“Which side are you on, then?”
Kisame looked towards Mangetsu with a smile and heaved Samehada Greatsword onto his shoulder, “Little boy of Hohzuki clan, I remember that you were never allowed to approach here, right? Since you’ve come to Mizukage-sama’s residence, was it to rescue Mizukage-sama or kill Mizukage-sama and the assassin?”
“…”
Mangetsu fell silent.
Kisame instantly torn off Mangetsu’s pretense.
The Hohzuki clan of the Kirigakure was the noble clan in the Village. Their most flourishing period was undoubtedly when one of the Hohzuki became the Second Mizukage. It was then when the Hohzuki clan established itself as a noble clan within the Kirigakure.
Since then, the Hohzuki clan couldn’t produce any members comparable to the previous Mizukage, so their status slowly fell.
The innate talents of the Hohzuki clan allowed them to use the powerful Hydrification technique. They were also in charge of seven swords and acted as the head of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. This meant that they were responsible for managing a powerful team that was not truly under the Mizukage’s control.
Seven Swordsmen of the Mist was a ninja team that was not very obedient to the Mizukage. Instead, they were very friendly to the Hohzuki clan since the Hohzuki clan could freely use the seven swords.
The temptation of taking the next step would drive anyone insane.
The status of the Hohzuki Clan was very similar to Konoha’s Uchiha Clan.
No, the status of the Hohzuki Clan was much better than that of Konoha’s Uchiha Clan. One of their clansmen had once been a Mizukage, but Uchiha Clan’s Clan Leader couldn’t even get a high position within Konoha’s council…
That’s beside the point. The relationship between the Hohzuki clan and Seven Swordsmen of the Mist meant that they could not get along with the high-level ninjas under the Mizukage.
After years of war, the Hohzuki Clan suffered heavy losses on the battlefield, losing many clansmen, which led to their talents gradually withering away.
Coincidentally, the Uchiha Clan of Konoha now only had Uchiha Itachi and his younger brother Uchiha Sasuke, while the Hohzuki clan of Kirigakure now only had Mangetsu and his younger brother Hozuki Suigetsu.
Looking at the silent Mangetsu, Kisame chuckled and continued, “If you kill Mizukage-sama here, even if you are only thirteen years old this year, you are still very likely to be elected by the people and become the Fifth Mizukage….”
“……”
Mangetsu shook his head, grabbed the ninja sword on his back, and lifted his head to look at Kisame. Opening his mouth, he slowly spoke, “Then I can only disappoint Senior Kisame. I will not betray the village, let alone kill Mizukage-sama.”
“Then what are you still doing here!”
Uehara’s voice rang out, and his body turned into a black shadow as he appeared in front of Mangetsu and hit Mangetsu’s head with a punch causing a splash of water!
The water then reformed back into Mangetsu’s head. This was the Hohzuki clan’s Hydrification technique, which made them immune to this level of physical attack.
Uehara dealt a heavy blow to his head, but as if nothing happened so he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Hey, is this the Hydrification technique? It’s really amazing…”
“Your Excellency is far more terrifying.”
Mangetsu’s face gradually became serious. He reached out his hand and pulled out his ninja sword, and whispered softly, “You’ve received a head-on blow from the Three-Tails, yet you remain unharmed… Even I’ve never seen something like that before.”
“Well, you’ve seen it now.”
Uehara was grateful that he bought the Fanatic’s Armour early with its increased life energy recovery rate. In the short period of time, Mangetsu and Kisame spent talking, his life energy had been restored.
Just as they confronted each other.
The Three-Tails lying in the lake suddenly turned into smoke and dissipated. The Fourth Mizukage Yagura clambered out, clutching his arm tightly as blood dripped from between his fingers.
As a Three-Tails Jinchuriki, Yagura had strong regeneration, but the wound left by the purple energy released by Uehara was surprisingly difficult to heal. Even Tailed Beast Chakra couldn’t heal his wound.
Everyone’s gazes slowly turned towards the severely injured Fourth Mizukage. He coldly gazed at everyone present, opened his mouth, and instructed, “Mangetsu, I order you to kill the little demon and Kisame!”
Mangetsu glanced up at everyone present, suddenly pulled out Twinsword Hiramekarei behind him, and replied in a deep voice, “I understand… Mizukage-sama!”
“…”
Uehara put his hand up quickly. Just as he was about to face Mangetsu, Kisame suddenly waved his Samehada to stop him.
Uehara was puzzled, but Kisame lightly said with a smile, “Uehara-sama, don’t worry… The situation within the Kirigakure is much more complicated than what you have seen. In this village, your so-called companions are all just dead souls under the butcher knife…”
Kisame watched Mangetsu slowly moving the ninja sword in his hand, and the smile on his face grew thicker, “A severely injured Mizukage is a huge temptation for every ninja who wants to kill Mizukage.”
As Kisame’s voice fell, Mangetsu clenched Hiramekarei in his hand, turned, and moved towards Yagura’s to chop him up!
Uehara frowned and gazed at another Seven Swordsmen of the Mist betraying Yagura and couldn’t help but ask, “What is going on?”
“If the Mizukage-sama were at his full strength, naturally, no one would dare to do this, only the crazy guy Zabuza would take the initiative to attack…”
Kisame grinned. He looked at Mangetsu and Yagura fighting each other. His smirk grew thicker as he continued, “But a Mizukage suffering serious injuries? That’s a whole other story… After all, every Kirigakure ninja dreams to end the blood mist!
The Fourth Mizukage had never paid attention to his subordinates. He just relied on his power as the Three-Tails Jinchuriki to barely suppress the ninjas within the Village.
“Moreover, the Fourth Mizukage was the reason the Kirigakure’s noble clan Hohzuki fell from grace, and he was now standing in front of Mangetsu!”
Ever since the Kirigakure introduced Blood Mist Doctrine, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura had lost his popularity amongst the Kirigakure’s high-level ninjas. What’s more, the other orders he personally gave had caused the Mist Ninjas to have lost their respect for him.
Additionally, the gradual demise of the Hohzuki clan was inseparable from the Fourth Mizukage, who had implemented the Blood Mist Doctrine.
Uehara looked at Mangetsu’s silhouette with doubts in his expression, “If his purpose was to kill Fourth- Mizukage, why did he stop me from killing Yagura?”
“Because he wants revenge too!”
Kisame chuckled and explained, “The relationship between the Hohzuki clan and the Fourth Mizukage is like water and fire. I’ve been part of the Anbu for some time now, so I’ve seen many missions targeting the Hohzuki-clan!”
“Uchiha Obito…”
Uehara wanted to ask. Was it really the Mizukage’s fault? Couldn’t everything that happened in the village be blamed on Obito?
But when he thought more about it, he realized that Mangetsu didn’t know anything about it.
Kisame shook his head and said in a low voice, “Lord Uehara, it has long been a common practice for the Mizukage to suppress the ninjas of the Kirigakure. The person behind the scenes who manipulated the Fourth Mizukage just intensified the situation.”
“……”
Uehara nodded and looked thoughtful.
Why was there a tragedy occurring in every village?
There was so much hatred, so it was not surprising that Mangetsu wanted to kill Mizukage!
Just like the patriarch Uchiha Tomitake who died not long ago, if he met a seriously injured Shimura Danzo and Sarutobi Hizen in private one day. Well, all Uehara could do for them would be to spread their ashes, right?