Chapter 38: Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Who Doesn't Want to Kill the Mizukage?
"Then which side are you on?"
Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, looking at Mangetsu Hōzuki, shouldering Samehada, "Little fellow of the Hōzuki clan, I remember you were never allowed near here, right? Coming to Lord Mizukage's residence, are you planning to rescue Lord Mizukage, or kill both Lord Mizukage and the assassin?"
"..."
Mangetsu Hōzuki fell silent.
Kisame Hoshigaki's words pierced through Mangetsu Hōzuki's peaceful facade.
Kirigakure's (Village Hidden by Mist) Hōzuki clan was a prominent clan in the village. Their most flourishing period was undoubtedly when Gengetsu Hōzuki became the Second Mizukage. From then on, the Hōzuki clan's status as a noble family in Kirigakure was established.
However, since then, the Hōzuki clan rarely got along well with successive Mizukages; their status was too transcendent.
These Hōzuki clan ninjas, capable of using the Hydrification Technique, were immensely talented. They had always controlled the Seven Ninja Swords, served as the leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and were responsible for managing this powerful ninja squad that wasn't very obedient to the Mizukage.
This ninja squad, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, who weren't particularly subservient to the Mizukage, were paradoxically very friendly towards the Hōzuki clan, because the Hōzuki could freely summon the Seven Ninja Swords.
Wasn't this madly tempting fate on the edge of disaster?
The Hōzuki clan's status was extremely similar to Konoha's Uchiha clan.
No, the Hōzuki clan's status was much stronger than Konoha's Uchiha clan. At least their clansmen had once produced a Mizukage, while the Uchiha clan head couldn't even secure a high-level position in Konoha.
Regardless, the relationship between the Hōzuki clan and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen destined them to be unable to coexist harmoniously with the Mizukage-led higher-ups.
And after experiencing years of war, the Hōzuki clansmen suffered heavy losses on the battlefield, and their talent pool gradually dwindled.
Coincidentally, Konoha's Uchiha clan now only had Uchiha Itachi and his younger brother Uchiha Sasuke left, while Kirigakure's Hōzuki clan now also only had Mangetsu Hōzuki and his younger brother Suigetsu Hōzuki remaining.
Looking at the silent Mangetsu Hōzuki, Kisame Hoshigaki continued with a light chuckle, "If you kill Lord Mizukage here, even though you're only thirteen this year, it's still highly likely many people will elect you to succeed as the village's Fifth Mizukage..."
"..."
Mangetsu Hōzuki, however, shook his head, reached for the ninja sword on his back [Hiramekarei], looked up at Kisame Hoshigaki, and said gravely, "Then I can only disappoint Kisame-senpai. I will not betray the village, much less commit treason and kill Lord Mizukage."
"Then what are you still saying here!"
Uehara Naraka's voice rang out as his body turned into a black shadow, appearing before Mangetsu Hōzuki and slamming a fist onto Mangetsu's head, splashing up large amounts of water!
The splashed water reconverged, reforming Mangetsu Hōzuki's head. With the Hōzuki clan's Hydrification Technique, physical attacks of this level could be completely immunized against.
Uehara Naraka watched Mangetsu Hōzuki's head take a heavy blow yet seem completely unaffected, and couldn't help exclaiming in amazement, "Tsk, the Hydrification Technique? Truly miraculous..."
"Your Excellency is even more fearsome."
Mangetsu Hōzuki's expression, however, gradually turned grave. He reached for the ninja sword on his back and said softly, "Someone who can take a direct hit from the Water Gun Technique and remain completely unharmed... Even I have never seen such a person."
"Well, now you have."
Uehara Naraka felt somewhat fortunate he had bought Warmog's Armor early. His Life Energy recovery rate far exceeded before; just during the time Mangetsu Hōzuki and Kisame Hoshigaki were talking, his Life Energy had already recovered mostly.
Just as they were facing off.
The Three-Tails in the lake suddenly dispersed into smoke. The Fourth Mizukage Yagura climbed up, tightly clutching his arm, blood flowing out from between his fingers.
