belamy20

86-90

Added 2024-10-16 10:24:07 +0000 UTC

*Chapter 86: Tailed Beast Transformation [First Update]*

Kagutsuchi Yagura was about to stab Chōjūrō with a kunai, but Chōjūrō, due to his injuries, couldn't dodge in time.

"Release!"

With a furious shout, the bandages wrapped around Hiramekarei exploded.

Kagutsuchi Yagura's pupils contracted sharply, as a sense of danger enveloped him.

But due to their close proximity, there was no room for him to dodge.

"Slash!"

A violent surge of chakra erupted from Hiramekarei, striking Kagutsuchi Yagura directly.

Kagutsuchi Yagura was sent flying.

"Damn it, protect the Mizukage!"

All the surrounding ninja quickly gathered in front of Yagura to prevent anyone from finishing him off.

"Move aside! Chōjūrō must die today!"

Kagutsuchi Yagura's voice was cold, but it sounded like a different person now, like a beast.

Shiro turned his head to look. At this moment, Kagutsuchi Yagura had transformed into a beast. His skin had turned a red-brown color, like molten lava.

The chakra radiating from him was incredibly violent, exuding a dangerous aura.

"Tailed Beast Transformation!"

Shiro's heart sank.

Kagutsuchi Yagura, one of the few who could control the Tailed Beast Transformation, saw his chakra surge explosively after transforming, and his combat power skyrocketed.

Although Shiro had been in the ninja world for a few days and had spent some time with Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, this was his first time witnessing a Tailed Beast Transformation.

Behind Kagutsuchi Yagura, three tails twisted and lashed about. His eyes, like those of a demon from the abyss, stared at Chōjūrō, forcing him to retreat several steps.

Kagutsuchi Yagura opened his mouth, and chakra began to gather there rapidly.

Even Shiro, who was standing at a distance, could feel a sense of impending death.

"Tailed Beast Ball!"

"What is a Tailed Beast Ball?" Suigetsu Terumi asked Shiro in confusion.

"The Tailed Beast Ball is one of the most terrifying techniques of a tailed beast, a destructive blast capable of obliterating everything in its path. But it has a major flaw!"

Although the Tailed Beast Ball is powerful, capable of killing almost anything in its way, it has rarely killed a ninja.

The reason? The Tailed Beast Ball is too slow to aim accurately. As long as you dodge quickly, it's difficult to hit.

In Shiro's memory, only Suigetsu, that guy, took a direct hit from a Tailed Beast Ball. If not for Karin, he would have gone to meet his brother back then.

When the Tailed Beast Ball had fully gathered, the already dim path was shrouded in complete darkness.

Only the crimson glow of the Tailed Beast Ball remained in view, radiating danger.

Chōjūrō tried to dodge quickly, but due to his injuries, his speed was much slower than usual.

Roar!

The Tailed Beast Ball was fired, and the only sound left in the world was its release.

Even the explosions of the buildings hit by the Tailed Beast Ball were drowned out.

Although Chōjūrō managed to dodge most of it, he was grazed by the blast. His original wounds, not yet fully healed, tore open again, and blood splattered everywhere.

Shiro's lips curled slightly. Although Chōjūrō had dodged a fatal blow, without help, he probably wouldn’t survive today.

Kagutsuchi Yagura, his three tails waving, stepped toward Chōjūrō, his beastly face twisted into a cold smile.

"No one can save you today!"

Kagutsuchi Yagura raised his right hand high. Due to his Tailed Beast Transformation, his hand had become a sharp claw.

With one swipe, even Chōjūrō's skills wouldn't save him—he'd be dead for sure!

Chōjūrō swung Hiramekarei in a final desperate struggle, but it was like playing with a cat in front of Kagutsuchi Yagura.

Just as the claw was about to strike, a thick fog enveloped Kagutsuchi Yagura.

Suddenly, Yagura’s reddish-brown skin began dissolving, accompanied by blood-curdling screams.

Then, bullet-sized water droplets shot through the fog, hitting Kagutsuchi Yagura directly. The chakra at the impact points slowed down, and one of his arms reverted back from its Tailed Beast form.

"Mei Terumi! Ao!"

Shiro turned to see Mei Terumi and Ao standing nearby, gasping for breath, having rushed back in time.

