The courtyard was silent.
The butterfly that had appeared out of thin air rested on a dead branch, its wings occasionally fluttering.
Jūzō knelt on one knee, his Executioner's Blade held horizontally in front of him, his posture humble.
Arashi stepped forward and helped him up.
"Stand."
His voice was soft, yet left no room for refusal.
"Yes, Lord."
Jūzō straightened his back, though he kept his head lowered.
The sight of something being created from nothing had completely shattered his pride as a ninja.
Once he stood upright, Arashi handed him a cup of tea.
"Besides you, there's another little mouse hidden among the Land of Water's envoy group. Who is it?"
Jūzō froze for a moment before realizing who Arashi was referring to.
"Lord… are you speaking of Mei Terumī?"
He said the name in a dry voice.
From the moment he knelt, everything about the Hidden Mist Village was no longer a secret.
"Mei Terumī…"
Arashi tapped his fingers lightly on the teacup, a faint smile on his lips.
It was indeed her—the future Fifth Mizukage.
He mused silently.
To the people of this world, Mei Terumī was currently just a somewhat renowned genius.
"I've heard of her," Arashi said, his tone carrying a trace of curiosity. "A genius rarely seen in the Hidden Mist in a hundred years, possessing two Kekkei Genkai? That's quite rare in the ninja world."
He skillfully hid the fact that he already knew.
But those words stirred up a storm in Jūzō's heart.
Two Kekkei Genkai!
That secret was known to only a few within the Hidden Mist, kept tightly under wraps to protect Mei from the Bloody Mist's purges.
How did he know?
Had Konoha's intelligence already infiltrated the Mist's highest ranks?
A chill ran through him.
Jūzō was increasingly thankful for his decision tonight.
"Yes, Lord's insight is sharp."
Suppressing the shock in his heart, Jūzō continued, "She possesses two Kekkei Genkai—Lava Release and Boil Release."
Seeing that he hid nothing, Arashi nodded in satisfaction.
"Such a person, instead of staying quietly in the Hidden Mist, sneaks into the Fire Capital. What does she intend to do?"
Arashi was genuinely curious.
Although he knew the general course of events, he didn't know the details.
"Mei came to raise supplies for the rebel army."
"Rebel army?"
"Yes."
Jūzō nodded. "A group led jointly by her and the former Mizukage's guard, Elder Genji. They could no longer bear the Bloody Mist's tyranny and intend to overthrow the Fourth Mizukage and rebuild the Hidden Mist."
Arashi tapped the table thoughtfully.
"An Elder and a genius girl… doesn't sound very strong."
Jūzō replied honestly, "Indeed. Most of the rebel army are Bloodline Limit families who were ostracized or hunted down over the years, along with some civilian ninja who couldn't endure the tyranny. They lack equipment, supplies, and money."
"Mei disguised herself as a guard and risked her life to infiltrate the Fire Capital. She hoped to use her own savings to buy military rations and ninja tools from the black market and smuggle them back."
Arashi nodded.
"To have that courage, she's quite a character."
Then he asked, "Do you think she might be willing to serve me?"
Jūzō was stunned.
He subconsciously looked up, met Arashi's gaze, and instantly understood.
This man not only wanted his blade but also Mei herself.
He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head firmly.
"Impossible."
Arashi asked calmly, "Oh? Why are you so sure?"
"She's different from me."
Jūzō's voice was heavy. "I'm already rotten. I've long despaired of this world. I only want to find a place to die, or die for a purpose."
"But Mei… she's an idealist."
"She truly loves the Hidden Mist. She believes she can change that hell and save those trapped in the Bloody Mist."
"She'll fight against Yagura Karatachi, but she'll never betray the Hidden Mist."
"Asking her to pledge allegiance to the Land of Fire is asking her to destroy her beliefs with her own hands."
"She would rather die."
Jūzō's tone was firm. "Before that, she would choose death."
"Interesting." Arashi smiled.
