The entirety of the 18th passed in a blur of chaos. After Mei Terumi left, Terai and Shin took advantage of the turmoil to infiltrate Kirigakure and gather first-hand intelligence.
Meanwhile, Yamato set up "Wood Style: Transmission Wood" sentries around the safe house, guarding Hyuga Yu as he remained inside to cultivate.
To Terai, Shin, and Yamato, Hyuga Yu's current actions were completely incomprehensible.
From their perspective—Yu, who had never been to the Mist before and supposedly knew less about it than they did—had arrived on the first day and immediately assassinated a top-tier powerhouse of the Kaguya clan, Kaguya Washiro.
That same night, he clashed with the Third Mizukage and successfully led the team in an escape despite being pursued by the Mizukage himself and a detachment of Hunter-nin.
Then, on the 16th, he spent the entire day wandering the streets as if he were on vacation. The next day, he had a brief skirmish with the genius Mei Terumi, seemingly handing over some strange yet vital piece of information.
And then, on the 18th, Kirigakure fell into utter madness.
The conflict between the village's "War Faction" and "Peace Faction" had finally boiled over. The Third Mizukage used the assassination attempt on the night of the 17th as a pretext to deploy his personal Hunter-nin and Anbu units to conduct a secret purge of various departments.
The coup forces, realizing what was happening, ceased their hiding. Under the banner of "Cut Rain," and using the slogan "Change the Mist, Make Kirigakure Great Again," they organized a mass strike among the younger generation of shinobi. Shinobi from all sectors and ordinary villagers took to the streets wearing "Cut Rain" armbands in protest. The administrative system of the Mist was essentially paralyzed.
Although the War Faction led by the Third Mizukage could mobilize high-level officials and a large number of veteran shinobi, they were severely short-handed. They were forced to urgently recall elite shinobi from the front lines in the Land of Fire.
By that afternoon, all members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had been recalled to the village. However, given the notoriously brutal reputation of the Seven Swordsmen, their presence only worsened the friction. Arguments turned into violent street brawls and full-blown skirmishes.
Yet, the "Cut Rain" organization was cunning. Their leaders and high-ranking members remained submerged and out of sight, refusing to come forward to negotiate or present terms. Without a clear head to strike, the Third Mizukage couldn't simply slaughter every young ninja in the village. The situation reached a stalemate.
However, both sides knew this couldn't last.
The war on the Land of Fire front was still raging. If the rear remained paralyzed, the hard-won advantages on the battlefield would vanish.
The Third Mizukage arrested and tortured numerous mid-level members of "Cut Rain" to find their leaders. Meanwhile, "Cut Rain" utilized their numerical advantage to quickly hoard supplies, recall combatants from the front, and rapidly establish a temporary project dubbed the "Wartime Hospital."
Undercurrents surged. It wasn't just the two internal factions of the Mist; intelligence officers from the other four of the Five Great Shinobi Nations were rapidly sending out reports. The isolated Kirigakure had suddenly become the focal point of the Third Shinobi World War's shadows.
Amidst this chaos, in a remote corner of the village, the funeral for Jūzō Biwa—the wielder of the Severing Sword: Kubikiribōchō—was held quietly.
Like Kushimaru Kuriarare, Jūzō Biwa was a master of the Silent Killing Technique and a member of the Mist Anbu. He had spent his entire life on dangerous missions. He had no friends, no family, no children, and his relationship with his colleagues was poor... even hostile.
The only person who came to pay respects was Fuguki Suikazan, the man he got along with the least.
Fuguki stood silently for a moment before the tombstone where the Kubikiribōchō was planted. Finally, he crouched his mountain-like, obese body and placed a single white flower he had plucked from the roadside before the grave.
"Heh... for people like us, I guess this is the only ending we get?"
Fuguki Suikazan gave a self-deprecating laugh, a flash of resentment in his eyes. Finally, he pinched a handful of soil, scattered it before the stone, and stood up. His face returned to a mask of cold indifference as he walked toward the Mizukage Building without looking back.