In an instant, numerous Anbu members charged forward to rescue Yagura from the fog.

However, when they touched the mist, their hands corroded rapidly, as if submerged in strong acid.

This showed just how tough Yagura's body was.

Shiro frowned slightly. He hadn't expected Kagutsuchi Yagura to get caught off guard and end up in such a bad position.

But Yagura couldn't die just yet.

Many of the major clans in the Hidden Mist Village were still observing the situation.

If Kagutsuchi Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, died now, a power struggle for the Mizukage position would certainly ensue.

Although Mei Terumi had the support of two clans, it was uncertain if she could defeat the others.

"I guess it's time for me to step in. Come with me, girl, use your Ice Release to cool down the Mizukage."

Suigetsu Terumi snapped back to reality and nodded slightly at Shiro.

Though she despised this Mizukage, she felt no resistance to Shiro’s command to help.

"You guys deal with Mei Terumi, I'll rescue the Mizukage!"

The others, at a loss, chose to trust Shiro and rushed toward Mei Terumi.

Shiro and Suigetsu Terumi approached Yagura. They exchanged a glance, and Suigetsu nodded. A fierce chill spread toward Yagura.

The hot mist began to cool down.

Shiro quickly formed hand seals, summoning a water dragon that coiled through the fog and circled Yagura before dragging him out.

Once Yagura was out of the mist, he reverted from his Tailed Beast form and collapsed, his wounds appearing as if they had been boiled.

"Use your Ice Release to cool him down!"

Shiro shouted. Suigetsu, not daring to be careless, quickly enveloped Yagura in a gentler cold aura.

Gradually, Yagura's once twisted face relaxed, though his injuries remained severe.

"Good thing you two were here, or I'd be done for!"

"Mizukage-sama, leave the rest to Matsugata-sama. We will escort you back!"

Shiro glanced behind him to see the Anbu, with their superior numbers, suppressing the enemy. His expression was one of indifference.

After all, their top fighters were out of commission due to carelessness.

On Mei Terumi's side, both Mei and Ao were still standing.

As long as the battle dragged on, they were sure to turn the tide.

Shiro had no intention of taking the blame for that. He'd leave it to Matsugata.

"Thanks for the trouble!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 87: The Three Great Clans [Second Update]*

The three returned to the Mizukage’s office, where the medical ninja quickly treated Yagura's wounds.

The burns Yagura sustained from the Mist Manipulation Jutsu were healing at a visible rate.

At this moment, Yagura frowned, his face filled with anger.

“Mei Terumi, I swear I’ll kill her!”

Shiro smirked inwardly and stood next to Yagura.

“Mizukage-sama, this time we have a huge numerical advantage. With Matsuga's abilities, he can definitely capture them. At the very least, he can kill two key figures, and then Mei Terumi’s faction won’t be a threat anymore!”

Yagura snorted coldly at Shiro's words, his eyes filled with a violent glint.

“Matsuga better not disappoint me!”

Shiro returned to the base, where Suigetsu was leaning on one hand, twirling a kunai with the other.

Seeing Shiro enter, she quickly stood up, her face turning slightly red.

“Thank you. I actually saw everything you did earlier…”

Before she could finish, Suigetsu suddenly realized what she was saying and quickly covered her mouth.

Shiro gave a wry smile and casually sat in a chair.

“No need to be so nervous. All of the Anbu guards have gone to fight, so it’s safe here for now.”

Hearing this, Suigetsu breathed a sigh of relief and then ran to sit beside him.

“Actually, I think if the Mizukage died, our village might be better off…”

Shiro glanced at Suigetsu. Seeing her panic, she waved her hands frantically and said, “I’m not a spy, I’m just speaking hypothetically!”

“You’re not wrong, but who do you think should be the next Mizukage?”

Suigetsu was stunned. She had assumed Shiro was a loyal supporter of Yagura, not expecting him to entertain such thoughts.

However, she had no idea who the next Mizukage should be.

“The Mizukage must prioritize the village. If one of those clan leaders, who only care about their own family, becomes Mizukage, the other clans will surely be oppressed. The foundation of Kirigakure is already shaky; we can’t afford a self-serving Mizukage.”

