: Which of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen didn't want to kill the Mizukage?

Chapter 38: Which of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen didn't want to kill the Mizukage?

So, whose side are you on?

Kisame Hoshigaki grinned as he looked at Mangetsu Hozuki, slung his Samehada sword over his shoulder, and said, "Little Hozuki, I don't recall you ever being allowed near here before. You've come to the Mizukage's residence; are you here to rescue him, or to kill him and the assassins?"

"..."

Hozuki Mangetsu fell silent.

Kisame Hoshigaki's words shattered Hozuki Mangetsu's illusion of peace.

The Hozuki clan of Kirigakure is a powerful clan in the village. Their most prosperous period was undoubtedly when Hozuki Gengetsu became the Second Mizukage, which established the Hozuki clan's status as a powerful family in Kirigakure.

However, since then, the Hozuki clan has hardly been in sync with the successive Mizukage, their status being too detached.

These Hozuki clan ninjas, who are skilled in water transformation techniques, possess great talent and have always wielded seven ninja swords, serving as the leaders of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, responsible for managing this powerful ninja squad that is not entirely obedient to the Mizukage.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, a ninja squad that didn't really respect the Mizukage, were surprisingly friendly towards the Hozuki clan because the Hozuki clan could freely summon seven ninja swords.

Isn't this just recklessly flirting with death?

The status of the Hozuki clan is very similar to that of the Uchiha clan in Konoha.

No, the Hozuki clan's status is much higher than that of the Uchiha clan in Konoha. At least one member of their clan was once a Mizukage, while the head of the Uchiha clan couldn't even get a high-ranking position in Konoha.

Regardless of the circumstances, the relationship between the Hozuki clan and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist destined them to be unable to coexist harmoniously with the high-ranking ninjas led by the Mizukage.

After years of war, the Hozuki clan suffered heavy losses on the battlefield, and their talent pool gradually dwindled.

Coincidentally, the Uchiha clan of Konoha is now reduced to only Itachi Uchiha and his younger brother Sasuke Uchiha, while the Hozuki clan of Kirigakure is reduced to only Mangetsu Hozuki and his younger brother Suigetsu Hozuki.

Looking at the silent Hozuki Mangetsu, Kisame Hoshigaki chuckled and continued, "If you kill the Mizukage here, even though you're only thirteen this year, you'll still be very likely to be chosen by many to succeed the village as the Fifth Mizukage..."

"..."

Hozuki Mangetsu shook his head, reached for the ninja sword on his back, looked up at Kisame Hoshigaki, and said in a deep voice, "Then I can only disappoint Kisame-senpai. I will not betray the village, much less rebel and kill the Mizukage."

"Then what are you still saying here!"

Uehara Naraku's voice rang out, and his body transformed into a black shadow, appearing in front of Hozuki Mangetsu. He punched Hozuki Mangetsu on the head, splashing a large amount of water!

The splashing water regrouped and transformed into Hozuki Mangetsu's head. This water transformation technique from the Hozuki clan could completely negate this level of physical attack.

Uehara Naraku watched as Hozuki Mangetsu's head was struck with such force that it seemed as if nothing had happened, and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "Tsk, the Water Transformation Technique? That's truly amazing..."

"You are far more fearsome than I am."

Hozuki Mangetsu's expression gradually turned serious. He reached out and gripped the ninja sword on his back, saying softly, "I have never seen anyone who could withstand a direct hit from the Water Gun Technique and emerge unscathed... even I have never seen one."

"Now you see it."

Uehara Naraku was somewhat glad that he had bought the Berserker Armor in advance, as his life energy recovery speed was far greater than before. In just the time it took Hozuki Mangetsu to talk to Kisame Hoshigaki, his life energy had already recovered to about 70-80%.

Just as they were confronting each other.

The three tails in the lake suddenly turned into smoke and disappeared. The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, climbed up, clutching his arm tightly, blood seeping from between his fingers.

