so much, just keep it! I’m used to using a smaller sword, and this Kusanagi sword is a bit too long for me,” Shisui said, looking at the handle offered to him but not reaching out to take it.

Shisui had always believed in Sōgen’s love for special ninja tools. After all, he had hidden the giant sword Samehada before, and after recovering the clan’s lost treasure, the Flame Fan, he practically never let it out of his sight. Anyone could see how much he cherished it.

And during this secret mission, Shisui was convinced that Sōgen’s fondness for special ninja tools was genuine, which was why he had sealed the Kusanagi Sword, Sky Blade, and brought it back with Kimimaro. Even though the mission to retrieve the Six Paths tools had failed, bringing something back was better than returning empty-handed.

“Don’t give me that nonsense. Save that for the idiots who believe you. You can’t fool me. When has Uchiha swordsmanship ever been limited by the length of the weapon? Whether it’s a small sword, a regular sword, or a large sword, it depends on the user. I don’t recall Uchiha swordsmanship differentiating between short and long blades,” Sōgen said, firmly pushing the Sky Blade into Shisui’s hands.

If asked whether he liked the Kusanagi Sword, Sky Blade, Sōgen would undoubtedly say yes. However, liking it didn’t mean he needed to keep it. With the Flame Fan in hand, the Samehada had already become more of a chakra-charging tool than a weapon. The Sky Blade, which was purely a battle tool, would probably just gather dust in Sōgen’s possession.

His main purpose in collecting the Six Paths tools wasn’t for combat but for research.

Letting the Kusanagi Sword, Sky Blade, sit and collect dust in Sōgen’s study would be a waste.

Rather than letting a famous sword go unused, it was better to hand it to Shisui. As one of the only two Uchiha to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, Shisui was the second-strongest in the clan after Sōgen. It was foreseeable that Shisui would often act on behalf of the clan head, who couldn’t always be in the field himself.

As the saying goes, a good horse needs a good saddle.

A talent like Shisui deserved a top-tier weapon.

“But...” Shisui hesitated.

“Enough! No more ‘buts.’ This is an order from your clan head. Instead of arguing with me, you should think about how to integrate the Sky Blade into your fighting style,” Sōgen said with an air of finality, leaving Shisui no choice.

Shisui reluctantly accepted the nearly three-and-a-half-foot-long Kusanagi Sword, Sky Blade. He started to think about how to best adapt his fighting style to this longer blade, as his usual small sword was only about two feet long. He realized he’d have to spend some time adjusting his tactics.

“Oh, by the way, Shisui, do you know how to use the summoning technique for ninja tools?” Sōgen asked, not forgetting this important detail.

“No, I’ve never studied it before,” Shisui replied honestly, shaking his head.

“All right. Go rest up first. You should also see a medical ninja about that shoulder injury. Be careful not to let it cause any long-term issues. I’ll write down the summoning technique for ninja tools and give it to you later. I don’t have a scroll for it handy.”

“No rush. I can’t practice swordsmanship in my current condition anyway,” Shisui replied, not in a hurry.

Though, as Sōgen had said, Uchiha swordsmanship was not limited by the length or form of the weapon. As long as the tool wasn’t something absurd like a one-legged bronze man, even a kunai could be used with the Sharingan-enhanced sword techniques.

However, adjusting to a new fighting style wasn’t something that could be done instantly. Even with Shisui’s talent, it would take time to fully adapt to a new weapon.

Carrying the Kusanagi Sword, Shisui headed for the door.

But just as he was about to leave, Sōgen noticed something and called out, “Wait a minute, Shisui. Did you forget something?”

“No... I don’t think so,” Shisui said, shaking his head as he continued toward the door. One foot was already out the door when a long, gourd-shaped fan suddenly blocked the way, stopping him in his tracks.

“Shisui, being forgetful is not the behavior of a ninja. Look at the sofa—aren’t you forgetting something you brought back?”

Sōgen said with a not-so-genuine smile.

On the sofa, Kimimaro sat upright and still.

