As soon as the Mizukage finished speaking, the Hidden Mist high-ranking officials were horrified. Even though they were accustomed to life and death, they were still shocked speechless by the bloody elimination theory, their eyes fixed on the Mizukage.
The Mizukage didn't care about anyone's expressions; no one could stop him from implementing his policies.
He thought to himself, once the Leech evolved into a Leech King, he, the Third Mizukage, would become the Emperor of the Ninja World, with Kakuzu as his Leech and the Hokage as his fart. Shimotsuki Kōmei would cling to his leg, kneeling on the ground, begging for his forgiveness.
Yuan Jun hastily advised, "Mizukage, no! This assessment method is too cruel; it's not advisable."
"Cruel? Once you embark on the path of a Ninja, you should be prepared to die at any moment. I am doing this for their own good, letting them see blood early."
The Third Mizukage was dismissive, acting as if he was wholeheartedly doing it for their benefit.
"If they can't even pass a small graduation test, they'll be useless on the battlefield anyway, dragging their teammates down. Why can't anyone understand my painstaking efforts?"
The Mizukage flatly rejected Yuan Jun's suggestion, leaving no room for discussion. He drove everyone out of his office and sat in his chair, laughing madly.
The Third Mizukage had been exceptionally talented since childhood, serving as the First Mizukage's bodyguard at a young age. Villagers worshipped him, and colleagues flattered him, fostering an extremely arrogant personality.
When Hōzuki Gengetsu took over as the Second Mizukage, he was extremely angry, secretly cursing Byakuren for being blind. He, the Third Mizukage, was outstanding, yet Byakuren couldn't see it.
The Third Mizukage believed the Hōzuki Family had worked behind the scenes to make Hōzuki Gengetsu the Second Mizukage, and he began to dislike large Ninja Families.
The Third Mizukage, who was arrogant enough to believe himself invincible in the Land of Water, was defeated by Kakuzu, losing an arm, and his pride was shattered once more. Already dominated by hatred, his mind was filled with thoughts of revenge, and he became completely unhinged.
The Hidden Mist Village's high-ranking officials left the Mizukage's office with heavy hearts. The Mizukage's behavior was frightening; they felt he was slowly heading towards extremes, and the future of the Hidden Mist Village would inevitably not be peaceful.
As they predicted, the Mizukage demanded that the Land of the Sea, which regularly employed Hidden Mist Village Ninja, increase their commission and the number of Ninja they hired.
Constantly harassed by pirates, the Land of the Sea reluctantly agreed, and a rift appeared in their relationship. The Land of the Sea secretly sent envoys to Sunagakure.
The Mizukage then demanded that Hidden Mist Village Ninja accept bounty missions from the Underground Exchange, with each person required to complete at least one million Ryo in missions annually.
The Third Mizukage was active for a long time, and there were many staunch supporters within the Hidden Mist Village. They responded to the Mizukage's call, left the Land of Water to perform dangerous bounty missions, and more and more Hidden Mist Village Ninja died in foreign lands.
The first voices of doubt appeared in the Hidden Mist Village but were quickly suppressed by the Anbu.
The annual graduation day of the Hidden Mist Village Ninja Academy arrived. On the training ground, youthful faces were filled with aspirations for the future.
"Congratulations on completing your studies at the Ninja Academy. You are about to graduate and become Ninja. This year is different from previous years; the assessment content has changed."
The Mizukage did not directly state the assessment content, using his usual method to guide everyone's thoughts.
"Becoming a Ninja means going to the battlefield, meaning you are constantly in danger, constantly facing death. Are you afraid?"
"No!" A group of young, inexperienced Ninja shouted with firm expressions.
"You are very brave. The assessment will be changed to a practical combat assessment. You will enter the Nightmare Forest and kill your former classmates and friends. Half of you will pass the assessment."
Outside the school, parents were in an uproar, rushing the school gates anxiously, wanting to take their children away. Without exception, they were all stopped by ANBU Ninja.
