Chapter 23:
"This is the place where, back when Kirigakure was known as the Village of the Bloody Mist, students used to fight each other to the death during graduation exams."
"During the era of the Fourth Mizukage, they say not a single day went by without bloodshed in the village. It was truly a tragic period in history."
"But now, the Village of the Bloody Mist has become Kirigakure. The blood of the past…"
Kagura was preparing himself emotionally, and a look of sorrow spread across his face.
His grandfather, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura, had turned Kirigakure into the Village of the Bloody Mist because he had been under the control of the Mangekyō Sharingan. However, ever since the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, the truth had been permanently buried due to Konoha's overwhelming power.
Now, everyone simply believed that the one responsible for all the bloodshed in Kirigakure was the Fourth Mizukage Yagura.
"But really, it wasn't all that long ago, was it?" Iwabee interrupted Kagura and continued, "I heard that my grandfather was killed by the Fourth Mizukage—by that bastard Yagura."
"In the ninja world, stuff like that happens all the time, but my dad always said the Mist Village was unforgivable for killing my grandfather."
"This isn't something from the past. It's still part of our present. Besides, those Mist ninja picked a fight with us just earlier today."
Iwabee stared directly at Kagura.
Even though he was born in an era of peace, his father had instilled in him a deep desire for revenge from a young age.
Hatred isn't something that fades away easily.
"…Sorry."
Hatred really doesn't vanish that easily. Kagura knew that all too well. Just like how he hated the Uchiha clan for controlling his grandfather and forcing him to commit atrocities against Kirigakure, leaving him with a reputation stained in infamy, Kagura understood how Iwabee felt about Yagura killing his grandfather.
"What are you apologizing for? That's what pisses me off even more. Forgetting the past is unforgivable, but this has nothing to do with you! Why the hell are you apologizing like you're part of it?!"
Iwabee wasn't the type to hold grudges. That's why he had always focused his resentment solely on the already-deceased Fourth Mizukage, not on the people of Kirigakure. It was his way of avoiding further hatred.
But when Kagura apologized on Yagura's behalf, it felt to Iwabee as if Kagura was taking the blame for everything Yagura had done—and that, he couldn't accept.
"You're so damn noisy. What the hell are you all arguing about? Oh, I just realized—you're all outsiders, aren't you?"
"Right, I heard those Konoha brats came to visit. Must be you guys."
A group of Kirigakure ninja walked over. Compared to Konoha's ninja, they were completely unrefined. If Konoha's ninja were a proper army, these guys were a ragtag militia.
"Hachiya."
Kagura looked toward the one who had just spoken. Clearly, this man, whom Kagura called Hachiya, was the leader of the group.
"Oh, I was wondering who it was. Turns out it's you, Kagura. Are you leading these Konoha brats now? Wagging your tail at outsiders like some kind of dog?"
Hachiya sneered arrogantly.
"It's none of your business."
Kagura remained indifferent to Hachiya's taunts.
Although his grandfather had committed many wrongs while under the Mangekyō's control, wrongs were still wrongs.
Because of the guilt he felt over what his grandfather had done to Kirigakure, Kagura had always harbored a sense of remorse toward both the village and its people.
"How is it not my business? You're a candidate to join the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Bloody Mist."
"If even you're bowing your head to them, we'll all get looked down on. And let's be honest, outsiders like them don't belong here in the Village of the Bloody Mist—they're way too full of themselves."
Even though he knew Kagura was a candidate for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Hachiya had no respect for him at all.
"So what if we are acting arrogant?"
Seeing Hachiya's attitude, Iwabee suddenly felt that he had been naive to try not to hate Kirigakure. His father had been right all along—hatred wasn't something that just disappears.
"Don't, Iwabee. Don't ruin our field trip over this."
Boruto grabbed Iwabee's arm, trying to calm him down.
"So you're the brat from the Uzumaki family, huh?"
Those who hadn't lived through the Great Ninja War naturally had no idea of Naruto Uzumaki's strength.
Although he called Boruto the "Uzumaki family's little lord," Hachiya's tone was filled with contempt.
"This has nothing to do with my dad."
Boruto was doing his best to fulfill his duties as the class field trip leader, working hard to restrain himself.
"Of course it does. If I beat you down and make you beg for mercy, we'll be famous!"
As Hachiya spoke, he pulled out a kunai and lunged at Boruto—but his attack was blocked by Kagura, who instantly moved in front of Boruto.
Kagura caught the kunai in his hand, and the blade cut into his flesh, causing blood to drip onto the ground.
"You were the one who made the first move!"
Iwabee unslung the weapon he'd been carrying on his back.
It was a long staff, and after channeling chakra into it, a conical rock formation emerged from one end.
"Water Style—!"
One of Hachiya's underlings started to form hand signs, but before his jutsu could be completed, he was hit with a genjutsu from Uchiha Itachi's Sharingan.
All the enemies froze where they stood, dazed—except for Hachiya, who was still restrained by Kagura.
"So this is the genjutsu of the Sharingan…"
Kagura cast a sidelong glance at Uchiha Itachi, whose Sharingan had manifested with three tomoe.
Seeing that the situation was under control, Kagura also stopped engaging with Hachiya.
"Damn it! You bastards better watch your backs!"
Hachiya turned and fled, leaving his entranced lackeys behind.
Once Hachiya was gone, Uchiha Itachi silently released the genjutsu on the others.
"Hachiya's gone. You guys should get going too."
At Kagura's words, Hachiya's subordinates exchanged wary glances, slowly retreating. Only after putting some distance between themselves and the group did they break into a full sprint and flee.
"Hard to believe punks like that still exist in this day and age. Anyway, thanks a lot back there, Shuyu."
Watching the Mist ninjas scramble away, Sarada spoke to Uchiha Itachi. He merely gave her a quiet smile and nodded.
"Kagura, is your hand okay?"
Boruto asked with concern, grateful for how Kagura had stepped in to protect him.
"Yeah, it's just a small cut. Nothing serious—a quick patch-up will do."
"And… I'm really sorry for getting everyone involved in this." While bandaging his wound, Kagura turned to Iwabee and added, "You were right. But still, please let me apologize."
Kagura bowed deeply to Iwabee and said earnestly, "I'm sorry."
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