The more difficult the challenge, the more intriguing it was to conquer.
"Tell me about the current situation in the Hidden Mist."
He shifted the topic. "Is Yagura Karatachi really that despised?"
At that name, Jūzō clenched his fist, eyes filled with hatred.
His voice dropped low, like it was forced from his throat.
"Lord, you can't imagine it. The Hidden Mist now isn't a ninja village anymore—it's a living hell."
"The name Bloody Mist was forged with the lives of Mist ninja."
"Lord, do you know what the graduation exam at our Ninja Academy is?"
Arashi, of course, knew, but remained silent.
Hearing it from someone who lived through it carried more weight than any report.
Jūzō continued, "The Academy's graduation exam forces students to kill each other. Only those who kill their comrades are qualified to graduate."
"Countless talented children didn't die on the battlefield—they died at the hands of their own friends."
"He also ordered the purge of all Bloodline Limit families, calling them remnants that threaten the village's stability."
"The Kaguya clan was driven outside the village, the Hōzuki clan either died or fled… anyone with special abilities is hunted as a monster."
"The whole village is filled with suspicion and fear. Neighbors inform on each other, subordinates betray their superiors… no one lives like a human anymore."
"What's laughable is that his reason for all this is to 'purify and stabilize the village.'"
Jūzō's body trembled with rage.
Arashi listened quietly, his expression unchanged.
He already knew Yagura Karatachi was just a puppet.
The true mastermind was Uchiha Obito.
"If that's the case, why didn't you join the rebel army?" Arashi asked. "With your strength, you'd be invaluable to them."
The anger faded from Jūzō's face, replaced by sorrow. He gave a bitter smile.
"It's useless."
"What good would killing one Yagura Karatachi do?"
"The Elders who backed him and the clans that crave power would just choose another Yagura."
"The name would change, but the system would stay the same."
"As long as the Mist's man-eating rules remain, no matter who becomes Mizukage, nothing will change."
"Elder Genji wants to reform it, and Mei Terumī wants to save it, but they're too naive."
"They think they can patch the cracks, make small repairs to something already rotten to the core."
"But I…"
He gripped the hilt of his blade, despair filling his eyes.
"What I want is to dig out that rotten root, burn it, and everything above it."
Arashi finally smiled in satisfaction.
Yes.
A man driven to despair should have such resolve.
"Then why do you trust me?"
Arashi looked straight into his eyes. "Why believe I won't become the next Yagura Karatachi? Just because of that technique I showed you? You refused before."
Jūzō fell silent.
He looked up at the butterfly resting on the dead branch.
He remembered what he saw after entering the Fire Capital.
Wide, smooth streets.
Civilians smiling freely.
Workers laboring with bright eyes and hope.
It was something he had never seen in the Land of Water. Something called hope.
"I don't trust anyone," Jūzō said slowly, his voice hoarse.
"And I don't trust you either."
"Your power… it's terrifying, but I've seen too many madmen with great power."
"But…"
He paused.
"On the way here, I saw your capital."
"I saw the faces of those civilians."
"They have food to eat, work to do, and no fear of losing everything overnight."
"You're building a new world. One I don't understand, but one where people can live like human beings."
His gaze met Arashi's, filled with awe.
"Destroying everything is easy."
"What's difficult is building something new on the ruins."
"Lord, you have the power to destroy, yet you choose to create order."
"I'm willing to take that gamble."
Arashi stood up, making a welcoming gesture.
"Then congratulations. You've chosen well. Welcome aboard."
"From today on, you'll remain with the envoy group. Stay hidden and don't expose yourself."
"I'll send someone to contact you. His codename is Shadow."
"Your task is to tell him everything you know about the Hidden Mist, word for word."
"Yes, Lord."
Arashi waved his hand. "Go."
Jūzō bowed, said no more, hoisted his Kubikiribōchō, and leapt away into the night.
Only Arashi remained in the courtyard.
(To be continued.)
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