A Person Whose Strength and Ambition Are Mismatched

Chapter 44 A Person Whose Strength Does Not Match His Ambition

What Hozuki Mangetsu was most dissatisfied with about his younger brother, Hozuki Suigetsu, was that Suigetsu aimed to surpass Momochi Zabuza.

Hozuki Mangetsu believed that once Hozuki Suigetsu inherited a ninja sword, his strength should surpass that of Momochi Zabuza.

This goal is utterly shameful.

Although it's the truth, it's a bit inappropriate to say it in this context.

Because the other person mentioned by Hozuki Mangetsu is still at the scene.

Zabuza Momochi, still relying on the Hidden Mist Technique to entangle with Kisame Hoshigaki, finally couldn't help but retort after hearing Mangetsu Hozuki's words: "Hey, Mangetsu Hozuki, what do you mean?!"

"Got you!"

Before Hozuki Mangetsu could respond, Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, and the hilt of his Samehada sword extended, flying towards a location in the mist: "Samehada: Flying Chain Slash!"

"asshole!"

Without his Executioner's Blade, Zabuza Momochi could only watch helplessly as Samehada cleaved him out of the mist, causing him to fall to the ground in a sorry state, spitting out a mouthful of blood!

An awkward atmosphere filled the air.

Hozuki Mangetsu watched this scene and helplessly shrugged, saying, "I'm sorry, Zabuza-senpai, I didn't mean to offend you, but your strength is indeed rather lacking."

"..."

Zabuza Momochi glared at him fiercely, then looked at the guillotine lying on the ground with only its hilt remaining, and coldly cursed, "Wasn't it you brat who borrowed my guillotine?!"

Hozuki Mangetsu retorted, "Even if Zabuza-senpai had the Executioner's Blade, the chance of him defeating Kisame-senpai wouldn't exceed thirty percent, would it?"

"asshole!"

"I'm just stating the facts."

"You brat, you think I can't kill you?!"

"Even without Hiramekarei, Zabuza-senpai's chances of defeating me are very low!"

In just a few words, the fragile alliance between Hozuki Mangetsu and Momochi Zabuza shattered, and the two began to argue impatiently.

"Stop arguing!"

Uehara Naraku impatiently interrupted them, looked everyone around, and fixed his gaze on Hozuki Mangetsu and Zabuza: "You two have already lost. Will you choose to join Akatsuki with me, or let me bury your corpses in your hometown...?"

Everyone present understood that Zabuza Momochi and Mangetsu Hozuki had no choice; their only option was to surrender with some dignity.

Zabuza Momochi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, snorted coldly, and said, "My goal was to kill Yagura and end the Blood Mist Village. Now that I've achieved my goal, I'll go with you to that organization called Akatsuki!"

That's a very tactful way of putting it.

Unlike Zabuza Momochi, who was free of worldly attachments, Hozuki Mangetsu directly stated his request: "If you can do as you say and help Suigetsu revitalize the Hozuki clan, I will agree to anything you ask!"

"…Can."

Uehara Naraku could barely contain his smile. He didn't make any grand pronouncements, but simply said, "If your younger brother is truly the kind of good-for-nothing who can't be helped at all..."

"Shuiyue's talent is greater than mine."

Hozuki Mangetsu confidently promised, "As long as he can be guided, Suigetsu will definitely surpass all his predecessors and become the strongest ninja in the history of the Hozuki clan!"

It would have been better if I hadn't said it.

Upon hearing it aloud, Uehara felt somewhat uncertain.

Because Uehara knew perfectly well that the Hozuki clan did not possess a powerful bloodline limit, and the ninja world was precisely a world that valued bloodlines... except for that hardcore Konoha ninja.

Uehara Naraku sighed, looking at Hozuki Mangetsu, and said, "Then let's try my method for now, and leave the rest to fate... At least you can set a higher goal for your younger brother, so he can strive to catch up with his older brother!"

"…I see."

Hozuki Mangetsu clenched his teeth, as if he had made up his mind.

His younger brother, Hozuki Suigetsu, is eight years old this year and is doing very well at the Hidden Mist Village Ninja Academy. He may even be able to apply for early graduation.

Hozuki Mangetsu was very worried. If he couldn't guide Suigetsu properly, he would probably remain unambitious and go down the wrong path like Momochi Zabuza.

This cannot be said now, otherwise it might lead to someone's death.

Uehara Naraku flipped himself up and sat on a tree trunk: "Since you have sincerely surrendered to me, then I will mercifully accept it!"

Upon hearing Uehara's words, Zabuza Momochi and Mangetsu Hozuki's faces visibly darkened. The guy they were about to join was so powerful it was frightening... and his intelligence was also terrifyingly low!

At this moment, Uehara Naraku's expression was also not very good. He glanced helplessly at Hozuki Mangetsu, because he had received the worst defeat reward in history.

Side Quest: Defeat Hozuki Mangetsu (1/1), reward 100 gold coins.

Despite Hozuki Mangetsu being an incredibly powerful ninja, Uehara believed that it would be even more difficult for others to defeat him than to defeat the Fourth Mizukage!

Perhaps because Hozuki Mangetsu died young and had too few appearances in the ninja world, not many people paid attention to him, and the system directly issued the minimum mission reward.

Is this really how you treat beggars?

However, the reward for defeating Hozuki Mangetsu was not just 100 gold coins, because Uehara Naraku saw the completion status of another mission.

Side Quest: Defeat the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist (6/7), reward unknown.

Uehara hadn't expected that the mission to defeat the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist on the system panel would be counted as four kills because Hozuki Mangetsu held four ninja swords.

The last member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to be defeated in this side quest should be Raiga Kurosuki, the first generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist who defected with the Raiga sword Kiba, as mentioned by Kisame Hoshigaki.

When Uehara happened to see another mission, his eyelids twitched involuntarily, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Side quest: Have three subordinates (2/3), reward unknown.

Currently, the three members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist are nominally subordinates of Uehara. Kisame Hoshigaki was the first ninja to choose loyalty to him, so who is the second?

No, it should be said that neither Zabuza Momochi nor Mangetsu Hozuki in front of him didn't genuinely want to pledge allegiance to him.

Uehara Naraku wasn't particularly concerned about who the second subordinate would genuinely surrender to him was; what he truly cared about was who the one who refused to truly surrender was…

This is actually very easy to find.

Because Uehara Naraku saw the last mission.

Side Quest: You have two subordinates with Kage-level chakra power. Quest complete. Reward: 1000 gold coins.

This mission directly proves that the second person to choose to join Uehara Naraku was a ninja with Kage-level chakra.

Is there any need to think about this?

Who is the weakest person here?

Uehara Naraku's gaze swept over Hozuki Mangetsu, and he couldn't help but admire him in his heart, thinking, "No wonder even Kisame Hoshigaki couldn't see through him..."

Hozuki Mangetsu, who possessed Kage-level chakra at the age of thirteen!

No wonder he died so young; he must have been too much of a scene-stealer while he was alive!

Uehara Naraku's gaze slowly settled on Momochi Zabuza, a man who had always harbored his own ambitions.

He also possesses abilities that do not match his ambitions.

Uehara tilted his head and looked at Momochi Zabuza. Should he take him back as an extra, or just dig a hole and bury him on the spot?

(End of this chapter)