Suigetsu lowered her head, deep in thought.

She realized she was still too young, thinking only based on personal preference.

She hadn’t even considered the next step.

Shiro, who was about her age, was already thinking about who the next Mizukage should be.

Suddenly, Suigetsu found him mysterious, as if he wasn’t her age at all.

“So, who do you think should be the next Mizukage?”

Shiro smiled mysteriously. Saying too much could make Suigetsu, who wasn’t very bright, spill the secret.

Besides, Shiro calculated that Matsuga should be back soon.

“Come on, let’s go watch the show!”

Shiro smiled slightly and casually picked up an Anbu mask, putting it on his face.

Suigetsu, confused, glanced at him before quickly standing up to follow closely behind like a shadow.

At the Mizukage's office, Yagura was already covered in bandages, his face full of rage.

“Matsuga, what on earth were you doing? You took 50 Anbu members and only returned with 21! And you didn’t even kill any of their main forces! Why didn’t you die out there?”

Matsuga stood with his head bowed, not daring to breathe.

He felt deeply wronged.

It was Yagura’s own mistake that caused them to lose their massive advantage, yet now all the blame was being placed on him.

Although they had an initial numerical advantage, it didn’t last long. Mei Terumi’s forces counterattacked quickly, leveling the playing field.

And with top fighters like Mei Terumi, Ao, Zabuza, and Haku on their side, the situation turned into a disadvantage.

Matsuga knew well that if he tried to explain, it would only lead to endless scolding, so it was better to just admit his fault.

As Yagura was still blaming him, an Anbu member suddenly rushed in, panic written on his face. “Mizukage-sama, it’s bad! The Kimura, Kido, and Sakata clans are all heading toward us!”

Hearing this, Yagura stood up but started coughing uncontrollably from his internal injuries.

“What do they want? Are they trying to overthrow me?”

The Kimura, Kido, and Sakata families were the three great clans of Kirigakure. Together, they represented half of the village’s power.

Originally, Yagura had planned to deal with the Momochi family first before slowly handling the others.

But so much had happened, and now the Mizukage’s power was at an all-time low.

At this moment, Matsuga stepped forward.

Having been blamed repeatedly, Matsuga had to do something to prove his worth.

And this was the perfect opportunity!

“Mizukage-sama, please allow me to go and deal with them. I will surely convince them to retreat!”

Shiro's eyes lit up.

There wasn’t a need to have the support of the other clans to put Mei Terumi in power. Weakening their strength could also achieve the goal.

If they could diminish the power of the three great clans by half, they wouldn’t be able to compete for the position of Mizukage.

And now was the perfect chance!

“Mizukage-sama, since all three clans are coming together, this was clearly premeditated. Even though Matsuga can convince them to retreat, what price will we have to pay to make that happen?”

Yagura, hearing Shiro’s words, slammed his fist on the table, shattering it.

“You’re right, we need to show them our strength!”

Matsuga shot Shiro a hateful look.

Since Shiro appeared, Yagura had grown increasingly distrustful of Matsuga, preferring to listen to Shiro.

Although what Shiro said made sense, it would throw the entire village into chaos if acted upon.

“Mizukage-sama, we must avoid another battle! If we lose, we’ll have nothing left!”

“Matsuga, enough! You’ll pretend to negotiate while stalling for time. Meanwhile, Ritsuto will set fire to the three great clans' homes.”

Yagura threw three scrolls at Shiro.

“Use these scrolls when the time comes. There are people inside the clans who will cooperate with you. We must win this battle!”

Shiro took the scrolls, his smile twisting beneath the mask.

Originally, he thought it would take more effort, but Yagura had already planted the seeds. Now, it just needed a spark to ignite!

Shiro took the scrolls, knowing that the upcoming night would be sleepless.

And who knows how many people would die because of a single word from him?

“But for the greater good of Kirigakure, it’s all worth it!”

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 88: Ambush (Part 3)*

Standing outside the Kimura clan residence, Shiro felt the scroll in his hand growing heavier by the second.

With just the activation of this scroll, the peaceful and tranquil Kimura clan before him would be thrown into a storm of blood and chaos.

Initially, Shiro tried to think of all the ninjas in this world as NPCs, attempting to suppress his guilt.

