The following day, every shinobi in Kirigakure received a missing-nin notification.
It detailed a combat incident during the Land of Water's Fourth Ninja Graduation Exam. A barrier, originally meant to trap the students and force them into a deathmatch, had been shattered by two of the examinees. While the acting Anbu captain was repairing the barrier, the remaining Anbu formed a special team to "handle the aftermath."
These Anbu, pulled back from the front lines, possessed sharp combat instincts and adhered strictly to the creed of never underestimating any opponent. Even when facing potential future comrades, they wouldn't hesitate to act decisively.
By the time the Anbu captain finished mending the barrier and arrived at the scene, all that greeted him were the corpses of several Anbu members, alongside lingering traces of potent acid mist and the scorching marks of lava.
Only one student known to wield such powerful ninjutsu at the Genin level existed: Terumi Mei, possessor of two Kekkei Genkai.
However, the site also showed residue from a powerful Lightning Release explosion. According to records, none of the students in this year's class specialized in Raiton.
One surviving Genin, Hozuki Mangetsu, voluntarily reported the incident to the Anbu. He described the Raiton user as a silver-haired ninja with a vertical scar running through his left eye, rendering it unable to open. This same individual had rescued Terumi Mei from Mangetsu's grasp.
As a result of this debacle, the Head of Anbu was dismissed from his post, along with several squad captains recently returned from the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the initial clash between the Land of Water and the Land of Fire concluded in a decisive victory for the latter.
The Land of Water had initially chosen to coordinate with the Land of Stone, attacking deep into the Land of Fire's territory. This strategy led them straight into encounters with numerous elite Konoha shinobi.
Leading the charge against them were Konoha's "Yellow Flash," renowned for single-handedly eliminating hundreds of enemy ninja, and his young Uchiha apprentice. Faced with this pair, the Kirigakure and Iwagakure forces stood no chance, unable to land a single blow.
After selecting his successor for the position of Fourth Mizukage, the Third Mizukage personally entered the fray. He managed to slightly turn the tide, successfully retreating the remaining Kirigakure forces back to the Land of Water, albeit at the cost of severe injuries.
Upon returning to the village, the Third Mizukage was rushed to the emergency room by the medical corps. There might have been hope for his survival, but upon hearing that missing-nin had emerged from the Genin exams and that only a handful of students had passed, he flew into a rage. The outburst reopened his wounds.
He succumbed to his injuries the next day.
Karatachi Yagura was immediately declared the Fourth Mizukage. He swiftly instituted reforms within Kirigakure. From that point on, anyone other than village natives or orphans brought back by shinobi who entered village territory would be considered hostile and could be killed on sight, no questions asked.
Kirigakure became isolated from the outside world. The ever-present mist provided a natural, formidable barrier, creating a terrifying environment. Outsiders began referring to it as the "Village of the Bloody Mist."
The Land of Water's geography remained its greatest defense, impenetrable to other nations. As a complete island nation, even the nearest landmass, the now-destroyed Land of Whirlpools, was hundreds of kilometers away. Kirigakure's network of spies covered the intricate web of islands, allowing them to detect any approaching vessel instantly.
Back in the Land of Fire, the Third Hokage breathed a sigh of relief when scouts confirmed the full withdrawal of the Land of Water's forces. Among the Five Great Shinobi Countries, the Land of Water posed the least strategic threat. As long as the coastlines and borders were secured, Kirigakure wasn't a major concern unless they launched a surprise attack with elite units. But with the Third Mizukage now dead, it was highly unlikely Kirigakure would continue to involve itself so heavily in the ongoing conflict.
By now, wanted posters for Hatake Kakashi and Terumi Mei had been distributed to all Kirigakure shinobi. The orders were clear: kill on sight, no need to capture them alive.
"Just a B-rank missing-nin? How lame." Kakashi peeled two wanted posters off a wall, cracking a dry joke. The drawings were laughably inaccurate. Kakashi suspected that if it weren't for his distinctive silver hair and scarred eye, he wouldn't even need a disguise to avoid recognition.
"You're just a Genin, what did you expect? S-rank?" Terumi Mei, also classified as a B-rank missing-nin, wasn't particularly bothered by the ranking itself, having no real concept of it. She was more annoyed by Kakashi's disdainful attitude.
"You might not believe this, but I'm actually a Jōnin."
"Right, right, you're a Jōnin," Mei replied dismissively, glancing at her own wanted poster. "Mine's drawn really badly too..."
"Told you."
Kakashi formed a hand seal. After a puff of smoke from the Transformation Jutsu cleared, a black-haired young man stood in his place, his left eye miraculously healed and open.
Mei stepped closer, examining him carefully and pinching his cheek twice.
"You clean up pretty well. Is the eye part of the Transformation Jutsu too? Doesn't quite feel like it."
"It's Genjutsu. Altering something small like an eye doesn't require wasting chakra on a full transformation. Just changing the hair is enough."
Understanding dawned on Mei. She followed suit, changing her own vibrant orange hair to black.
"There, that should do it."
"I'm not familiar with this part of Kirigakure. Do you know the way?" Kakashi asked.
"We definitely can't get back into the village now," Mei said. "We could try our luck around the Daimyō's capital."
The area around the Daimyō's residence would likely be heavily guarded, but as the capital, it would also have more people, making it somewhat safer to blend in. They could resupply there and perhaps help some injured children they might find along the way.
Kakashi felt an urgent need to increase his chakra reserves. Rescuing others had become his top priority.
The Hatake lineage meant Kakashi was typically a ninja with high potential but a relatively low ceiling for growth. Without the boost of a special Kekkei Genkai, his strength would likely peak within a few more years before gradually declining.
To overcome this limitation, there was much he needed to do.
Given their current status as wanted missing-nin and their injuries, Kakashi and Mei decided to travel to the Land of Water's capital by sea. Fortunately, they had managed to procure some money from the Anbu they'd encountered earlier.
Mist hung heavy even over the waters surrounding the Land of Water, making Kakashi wonder if the sun ever truly managed to pierce through the gloom in this country.
"I'm getting a little hungry," Mei admitted, blushing slightly as her stomach let out an embarrassing gurgle.
"Let's get on the boat first," Kakashi replied.
After negotiating a price with a fisherman and buying a few fish directly from the boat, Kakashi immediately started cooking.
"Where are you two from?" the elderly fisherman asked, directing a few sailors as the boat set off. He settled down to chat idly with Kakashi and the disguised Mei.
"I'm from the Land of Fire," Kakashi stated truthfully, then pointed at Mei. "She is too."
"...." Mei opened her mouth to object, but Kakashi quickly stuffed a piece of cooked fish into it, giving her a sharp look that warned her to keep quiet.
"The Land of Fire, eh?" The fisherman smiled nostalgically, his dark, weathered skin showing the marks of wind and rain. He sat cross-legged. "Our countries are at war now, aren't they? What brings you folks here at a time like this?"
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