“Sōgen, that boy was brainwashed by Orochimaru. To prevent him from going astray, he needs guidance and education...” Shisui began.

“Is that so? But why did you leave him in my office?” Sōgen asked.

“Well... Sōgen, if you can calm down the Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki, teaching this boy should be easy for you,” Shisui replied with an innocent smile, while Sōgen looked ready to explode with frustration.

What a move.

Shisui had just turned the head of the Uchiha clan into a kindergarten principal! Between Fujika, Yakumo, and Naruto, the three were already giving Sōgen enough headaches. He didn’t have the energy to deal with a fourth little troublemaker.

“Shisui,” Sōgen said, placing a hand on Shisui’s left shoulder and looking him seriously in the eye, “I have an important mission for you.”

“What is it?” Shisui asked, confused, trying to figure out what this important task could be.

“Kaguya Kimimaro, the last descendant of the Kaguya clan who inherited the Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse). I’m entrusting you with the responsibility of correcting his misguided beliefs and leading him down the right path. Remember, this is not just about educating Kimimaro. It’s also a test of your own growth and resilience.”

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 148: The Humble Mist Ninja*

“Shikotsumyaku?”

Karatachi Yagura, who had just walked out of Master Genji's house, stood on the steps, his head throbbing after hearing the latest intelligence from the Anbu. “Damn it! Can’t things stay quiet for a while?” Trouble after trouble—at this rate, he probably wouldn't survive the year.

Though muttering curses without a clear target, his feet turned back in the direction of Genji's house, heading back inside.

He found Genji kneeling at the desk, hunched over while grinding ink, preparing to practice calligraphy. Yagura repeated the information he had received and humbly sought Genji’s advice. “Master Genji, what do you think we should do about this?”

“The orphan of the Kaguya Clan?”

Upon hearing this intelligence, Genji’s mind wandered for a moment. His thoughts drifted back to the time when the Hidden Mist Village was founded—when the leaders of the Byakuren Clan, Genji himself, the Terumi Clan, the Hozuki Clan, the Yuki Clan, and the Kaguya Clan all worked together to establish the village.

But after the village was formed, just like Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju competing for the title of First Hokage, those once united companions split apart, each vying for the seat of the First Mizukage. Genji naturally supported Byakuren, but the leader of the Kaguya Clan wouldn’t give up, rallying the Yuki Clan and several others to attack Byakuren. The result was, of course, Byakuren’s decisive victory.

Being bested by Uchiha Madara didn’t mean Byakuren was weak. On the contrary, surviving an encounter with Madara in that era was proof of his undeniable strength. The Kaguya Clan leader couldn’t defeat Byakuren, and, being a stubborn battle maniac, chose to withdraw his entire clan from the Hidden Mist Village after his defeat.

“I didn’t expect... that maniac hasn’t died out completely.”

Genji sighed softly.

He set down the ink block in his hand, his ink-stained fingers gently rubbing together. His eyes half-closed, he contemplated for two or three minutes. Just as Yagura was about to lose patience and speak up, Genji finally broke the silence. “Mizukage-sama, it’s best not to get involved in this matter.”

“…”

Yagura held back his immediate response, but his furrowed brow betrayed his unrest.

What did he mean, not get involved?

That’s the Shikotsumyaku, a precious kekkei genkai! How could they ignore it?

If they could bring that boy to the village, it could mean a new bloodline for the Hidden Mist.

“Mizukage-sama, the Kaguya Clan was destroyed by us. Even if we could bring that child back, how could we ensure that he wouldn’t turn against the village in the future?” Genji could see Yagura’s reluctance.

Of course, he also hoped the Kaguya Clan could truly integrate into the Hidden Mist.

But things rarely go as planned. From Byakuren’s time until now, through four Mizukage generations, not only did the Kaguya Clan fail to join the Hidden Mist, but the rift between them grew wider, until they could no longer coexist. The Mist ninjas wiped out the Kaguya Clan entirely. If it weren’t for the sudden appearance of Kimimaro, they would’ve assumed the Kaguya Clan was extinct.