But as he encountered more and more ninjas, that mindset began to falter.

“Cheng, do you think what I’m doing is right?”

Mizunomuki Cheng looked at Shiro, confused.

Usually decisive, it was rare for him to ask such profound questions.

“As long as it's something Lord Liren is doing, it must have meaning!”

Shiro let out a bitter smile, quickly shaking his head to clear his mind of doubt.

He crouched down, unrolled the scroll, and said, "Open!"

As he made a series of hand seals, the ink on the scroll, made from special materials, began to glow, then faded away.

Shiro raised his right hand high, waiting for the reaction from within the Kimura clan.

After about five minutes, movement started inside the compound, gradually intensifying as time passed.

“Sir, one ninja has escaped. Should we intercept them?”

“No need. That ninja is probably rushing to the frontlines to warn them, which will ease the pressure there. Wait for my signal to attack.”

The Kimura clan then descended into full chaos.

Thick smoke began to rise from the courtyard, followed by flames that quickly spread throughout the compound.

“Move!”

With a sharp wave of Shiro’s hand, dozens of ninjas swiftly charged toward the Kimura clan residence.

Shiro silently listened to the screams echoing from inside.

At this point, he didn’t even need to act.

The main fighting force of the Kimura clan had already been dispatched to the frontlines. The remaining defenders were likely taken out by traitors. Now, the ones being slaughtered by the elite ninjas were probably defenseless people.

“Cheng, get ready. The Kimura clan will retaliate soon.”

“You said we shouldn’t use real names during missions.”

Mizunomuki Cheng muttered but quickly turned around and prepared for battle.

Shiro looked in two other directions.

In the dimly lit Kirigakure village, two areas burst into flames.

“Looks like Kirigakure will change hands tomorrow!”

Shiro pulled out his last scroll.

This one wasn’t given to him by Yagura, but by Mei Terumi at the very start!

Once Shiro activated the scroll, it would signal that everything had been completed, and Mei Terumi would launch her final assault.

Inside her stronghold, Mei Terumi anxiously checked on Chojuro's injuries. Suddenly, the pendant on her chest began to glow.

Mei Terumi trembled, her brows furrowing.

“It’s starting already? Everyone, get ready. Gather the others from the other outposts. Tonight, we overthrow Yagura’s tyranny!”

Ao frowned, looking seriously at Mei Terumi.

“Can we really trust that kid? If it weren’t for him, Chojuro wouldn’t be in this condition. He might not even be able to continue as a ninja.”

Mei Terumi frowned as she looked at the unconscious Chojuro lying in bed.

“I trust that kid. He has no reason to deceive us! In our current state, we have nothing of value to be tricked out of. Besides, Chojuro is still alive, isn’t he?”

Ao still seemed unsatisfied, but seeing Mei Terumi’s resolve, he finally relented.

“Fine, I don’t trust him, but I trust you. When do we move?”

“Once everyone’s assembled. At dawn, we storm the Mizukage’s office!”

Back at the Kimura clan, the sounds of crying children were the only ones left after the screams faded away. Even those would likely be silenced soon.

But Shiro remained focused, knowing the next battle was imminent.

“They’re coming! Cheng, be ready!”

Mizunomuki Cheng shot Shiro a resentful look before adjusting his mask and tightening his grip on the thin wires in his hand.

Just then, three ninjas suddenly appeared, rushing frantically toward the Kimura clan’s location.

Seeing this, Mizunomuki Cheng’s hand trembled as he clutched the wires.

Shiro gently patted his head and said, “Don’t rush. Let them pass.”

Though Cheng didn’t fully understand the reasoning, he trusted Shiro completely.

“Alright, I’ll follow your lead!”

The three ninjas passed by, and the Kimura clan fell into chaos again. In the distance, they could see a water dragon writhing in the air.

After about three minutes, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard, indicating the arrival of about thirty more people, running in the distinct pattern of ninjas.

“They’re here. Stay alert. Wait for my signal.”

Mizunomuki Cheng nodded slightly, pulling the wires taut again.

A large group of ninjas came running, their faces filled with anger and urgency.

“Damn it, I never thought Yagura would stoop to such tactics. We’ll make him pay when this is over!”

