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Coming up and saying he wanted to support a new Mizukage... Did Konoha think he wouldn't understand their intentions?
Their reach is certainly long enough.
Genji's old, wrinkled features scrunched together, forming an ugly smile.
"For Lord Hokage to send you two to help this old man, I am truly grateful beyond words."
"With your assistance, we can indeed put confronting Lord Mizukage on the agenda."
"This armband, I will remove it for you. Please feel at ease staying here."
As Genji spoke, Ao collected the armbands from Hatake Kuroshi and Shisui.
"No need to put it on the agenda. Your people just need to be ready at all times. Yagura's side will make a move soon."
"That will be a good opportunity."
Hatake Kuroshi slightly curled his lips, revealing a cunning smile.
Everything was proceeding exactly as Hatake Kuroshi planned.
One room, two factions, each with ulterior motives.
Knock knock knock!!!
Just as Hatake Kuroshi and Shisui were preparing to leave, a series of urgent knocks suddenly sounded from outside.
"Lord Genji, we heard the outsiders who haven't removed their armbands are here with you."
"Please cooperate and open the door."
ANBU can even check rooms directly? This old man really isn't doing well.
Ao and Genji exchanged a look. Without intending to hide Hatake Kuroshi and Shisui, they simply opened the door wide.
Now that they had backup, there was no need to tolerate Yagura's behavior any longer.
Worst case scenario, they'd just fight.
As the door opened, masked ANBU members, fully armed, looked towards the two people inside the room.
Ao stood alone in front of Hatake Kuroshi and Shisui, first stuffing the already marked armbands into the hands of the ANBU in front.
His expression was serious, his voice firm as he said.
"Lord Genji has already investigated these two's suspicions and identities. The armbands have also been removed."
"There is no need to trouble Lord Mizukage with interrogation."
The ANBU members, forced to take the armbands, looked at each other somewhat uncertainly.
They were aware that Genji and the Mizukage held essentially equal status.
But ever since the Fourth Mizukage suddenly started doing inexplicable things, Genji had basically established a small independent faction.
For self-preservation.
Unless absolutely necessary, Genji rarely opposed Yagura's decisions.
Before this, even when opposing, he had never been this forceful!?
However, they couldn't fail Lord Mizukage's mission either. For a moment, the few of them were caught in a dilemma.
Hatake Kuroshi, behind Ao, fully witnessed the scene of two bosses feuding, leaving the corporate drones caught in the middle.
It's a pity Genji wasn't competent enough to cultivate a group like Root, similar to Danzo.
Otherwise, why would he have to suffer this indignation here?
"What are you still blocking the door for! Lord Genji is an Elder, with equal rights as Lord Mizukage!"
Ao sternly berated the ANBU before him.
"...Yes."
After a brief hesitation, the ANBU members quickly departed from the spot.
Whatever trouble Genji was stirring up here, on the surface, he was still an Elder with equal status to the Mizukage.
If he issued orders to them, they had no reason to refuse.
The immediate priority now was to report this matter back to Lord Mizukage quickly.
"Well then, just wait for our news!"
Hatake Kuroshi turned back, gave the two in the room a wink, and coolly left with Shisui.
"Those two together really are incongruous. How could Shisui end up with such a partner here?"
Ao watched the two leave, shaking his head strangely.
"Their matter isn't urgent... Let's see how Lord Mizukage reacts."
Genji's old face stared intently at the departing Hatake Kuroshi and Shisui until the door gradually closed.
...
The next afternoon, Kirigakure Ninja Academy.
After resting overnight, Shisui continued to slip out to monitor the movements at the Mizukage Tower.
Hatake Kuroshi taught classes at the school according to the usual schedule.
Throughout the day, neither Shisui nor the ANBU came looking for him.
Presumably, nothing major happened.
Their abrupt stay seemed to have been smoothed over by Genji.
Genji had previously focused on self-preservation, generally not intervening unless his own faction's interests were involved.
But it was also because of his prolonged silence that he could maintain his position as Elder securely.
