"So, which side are you on?"
Hoshigaki Kisame grinned as he looked at Hozuki Mangetsu, resting the Shark Skin Greatsword on his shoulder: "Little one from the Hozuki Family, I remember you were never allowed near here, right? You've come to the Mizukage's residence, are you trying to rescue the Mizukage, or do you want to kill both the Mizukage and the assassin?"
"..."
Hozuki Mangetsu fell into silence.
Hoshigaki Kisame's words pierced through Hozuki Mangetsu's facade of peace.
The Hozuki Family of The Hidden Mist Village is a prestigious clan in the village, undeniably at its peak when Hozuki Gengetsu became the Second Mizukage, which laid the foundation for the Hozuki Family's noble status in The Hidden Mist Village.
However, since then, the Hozuki Family has not aligned well with any of the successive Mizukages, their status being too transcendent.
The hidden ninja of the Hozuki Family, who could use the Water Transformation Jutsu, were extraordinarily talented, always in control of the seven ninja blades, leading the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist, managing this powerful ninja squad that did not wholly submit to the Mizukage.
The Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist, a ninja squad not quite respectful to the Mizukage, was notably friendly towards the Hozuki Family, because the Hozuki Family could freely summon the seven ninja blades.
Isn't this madness, a dance on the edge of death?
The status of the Hozuki Family is very similar to that of the Uchiha Clan in Konoha.
No, the status of the Hozuki Family is much stronger than that of the Uchiha Clan in Konoha; at least one of their members had become a Mizukage, while the Uchiha Clan Leader could not even secure a high-ranking position within Konoha.
In any case, the relationship between the Hozuki Family and the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist destined them not to coexist harmoniously with the high-ranking ninjas led by the Mizukage.
After years of war, the members of the Hozuki Family suffered heavy losses and their talents gradually withered away.
Coincidentally, only Uchiha Itachi and his brother Uchiha Sasuke remain of the Uchiha Clan in Konoha, and only Hozuki Mangetsu and his brother Hozuki Suigetsu remain of the Hozuki Family in The Hidden Mist Village.
Looking at the silent Hozuki Mangetsu, Hoshigaki Kisame chuckled as he continued: "If you kill the Mizukage here, even though you are only thirteen this year, many might still nominate you as the Fifth Mizukage of the village..."
"..."
Hozuki Mangetsu shook his head, reached for the ninja blade on his back, lifted his head and said to Hoshigaki Kisame in a deep voice: "Then, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Kisame. I will not betray the village, nor will I rebel to kill the Mizukage."
"Then what are you still doing here!"
Uehara Naraku's voice came through, his body transformed into a shadow appearing in front of Hozuki Mangetsu, and he punched Hozuki Mangetsu on the head, causing a large splash of water to erupt!
The splashed water reconvened, forming Hozuki Mangetsu's head again; from the Hozuki Family's Water Transformation Jutsu, physical attacks of this level are completely immune.
Uehara Naraku looked at Hozuki Mangetsu's head enduring a heavy blow, yet it seemed as if nothing had happened, and he couldn't help but exclaim: "Tsk, Water Transformation Jutsu? It's truly fascinating..."
"You are the more fearsome one, sir."
Hozuki Mangetsu's expression gradually became serious, he reached again for the ninja blade on his back, and softly said: "Someone who withstands a direct Water Iron Cannon Jutsu without injury... I've never seen such a person."
"Well, now you have."
Uehara Naraku somewhat gratefully noted that he had purchased the Madman's Armor early on, and his Life Energy recovery rate far exceeded before. During the exchange between Hozuki Mangetsu and Hoshigaki Kisame, his Life Energy had already recovered significantly.
While they were confronting each other.
The Three-tailed from the lake suddenly dissipated into smoke, and Fourth Mizukage Yagura climbed up, clutching his arm tightly, his blood flowing out between his fingers.