“Enough talk! My child is barely a month old. If anything happens to him, I’ll make sure Yagura pays with blood!”

…

Several ninjas passed, but Shiro still hadn’t signaled to attack.

Then, the second wave came, this time consisting of over ten ninjas.

At that moment, Shiro finally gave the signal, and Mizunomuki Cheng yanked hard on the wires.

Instantly, sparks erupted from the ground.

“Explosive tags! It’s an ambush!”

Before they could react, the ground lit up with a blinding white light.

Boom!

One explosion after another rang out, catching the group of ninjas at the center of the trap, leaving them no time or space to escape.

Many were blown away before they could even react.

“Be careful! There’s an ambush! Find the enemy quickly!”

“Damn it, why now of all times!”

The Kimura clan’s forces were reduced by over ten people in an instant. The remaining twenty or so scattered, frantically searching for Shiro and Mizunomuki Cheng.

Shiro smiled.

In a head-on fight, he couldn’t beat them. But in this ambush, he had endless ways to deal with them!

Pulling another wire, Shiro triggered another explosion, sending a nearby ninja flying.

One by one, the Kimura clan’s forces dwindled.

In no time, the original group of thirty ninjas was reduced to fewer than ten.

But Shiro’s wires had run out, and now it was time for direct combat.

“Cheng, stay here. I’ll go reduce their numbers.”

“There he is! The kid is over here!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 89: The Return of the Sharingan [Fourth Update]

Several ninjas rushed toward Shiro at high speed.

Shiro furrowed his brows, showing a look of indifference on his face.

There were eight ninjas in front of him. Only three were Jonin, while the other five were Chunin.

This was mainly because the Kimura clan’s main fighting force was still on the front lines, and these ninjas were only a portion of their troops. The top fighters were needed to deal with Yagura, so the appearance of Chunin was expected.

"A kid? A kid killed nearly twenty of our clan members?"

The ninjas wore expressions of disbelief.

"Don't think you can underestimate me just because I'm a kid!"

Shiro sneered, his hands quickly forming seals.

"He's forming seals so fast! He’s definitely a skilled ninja! Stop him!"

As the Kimura ninja spoke, a water dragon formed in the air, spiraling and hovering above them.

The water dragon circled a few times and then rushed into the group.

The eight ninjas quickly spread out, surrounding Shiro.

"Do you think you can defeat us with a Water Dragon Bullet? How naive!"

Shiro sneered. The water dragon lost its chakra control mid-air, turning into normal water and falling to the ground.

"I never intended to use the Water Dragon Bullet."

The ninjas weren’t about to give Shiro any more time to speak. They rushed toward him from all directions.

Shiro smirked and quickly formed more seals.

Suddenly, arcs of lightning danced around his body, spreading through the water on the ground.

"Not good! It's a Lightning Style technique!"

The ninjas couldn’t avoid it in time.

They felt the arcs of electricity hit them, paralyzing their bodies.

But Shiro’s hands didn’t stop. He kept forming seals.

"Lightning Style! Spiral Needles!"

In an instant, several fine needles formed from lightning chakra and hovered in the air. With a swift motion from Shiro, the needles shot out.

The paralyzed ninjas couldn't dodge. They watched in horror as the needles struck.

Boom!

Explosions rang out. Three ninjas fell to the ground, convulsing.

Even the five who remained standing were wounded by the blast from the Spiral Needles.

“Damn, how does this kid know Lightning Style? He must be a spy!”

The Mist Village primarily focused on Water Style techniques, and those who could use Lightning Style were rare and often renowned figures.

And this kid was definitely not one of them.

“A spy? Think what you want!”

Shiro sneered. There was no need to explain anything to these dying men. His only task was to end the battle quickly.

Shiro’s hands formed seals once again, and in an instant, dozens of shadow clones appeared, each holding a kunai as they rushed toward the five remaining ninjas.

“Run! Hurry and report to the clan leader! This is a conspiracy!”

“Run? You think you can escape?”

As Shiro’s words fell, his once dark pupils turned blood-red. The ninja who was facing him stared into his eyes, his own eyes glazing over.

“Kill!”

The ninja, with a vacant smile, took the kunai in his hand and stabbed it into his own heart.

“It’s the Sharingan! The Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan from the Leaf Village!”