“The Kaguya Clan was never truly Mist ninjas. Mizukage-sama, what excuse could we possibly use to make the Leaf Village hand over the last Kaguya?”

Yagura’s face tightened. His displeasure was obvious.

“Mizukage-sama, I understand your desire to recover what the village has lost, but at times like this, we must be more cautious. Desperate hunger makes people reckless. The village is like a sick patient right now, unable to digest anything too tough or spicy—bite into iron, and we’ll lose a few teeth.”

“Even setting aside the excuse we’d need to get the child from the Leaf ninjas... Mizukage-sama, didn’t you say the ninja who brought back the Kaguya child was injured?”

“It seems so.”

Yagura frowned.

“If I’m not mistaken, wasn’t that Leaf ninja Uchiha Shisui?”

“Yes, it was Uchiha Shisui.”

Yagura nodded.

“Shisui of the Body Flicker! I’ve heard of him for a long time,” Genji sighed. “On the battlefield, even Ao avoided him. Shisui of the Body Flicker is probably second only to the Uchiha Clan leader in strength.”

“What kind of opponent could have injured someone of his caliber? Who in the Land of Water could have done that?”

“If I’m not mistaken, that Kaguya child is probably more trouble than he’s worth.”

Yagura opened his mouth to speak, feeling that Genji’s speculation was a bit far-fetched. Basing the assumption solely on Shisui being injured seemed like too much conjecture. But in the end, he said nothing in opposition.

Because he saw the troubled, helpless expression on Genji’s face.

It dawned on him: Genji wasn’t unwilling to keep the Shikotsumyaku in the village. It was simply that the Mist Village no longer had the strength or leverage to negotiate with the Leaf. If the Leaf refused to hand over the Shikotsumyaku, the Mist asking for it would only bring humiliation!

As for the Leaf generously handing over the Kaguya’s heir...

Dream on!

Aside from the Land of Water, where the public had a complex disdain for kekkei genkai, other countries and villages had never stopped collecting them. The Cloud’s obsession with the Hyuga’s Byakugan was just one example. Spies sent to other villages didn’t just gather intelligence—they also aimed to steal kekkei genkai.

The Magnet Release kekkei genkai in the Cloud Village was stolen from the Sand Village using a ‘honey trap.’

“I was impulsive, Genji.”

Yagura sighed wearily.

“This feeling of being humble and submissive... it’s really unpleasant!”

“All for the sake of the village,” Genji’s wrinkled, elderly face showed an unshakable determination. As long as it was for the village, bowing and scraping before Leaf ninjas didn’t matter. The village’s interests came first.

“Yes... all for the village.”

Yagura repeated softly. His heart was filled with a bitter mix of emotions that were hard to describe. “This chair is really hard to sit in!”

Genji said nothing more.

There was no need to. The seat of the Mizukage had never been easy, especially in these stormy times for the Hidden Mist.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 149: I’m Not Some Kind of Evil Spirit

"Whoosh!"

A sharp, cold gleam pierced through a stone pillar. In almost an instant, thirty-six stone pillars scattered irregularly across the training ground exploded. The bright white streak of light reversed its direction, and the undamaged katana slowed its flight before landing in the hand of Shisui, who stood at the edge of the field.

Glancing at the scattered rubble, his eyes returned to the gleaming blade.

Putting aside the unique abilities of the different Kusanagi swords, most Kusanagi swords possess an indestructible quality. It is said that the Kusanagi swords are made from the hardest substance in the shinobi world, though exactly what that substance is remains unknown. However, the sword's durability is undeniable.

Shisui had fully realized the toughness of the Kusanagi sword over the past two days.

No matter how much he pushed it, he couldn't leave even a single scratch on the blade's smooth, mirror-like surface, which made Shisui grow very fond of this sturdy and reliable weapon.

"It seems you're quite satisfied, Shisui," came a familiar voice from behind.

"It's handy," Shisui admitted.

