Since Yagura implented his bloody policies, the Hidden Mist Village has been in a state of constant turmoil, with unrest and disorder gripping the village. Nearly all of the high-ranking Mist ninja, including the original Seven Swordsn of the Mist, except for Fuguki Suikazan, defected from the village. Countless other rogue ninja from the Mist Village followed suit, making it the largest contributor to the number of rogue ninjas in the entire ninja world during that period.
In addition to the internal chaos, clans such as the Yuki Clan, and even the Chinoike Clan, who had long been rivals of the Hyuga Clan from Konoha, faced purges and suppression within the Hidden Mist.
The remaining Mist clans, while ostensibly at odds due to Yagura’s orders, secretly banded together for mutual survival. This had beco an open secret. Not only did they communicate with one another, but they also maintained contacts with the rogue ninja outside the village. Even though the Mist Village’s infamous Hunter-nin pursued defectors with ferocity, the number of rogue ninjas only continued to grow, often due to the inside information leaked by these very clans.
In this era, even though there was a push toward weakening the power of the clans in places like Konoha, the ninja families still dominated. The ability to beco a ninja was largely determined by family heritage. The Ninja Academy served as a supplent to the ninja ranks, but for many children born into ninja clans, attending the Academy was unnecessary for becoming a skilled ninja. However, for children from civilian backgrounds, attending the Academy was the only chance they had to ever beco a ninja, as there were no other avenues for them to acquire ninja knowledge.
This is why, despite Yagura’s grueso policy of allowing only one student per class to graduate from the Academy, the number of Mist ninjas never significantly declined. Many of the clan children were simply kept away from the Academy and trained within their families, avoiding competition with commoners for the sole spot of survival.
The ninja clans had their own ways of avoiding Yagura’s policies, but even they had long grown weary of Yagura’s oppressive rule.
On the night Yagura was taken by Hashirama Senju, many even breathed a sigh of relief.
Now, Genji, who held high prestige in the Hidden Mist, was temporarily overseeing the village’s affairs. Although there were those who disagreed with Genji’s decision to elevate Utakata, most of the opposition ca from those loyal to Yagura. Since Yagura’s disappearance, that faction had lost nearly all of its influence in the village.
In fact, the only reason they hadn’t been purged yet was because Genji had personally intervened on their behalf.
Inside the council chambers, the representatives of the various ninja clans mulled over their futures. Despite the havoc caused by the Six-Tails rampaging through the village, they showed no signs of panic. Their clan compounds were far from the central area, and no matter how wild the Six-Tails beca, it was unlikely to pose a direct threat to their interests.
However, the impending rise of i Terumi, manipulated by Hashirama Senju, to power would have very real consequences for these clans.
They had to decide whether to embrace the change or cling to tradition. It was a choice that would determine the future of their clans, and they were willing to bide their ti, watching how the situation unfolded and gauging the sincerity of both sides’ offers.
Hidden Mist Village, Mizukage’s Office.
“So, are they still refusing to co?” Genji asked softly.
“Lord Genji, our clan head is unwell. I’m here on his behalf to carry out your orders,” a ninja from the Hozuki Clan replied with a polite smile. “Please feel free to give any instructions.”
The attendant repeated these words for Genji, who had trouble hearing.
“Feel free to ask anything? Then I’ll ask your Hozuki Clan to cut ties with i Terumi. I’ve already suggested this before—will you listen this ti?” Genji shook his head and sighed. “Do you still think the changes won’t affect you?”
The Hozuki ninja frowned slightly but maintained his composure. “Lord Genji, the priority right now should be dealing with the Six-Tails.”
“The Six-Tails can be dealt with anyti. Even if we delay, the cost will only be a few more lives. But if we delay addressing the reformists, it will be a disaster for all of us,” Genji said as he slowly stood, gazing out the window at the still-rampaging Six-Tails in the distance.
The Hozuki ninja did not agree but refrained from voicing his dissent. He rely muttered quietly, “After all, the village belongs to us ninja clans. You’re overthinking things, Lord Genji.”
The attendant glanced sharply at the Hozuki ninja, but still relayed his words to Genji.
“Your village?” Genji chuckled dryly. “The Yuki Clan once thought this village belonged to them as well. Where are they now?”
Many people believe they are indispensable to their village, but reality proves otherwise. Villages do not exist because of them, nor will they cease to function without them.
Yagura handled the Yuki Clan this way.
Tobirama Senju suppressed the Uchiha Clan the sa way.
Now, with the rise of Hashirama Senju, who has incited the chaos by unleashing the Six-Tails upon the Mist, with no regard for the thousands of innocent villagers, it’s clear that his ambitions will not allow for kindness. Anyone who thinks they will be spared when Hashirama takes control is gravely mistaken.
As Genji’s laughter faded, a grim silence fell over the room. Shaking his head slowly, he finally spoke again, “Since you’re determined to hold out for a better deal, then so be it. Kenji Hozuki, take your n and go to the western gate.”
The Hozuki ninja blinked in confusion. “The western gate? Aren’t we going to suppress the Six-Tails?”
“The Six-Tails needs to be contained, yes. But so does the rebellion of the Taketori Clan,” Genji said flatly.
“The Taketori Clan’s rebelling?! At a ti like this?!” Kenji Hozuki’s eyes widened in disbelief.
The Mist Village and the Taketori Clan had clashed many tis before. All the clans in the village had a deep grudge against the Taketori, unlike the Yuki Clan, which had been innocently persecuted. The Taketori were violent, battle-crazed warriors who had repeatedly plunged the Mist into crises. They were a constant external threat that forced the village to unite before Yagura’s bloodthirsty reign.
