radicalducati Chapter 468 Power Transfer in Kirigakure
Chapter 468 Power Transfer in Kirigakure
Chapter 468 Power Transfer in Kirigakure
The Land of Water, the Hidden Mist Village.
Thick fog shrouds this ninja village, nestled deep in the mountains of the main island, year-round.
The fog dampened the surfaces of rocks, trees, and buildings, making everything appear hazy and cold, like a faded painting.
An ink painting that is not completely dry.
The air was filled with the salty smell of the sea, and occasionally, cool water droplets would condense from above and drip onto the waterlogged ground or onto the shoulders of pedestrians, making a monotonous and lonely sound.
At the village entrance, two smooth stone-paved roads, worn smooth by time and footsteps, stretch out into the thick fog and disappear into the distance.
The roadside signs, symbolizing the fog, were also stained dark by the moisture.
Accompanied by slightly heavy and weary footsteps, four figures pierced through the thick fog and slowly approached from the outer road.
Leading the group was Ao, an elite Jonin with a cold and stern face, wearing a black eye patch.
His brows were furrowed, as if he had something on his mind, but his steps remained steady.
The three people following behind him were clearly in much worse condition.
"Ah! I'm finally back!"
Hozuki Suigetsu let out an exaggerated long sigh, and without caring whether there were puddles on the ground, he sat down on the ground with a thud.
The long, bandaged knife, Needle, behind him clattered softly against the ground with his movements.
Shuiyue grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. She raised her hand and vigorously rubbed her neck and shoulders, which ached from the long journey. Her short white hair was dampened by the mist and stuck to her forehead, making her look even more disheveled.
"I'm exhausted—this job is inhuman. If I had known Konoha would turn out like this, I would never have taken this mission." He complained, but deep in his purple eyes, there was still a trace of the shock of surviving a disaster.
Chojuro, carrying the massive, blunt sword Kabuto, saw the village gate and exhaled a long breath of turbid air mixed with white mist.
He adjusted his square-framed glasses, turned his head to look at his last companion, and asked in a gentle but concerned tone, "Hinoka, are you alright? Does your wound still hurt?"
With bandages wrapped around her body, Hino Uzumaki stopped her weary steps, panting slightly.
Hearing Chojuro's question, she frowned her slender eyebrows and shook her head. Although her face was a little pale, her eyes revealed the tenacity of the Uzumaki clan.
"It's alright, but I'm still a bit exhausted and haven't fully recovered yet." Her voice was a little hoarse.
"I hope that after I finish this report, I can have a few days of rest—preferably a soak in a hot spring." As she finished speaking, a faint hint of anticipation appeared in her eyes.
Qing did not participate in his subordinates' complaints and conversations.
With a stern face, he walked straight up to the two Hidden Mist ninjas on duty at the village entrance.
The two ninjas clearly recognized Qing and immediately straightened up and bowed.
"Lord Qing, you're back." One of the ninjas said respectfully, while taking out a register.
"Hmm." Qing simply responded, took the register, and quickly and skillfully filled in the registration information for returning from the mission outside the village.
His handwriting was strong, but the pen seemed to be being pressed harder than usual.
After filling it out, he handed the registration book back and shouted to the three people behind him, "Don't delay, go straight to the Water Shadow Building to report."
Shuiyue reluctantly got up from the ground and patted her damp pants.
Chojuro and Hinokami also composed themselves, their fatigue vanishing as they regained their spirits.
Led by Ao, the four of them walked through the streets of Kirigakure, which were shrouded in thick fog and exuded a chilling silence, toward the Mizukage Building, the tallest and most conspicuous cylindrical building in the center of the village.
Most of the villagers and ordinary ninjas who saw them along the way simply gave them a silent salute before hurrying away.
Although the Blood Mist policy has been abolished, the deep imprint left on this village by twenty years of oppressive rule and closed environment cannot be erased in a short period of time.
An invisible sense of oppression still lingered in the air.
The Water Shadow's office is located on a high floor of the building. The room is spacious, but simply furnished, and even somewhat deserted.
