Tonight, the Hidden Mist was destined for a sleepless night. Although the Genjutsu controlling the Mizukage had been dispelled, Karatachi Yagura's physical condition was dire.
His face was a mask of pain as he sat in the Mizukage's office, coughing fitfully.
The side effects of Obito's long-term ocular control had left Yagura's chakra pathways exhausted.
However, the report brought by a blood-stained ANBU offered him a grim sort of clarity. "So, Hozuki Kaigetsu is still persisting with the coup?"
"Yes."
Kisame Hoshigaki, drenched in gore, reported through gritted teeth. The Greatsword Samehada in his hand was dripping with a mixture of red and white fluids—the price he had paid to reach this office.
Ten minutes prior, as the various coup squads mobilized, Kisame had suddenly turned on his own unit. He had crushed the skull of his superior, Suikazan Fuguki, and seized the Samehada.
In those few seconds, one of the Mist's top intelligence heads had been eliminated by his own subordinate. Before Kaigetsu could respond, Kisame had cut a path to the Mizukage to report the betrayal.
The coup led by Kaigetsu currently enjoyed near-total support from the ANBU and the remaining clans. Only Kisame had chosen to stand by the Mizukage.
From the beginning, Kisame had suspected Kaigetsu's origins; through his own investigations, he had concluded that Kaigetsu was a mole for the Hidden Sand—a sinister architect sent to subvert the Mist from within.
While the truth of the Mizukage being controlled by an outsider was known to a few witnesses, the rest of the village either didn't believe it or viewed it as a pathetic excuse for Yagura's years of tyranny.
If no one believed the "restoration," then Kaigetsu's revolution remained "justified" in the eyes of the public.
"You've done well, Kisame..." Yagura, though young and small in stature, maintained the dignity of a Kage. He looked at the shark-like man and shook his head. "But I can no longer protect you."
Outside, the village was a symphony of slaughter. The Mizukage's Guardian Shinobi were locked in a desperate struggle against the insurgent ANBU.
But after years of the "Bloody Mist" policy, most shinobi were heart-sick and disillusioned. Few remained to die for a fading shadow.
"Take the Samehada and go, Kisame Hoshigaki." Yagura closed his eyes, every word sounding like an immense labor.
"And you, Lord Mizukage?"
"I am the Mizukage of this village. I am going nowhere." Yagura refused to flee like a stray dog. He would wait for Kaigetsu right here. Kisame, a man who loathed sentimentality, gave a final nod and retreated.
The Sage's Protection
Outside the office, Biwa Juzo was holding the line against a swarm of ANBU. As a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, his mastery of Silent Killing far surpassed that of the young Zabuza.
His Executioner's Blade carved through the dark, creating a vortex of iron and water that even Zabuza could not penetrate.
"You're a hundred years too early to beat me, kid!"
"Tch... if I had the Executioner's Blade, I wouldn't lose to you," Zabuza spat back.
Juzo scoffed. "A sword is just a tool. If you rely on the weapon for your strength, you've already hit your limit."
While many ANBU were present, few could match Juzo's raw power. Just then, a unique, fresh fragrance filled the air. Hozuki Kaigetsu, clad in a pristine white coat and carrying a traditional katana, stepped forward. "Let me handle this."
Kaigetsu respected Juzo's prowess, remembering his performance years ago during the conflict in the Land of Rivers.
With a flick of his wrist, Kaigetsu's blade whipped up a powerful atmospheric vortex. Juzo retaliated with a massive Water Style blast, but the torrent was neutralized by a shimmering fluid shield surrounding Kaigetsu.
This shield bore a distinct White Crane Mark, radiating a Sage-like protective aura that made Juzo pause in surprise.
"Tate-Eboshi? No... the defensive density is far too high."
Tate-Eboshi was a Hozuki secret art where water covers the liquefied body to create a massive shield. It could block many attacks, but historically, even Suigetsu Hozuki couldn't stop a Tailed Beast Bomb with it.
"In the history of the Hozuki," Kaigetsu explained with rare patience, "there exists an advanced version. It requires the integration o
f natural energy: the Guhe Sage Seal (Ancient Crane Sage Seal)."
[Guhe Sage Seal: A high-density barrier created by the fusion of the "Protect" and "Aqua Ring" skill cards within Shiraishi's mental network. It uses high-frequency water vibrations to offset physical and elemental damage.]
"Since when did the Hozuki have such a technique?" Juzo muttered. "If this existed, the Second Mizukage wouldn't have died in a double-kill with the Second Tsuchikage. This level of defense could even stare down Particle Style!"
Kaigetsu offered no further explanation. Streams of Sage-infused water shot out like needles, creating an airtight offensive. Juzo swung his Greatsword, thickening the mist to find an opening.
The battle became a blur of steel and vapor. Juzo launched a relentless assault, hoping to find a gap. As a Water Dragon strike surged toward him, Juzo noticed a pattern: there was a micro-interval in the shield's deployment.
So that's it. The weakness is the cooldown!
Juzo flickered to Kaigetsu's flank, the Executioner's Blade coming down with bone-crushing force. The Guhe Sage Seal flared with silver light, barely catching the edge.
"That level of attack won't break the Seal," Kaigetsu noted.
"Then how about a Tailed Beast Bomb?" Juzo grinned savagely as he retreated.
Suddenly, Yagura appeared. The coral seals on his body flared as he entered a full Tailed Beast transformation. He opened his maw, condensing a terrifying sphere of dark energy. The Tailed Beast Bomb shrieked through the air, aimed point-blank at Kaigetsu!
Juzo's strike had been a feint to force Kaigetsu to use his "Protect" cooldown early, leaving him exposed to Yagura's finishing blow.
A cataclysmic explosion rocked the Hidden Mist, the shockwave flattening nearby buildings. Juzo gripped his sword, squinting into the fire and debris.
As the smoke cleared, a figure emerged, still shrouded in the shimmering water shield. Kaigetsu stepped toward them, his coat barely singed.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you... But the Guhe Sage Seal can actually be used in succession if the user's Sage Chakra is sufficient."
Kaigetsu's luck had held. His mastery over the "Protect" card's timing had just barely intercepted the blast.
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