"The Blood Mist policy in Kirigakure wasn't like this, years ago."
As his feet touched the Land of Water, Jūzō Biwa spoke in a complicated tone: "Before the Fourth Mizukage took power, there was already a prototype of that policy in the village."
"But back then it was just a way to select more elite shinobi. It didn't spill over to the entire country."
"It certainly didn't lead to one purge after another against kekkei genkai clans across the Land of Water."
He paused there, lifting his head to take in the Land of Water's dull, sunless sky, then the lifeless hush of the harbor—the weary dockhands and fishermen whose eyes had lost their shine.
He drew a long breath and went on: "But not long after the Fourth Mizukage took the seat, the Blood Mist policy was pushed to the extreme—more extreme than ever."
"So extreme that even many of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen couldn't stand it. The ones who didn't die in the Third Great Ninja War mostly chose to defect."
"And the policy's toxic effects spread from Kirigakure across the whole Land of Water. National strength fell off a cliff, and the people slid into misery."
"I used to think it was all the Fourth Mizukage's doing. Now I've learned Uchiha Obito was pulling strings behind the scenes."
At some point, Jūzō's fists had clenched tight.
If he'd been content with the state of Kirigakure, indifferent to the Blood Mist policy, and blind to the ruin of the Land of Water…
Then he wouldn't have defected. He wouldn't have joined Akatsuki.
It was precisely because Jūzō loved Kirigakure—loved the Land of Water—
That he couldn't stomach the demonized Blood Mist policy of today.
"Phew—" After a heavy exhale, Jūzō's gaze darkened. "Uchiha Chizumi, can I ask… what's Obito's motive for deliberately turning Kirigakure into this? If he wanted to extract benefits from the village, wouldn't a prosperous Land of Water yield more than a ruined one? I really don't get it."
Uchiha Chizumi had already pocketed the pendant on his necklace.
Looking out at the oppressive mood hanging over the docks, she said quietly, "Don't try to read Uchiha Obito with normal logic. His purpose is very simple—he wants revenge on the entire Land of Water."
"Revenge?" Jūzō blinked.
Chizumi said, "Obito had a one-sided love for a Konoha kunoichi, Rin Nohara. Mist ninja controlled by Uchiha Madara implanted the Three-Tails in her—ostensibly to send the beast back into Konoha to wreak havoc. Rin refused to be the instrument that destroyed her own village and chose to let Hatake Kakashi kill her."
"Obito watched the girl he pined for die at Kakashi's hand. He came to hate Kakashi, hate Konoha, and hate the Hidden Mist. In his eyes, the ones who set the tragedy in motion were your village's shinobi."
"So—"
"This is his idea of revenge. He doesn't care about profit. He simply wants Kirigakure—and the Land of Water—to feel the same pain he felt."
The details in Chizumi's account left Jūzō stunned.
They were so specific it felt like she'd been standing there when it happened.
And based on what Jūzō knew of Uchiha Chizumi, she wasn't lying. This probably was the truth.
Still—
What kind of lunatic is Uchiha Obito?
Did he never stop to ask why the Hidden Mist would put the Three-Tails into a Konoha ninja?
Weren't they afraid Konoha would turn the tables and keep the beast?
Konoha had plenty of Uchiha—Sharingan is a natural bane to Tailed Beasts! The Uchiha shone in the Third Great Ninja War; that alone should have put Kirigakure on guard!
How could the Mist take that kind of risk—just throw the Three-Tails into Konoha like that? There was a real chance it would be a one-way gift with nothing to show for it—and might even leave Konoha with two tailed beasts under its control!
No one with a brain would do that!
Anyone with a brain could see something didn't add up!
Jūzō was dazed. He couldn't make sense of it.
"The ninja world really is pitch-black," he finally muttered.
So many schemes that barely made sense on first hearing, yet they all seemed to be real. The thought made his scalp prickle.
He couldn't figure out why the real Uchiha Madara would orchestrate so many plots. What was his endgame? What was his purpose in grooming Uchiha Obito? What did he intend for the entire shinobi world?
Uchiha Madara—this man who once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the First Hokage—is he still alive?
"Meow, you'll get used to it," Jujirō said, perched on Chizumi's shoulder with a yawn. "Don't assume a psychopath thinks like an ordinary person like you. If that Uchiha Obito were even a normal guy, he wouldn't have picked a fight with Chizumi-sama."
"But meow—"
Jujirō shot Jūzō a pointed look. "Obito only sped up your village's decline. If you dump the root of everything on him, it just means you haven't really recognized where the problem lies, meow."
Jujirō's words left Jūzō silent.
He was, intentionally or not, shifting all the blame onto Obito—avoiding the fact that Kirigakure had been rotten at the roots from the start.
Obito, a man with a diseased mind, had simply seized the opening and made the rot worse.
Thinking that far…
Jūzō had no rebuttal.
Izumi pressed her lips together. "Strictly speaking, Obito is my father's killer. The Night of the Nine-Tails happened because he released the beast."
"His 'revenge' against Konoha isn't logical at all. He's just venting. He's antisocial. Honestly, his head probably isn't screwed on right."
"People like him and Uchiha Itachi are basically the same type."
That was the girl's verdict on Uchiha Obito.
At least from her standpoint, that's exactly what his actions amounted to.
…
Konoha.
With a curt, "Shizune, see the guest out," Tsunade had left her aide no choice but to try and usher the Third Hokage to the door.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi stayed rooted to his seat, and cold sweat beaded on Shizune's brow.