"Lord Mizukage, my son doesn't want to be a Ninja. Please let me take him back."
The parents outside the gate couldn't get in and knelt on the ground, begging loudly, their heads already bleeding from knocking.
The masked ANBU Ninja stood still, their heads bowed, biting their lips tightly, and clenching their bleeding fists. The Mizukage glanced indifferently at the tearful, incessantly kowtowing parents.
"Take the Ninja participating in the assessment to the examination ground."
The leading teachers looked at their students, knowing that at least half of them would remain in the examination ground forever, forever stuck at their most beautiful age.
Suppressing the reluctance in their hearts, they sent the students into the Nightmare Forest.
In the center of the Nightmare Forest, a giant locust tree stood, three hundred meters tall and several people wide. A man and a woman sat on its branches, playing with birds.
Shimotsuki Kōmei interrupted Lian'er, who was teasing a few young eagles. "The Hidden Mist Village's young Ninja have been driven into the forest. Time to work."
"Master, they are just little Genin. If we cultivate them ourselves for a few years, we can harvest a large batch. Why go through all this trouble?"
"What do you know? Cultivating them yourself isn't as good as getting them for free. Listen and get to work."
Shimotsuki Kōmei received news from Yagura and thought that the Mizukage's assessment method was a bit wasteful of Ninja. He couldn't stand others wasting things, so he brought Lian'er to get some for free.
Jumping down from the large tree, he set up a disposable illusion Formation in the clearing, throwing the Mizukage's summoned Leeches, which he had caught from the stream, into the Formation.
"Wind come!" Shimotsuki Kōmei used wind to blow the students participating in the assessment into the Formation.
"Lian'er, act! Take away the little ones who cursed the Mizukage the most harshly. Leave the rest for the Mizukage to continue his antics with."
Shimotsuki Kōmei took out a small knife and cut everyone's buttocks to draw blood, to open their eyes and make them realize what kind of person the Mizukage was.
He stood by, smiling as he watched the little Ninja perform in the Formation. He turned to Lian'er beside him and asked, "How is it? How many have you selected?"
"Master, the selection is complete. A certain little friend has already cursed the Mizukage's ancestors up to the one hundred and eightieth generation."
"He's a talent. Wind go!" Shimotsuki Kōmei scattered the remaining Ninja into various corners of the Nightmare Forest.
Shimotsuki Kōmei sat on Lian'er's back, who had transformed into a mount, looking gleefully behind him at the Ninja he had acquired for free from the Hidden Mist Village, who were being carried on the backs of various Ninja Dogs.
He couldn't help but laugh out loud, silently giving the Mizukage a big thumbs up in his heart. Sacrificing himself to benefit others, the Ninja World's Annual Best Contribution Award undoubtedly belonged to him.
Getting things for free is great for a while, and getting things for free all the time is always great. Shimotsuki Kōmei decided to do it again next year.
Outside the Nightmare Forest, the Hidden Mist Village crowd awaited the end of the assessment. Parents eagerly looked forward, silently praying for their children's safe return.
The first young Ninja appeared, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the exit without blinking.
Until the sun set, parents who had "lost" their children wept bitterly, rushing into the Nightmare Forest like madmen.
The Mizukage stood up, put down the walnuts in his hand, and led the applause, ignoring the grieving parents and the inwardly guilty Anbu, smiling as he congratulated the students on their graduation and successful promotion to Genin.
"Well done! Congratulations on officially becoming Ninja. I hope you will continue to strive and create more value for the Hidden Mist Village."
The Third Mizukage's second objective was also successfully achieved. Most of the students who passed the assessment came from Ninja Families, subtly creating opposition between commoners and Ninja Families.
Retrieving his summoned Leech, the Leech had absorbed a large amount of Qi, and its strength would undoubtedly increase. He began to look forward to next year's Genin assessment.
With his objective achieved, the Mizukage was temporarily free. Touching his faintly aching left arm, he decided to create trouble for Shimotsuki Kōmei.