Shortly after Fuguki left, a figure slowly descended from the sky. He wore a dark blue and white combat uniform and held a dark blue Kage hat with the character for "Water" (水) on it. He habitually kept his eyes closed, and his flowing black hair was adorned with white pearl-like ornaments.
The Third Mizukage looked at the name "Jūzō Biwa" carved on the stone and remained silent for a long time.
Jūzō had no family, no friends, and no confidants. But he had dedicated the entirety of his early life's loyalty to this man.
The Mizukage recalled the last piece of advice Jūzō had left him before being sent to the front: "Third Lord, stop this. This village is beyond saving. If you continue, you will die."
But...
The Third Mizukage sighed softly toward the silent grave.
Finally, he slowly opened those squinted eyes, revealing a pair of crimson blood-red pupils.
He slowly raised his hand and gripped the handle of the Severing Sword: Kubikiribōchō planted before the grave!
In the next instant, the blood-drinking blade began to melt in the Third Mizukage's hand. The door-sized blade transformed into a writhing mass of plasma that seeped downward like dripping blood, turning into thin threads that retracted beneath the Mizukage's wide robes.
Just as the Great Sword: Samehada had a second form through fusion, the Kubikiribōchō—despite its seemingly mundane "blood regeneration" trait—possessed a similar power. And when this power met a wielder truly suited for it, the resulting effect would be terrifyingly profound.
Holding the Kubikiribōchō, now transformed into a blade of blood, the Third Mizukage took one last look at Jūzō's grave. His scarlet eyes grew colder.
Kirigakure, a village isolated overseas and protected by natural barriers, was also trapped by its own geography. Its economy, military, and population struggled to grow. Furthermore, the system established by the First Mizukage in imitation of Konoha had led the village into a state of distortion it didn't even recognize. The key issue was: "It's precisely because too many people have a say in this village that everyone thinks they can dictate the future of the Mist with their naive ideals!"
The Third Mizukage turned around. His gaze swept over the mountains, looking down at the village hidden in the bloody mist, which was beginning to stir in chaos. A cold smile slowly curled onto his lips.
"This time,"
"This old man will purge everything. Genji, the Council of Elders... and..."
"Madara!"
April 18th, 6:00 PM.
In a modest house within the coastal port, Hyuga Yu listened to Terai's report regarding the chaotic state of Kirigakure. He nodded but offered no comment.
"The Anbu and Hunter-nin under the Third Mizukage's control are putting a lot of effort into maintaining order and suppressing the protesters."
"Their blockade of the maritime intelligence lines is gradually collapsing. Additionally, the 'Miko's' [Priestess's] intelligence department has provided considerable help. By tomorrow at the latest, we can use her lines to contact the village."
Inside the room, Terai watched Hyuga Yu stand up and slowly perform movements that looked like Tai Chi. He couldn't quite figure out what Yu was doing, but he asked enthusiastically, "Tennin, how should we report this? Also, now that we've reached this stage, we can ask the village for extra assistance. Have you thought about what you need?"
To the side, Yamato also stared at Yu curiously. Only Shin remained silent, sitting in the corner of the room with a brush, staring blankly at a piece of stationery.
Hyuga Yu was currently constructing the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin, the fourth of the twelve meridians. This meridian contained 21 acupoints and was more complex than the Lung Meridian. It connected the path from the Zhourong point on the shoulder to the Yinbai point on the big toe of the right foot. As the meridian neared completion, he felt his body becoming lighter and lighter. His control over the right side of his body became increasingly refined, to the point where he could manipulate his big toe into bizarre, joint-defying movements. By standing on his tiptoes, he could even hover three inches off the ground for over a minute...
It felt as though he were about to take flight.
Hearing Terai's words, Yu's eyes lit up. He immediately rattled off a string of numbers:
"6217850800019XXXXXX..."
Terai blinked, looking at Yu blankly. "What does that mean?"
"My bank account number!" Hyuga Yu said matter-of-factly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Tell the village to hurry up and wire 100 million Ryo in activity funds. That would be the biggest help to me!"
"One hundred million???" Terai stared at Yu in shock. He didn't have much of a concept of money; after all, Root provided food, housing, and covered all equipment costs. He often didn't even know how to spend his salary. But regardless, 100 million in activity funds? You really have the guts to ask for that?