When Ao led the three slightly tired people through the door, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, was sitting behind a large desk in the center of the office.
Compared to the petite yet imposing figure who was hailed as the "perfect Jinchuriki" a few years ago, Yagura now appears unusually haggard and weak.
He wore the robes of the Water Shadow, but his face was sickly pale, his lips were bloodless, and there were dark circles under his eyes.
When Qing and the others came in, he was covering his mouth with a handkerchief and coughing twice in a muffled voice, with a phlegm-like sound.
There is a chair on each side of the desk.
Sitting on the left was an elderly man with a hunched back, holding a cane with a snake's head. He was none other than Elder Yuanshi, the most senior and respected elder of Kirigakure.
He squinted, seemingly a little drowsy.
On the right sat a mature and beautiful woman.
She has long brown hair with slightly curled ends, and her bright green eyes are charming, exuding competence and intelligence.
She was wearing a blue strapless off-shoulder dress, and was resting her chin on her hand, looking indifferently at the four people who entered the room.
Mei Terumi is an elite Jonin among the younger generation of Kirigakure, possessing both Lava Release and Boil Release bloodline limits.
"Lord Mizukage, Elder Genji, Lord Terumi Mei." Ao stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
Hozuki Suigetsu, Chojuro, and Hinokami followed suit and bowed.
Yagura put down the handkerchief, waved gently, and said in a weak voice, "No need for formalities—it's good that you're back."
"Qing, what's the mission—cough cough—what are the specifics? I've read your report, but there are some details I'd like to hear from you personally."
The report he mentioned was a written report that Ao sent back to the village as quickly as possible through Kirigakure's communication channels after he left Konoha.
The report described in as much detail as possible the course of the Konoha Chunin Exams, Orochimaru's "Konoha Crush Plan," and most importantly, the appearance of Shura, his battle with two mysterious and powerful enemies, and the horrific destruction he caused.
Qing nodded, not repeating the content already in the report, but instead focusing on adding some of her feelings and details from the scene, especially regarding Shura.
His voice was steady, but when he got to certain key points, his speech would slow down unconsciously, as if he were reliving the shock of that moment.
"That Konoha boy named Menma is ostensibly a Konoha genin, and he looks no older than thirteen, maybe even younger. He brought two companions of the same age, and when we were trapped by the Uzumaki descendants of the Land of Stars using the Adamantine Sealing Barrier, he strolled in as if he were taking a leisurely walk."
"He entrusted his two companions to Gaara, the One-Tailed Jinchuriki of the Land of Stars, and that descendant of the Uzumaki clan. Later we learned that his companions were not ordinary people either. One was the new head of the Hyuga clan, and the other was the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki of Konoha!" Ao's description made the air in the office seem to freeze.
"When he left, he seemed to be walking on air, step by step, as if there were invisible steps beneath his feet—" Qing paused, his left eye becoming extremely serious.
"As for his later battle with those two mysterious enemies—"
"Lord Mizukage, Elder Genji, Lord Terumi Mei, please forgive my inadequacy of words; I cannot even begin to describe its power. The scale of that final explosion, and—that golden sword of light that seemed capable of cleaving heaven and earth—" Ao shook his head, a bitter smile on his face.
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that a ninja's power could reach that level."
"It even involuntarily reminds me of the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju!"
As Ao recounted the story, Yagura's cough seemed to become more suppressed, and a sickly blush appeared on his pale face.
Master Yuan opened his eyes slightly, his aged fingers gripping the snake-headed cane.
Hashirama Senju —
The 87-year-old Master Yuan has personally witnessed the majesty of the God of Ninja and knows how desperate other ninja villages were during the era when they were suppressed by the two heroes of Konoha.
Another ninja of such power has appeared?
Mei Terumi pursed her red lips slightly, her emerald eyes filled with a solemn expression.