As the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails, Yagura possessed strong regenerative abilities. However, the wound left by the purple energy released by Uehara Naraku was strangely unsettling, as the Tailed Beast's chakra was unable to heal it.

The crowd's gazes shifted, slowly settling on the heavily injured Fourth Mizukage. Yagura coldly surveyed the assembled figures and commanded, "Hozuki Mangetsu, I order you to kill this brat and Kisame Hoshigaki!"

Hozuki Mangetsu glanced at everyone present, then abruptly drew his twin swords, Hiramekarei, from his back and replied in a deep voice, "Understood... Mizukage-sama!"

"..."

Uehara Naraku quickly raised his finger, and just as he was about to face Hozuki Mangetsu, Kisame Hoshigaki suddenly swung Samehada to block him.

Just as Uehara was astonished, Kisame Hoshigaki chuckled, "Lord Uehara, don't be in such a hurry... The situation in Kirigakure is far more complicated than you've seen. In this village, so-called comrades are nothing but souls killed by the butcher's knife..."

Kisame Hoshigaki watched as Mangetsu Hozuki slowly moved his ninja sword, his smile growing wider: "A severely wounded Mizukage is a huge temptation for every ninja who wants to kill him..."

As Kisame Hoshigaki finished speaking, Mangetsu Hozuki gripped the flounder tightly in his hand and turned to slash at Yagura behind him!

Uehara Naraku frowned, watching yet another member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen betray Yagura, and couldn't help but ask, "What's going on?"

"If it were a Mizukage in his full strength, naturally no one would dare to make a move. Only that madman, Zabuza Momochi, would dare to attack first..."

Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, watching Hozuki Mangetsu and Yagura locked in fierce combat, and continued with a smile: "But if it's a Mizukage who's seriously injured, then that's a different story... After all, every Kirigakure ninja has a heroic dream of changing the Village of Blood Mist!"

Our Fourth Mizukage has never paid attention to his subordinates; he can only barely keep the village ninja in check by relying on the power of the Three-Tails Jinchuriki.

Moreover, the Fourth Mizukage, who stands before us, truly deserves much credit for the decline of the Hozuki clan, a powerful family in Kirigakure!

Since Kirigakure became the Village of Blood Mist, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, had long lost the support of the Kirigakure leadership. Moreover, the rules he personally established had caused the Kirigakure ninjas to lose all respect for him.

Furthermore, the gradual demise of the Hozuki clan within Kirigakure is undeniably linked to the Fourth Mizukage's implementation of the Blood Mist policy.

Uehara Naraku looked at Hozuki Mangetsu's figure, a hint of doubt in his expression, and asked, "If his goal was also to kill the Fourth Mizukage, why did he stop me from killing Yagura just now?"

"Because he also wants revenge!"

Kisame Hoshigaki chuckled and explained, "The relationship between the Hozuki clan and the Fourth Mizukage is extremely hostile. Since I joined the Anbu, I've witnessed quite a few missions to eliminate members of the Hozuki clan!"

"Hmm, those were all Obito Uchiha..."

Just as Uehara Naraku was about to speak, shouldn't all the blame for what happened in Kirigakure be placed on Uchiha Obito's head?

However, upon closer examination, Hozuki Mangetsu truly knew nothing about this.

Kisame Hoshigaki shook his head and said in a low voice, "Lord Uehara, it has long been the norm for successive Mizukage to suppress the ninja clans in Kirigakure. It's just that the person who manipulated the Fourth Mizukage behind the scenes has completely escalated the conflict."

"..."

Uehara nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

Does every ninja village have this kind of rotten stuff?

With so much deep-seated hatred, it's not surprising that Hozuki Mangetsu wanted to kill the Mizukage!

If the recently deceased Uchiha clan leader Fugaku were to one day encounter the severely injured Shimura Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen in private, he would probably even consider scattering their ashes.

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(End of this chapter)