As a Three-tailed Jinchuriki, Yagura's recovery ability was strong, but the wound left by the purple energy released by Uehara Naraku was unusually bizarre. The Tailed Beast Chakra couldn't heal his wound at all.
Everyone's gaze wandered slightly, with each looking slowly towards the heavily injured Fourth Mizukage, Yagura coldly scanned the people present, and ordered: "Hozuki Mangetsu, I command you to kill this little brat and Hoshigaki Kisame!"
Hozuki Mangetsu glanced around at everyone present, and suddenly drew the Twinsword Hiramekarei from his back, responding in a deep voice: "Understood... Mizukage-sama!"
"..."
Uehara Naraku quickly raised his fingers, just as he was about to fight Hozuki Mangetsu, Hoshigaki Kisame suddenly raised the Shark Skin to block him.
When Uehara was astonished, Hoshigaki Kisame chuckled: "Uehara-sama, don't rush... The situation in The Hidden Mist Village is far more complex than you have seen. In this village, so-called comrades are merely souls under the butchers."
Hoshigaki Kisame observed Hozuki Mangetsu slowly moving his ninja blade, the smile on his face growing wider: "A gravely wounded Mizukage is a huge temptation for every ninja wanting to kill him..."
As Hoshigaki Kisame finished, Hozuki Mangetsu truly gripped the Hiramekarei, and turned to slash towards Yagura!
Uehara Naraku furrowed his brow, watching another member of the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist betray Yagura, and couldn't help but ask: "What is going on?"
"If it were a fully capable Mizukage, no one would dare take action, only the crazy Momochi Zabuza would dare attack..."
Hoshigaki Kisame bared his teeth, watching Hozuki Mangetsu and Yagura engage in a fierce fight, and continued with a smile: "But if it's an injured Mizukage, that's a different story... After all, every Hidden Mist Ninja dreams of becoming a hero to change the Blood Mist Village!
Our Fourth Mizukage-sama never paid attention to his subordinates, he only relied on the power of the Three-tailed Jinchuriki to barely suppress the ninjas in the village.
Moreover, the decline of the prestigious Hozuki Family in The Hidden Mist Village can be greatly attributed to the Fourth Mizukage standing before us!"
Since The Hidden Mist Village turned into the Blood Mist Village, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura had long lost the hearts of the high-ranking Hidden Mist ninjas, and furthermore, he personally crafted rules that made the Hidden Mist Ninjas lose their respect for him ages ago.
Moreover, the gradual decline of the Hozuki Family in The Hidden Mist Village is undeniably linked to the Fourth Mizukage enforcing the Blood Mist policies.
Uehara Naraku looked at Hozuki Mangetsu's figure, with an expression of puzzlement, thinking: "If his goal is to kill the Fourth Mizukage too, why did he stop me from killing Yagura earlier?"
"Because he wants revenge too!"
Hoshigaki Kisame chuckled as he explained: "The relationship between the Hozuki Family and the Fourth Mizukage had long been as incompatible as water and fire. Since I joined the Anbu, I've seen a lot of missions to eliminate Hozuki Family ninjas!"
"Well, all those are Uchiha Obito's doing..."
Uehara Naraku was about to speak, wondering if all the mess in The Hidden Mist Village shouldn't be blamed on Uchiha Obito?
However, after thinking carefully, it was true that Hozuki Mangetsu knew nothing about this.
Hoshigaki Kisame shook his head and said in a low voice: "Uehara-sama, successive Mizukages suppressing the ninja race of The Hidden Mist Village has long been a practice, only that person behind the scenes manipulating the Fourth Mizukage exacerbated the conflict."
"..."
Uehara nodded, absorbed in thought.
Does each Ninja Village have such sordid affairs?
With so much bitterness and hatred, is it any surprise that Hozuki Mangetsu wants to kill the Mizukage?
The recently deceased Uchiha Fugaku, if he encountered the gravely injured Shimura Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen one day, would probably even think of scattering their ashes in the wind, right?