“Damn it! Wasn’t the Uchiha Clan wiped out? How is one here in the Mist Village?”

“Don’t look into his eyes! Go report to the clan leader! Report to Lord Mizukage!”

Shiro furrowed his brows.

Even though the Mist Village had been in constant internal conflict, if another village’s ninja appeared during their civil war, the Mist Village would immediately unite against the outside threat.

Once they repelled the external enemy, the Mist Village would return to its prior state of infighting.

As for why Shiro activated his Sharingan, it was because he had no intention of letting any of them escape.

“Want to leave? Try this move!”

Shiro’s hands formed seals once more, and the terrifying Spiral Needles appeared again.

With a flick of his wrist, three more ninjas fell to the ground amid explosions.

The last ninja looked at Shiro with terror in his eyes. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

“Please, spare me! I’ll do anything you ask!”

Shiro coldly walked up to the ninja. Though there wasn’t a hint of killing intent from his body, the ninja trembled uncontrollably.

“Sorry, but for the sake of revolution, you must die!”

With a swift motion, the ninja’s life ended.

Shiro didn’t feel any pride from killing eight people at once. Under equal conditions, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against all eight.

The only reason they lost was because they made two fatal mistakes.

The first was underestimating him.

From the moment they saw Shiro’s age, they underestimated him. To them, someone his age was likely fresh out of the academy. The idea that he could kill all eight of them at once was simply unbelievable.

The second mistake was their intelligence.

From the beginning, they assumed Shiro was from the Mist Village’s ANBU, using only Water and Taijutsu techniques.

They never expected that Shiro could use Lightning Style, much less that his Spiral Needles would be so devastating.

These two mistakes sealed their fate.

“Orange, no need to hide. Come out.”

Suigetsu Orange appeared, standing several meters away from Shiro.

“Momochi Ritsuto, who exactly are you? Why can you use Lightning Style? And why do you have the Sharingan?”

Suigetsu Orange’s voice was cold. She couldn’t believe that the person she had spent days with was a ninja from the Leaf Village.

She still clung to a shred of hope, waiting for Shiro to deny it.

“I know what you’re thinking, but I want to tell you, I bear no ill will toward the Mist Village.”

After saying this, Shiro turned his back.

He had said what he needed to say. How Suigetsu Orange interpreted it was up to her.

Suigetsu Orange thought for a long time before quickly running up to Shiro.

“Ritsuto-kun—no, that’s probably a fake name. But no matter what, I believe in you! I believe you won’t harm me!”

Shiro smiled slightly but said nothing.

Soon after, the ANBU sent to the Kimura Clan returned, and there were more of them than when they had left.

“Everything has been taken care of. Please issue the next order, sir!”

“Wait.”

Shiro uttered a single word before closing his eyes.

About half an hour later, the ninjas sent to the other two clans returned.

However, unlike Shiro’s side, which had suffered no losses, only about ten of the forty sent had come back, and all of them were injured.

Shiro slowly opened his eyes, which gleamed with determination.

“It’s time to end this!”

(Chapter ends)

*Chapter 90: My Name is Shiro [Fifth Update]*

Shiro returned to the Mizukage's office building with more than 30 members of the Anbu.

By now, the area outside the Mizukage's office building had become a battlefield.

Corpses could be seen everywhere.

Watching both sides suffer heavy losses, Shiro couldn’t help but smile.

This was the purpose of letting that ninja go.

If that ninja hadn’t escaped to give the alert, there wouldn’t have been a fight here, and no one would’ve come back to provide support.

What Shiro wanted was chaos!

“Hurry! Everyone, go support Lord Matsuga!”

Matsuga, seeing Shiro return, showed an expression of ecstatic joy.

The three major clans attacked simultaneously, and even the Mizukage's elite troops suffered heavy casualties.

However, being able to fight the three clans to this point proved the strength of Yagura's troops!

“Liren-kun, you’ve finally returned! Help me deal with these rebels!”

Shiro had no intention of stepping forward and even reached out to stop Shui Wuyue Cheng.

“This side is up to you, Lord Matsuga. I'll go protect the Mizukage.”

Matsuga shot Shiro an unhappy look, but it didn't seem to matter to him.