Genji did not trust the Hozuki Clan to handle the Six-Tails, but he did trust them to fight the Taketori Clan. When it ca to the Taketori, the Hozuki couldn’t afford to slack off, let alone plot against the village.
“You’d better stop them from breaking through before we finish dealing with the Six-Tails,” Genji waved his hand dismissively.
Kenji Hozuki left with a grim expression.
Whether the Taketori Clan’s rebellion was Hashirama’s doing or simply the result of their impulsive nature, the fact remained that their attack posed a dire threat to the Mist Village.
If those madn broke through, the village could be wiped out within a single day.
The ninja clans’ hopes of staying neutral and playing both sides against each other were shattered the mont they heard about the Taketori assault.
At least for now, they had no choice but to fight for Genji.
After Kenji Hozuki and his n departed, the Mizukage’s office grew quiet, leaving only Genji and his attendant.
Under different circumstances, Genji would have sent his attendant to assist with the Six-Tails incident, but the fear of assassination kept him close.
Though Genji had won a small victory against the Hozuki Clan, his expression remained grim. He sat on the couch, staring out the window in silence.
“Lord Genji…” the attendant murmured softly, concerned for his health.
Genji remained silent for a long ti before finally shaking his head, his voice heavy with regret.
“Utakata… was a good boy…”
“I’m so sorry for what I’ve done to him…”
“I hope he can forgive …”
The attendant also fell silent, clenching his fists before relaxing them.
This good boy, the one destined to be the village’s next Mizukage, had beco the weapon being used to destroy it. The boy who had vowed to protect the village was now slaughtering his own people.
With the Taketori Clan’s assault, and the looming threat of Hashirama Senju and i Terumi, the Mist Village found itself in a dire state, facing internal and external crises before their enemies had even made a direct move.
They had to contend with the Taketori’s attack, suppress the Six-Tails rampage, and navigate the treacherous politics of their own ninja clans—all while barely holding the line against Hashirama’s machinations.
Was there any hope for them?
Hidden Mist Village, Outskirts.
A sharp cry pierced the night sky.
Zabuza looked up, watching as i Terumi erged from the shadows, holding a black crow in her hand.
“Who’s the ssage from?” Zabuza asked.
“The Hozuki Clan. They’re asking
why we allowed the Taketori Clan to attack the village. They thought we agreed to cooperate with them. And now, they want to know what we’re really up to,” i read the letter aloud and glanced at Zabuza. “Looks like you’ve pushed them right back into Genji’s hands.”
“Heh, cooperate? A bunch of opportunists. When they can bring Genji over to our side, then we can talk about ‘cooperating,’” Zabuza sneered.
i pursed her lips, choosing not to respond. She couldn’t help but agree that the Hozuki Clan was overestimating their leverage, and their lack of awareness about the power dynamics was almost laughable.
“When do we make our move?” Zabuza asked casually.
“We’ll wait until the village’s situation worsens a bit more,” i answered, knowing Zabuza followed Hashirama’s orders directly, but she handled the tactical decisions. “We need to appear like the heroes when we step in.”
Zabuza eyed i with skepticism.
“What? You don’t think I’m capable of saying sothing like that?” i teased, raising an eyebrow.
“Too heartless,” Zabuza muttered, searching for the right words.
i sighed. “Sotis, being heartless now is necessary so we don’t have to be heartless later. I want the Mist Village to suffer as little as possible, but if they don’t experience enough hardship, they won’t appreciate the peace we’re trying to give them.”
Her eyes glinted as she changed her tone, smiling mischievously. “Doesn’t that sound a lot like sothing Hashirama would say?”
“Not really,” Zabuza grumbled, unwilling to admit the comparison.
“Ah, such a stubborn man,” i said, rolling her eyes.
As the two conversed, behind them, more than a hundred figures sharpened their blades silently in the grass, all of them wearing the headbands of rogue Mist ninjas.
These ruthless outcasts, in the grand design, would soon beco the saviors of the Hidden Mist.
Chaos is the prelude to revolution.
Only through chaos can one system of order be dismantled and replaced with another.
The Six-Tails, Saiken, continued its rampage within the Hidden Mist. A Tailed Beast outbreak was a catastrophe for any village, and it was not uncommon for a weapon ant to be aid at enemy villages to turn on its own. Such events were written throughout the history of the ninja world.
Konoha had suffered greatly from the Nine-Tails’ two rampages, Kumogakure from the Eight-Tails, and Sunagakure from the One-Tail. The Mist Village had experienced similar events before, but now, just as a new Mizukage was set to rise, their weapon had been turned against them, and many were left in shock.
Fuguki Suikazan slashed deeply into Saiken’s soft body with a blade he didn’t favor, but the wound quickly dissolved without leaving a scar.
It was the creature’s nature—almost immune to physical attacks of a certain level.
As his blade corroded from the acidic mist, Fuguki scowled in frustration, cursing his loss of Sahada, the weapon that had been taken by Kisa. His grudge against Kisa burned anew.
“Sir! The sealing team has arrived!!” one of his n called out.
“They can’t seal it unless we weaken it first! Do you think they can just seal it as it is?!” Fuguki barked in response.
Saiken was already gathering chakra for a Tailed Beast Bomb. Gripping another sword, Fuguki was about to charge again, but the corrosive mist surged from Saiken’s body.
“Damn it!” he cursed under his breath, forced to retreat and cast a Water Release jutsu to dilute the acidic mist.
But as he did so, he watched in despair as the Tailed Beast Bomb in Saiken’s mouth grew larger and larger.
This single attack was enough to wipe out the entire central district.
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