Chapter 263: The Divided Mist!
Although he was in a hurry to reach the battlefield, he was also well aware that an enemy even the Mizukage-sama was no match for would likely mean certain death if he went alone. That was why he attempted to gather more forces to rush to the battlefield as reinforcements.
The powerful enemy capable of defeating the Fourth was indeed terrifying, but Ringo Kukurīn did not believe someone could defeat Yagura without paying any price. Furthermore, the enemy was carrying out a massacre in the village; he figured they must be at their limit by now. As long as he could arrive in time with fresh troops, he could become the village's hero!
"Don't be stupid! That monster! No one can possibly be that monster's opponent!" To Kukurīn's surprise, the "deserters" who had been hiding in the corner without saying a word since just now actually stood up to stop them. "All we can do now is not go and throw our lives away for nothing!"
Without exception, those allowed to leave by Uchiha Ikeizumi were shinobi who had not committed unforgivable crimes; at the very least, they were "White Name" shinobi. It wasn't hard to imagine how much of an outlier they were in the past "Bloody Mist."
Supporters of the Blood Mist policy like Kukurīn already looked down on them. Now, with his path blocked and considering their behavior as "deserters," he did not hesitate to draw his blade and slash directly at them.
"Die! Traitors!" Kukurīn grinned, showing a mouth full of sharp teeth, and gave a cruel laugh as he slashed at the deserter in front of him. Such behavior would be considered insane in Konoha, but in the "Bloody Mist," it was perfectly normal.
As long as there was a suitable reason, an elite Jōnin like Kukurīn killing a few "disobedient" Chūnin or Genin was not considered a big deal at all.
Clang!
However, a kunai piercing through the rain curtain struck and deflected Kukurīn's blade. The slash only ended up cutting a massive gap in the deserter's armor.
"Who's there!" Kukurīn ignored the deserter, who had collapsed to the ground in terror, and stared fixedly in the direction from which the kunai had flown.
Although it was understandable not to notice the kunai since it wasn't aimed at him, for someone to deflect his blade so easily, the newcomer's strength was likely above his own!
"It is I!" Without paying much mind to Kukurīn's hostility, a heavy-hearted Ao stepped out from the rain. 487 people..that was the total number of Mist shinobi present within his Byakugan's field of vision.
Strictly speaking, this number wasn't too small. After all, the Hidden Mist was a village that followed the "elite route." Even during the Shinobi World Wars, they rarely deployed a force of more than a thousand. However, if this number represented the total number of shinobi currently in the Hidden Mist Village, it was somewhat horrifying.
Even adding the Mist shinobi out on missions and those guarding outer islands, the current Hidden Mist likely had fewer than a thousand shinobi left!
"Ao? Do you know that kid is a traitor!" Seeing the newcomer's face, Kukurīn felt a bit annoyed but didn't lash out. The "Bloody Mist," famous for its cruelty, valued strength above all. As an elite Jōnin, Ao's strength was above his; moreover, he was the famous "Byakugan Killer," a natural counter to Mist shinobi like Kukurīn who specialized in swordsmanship.
Even with a fierce temperament like Kukurīn's, he had to restrain himself when facing Ao. Otherwise, if he were disciplined by Ao, no one would stand up for him..just as the other Mist Jōnin present had no intention of stopping him when he was about to kill those deserters just now.
"What on earth happened to the village, Ao?" "What enemy defeated the Fourth?!" "Is it true what those traitors said..that the Fourth died in battle?!" "I heard a lot of people died in the village?"
Before Ao could answer, even more Mist shinobi crowded around, asking questions in succession..some with nervousness, some with anger, and some with fear.
Uchiha Ikeizumi's "cleaning" efficiency was too high, and combined with the fact that almost everyone in the Mist was a "Red Name," very few Mist shinobi could escape the battlefield. This also meant that others simply didn't believe the "nonsense" spoken by those deserters.
In the eyes of people of insight, the Mist had long since declined to a point where one couldn't bear to look. But in the minds of these Mist shinobi, who were immersed in the brutal reputation of the "Bloody Mist," the current Mist was still one of the Five Great Nations. They even subtly looked down on those "weak" land shinobi.
Who would believe an outsider could easily defeat the Fourth Mizukage, a perfect Jinchūriki, let alone afterward go on a killing spree as if in an uninhabited land, single-handedly tearing through the entire Hidden Mist Village!
Yet the situation in the village was right before their eyes. If this were Konoha, a large number of shinobi would likely have already risked going to the battlefield to confirm the situation. But Mist shinobi had long been used to being selfish..or rather, Mist shinobi who weren't selfish enough simply wouldn't live this long; they would have been eliminated as early as graduation day from the Academy. Naturally, no one would take the initiative to scout at such a risk.
"Everyone, please listen to me.." Ao took a deep breath. The Mist was weak to the extreme and could no longer withstand even the smallest internal conflict. He had to persuade everyone present to support Mei Terumī's plan, or if they weren't willing to support it, at least not stand in opposition to them.
"The news of the Fourth dying in battle is true. The ene..the person who attacked is Konoha's Uchiha Ikeizumi, though his arrival likely has nothing to do with Konoha.."
"..At least a thousand people died at Uchiha Ikeizumi's hands... that guy is the real monster.."
"Our only choice is to support Mei Terumī... until the nations of Lightning, Earth, and Wind are willing to take the lead.."
"..To thoroughly settle scores with Uchiha Ikeizumi! To make Konoha pay a price even more painful than the Mist's!"
One piece of bad news after another left the Mist shinobi present dumbfounded. They never imagined the actual situation was even more shocking than what those "deserters" had said.
No one would believe the rambling of a few Chūnin or Genin, but since these words had just come from the mouth of Ao, an elite Jōnin, they were instantly filled with persuasiveness.
"Are you kidding me! The Fourth..how could Lord Yagura die so easily!" The shinobi blade in Kukurīn's hand unconsciously dropped to the ground. His bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at Ao's "unique eye," trying to find any trace of a lie in that eye not covered by a patch. "It's one thing if you and Mei Terumī won't avenge the Fourth, but you actually want to become the enemy's lapdogs?!"
As soon as Kukurīn spoke, many Mist shinobi who supported the Blood Mist policy silently stood behind him. For a moment, an unknown number of hostile gazes fell upon Ao.
Fortunately, Ao was not alone. Many shinobi who detested the "Bloody Mist" also began to gather behind him. The total of fewer than five hundred Mist shinobi quickly split into three factions. Aside from those standing behind Kukurīn and those supporting Ao, more than half of the Mist shinobi very consciously stood to the other side.