"Isn't that... a bit much?"
"Is it?" Yu looked at Terai in surprise and began counting on his fingers. "The Mist has so many elders. This one likes calligraphy and paintings, that one likes antiques. Do you think grease for those wheels is free? And the 'Cut Rain' organization has so many cadres. Does building a network of connections not cost money? Terai, listen—great things require looking at the big picture. I'm already lowballing the estimate."
"Once the real operation starts, how long do you think that pocket change of yours will last?"
Yu stared at Terai, speaking with persuasive charm. "We can't exactly take out a loan just to go to work, can we?"
Terai had to admit, "That... that does make some sense..."
At that moment, Yamato struggled for a second before solemnly pulling a savings book from his vest and holding it up. "Captain Tennin, I have 1.2 million Ryo here!"
"If it's not enough, you can use mine first!"
"Yamato, well done!" Yu's gaze toward Yamato instantly softened. He took the savings book and didn't hold back on the praise.
He really hadn't expected it. Though Danzo was harsh on this Wood Style "Golden Child," he certainly gave him a generous allowance...
Terai glanced at Yamato but ultimately resisted the urge to pull out his own savings book.
Just then, the sound of paper fluttering caught their attention. Shin, in the corner, held up a sheet of drawing paper. On it was written:
"Can we send a letter through the intelligence channel?"
Yu looked at Shin, feeling a bit curious. "So you've been writing a letter this whole time? Who is it for?"
Shin scribbled on the paper: "My son."
Then he added: "I want to send this to him! Please, Captain Tennin!"
Shin looked at Yu somewhat shyly, gave a slight bow, and handed over the paper.
There were no words on the paper, only a drawing. In a very childish style, it showed a large stick figure with Shin's hairstyle holding the hand of a smaller "Shin" stick figure. There was a large red sun above them and a blue wavy line below.
Terai looked at the unusual letter and asked curiously, "What does this represent?"
Shin wrote: "When Uncle comes home, he'll take him to the beach to play. He can't read yet, but he can understand this drawing."
Yu's brow furrowed slightly. "You already have a child? But why do you refer to yourself as 'Uncle'? And is your child in the village now?"
Shin wrote: "He is being raised in the orphanage run by Lady Miko. Because... the organization's identity cannot be exposed, so..."
"Please!"
Yu was silent for a moment. Finally, he understood why the "Shin" before him looked similar to the "Shin" of the future Root but didn't match the age.
Sai was a war orphan, and his "brother" Shin was also a child who grew up in Nonō Yakushi's orphanage. But Shin wasn't without family. His father was the Shin currently standing before Hyuga Yu. Once this generation's Shin died, Root would find his offspring in the orphanage and have the new "Shin," who possessed the talent for Super Beast Imitating Drawing, take over the predecessor's position.
Just like Kabuto Yakushi's fate, children raised by Root from a young age were perfect in terms of both background and talent for Root's needs. Simultaneously, they served as "bonds" to ensure the loyalty of the previous generation.
No human can truly be emotionless.
And Root utilized these most sincere emotions to cultivate the most cold-blooded killers.
Yu couldn't help but think of Hyuga Natsu, Hyuga Tetsu, and the Might Duo back on the secondary lines of the Eastern Battlefield in the Land of Fire...
It was almost laughable. He was judging Shin's life, but wasn't he the same?
In fact, Yu currently had no way to send a letter to Natsu to tell her he was okay, or to warn her not to remarry just because he was "dead."
After all, theoretically, he was still a dead man.
Yu gave a self-deprecating laugh, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He turned to Terai and commanded in a chilled tone:
"Terai."
"Help Shin send that letter to the Miko's orphanage."
"Also, in the report to Lord Danzo, emphasize that I need activity funds. As for the amount..."
Yu paused for a moment, then said without hesitation:
"Write 200 million!"
He was already working for Root, an organization that didn't treat people like humans. If he didn't skim off the top, inflate expenses, and use public funds for private gain, then what was the point of working at all!