At this point, if he had a disagreement with Yagura, his life or death could be uncertain the very next day.
"Hm?"
Hatake Kuroshi's gaze shifted to Mangetsu Hozuki, who was still sitting in his chair.
Apart from the first day when Shisui needed to organize their departure, the students adapting to the new school life could now leave on their own.
Some students with better mindsets had even formed small groups.
They were also quite interested in Hatake Kuroshi's teaching methods.
However, besides these, there was only one person who, despite sitting in the front row, spent most of the time spacing out, head propped up.
Drowsy during class, more energetic than anyone after school.
"I can understand these things without learning them. Killing people doesn't test math anyway."
"Kuroshi-sensei, can't you teach me something else?"
He had been attending classes here for four or five days already, yet besides calculating the angles of the sun and shadows, or the angle at which a kunai could penetrate a certain height...
Although Hatake Kuroshi's lectures were interesting, these weren't the things Mangetsu Hozuki wanted to learn!
"Besides, Kuroshi-sensei, you're already so strong. Doesn't teaching these idiots bore you?"
Mangetsu Hozuki melted into a pool of water floating on the desk, only his mouth showing sharp shark teeth, opening and closing as he spoke.
"Since I am a teacher, that falls within my duties."
Hatake Kuroshi, intrigued, tossed the chalk into the mouth on the desk.
How should I put it... Mangetsu Hozuki's Hydrification Technique really feels like material for a school ghost story.
"Ah... Ptui ptui ptui!!!"
Mangetsu Hozuki was about to retort when he instantly bit down on the chalk in his mouth.
He quickly spat it out while reforming into his human shape.
"But since you find those things boring, I'll teach you something else."
"Though it's not difficult, they're not ready to learn this yet."
"After all, this kind of thing also depends on talent~"
Hatake Kuroshi snapped off half a piece of chalk and casually drew two diagrams on the blackboard regarding impact force.
On the same wooden board, two different areas of force application produced different results.
"This is pressure."
"It's defined as the ratio of the force applied to an object to the area over which the force is distributed."
"Assisted by spiral impact, it can maximize the ability's effectiveness."
The bright light sparkling in Mangetsu Hozuki's eyes dimmed slightly after Hatake Kuroshi finished saying that string of words about force, pressure, etc.
"..."
What is this stuff?!
It feels like I recognize each word individually, but they become unfamiliar when put together.
Most ninjas killed proficiently, but when it came to calculating these detailed numbers and professional terms, they started to look dumbfounded.
Hatake Kuroshi scratched his messy silver hair, thoughtfully picked up a kunai used as a teaching aid from the lectern, pressed it against Mangetsu's desk, and gave it a slight twist.
"An example even an idiot can understand: the reason a kunai can injure someone is because it has this thin point at the front, which can directly penetrate the human body."
"But just letting the tip penetrate doesn't necessarily cause a fatal injury."
"Therefore, adding the spiral ability allows direct penetration in an instant!"
"That's enough to guarantee this move's power~"
The kunai in Hatake Kuroshi's hand quickly drilled a sharp little hole into the desk.
"Hm... I think I can understand it."
Mangetsu Hozuki frowned deeply, looking at the kunai in Hatake Kuroshi's hand.
He vaguely felt he could use this principle for something, but what exactly was still foggy.
Hatake Kuroshi was quite eccentric; he secretly feared the man might just shrug and say, 'This is all I'm teaching you.'
"Don't you guys have a commonly used Water Release: Wild Water Wave? It's one of your basic ninjutsu, right?"
"You can improve it using this principle."
"Maintain the low chakra consumption of a C-rank ninjutsu while maximizing its power output."
"I really like things that guarantee power yet consume little chakra."
Hatake Kuroshi proudly turned his head, leaning closer to Mangetsu Hozuki, his face showing anticipation for his performance.
Although Mangetsu Hozuki's academic performance was average, his mind worked quickly when it came to applying such concepts.
While Hatake Kuroshi often taught them highly theoretical things, the theory behind this matter was sound.
Consume minimal chakra, create maximum attack power.
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