The thirty-plus people Shiro had brought back were enough to tip the scales of victory. Shiro’s presence or absence didn’t make much difference.

Besides, Matsuga could now claim all the glory for himself!

“Go, protecting the Mizukage is more important.”

Shiro smiled slightly and walked straight into the Mizukage's office building.

The inside of the building was empty—there was no one in sight.

The usually heavily guarded Anbu were all outside fighting. And since it was nighttime, all the officials were home asleep.

Shiro reached the door of the Mizukage's office without any obstruction.

“Cheng, wait outside. I’m going in to talk to Lord Yagura.”

Shui Wuyue Cheng stubbornly looked at Shiro, but the resolute look in his eyes made her back down instantly.

“Alright, but if anything happens, call my name, and I’ll come right in!”

Shiro smiled bitterly. He had placed Shui Wuyue Cheng outside because he didn’t want her involved in the upcoming battle.

After all, even if Yagura was gravely injured, he wasn’t someone Shui Wuyue Cheng could handle!

But to prevent her from doing something foolish, Shiro nodded slightly.

Shiro pushed the door open and entered. Yagura was sitting in his chair, an anxious expression on his face.

“Oh? Liren, you're back. Mission accomplished?”

“The mission is accomplished, only the final part remains!”

Yagura's face lit up, showing a look of appreciation.

“You're much better than that useless Matsuga. With more time to familiarize yourself, you’ll definitely be able to take his position. And when I retire or die in battle, you could even inherit the Mizukage position!”

Matsuga is the one truly looking out for you, Shiro thought to himself. He then removed his mask, revealing a happy expression underneath.

“Thank you, Mizukage-sama, for your guidance.”

Shiro tossed aside his Anbu mask and began walking step by step toward Yagura.

At first, Yagura didn’t mind, but when he noticed Shiro getting closer, he couldn’t help but frown.

“Liren, is there something else?”

“I’m here to protect you, Mizukage-sama.”

Even though Shiro responded, Yagura couldn’t shake off his unease.

Shiro's hand was resting on his weapon pouch, with one finger quietly gripping a kunai.

This was a standard stance of an Anbu on alert, but Yagura sensed danger, and it was coming from the twelve-year-old standing before him.

“Enough, that’s close enough!” Yagura said.

He wasn’t going to let Shiro approach any further because any closer, and he’d be within striking distance of an attack.

If Shiro suddenly struck, Yagura might not even have time to react.

“That won’t do. I must protect you closely, Mizukage-sama.”

“Enough—”

Before Yagura could shout in anger, he realized that Shiro had already thrown the kunai at him.

Yagura quickly dodged to the side, but the kunai still lodged in his shoulder, blood flowing out continuously.

“Momochi Liren! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Please don’t call me Momochi Liren,” Shiro said as he peeled off the bandages covering his face, revealing a handsome face underneath.

“My name is Shiro!”

Yagura glared at Shiro, fully understanding the situation now.

All the misfortunes of the past two days, turning him from someone on top to a target of everyone, had all been caused by this boy before him!

“Shiro! That name sounds familiar! Right, you’re the one from Konoha with the billion bounty, the one they said must not have a single wound, or Konoha would relentlessly pursue the attacker!”

“If there isn’t a second Shiro, then that would be me.”

“I’ve always wanted to ask, why would a Konoha ninja come here to interfere in Kirigakure’s affairs? Aren’t you afraid of starting a war? And what do you gain from this?”

“War? If you die, what war would there be? Plus, I’ll gain the support of a Mizukage!”

Yagura’s gaze became sharper, his face full of anger.

“Mei Terumi, huh? I should have known! But do you really think you can kill me?”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

Shiro sneered and charged at Yagura.

Bang!

He threw a punch, creating a massive hole in the floor, revealing a view of the level below.

Yagura's heart skipped a beat. If that punch had landed on him, he wouldn’t even have a chance for rescue.

Yagura now looked at Shiro with fear in his eyes.

He had never taken Shiro seriously before, thinking he was just a newly graduated academy student.

Now, Yagura realized he was terribly wrong—Shiro had the power to kill him!

“Don’t get cocky, boy! No matter how strong your taijutsu is, if you can’t hit me, it’s useless!” Yagura roared, his body starting to move quickly.