After Ao finished his brief oral report, Mei Terumi turned her gaze to Hozuki Suigetsu and the other two, who were clearly not in good condition. Her tone softened as she said, "You had a special experience on this mission, thank you for your hard work. The mission rewards and corresponding subsidies will be distributed to you according to regulations. Take a good rest these next few days to recover. I will report on the specific tasks and follow-up arrangements later."
"You three can go down first, Qing stays."
Upon hearing this, Hozuki Suigetsu immediately seemed to have received a pardon. He slumped his shoulders, rubbed his neck, and said, "If that's what Lady Terumi Mei said, then I'm relieved. My bones are about to fall apart. I'm going to rest now. Call me if you need anything."
He was quite decisive; he waved his hand, turned around, pushed open the door, and left, his back view exuding a sense of relief, as if he were finally free.
Chojuro bowed respectfully again: "Yes, Lady Terumi Mei. Lady Mizukage, Elder Genshi, we'll take our leave now."
He glanced at Hinaka beside him and gestured with his eyes.
Hinaka bowed respectfully in farewell, then quietly left the office with Nagamiro, carefully closing the door behind them.
After the three left, the atmosphere in the office seemed to grow even heavier.
Only the four people who are currently the true power core of Kirigakure remain.
"Cough cough cough———— cough cough————" Yagura coughed a few more times, this time quite hard, and Mei Terumi quickly handed him warm water.
He took a sip, caught his breath, and then looked up, his somewhat dim eyes fixed on Qing, asking the most crucial question: "Qing—"
"Are you sure that Shura—is really just a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy?"
The name Shura first came into the view of the higher-ups of the major ninja villages in a relatively formal way about nine years ago.
The first contact between Kirigakure and Shura can be traced back to the night Kirigakure bloodily suppressed the Kaguya clan's rebellion.
After suppressing the Kaguya clan's rebellion, Yagura, who was being controlled by illusion magic, prepared to eradicate the Kaguya clan completely.
However, the ninjas sent out discovered that many of the Kaguya clan's children were missing, and it seemed that someone had taken them away in the chaos.
At that time, Mizukage Yagura, who was under the control of a mysterious illusion, sent three powerful members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—Hozuki Mangetsu, Suigetsu Hobuki, and Biwa Juzo—to pursue and intercept them.
As a result, Juzo Biwa and Fuguki Suigetsu were killed in battle, while Mangetsu Hozuki escaped with severe injuries. Even their three ninja swords—the Kubikiri, Samehada, and the Twin Swords Sumire—were taken away by the enemy.
That battle also forged a deep-seated hatred between Kirigakure and him.
Was the other person just a three or four-year-old child back then?
That's clearly impossible!
Qing frowned, carefully recalling every detail of seeing the black-haired boy in the Konoha barrier.
Young, too young.
That youthful spirit was absolutely genuine.
But that unfathomable strength and domineering aura are something that no young person could possess.
He slowly shook his head, his tone filled with intense confusion and uncertainty: "Lord Mizukage, judging solely from appearance, physique,
Judging from the voice, the boy could not be older than thirteen, and might even be younger. But—"
Qing paused for a moment: "The power he displayed—was completely beyond what one should have at that age."
"This is contradictory, unless—"
"There are two possibilities," Mei Terumi continued, her voice calm and analytical. "First, he isn't the real Shura. Second—"
A sharp glint flashed in her emerald eyes: "He possesses some kind of forbidden art that we cannot understand, capable of altering appearances, and even—it's uncertain whether that body is his."
The mention of forbidden techniques made their expressions even more somber.
The five great ninja villages each have their own unique strengths, and it's not impossible for them to alter appearances or even possess forbidden techniques that allow them to possess others' bodies.
Master Yuan spoke slowly, his aged voice echoing in the silent office: "There's another possibility—Qing, the 'youthfulness' you see might be an illusion, or a false impression created by some kind of bloodline limit."
"Don't forget that mysterious person who controlled the Fourth Mizukage back then—"
He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.
Back then, Kisame Hoshigaki defected after failing to assassinate the daimyo of the Land of Water. But before that, based on his last bit of affection for Kirigakure, he risked his life to pass on crucial information to Mei Terumi and the Genji faction.
