The Fourth Mizukage, Yuki Yoru, was truly a selfless and remarkable man.
In order to suppress the ambitions of scheming factions, he had willingly given up something as powerful as a Tailed Beast—a force considered equivalent to a nation's nuclear deterrent.
Such breadth of vision. Such strength of will.
Perhaps this was why the people of the village revered Yuki Yoru as the greatest Mizukage in Kirigakure's history.
Everyone present shared that same thought. As they looked at Yoru, their eyes filled with renewed reverence and respect.
This was the kind of leader they had chosen to follow.
"By the way, Kisame," Yoru said, glancing around the shoreline, "you came here for a B-rank bandit suppression mission, correct?"
He nodded in satisfaction.
"You handled it well. I'll archive the results later and have the ANBU distribute the mission rewards to your team."
"Much appreciated, Mizukage-sama."
"This is nothing but my duty."
Yoru gave a casual wave—and with a puff of white smoke, his body vanished. A Shadow Clone dismissed.
No one was surprised. Everyone in Kirigakure knew just how overworked Yuki Yoru was. Even with capable aides like Terumi Mei and Yuki Akira, the responsibilities of the Fourth Mizukage were immense.
There were even rumors that you could spot Mizukage Yoru at both the gates and the summit of the village at the same time.
Unofficial estimates claimed that no fewer than a dozen of Yoru's Shadow Clones were constantly active across Kirigakure, tirelessly working to transform the ruined legacy left by the Third Mizukage—and the scars of the Third Great Ninja War—into the strongest Hidden Village in the shinobi world.
"Kisame."
The usually cool voice of Hōzuki Mangetsu interrupted.
"You've spoken to Mizukage-sama before… do you think I'm ready to join Soul Society?"
"Soul Society?"
Kisame raised an eyebrow at the question. Even Ringo Ameyuri looked visibly surprised.
They were all part of Yoru's inner circle—so they already knew what Soul Society was. All of them had once harbored the ambition to join it.
But every one of them… had been rejected.
In Yoru's view, none of them were ready back then.
And truthfully? Even now, they still weren't.
"Don't let a sudden emotional surge drive you to say something like that, Mangetsu."
Kisame bared his sharp teeth in a grin as he looked at the prodigy in front of him.
"You're the most gifted shinobi the Hōzuki clan has produced in generations. The elders expect you to carry the clan's legacy forward."
"And besides—your little brother, Suigetsu, was just born, wasn't he?"
"Your family, your loved ones, your entire clan… are you really ready to leave all of that behind?"
"I…"
Mangetsu hesitated, his expression faltering.
No. He couldn't just abandon it all.
But precisely because he couldn't, he felt the need to protect it all—with his life, and everything he had.
"I want to join Soul Society. I want to become someone truly capable of protecting the village—protecting everything I care about."
"Aren't you already doing that?" Kisame replied.
"You're protecting your village, your comrades, your clan—right now."
"Do you really believe that unless you become a so-called Shinigami, you can't fulfill that mission?"
"You're one of Kirigakure's finest, Mangetsu. Whether it's talent, judgment, or spirit, you're among the best. Even Lord Fourth speaks highly of you."."
"In my view, all you need to do is stay on your path. Complete every mission Lord Fourth gives you. That's more than enough."
They were the exact words Yoru had once spoken to Kisame.
Truthfully, Kisame had long been curious—deeply tempted—by Soul Society. So were many among the top elite of Kirigakure.
But Yoru had rejected every application.
He always said: "Wait, wait, the time isn't right yet."
But what exactly counted as "the right time"?
Kisame didn't know.
But he was certain of one thing—Yoru wasn't lying to them. That time would come.
And until then, the only thing they could do was:
Become stronger! Even stronger!
"…But with my abilities… can I really become strong enough for Mizukage-sama to call upon me personally?"
Ringo Ameyuri, who had been quietly listening nearby, felt her heart sink.
Yoru's earlier words had already shaken her—and now, doubt began to fester.
She, Mangetsu, Fuyuna Yukiko, and Uzumaki Hiromi had all once been handpicked by Yoru himself during his ANBU years. They were his most trusted operatives.
But now… only she remained stuck in place.
Mangetsu had become Deputy Head of the ANBU, and heir to the Hōzuki clan. Some even speculated that if he weren't so close in age to Yoru, he might've been selected as the Fifth Mizukage.
And Yukiko and Hiromi?
Although the two were not well-known in Kirigakure, all high-ranking Kirigakure officials knew of their special roles in Kirigakure.
Fuyuna Yukiko led the Kirigakure's human body Kekkei Genkai modification.
Uzumaki Hiromi oversaw the Soul-Shinigami Transformation Projects
Their status exceeded even Mangetsu's—second only to Yoru himself.
Of that once-elite ANBU squad, Ringo was the only one left behind.
She was still counted among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and she wielded the legendary Lightning Blades: Kiba—a name feared even across the Five Great Nations.
But when compared to the others…
It was like the heavens and the earth.
Ringo's gaze wavered in quiet despair.
"What… should I do…?"
...
Meanwhile, deep within the laboratory, Mizukage Yoru stood over the analysis scroll in his hand.
His shadow clone had just returned and dispersed after eliminating the revived Three-Tails. Yoru paused, then his expression returned to its usual calm.
The lab was clean and clinical. Strange, half-living specimens floated in glass tanks along the walls—some looked like stones, plants, tools… yet all of them had begun to grow flesh.
Inorganic matter fused with living tissue, like they had been infused with life itself.
"I think we can proceed with human experimentation now."