After just two days of practice, he had already gotten used to handling Kusanagi. With his talent, he had mastered the summoning technique for special ninja tools just by observing it once, easily forming a summoning contract with Kusanagi. With his mental power enhanced by the Mangekyō Sharingan, he quickly reached a level of proficiency in wielding the sword.

"I'm glad you're happy with it," said Sougen, who had walked up beside him.

"Are you here with another mission? If it’s something complicated, I might not be in the best shape right now," Shisui said, gripping Kusanagi with his left hand. His right arm was in a sling. Despite receiving treatment from medical ninjas, the injury to his right shoulder would take at least twenty days to fully heal.

"Shisui, don't make me sound like some evil spirit that forces the sick to work. We're friends, remember?" Sougen said, feigning hurt.

"Just get to the point," Shisui sighed.

"We’re returning to the village," Sougen revealed.

"Returning? Right now?"

Shisui was caught off guard.

This was so sudden! Shouldn't they have been told a few days in advance? He hadn’t even started preparing!

"We originally planned to leave in two days, but we just received urgent intel from the village—Kumo ninja are moving south."

"What?!"

Shisui exclaimed in shock.

"Kumo ninja moving south? How? Why so suddenly?"

As he spoke, he shook his head, wondering if he was still dreaming. But the sharp pain in his right shoulder quickly reminded him that this was no dream—this was real!

"Kumo ninja are probably trying to take advantage of our war with Kirigakure to strike," Sougen said calmly.

Seeing Sougen's lack of concern, Shisui frowned. "What’s really going on?"

"I told you: Kumo ninja are moving south. To be precise, it's not just Kumo. Spies in the Land of Earth report that Iwa ninja are also preparing to move. We may soon get word of them heading south too. The Hokage's letter urges us to return to the village as quickly as possible."

Sougen casually relayed the information he had.

Compared to Shisui's alarm, Sougen's emotions barely fluctuated. Even when he first received the village's message, he remained as calm as he was now. After all, this was not surprising. The unrest from Kumo and Iwa ninja was entirely predictable.

After Kumo's daring attempt to ambush Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, within the Land of Fire, it was clear that Kumo’s aggression was on the rise.

In fact, Sougen thought it was impressive that Kumo had waited this long to move south.

"Have we spent too much time in Kirigakure?" Shisui wondered aloud. They had been in Kirigakure for almost a month now. He couldn’t help but think that their prolonged presence abroad might have emboldened Kumo and Iwa to make a move.

"It doesn’t matter," Sougen reassured him.

He understood what Shisui was implying.

In fact, many others had the same thought after receiving the intel.

They believed that having such a large force—over a hundred elite Jōnin—away from the village had created the conditions for this new conflict. If not for Sougen’s strength and authority, there might have already been complaints about him wasting too much time in Kirigakure.

"Don’t forget the attack on Naruto when you escorted him to the frontlines. Kumo's boldness is greater than you think."

Shisui fell silent.

He had experienced the attack by Kumo ninja in the Land of Fire firsthand. He couldn’t deny Sougen’s point—Kumo’s boldness indeed exceeded his expectations. He instinctively tightened his grip on Kusanagi.

He realized that, though they had just ended a war with Kirigakure, a new war was already beginning.

"Is there no way to avoid this?" Shisui asked, even though he knew how foolish the question sounded.

"Kumo has already drawn their swords. Enduring won’t help—if we don’t fight back, we’ll die." Sougen didn’t mock Shisui’s naivety, but calmly shattered his hopes.

The light in Shisui’s eyes grew dimmer.

"Shisui, war is inevitable. All we can do now is fight to end it as quickly as possible. Only by doing so can we minimize the damage it causes. Avoiding the problem won’t solve anything. Facing it head-on is the only way."

At that moment, they could hear the commotion from the delegation's camp.

The Konoha ninja, who had just received the emergency orders, were quickly packing up their belongings.

"Send me to the north!" Shisui suddenly declared, his crimson eyes glowing with resolve.

"Are you sure? Your injury..."

"By the time we reach the frontlines, I should be healed. Even if I’m not fully recovered, Kusanagi doesn’t require me to wield it by hand. It’s not a big issue. But Kimimaro... I’ll need you to find someone to look after him."