The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, may have been under the long-term control of a powerful genjutsu!
Based on this intelligence, Master Yuan secretly arranged for Ao, who possessed the Byakugan, to use it to confirm the abnormal spiritual energy and chakra flow in Yagura's brain during an opportunity to approach him, and ultimately managed to dispel the terrible genjutsu.
However, the mysterious person controlling Yagura was never found.
The higher-ups in the Hidden Mist Village once suspected that Shura was the prime suspect.
However, after the illusion was dispelled, they learned from Yagura, who had regained his senses, that he had been controlled by a mysterious organization called Akatsuki.
However, compared to the hidden Akatsuki, the Shura, who has already come out into the open, poses a greater threat to them!
This Asura is not only terrifyingly powerful, but he has also openly proclaimed the slogan of "unifying the ninja world," which has made the higher-ups of Kirigakure vaguely worried.
When Yagura heard Genji mention being controlled back then, his already pale face drained of all color, and a trace of pain and deep guilt flashed in his eyes.
His hand, resting on the table, unconsciously clenched into a fist.
Being controlled by the enemy and used as a tool to harm the village is a disgrace and his greatest failure that he can never wash away in his life as the Mizukage.
A brief silence fell over the office, with only the ever-flowing, thick fog outside the window.
After a while, Master Yuan spoke again, breaking the silence. His voice was even lower than before: "Qing, not long before you returned, a special envoy from Kumogakure sent a document through formal diplomatic channels."
"Oh? Hidden Cloud Village?" Qing raised his head and looked at Master Yuan.
"It was the Fourth Raikage, A, who initiated this proposal," Master Yuan said slowly. "He suggested holding a Four Kage Summit, comprised of the four great ninja villages. The location is set in the neutral Land of Iron, and the time—is in half a month."
"The Four Shadows Conference?" Qing's left pupil contracted slightly.
The last time the Kage of the five great ninja villages gathered together was more than forty years ago, when the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, distributed the tailed beasts...
The first Five Kage Summit, which laid the foundation for the ninja world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall structure
After that, although local conflicts and the Ninja World War continued, the grand occasion of the Five Kage gathering together never happened again.
A, the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure, is known for his fierce and violent personality, his emphasis on the village's strength, and his tough diplomacy.
Ao had also heard a little about the feud between the Raikage and Shura.
Given the Raikage's personality, he absolutely could not tolerate Shura's threat and declaration of unifying the ninja world.
"Is it to unite against Shura and the Star Kingdom?" Qing asked in a deep voice, already having made a judgment in his heart.
Mei Terumi nodded, her expression serious: "Besides this, what other reason could there be for that hot-tempered Raikage to be so eager to convene a gathering of Kage?"
"Shura's arrogant words in Konoha must have already spread to every ninja village in the entire ninja world. He only gave us ninja villages a month to think it over."
"If there is no response after one month—" She paused, her tone heavy.
"The Fourth Shinobi World War is probably really about to begin."
"The Fourth Shinobi World War—" Ao repeated the word in a low voice, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.
As a veteran Jonin who experienced the Third Shinobi World War and survived the most brutal period of the Blood Mist Policy, he knew all too well what the words "Shinobi World War" meant.
It's not just a battle between the five great ninja villages; it will also involve all the major and minor forces, such as Takigakure, Kusanagi, and Amegakure, creating a true global chaos!
The bloodshed at Hushan, the destruction of the country and the loss of families—the chain of hatred will continue for generations!
In the past, major wars were often the result of the intensification of various conflicts, such as disputes over interests, territorial disputes, and historical grievances between different countries and ninja villages.
If this happens, it could be the first time that all the ninja villages have united to fight against a new nation with terrifying strength and a clear unified goal!
Just as Shura said in Konoha, it's a direct confrontation between the new era and the old era!
However, Ao then looked at the sickly Yagura, realizing that the Fourth Mizukage might not be able to hold on until then.
So, perhaps the new Fifth Mizukage will participate in this Four Kage Summit?
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