Yoru glanced up from the scroll and looked at the figure standing in front of him: the former priestess, now transformed.
He then turned to Hiromi, standing beside him.
"The balance of four energies inside Miroku is excellent.
As long as we replicate her ratio, even normal living humans can control spiritual power."
"The only problem," Hiromi said quietly, "is how to distribute it on a wide scale.
We can't modify people one by one. That's far too inefficient for mass application."
"What about our original plan?" Yoru said.
"Have Miroku establish a sacred land and form a religious order—like the Three Great Sage Regions, or even that so-called Jashin cult—to spread this power."
"It's a solid idea," Hiromi replied. "But sacred lands and religious orders with ordinary names might not be very persuasive to ordinary people."
"What if we give her the official endorsement of the Mizukage, recognize her as the national priestess of the Land of Water, and designate the land as a new sacred land?"
"That could actually work! But what about the loyalty of future members...?"
"That's not an issue," Yoru replied.
"This effort is just about spreading the power of the Shinigami.
I'll handpick the core members myself later."
Unlike Shinigami, Quincies weren't a unified force.
They were more like Hollows—a broader classification based on power, not bloodline.
As long as the number of converted grew large enough, Yoru could choose from among them to form his elite unit:
✦ His personal Sternritter
✦ His own Wandenreich (Invisible Empire)
As Yoru and Hiromi continued their quiet discussion, the newly reborn Miroku stood nearby, blinking in confusion.
She didn't quite understand what was going on—only that the agonizing fusion process was finally over. Her chakra had been successfully transformed into Shinigami power.
Yes, Miroku had completed the process of becoming a Shinigami—but the term wasn't exactly accurate.
As a thousand-year-old sage, Miroku had already fused four energies:
Chakra
Spiritual energy
Nature energy
Soul energy
Now, she had simply swapped her chakra for Shinigami power.
Since she still lived in a physical body, the correct classification was…
✦ Quincy
✦ The first Quincy of this world.
"Miroku."
"Y-Yes!"
Startled, Miroku snapped her head up from the floor where she'd been distractedly watching ants.
Yoru gave her a soft smile.
Miroku shivered.
Every time Yoru smiled like that… something terrifying followed.
"No need to be nervous. Didn't you always say you wanted to leave this place?"
"From today onward, you're a recognized citizen of Kirigakure, and of the Land of Water."
"You can settle anywhere within the Land of Water—even inside Kirigakure itself.
You can come and go freely—even return to the Land of Demons, if that's what you wish."
"…R-Really…?"
Her eyes shimmered.
And when he said "Land of Demons"… her entire expression lit up like fire.
Even though she had become one with Mōryō, remembered her ancient self, and regained countless memories—what she experienced as the priestess Miroku had never left her.
She could let go of her old subjects, her court, her power.
But the child she had carried for ten months—Shion—that bond was unbreakable.
She had believed she would be forever imprisoned in this lab—used for endless research and experiments.
(Which, to be fair… had been true until now.)
And yet, today… Yoru had granted her freedom.
"…What's the cost?"
Miroku swallowed back her excitement.
"What do I have to give in return?"
No one offers something like this for free.
"Don't worry. There is no cost."
"I, Yuki Yoru, am not some parasite who drains people dry."
His voice remained calm.
"Do you remember the promise we made?"
"…The promise?" Miroku blinked.
"You were serious about that?!"
"Of course I was."
"I never make promises lightly. If I give my word, I follow through."
"From today on—you, Miroku, are the High Priestess of the Land of Water.
You are the Sage Priestess of Shadow Island, personally recognized by the Fourth Mizukage."
Yoru swept his hand dramatically.
"I will designate one of our islands as your sacred land.
Just like Mount Myōboku or Ryūchi Cave—your very own holy site."
"Mōryō is a spirit beast tied to shadows and disease.
You are a Sage Priestess of darkness and fate. So…"
"Let's call it: Shadow Island."
"All yours!"
Miroku couldn't help but get excited.
She didn't care what the name was. She didn't care about titles.
She only knew one thing:
She was free.
She could now stand equal to the Great Toad Sage, the White Snake Sage, the Slug Sage.
"S-So… when do I start?"
Miroku asked nervously, afraid Yoru might take it back.
"No time like the present. How about today?," Yoru said with a smile.
"From this day forward, you are the Sage Priestess of Shadow Island, under the protection of Kirigakure."
"But there's one condition."
Of course there is.
Miroku tensed again.
"Say it."
"Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest… they all hoard their powers.
They call themselves sacred, exalted. And for thousands of years, they've passed on their techniques to only a chosen few."
"But our Shadow Island isn't like that."
"We will not follow the legacy of the Sage of Six Paths and his chakra.
We are here to offer the world a new path."
"So I want you to throw the doors wide open.
Anyone fated to find Shadow Island can become your disciple."
"…'Fated'?"
Miroku tilted her head.
That was way too vague.
Yoru cleared his throat.
"I mean, basically—anyone who wants to join."
"E-Everyone?!"
Miroku was stunned.
Wouldn't that turn Shadow Island into some chaotic mess?
"We have no choice," Yoru said.
"Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave—they've existed for a thousand years.
Shadow Island is brand new. Even with my name behind it, we'll never beat them head-on.
We have to go around them."
"And you understand the real reason I'm having you create this place, don't you?"
Of course she did.
"Shadow Island" was just a front.
What Yoru truly wanted…
Was to spread Shinigami power across the ninja world.
To overthrow the Six Paths legacy.
To replace chakra… with something far more dangerous.