Shisui had made up his mind.

Sougen was right—if they couldn’t prevent the war, they had to end it as soon as possible.

Sougen smiled silently. He wouldn’t force an injured person to work, but if his clansman wanted to contribute, how could he refuse such heartfelt determination?

"I’ll make sure someone takes care of Kimimaro. Don’t worry about him. But when you go north, remember not to overextend yourself. Also, be cautious of the man claiming to be Uchiha Madara. This unrest from Kumo and Iwa might have something to do with him."

Shisui froze.

His expression grew even more serious, and he nodded solemnly. "I’ll be careful."

"Better safe than sorry—just don’t let your guard down."

Sougen narrowed his eyes slightly. With Shisui heading to the front, Sougen could return to the village for a while.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 150: Such Good Fortune?

The Konoha ninja packing up their gear didn't go unnoticed by the Mist ninja. Upon inquiring, the messenger was informed by Sougen of the Cloud ninjas heading south. The shocked messenger quickly relayed the information back, causing a stir among the higher-ups of Kirigakure.

"This is an opportunity."

"As long as we ally with the Cloud ninjas, we have a chance to give those damned Uchiha a hard lesson."

The one speaking was the head of the Combat Faction, Kugetsu Hozuki, the current clan leader of the Hozuki clan, and the father of Mangetsu and Suigetsu Hozuki. The white-haired man couldn’t hide his excitement, with his purple eyes gleaming with a thirst for battle.

However—

Sitting further down the table, Mangetsu Hozuki rolled his eyes after hearing his father's remarks, staring at the ceiling in exasperation.

“My old man has no political sense at all!”

In previous meetings, it was decided that they would replace war reparations with manpower resources. Instead of discussing how many troops to send to support Konoha, now he’s proposing a plan to backstab their ally… Has he lost his mind?

It wasn’t just his father either. Mangetsu glanced at the other clan leaders and department heads, seeing many agreeing with the Hozuki leader. No wonder Master Genji chose younger people to take over the Fifth Mizukage position instead of someone from this group still in their prime.

If he were in charge, he wouldn’t pick this bunch of muscle-brained idiots to become Mizukage either.

Still, he hadn’t expected Mei Terumi to be the one chosen… Was he disappointed? Maybe a little, but not as much as he thought. He realized he wasn’t as obsessed with becoming the Fifth Mizukage as he’d believed.

The desire for that title was more of a clan obsession than his own wish.

“As long as it’s not Zabuza, I’m fine with it.”

Mangetsu cast a sidelong glance at Zabuza Momochi, who was sitting across from him with half his face wrapped in bandages. Normally, younger members like them wouldn’t have been allowed in these meetings, but Lord Mizukage made a special exception. Still, they didn’t have the right to speak.

On top of that, the Konoha ninjas had another big battle coming up. How enviable! Mangetsu couldn’t help but feel a rush of jealousy.

“Mangetsu?”

“Mangetsu?!”

The voice snapped Mangetsu back to attention. He looked over to find Mei Terumi staring at him… Actually, not just Mei; many around the table were looking at him.

“Oh no!”

Realizing he had been caught daydreaming, Mangetsu smiled calmly, meeting their gazes until his eyes met with Yagura’s at the head of the table.

“We’ve already allied with Konoha. This time, the Cloud ninjas are attacking the Land of Fire, and as their ally, we can’t sit idly by. Even if we’re currently weak, we need to make a gesture. Mangetsu, I hope you can lead a team to support Konoha,” said Yagura.

Yagura had noticed Mangetsu zoning out during the meeting but chose to patiently summarize the main points. It became clear that Suigetsu Hozuki’s proposal to backstab Konoha alongside the Cloud ninjas had been discarded, and a firm decision was made to stand by Konoha’s side.

Mangetsu blinked and thought to himself, “Such good fortune?”