As the Three-Tails Jinchūriki, Yagura's recovery ability was also very strong, but the wound left by the purple energy Uehara Naraka released was strangely persistent; Tailed Beast chakra simply couldn't repair it.
Everyone's gaze shifted, slowly turning towards the heavily injured Fourth Mizukage. Yagura looked coldly at everyone present and commanded, "Mangetsu Hōzuki, I order you, kill this kid and Kisame Hoshigaki!"
Mangetsu Hōzuki glanced around at everyone present, abruptly drew the twin swords Hiramekarei from his back, and responded gravely, "I understand... Lord Mizukage!"
"..."
Uehara Naraka quickly raised his finger. Just as he was about to engage Mangetsu Hōzuki, Kisame Hoshigaki suddenly swung Samehada to block his path.
Just as Uehara was surprised, Kisame Hoshigaki chuckled lightly, "Lord Uehara, don't be hasty... The situation in Kirigakure is much more complicated than you see. In this village, so-called comrades are just departed souls under the butcher's knife..."
Kisame Hoshigaki watched Mangetsu Hōzuki slowly shift the ninja sword in his hand, the smile on his face growing wider, "A heavily injured Mizukage... for every ninja who wants to kill the Mizukage, that's a huge temptation..."
As Kisame Hoshigaki's voice fell, Mangetsu Hōzuki truly tightened his grip on Hiramekarei, turned around, and slashed towards Yagura behind him!
Uehara Naraka frowned, watching another Seven Ninja Swordsman betray Yagura, and couldn't help asking, "What's going on here?"
"If it were a Lord Mizukage at full strength, naturally no one would dare make a move. Only a madman like Zabuza Momochi would actively attack..."
Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, watching Mangetsu Hōzuki and Yagura locked in fierce combat, and continued with a smile, "But if it's a heavily injured Mizukage, that's another matter entirely... After all, every Mist ninja has a hero dream of changing the Village of the Bloody Mist! Our Lord Fourth Mizukage never paid attention to his own subordinates; he merely relied on the power of the Three-Tails Jinchūriki to barely keep the village's ninjas in check. Moreover, the reason for the decline of the prominent Mist clan, the Hōzuki, lies squarely with the Lord Fourth Mizukage standing before us; he truly deserves the 'credit'!"
Ever since Kirigakure became the Village of the Bloody Mist, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura had long lost the hearts of the Kirigakure higher-ups. Furthermore, the rules he personally established had caused the Mist ninjas to lose all respect for him long ago.
And the gradual disappearance of the Hōzuki clan within Kirigakure was inextricably linked to the Fourth Mizukage who implemented the Bloody Mist Policy.
Uehara Naraka looked at Mangetsu Hōzuki's figure, a hint of confusion in his expression, "If his goal was also to kill the Fourth Mizukage, why did he stop me from killing Yagura earlier?"
"Because he also wanted revenge!"
Kisame Hoshigaki chuckled lightly and explained, "The relationship between the Hōzuki clan and the Fourth Mizukage is like fire and water. Since I joined the ANBU, I've seen quite a few missions to eliminate Hōzuki clan ninjas!"
"Hmm, that was all Uchiha Obito..."
Uehara Naraka was just about to speak—shouldn't all the blame for everything happening in Kirigakure be placed on Uchiha Obito's head?
However, thinking carefully, Mangetsu Hōzuki indeed knew nothing about this.
Kisame Hoshigaki shook his head and said in a low voice, "Lord Uehara, successive Mizukages suppressing the ninja clans within Kirigakure has long been customary. It's just that the person manipulating the Fourth Mizukage from behind completely intensified the conflict."
"..."
Uehara nodded thoughtfully.
Does every hidden village have this kind of rotten business?
With so much deep-seated hatred, it didn't seem strange that Mangetsu Hōzuki would want to kill the Mizukage!
That Clan Head Fugaku Uchiha who died not long ago... if one day he privately encountered a heavily injured Shimura Danzō and Hiruzen Sarutobi, he'd probably want to help scatter their ashes, wouldn't he?
(End of Chapter)
---
Read up to 20 chapter ahead of time on patreon.com/Legendryweeb
{please give this novel 5 Star review and power stone}
*Thank you*