Although his Yang Release experiments were currently being "Angel Invested" by Elder Genji of the Mist, he would need massive amounts of capital for what came next—whether it was developing Tenseigan Chakra, researching the deep secrets of Yang Release and the other six basic elements, or studying the true powers inherited from the Hyuga ancestors.
He could charge part of it to Root's account by helping Danzo with the Hashirama Cell research or the "Nue" project, but ultimately, Yu needed to establish a laboratory of his own.
Based on Yu's knowledge of the cutting-edge technology in the current shinobi world, building a top-tier lab from scratch...
Would require an investment of at least one billion Ryo!
The chaos in Kirigakure continued through the 18th, and two days flew by.
The paralysis of the Mist's administrative system meant that rear supplies could not be transported to the front lines. The Mist's offensive on the Land of Fire's Eastern Battlefield slowed down at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Meanwhile, in Konoha.
The Konoha high-ranking officials were thrilled by the situation. The leadership, headed by Hiruzen Sarutobi and Koharu Utatane, highly praised Danzo during the council meeting. Root had done an excellent job!
Hiruzen Sarutobi, in particular, had originally thought that sending Danzo's Root was just to act as a "sh*t-stirrer"—a gamble to see if they could annoy the Mist.
Who would have thought that Root would pull off something this massive!
With this, Konoha could focus more energy on dealing with the Iwagakure movements near the Land of Grass.
However, just as the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was feeling triumphant, the leader of Root and Konoha Elder, Danzo Shimura, tossed a bill onto Hiruzen's desk!
Hiruzen picked up the bill, and the wrinkled smile on his face vanished instantly.
Cold sweat poured down his forehead. Looking at the long string of zeros on the invoice, he looked up in disbelief at the composed Danzo sitting across from him. "Danzo, wait... isn't this expense a bit... excessive?"
"Excessive?" Danzo snorted. "Hiruzen, are you an idiot?"
"The Mist has so many elders. This one likes calligraphy and paintings, that one likes antiques. Do you think grease for those wheels is free? And the 'Cut Rain' organization has so many cadres. Does building a network of connections not cost money? Hiruzen, listen—great things require looking at the big picture. I'm already lowballing the estimate."
"But FIVE HUNDRED MILLION RYO!!! This is too much!"
Hiruzen's hands shook as he held the bill. The pipe in his mouth began to wobble, and his vision went dark for a second. Thud!
He slammed his hand on the desk and stood up, looking at Danzo with a grim expression. "No, the village doesn't have that much money right now!"
"At most... at most I can give you... hm, 200 million!"
"Are you treating me like a beggar!?" Danzo was instantly enraged. He slammed his cane against the floor of the Hokage's office, glaring at Hiruzen without backing down. "500 million! It must be 500 million!"
"Do you know how many Root members died for this mission!?"
"Even my assistant, Tatsuma Aburame, was severely injured and almost died in the Mist!"
"Hiruzen, are the lives of the villagers so worthless in your eyes? You... you simply disappoint me too much!"
Speaking with agitation, Danzo paused, gritted his teeth, and put on a pained expression. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. "450 million. Not a Ryo less!"
However, Hiruzen looked at his old friend with narrowed eyes. His grip on the desk tightened as he said coldly:
"The village will give you 300 million at most!"
"As for the rest... Danzo, I know you've taken quite a bit before, and those secret research projects Root is conducting—it's about time you coughed some of that up!"
"You..." Hearing this, Danzo's face darkened completely. He huffed and puffed, the veins on his hand bulging to the point where he almost crushed his cane!
Finally, he could only grit his teeth and let out a cold snort. "Hiruzen, you will regret this!"
Hiruzen didn't budge, staring him down with cold pride. "Danzo, I am the Hokage!"
Hearing those words, Danzo could only pocket the 300 million Ryo of Konoha funds, turning and storming out the door in frustration!
Slam!
The door rattled precariously, and several cracks appeared in the wall—as if this scene had already played out countless times before.
————
Supporting me on Pa-treon to gain early access to advanced chapters and enjoy expedited updates. Your support is greatly appreciated.
pat-reon .c-om/Dragonhair
(Just remove the hyphen - and space, to access Pa-treon normally.)