“Lord Mizukage! Leave it to me!” Mangetsu licked his lips, a cruel grin spreading across his face. His sharp teeth gleamed with bloodthirst, and his intense battle lust was nearly tangible, making Yagura shake his head slightly.

As expected, kicking this guy out of the Fifth Mizukage candidate list was the right decision. Mangetsu was just like the Second Mizukage—obsessed with battle, a born war fanatic. Yagura even wondered if the Hozuki clan had some connection to the Kaguya clan's bloodline.

He quickly dismissed those thoughts and said, “Mangetsu, it’s all yours. We can’t spare too many forces, but I’ll allow you to choose your comrades within reason.”

“In that case…” Mangetsu’s gaze wandered around the room.

———

“Are you all packed?”

“Mm, everything’s ready,” Fujihana replied, patting the scroll pouch at her waist.

No matter their age, as long as they could refine chakra and had basic logical abilities, they could use sealing scrolls. This brilliant invention made it easier for ninja to travel long distances without heavy luggage, sealing all their necessary items into a scroll to retrieve when needed.

Seeing this, Sougen patted his sister’s head gently and turned to the two young ones nearby.

“Yakumo, Naruto, are you two ready?”

“Master, I’m all set.”

“Brother Sougen, I’m ready to go anytime.”

The two answered at the same time, and Yakumo gave Naruto an annoyed look as if to say, “Couldn’t you have waited to speak?” Naruto just responded with a sheepish grin.

But soon, the small quarrel was forgotten.

Creak!

A nearby door opened.

White-haired and green-eyed, Kimimaro stepped out.

“Kimimaro.”

Sougen looked at him. “Shisui should have already explained it to you, right? He has a mission to complete, so for now, you’ll be following me.”

“I understand,” Kimimaro said cautiously.

His natural intuition, sharpened through training, made him feel tense around Sougen, almost as if his body instinctively wanted to prepare for battle. While Shisui was strong, his aura was gentle. Sougen’s, by contrast, was overwhelming and filled with killing intent, making Kimimaro uneasy just being near him.

“Am I really that scary?” Sougen chuckled as he noticed Kimimaro keeping his distance. “Are you all packed?”

“There’s nothing to pack. I can leave anytime.”

Kimimaro had only been in the Mist Village for a little over two days. Since Shisui wasn’t meticulous enough to have prepared all of Kimimaro’s essentials, there wasn’t much for him to bring along.

Kimimaro had already accepted that he wouldn’t be returning to Orochimaru anytime soon. Though it was a harsh realization, he wasn’t so weak as to give up hope.

Since I can’t escape for now, I’ll stay and endure!

With this resolve, Kimimaro decided to remain with Shisui, training to grow stronger. After all, he had seen firsthand that Orochimaru had been defeated by Shisui.

Maybe staying with him will help me grow stronger faster!

“If you’re ready, meet in the courtyard.”

Sougen glanced at Kimimaro and said nothing more. He had some interest in Kimimaro’s Shikotsumyaku, a bloodline limit likely originating from the Six Paths Sage, much like the Sharingan. But he didn’t care much about Kimimaro himself. His feelings were reserved for his family, disciples, clan members, and friends. Everyone else was secondary.

Kimimaro was Shisui’s problem, not his.

Kimimaro silently headed downstairs. Fujihana, Yakumo, and Naruto didn’t follow him. Normally, children quickly warm up to one another, and Fujihana had already bonded with some of the Mist Village kids.

But Kimimaro’s presence was too unique. His aura, shaped by his upbringing, made him hard to approach.

“Chihaya, keep an eye on them. Their safety is the top priority.”

As the children disappeared down the stairs, Sougen turned to the ceiling and spoke.

A slender figure appeared, hanging upside down from the ceiling with long black hair cascading down. “I understand,” Uchiha Chihaya answered before disappearing again, following the children. Sougen had assigned six Uchiha jonin to protect his sister and students, including Chihaya.

“Now… it’s your turn,” Sougen muttered as he stood by the window, his red eyes reflecting the mist-shrouded village. His gaze was fixed on the direction of the Mizukage’s building.

(End of Chapter)