No way—
Are we really about to have a physical confrontation?
What do I do then? If I help Tsunade-sama take on the Hokage, does that make me a traitor to the Konoha? But if we actually take down the Hokage… would Tsunade-sama become the next one?
As Shizune's thoughts spiraled and the sweat ran, Hiruzen finally stood after a long silence.
He looked at Tsunade.
He said nothing, turned, and headed for the door.
At the threshold, with his back to her, his hoarse voice came low and firm: "Then we contend. Tsunade, I can't sit by and indulge your willfulness. Unless you can say to my face that you'll draw a clear line between yourself and 'Absolute Justice.'"
"Of course, that doesn't mean I'm telling you to oppose it. But at the very least, you cannot govern Konoha by the creed of 'Absolute Justice,' and you absolutely cannot let it replace the Will of Fire."
With that, Hiruzen walked away without looking back.
Tsunade's expression was complicated.
Rubbing her brow, she sighed. "Looks like the old man won't concede—and won't step aside. He's been dodging Chizumi like the plague. If he's getting serious, then this really is a break."
Shizune swallowed hard. "Tsunade-sama, what do we do now?"
Tsunade's face firmed. "Since the old man's made his choice, why would I be afraid? If he wants a fight, we'll fight—and see it through."
"Shizune, tomorrow come with me to visit Konoha shinobi who get on well with him, have some name in the village, and hold real weight."
Shizune nodded quickly. "Who's first?"
Tsunade thought, then answered, "Hatake Kakashi."
Hiruzen, for his part, was moving too.
He didn't go back to the Hokage Building or the Sarutobi compound.
He went to find Jiraiya, who was in the middle of tailing Naruto.
"Jiraiya!"
At the sound of Hiruzen's warm greeting from behind, Jiraiya stiffened, his face turning a little awkward.
He pretended not to hear, let out a lazy yawn, and started clacking off in his wooden sandals as if to head back to his inn for a nap.
Hiruzen didn't give him the chance to slip away.
He stepped directly into his path.
Forcing a kindly smile over his deeply lined face, Hiruzen said, "Jiraiya, you've been back for a while, but the two of us—teacher and student—haven't had a proper chat."
The corner of Jiraiya's mouth twitched.
He scratched his head and forced a laugh. "Hahaha! So it was you, old man! I thought I heard someone calling me, but it was so faint I figured I misheard—"
Hiruzen offered polite greetings to the toad sages on Jiraiya's shoulders, Shima and Fukasaku.
Then, with Jiraiya's smile growing stiff, Hiruzen got right to it: "Jiraiya, you've heard the rumors going around the village lately, haven't you?"
Jiraiya forced a grin. "I hear the Police Force has really tightened up procedures. If you're caught 'doing research' at the women's bath, you might actually end up in jail."
Hiruzen ignored the clumsy detour.
"You've also heard that Tsunade wants to become the Fifth Hokage, yes? Jiraiya."
With the conversation there, Jiraiya knew playing dumb wouldn't work.
He drew a breath and said helplessly, "Old man, don't drag me into this. You know I'm not interested in that stuff. And since it involves Tsunade… there's no way I could talk her down, right?"
His expression turned complicated. "If you really want to stay Hokage, you should talk to her yourself. She is your student. If you keep a good tone, maybe she'll listen."
"I already met with Tsunade," Hiruzen said.
"..."
There was no need to ask how it went.
If the old man was here, things with Tsunade had likely turned very sour—maybe nearly to blows.
Jiraiya mused, "Maybe it's time to let the village's talented young take over. You can't sit in that chair for decades on end."
Hiruzen shook his head. "I'm not one to cling to power. I'm not infatuated with authority. Handing Konoha to the young—of course I've thought about that."
"But—"
"Exactly which kind of 'young' matters. Those who place blind faith in 'absolute justice' are, in my eyes, not suited to lead Konoha."
Then his gaze hardened. "Jiraiya, I want you to support me openly, and I want word of your support to spread through Konoha so everyone knows. As one of the Sannin, you can rally many shinobi."
"Or—"
"You run for Fifth Hokage yourself. If it's you, I have no objection. I'll throw my full support behind you so you can keep Tsunade in check."
Jiraiya's mouth twitched.
He knew nothing good would come of the old man approaching him at a time like this.
This would offend too many people.
If the ones offended were from another village, he wouldn't care—but offending people in your own village? That's trouble.
If the old man ended up losing to Tsunade, Jiraiya would be in for a world of hurt when she settled the score.
He couldn't even guess how many ribs he'd break.
Tsunade can be… petty. And she holds grudges.
"Look, old man," Jiraiya said, "I don't have time to meddle in this. My sights are on the whole shinobi world. It needs a special transformation to return to what it should be—and that calls for the Child of Prophecy foretold by the Great Toad Sage."
"That's my mission. Until I train that child, I'm not letting anything else distract me."
Hiruzen frowned. "Child of Prophecy? The Great Toad Sage's prophecy? What do you mean?"
He truly hadn't heard of it.
Jiraiya gave a brief explanation. Hiruzen's brow furrowed deeper, and a skeptical glint slid toward Fukasaku and Shima.
"Jiraiya, are you sure that prophecy is reliable?"
Hiruzen's doubtful question made Jiraiya freeze for a beat.
Even the old man doesn't trust the Great Toad Sage's prophecy?