"No one knows what Kirigakure was thinking, but the one who did it was indeed Kirigakure."
Minato fell silent for a while before finally asking in a low voice:
"What did Hokage-sama say?"
"Hiruzen has not made a final decision yet. He only ordered that the shinobi supporting Kirigakure return to Konoha first."
Koharu paused slightly, then continued:
"Minato, hold yourself together."
"Kakashi will be alright."
"For now, go back and see Kushina first. She's been worried about you."
Minato nodded.
Then he turned and walked out.
The deaths of two students in succession weighed on his heart like a mountain.
One had died because Minato had gone to support Kirigakure and was therefore not there to save him.
The other had died directly at the hands of Kirigakure shinobi.
His steps did not slow, but his figure seemed heavier than before.
…
…
Kirigakure.
Mizukage Building.
The Third Mizukage sat behind his desk, his expression somewhat eased.
First he had repelled the Kaguya Clan's attack.
Then he had organized an elite force and sent them to reinforce the front lines.
After completing those two matters, he had finally breathed a small sigh of relief.
"With those reinforcements, and with Konoha as our ally, there should be no major problem in holding back Sunagakure."
The Third Mizukage revealed a faint smile.
"At last, the village's situation has stopped deteriorating."
"This may be a turning point."
"The village's worst days have already passed."
"From here on, things will only get better."
Just then—
two shinobi rushed inside at high speed.
"Mizukage-sama!"
The Third Mizukage's heart gave a sudden thump.
Because the expressions on the faces of those two intelligence shinobi were both extremely ugly.
That meant there was most likely bad news.
At a time like this, what bad news could there still be?
"What is it?"
"Mizukage-sama, a battle report has arrived from the front. Sunagakure's army has launched a full-scale offensive against our Kirigakure forces. Our forces have been completely overwhelmed. The casualties are extremely severe."
The Third Mizukage frowned immediately.
"How could it be this bad?"
"Wasn't there Konoha's support? And our own reinforcements should have arrived by now."
One of the intelligence shinobi lowered his head.
"Mizukage-sama… Konoha's shinobi all withdrew."
The Third Mizukage shot to his feet so abruptly that the chair behind him trembled.
"What did you say?"
"Mizukage-sama, it is absolutely true."
In an instant, the Third Mizukage's face darkened.
A moment ago, he had still believed Kirigakure's situation was finally beginning to improve.
But in the blink of an eye, such a drastic reversal had occurred.
"Konoha!"
He ground out those two words through clenched teeth.
"This has gone too far!"
"They formed an alliance with Kirigakure as our ally, yet sold us out and betrayed us at the most critical moment."
"Utterly shameless!"
"Sunagakure's all-out assault was very likely something they had already discussed with Konoha."
The more he spoke, the angrier he became.
And the angrier he became, the more impossible it was to stop.
A pressure built in his chest until it felt as though even breathing had become difficult.
"Why?"
"Why did it become like this?"
He could not understand it.
He had already tried his hardest.
Whether toward internal matters or external matters, he had given one hundred percent of himself.
Kirigakure's overall situation had once been excellent.
Once Sunagakure was conquered, he had been confident he could push Kirigakure's strength into the top three among the great villages.
But now—
everything had taken a violent turn downward.
Kirigakure's condition had only become worse and worse.
"Rasa!"
"It all started after that brat Rasa took over as Kazekage!"
"I refuse to accept this!"
"I served as Mizukage so well, and yet this is the result I receive?"
"Heavens…"
"How unfair you are!"
The Third Mizukage was overcome by grief and fury.
Suddenly—
"Pfft!"
A huge mouthful of blood burst from his mouth and sprayed across the desk in front of him. The two intelligence shinobi nearby were splashed as well, their clothing and faces stained with blood.
But neither of them had time to wipe it away.
Both of them only stared at the Third Mizukage in alarm.
"Mizukage-sama!"
His body swayed backward uncontrollably.
Bang!
He crashed heavily against the chair behind him.
Back during the Kaguya Clan's first rebellion, the Third Mizukage had already been badly injured.
Then, before his old wounds had healed, the Kaguya Clan struck again, and he still had no choice but to go into battle.
Old wounds had not healed.
New wounds were added on top.
Now, with the battlefield report delivering such a blow, his body had finally reached its limit.
The Third Mizukage's body convulsed violently.
Blood continued pouring from his mouth.
More and more.
Soon, a thick pool of blood spread across the floor.
A panicked cry rang out.
"This is bad!"
"Mizukage-sama is dying!"
"Someone, hurry!"
"Call the medical shinobi!"
Under the guidance of the ANBU, medical shinobi rushed over at top speed.
But it was already too late.
The Third Mizukage was already advanced in years.
He simply could not withstand such torment.
By the time the medical shinobi arrived, the Third Mizukage had already breathed his last.
Under the gaze of everyone present, the medical shinobi slowly shook his head.
"Mizukage-sama…"
"…has passed away."
A bleak, sorrowful atmosphere spread instantly.
The village elders and high-ranking officials still inside Kirigakure all rushed to the Mizukage Building at once.
"Mizukage-sama…"
After mourning the Third Mizukage, the high-ranking officials had no choice but to face the second problem.
The selection of a new Mizukage.
Given Kirigakure's current state, the village could not be left without one.
Back then, Sunagakure had not even suffered a major blow—yet just the sudden disappearance of the Third Kazekage had been enough to make the other villages stir with malicious intent and plunge Sunagakure into a disastrous situation.
Kirigakure's present condition was far worse.
One elder sighed heavily.
"If only the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were all still here."
"Choosing one of them as Mizukage's successor would have been easy, even if only as an acting Mizukage."
"But right now, there isn't a truly suitable candidate left in the village."
No one in Kirigakure had imagined that one war would cost them so dearly among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
One had defected.
Five had died.
Only Munashi Jinpachi remained.
But Jinpachi was still at the front lines, and even setting that aside, he simply did not have the qualifications to inherit the Mizukage position.
If they were going to choose Jinpachi, they might as well choose Karatachi Yagura.
The elders exchanged glances.
Each saw the same conclusion in the others' eyes.
At present, aside from Yagura, there truly was no one more suitable within Kirigakure.
The only problem—
Yagura was not in the village.
He was still on the battlefield.
"In an emergency, we set aside the formalities."
"Let's decide it this way for now."
"Once Yagura returns, we can complete the official succession ceremony afterward."
"Agreed."
Far away at the front lines, Yagura received the news of the Third Mizukage's death first.
Even before the final result of the discussion among Kirigakure's upper echelon had formally reached him, an ANBU shinobi had already delivered the message.
Yagura's face became extremely ugly.
Then, after a long pause, he let out a deep sigh.
"Kirigakure…"
"…has lost."
He lifted his head and looked at the shinobi before him.
"Prepare the white cloth."
"For now, we only have one path left."
"Surrender to Sunagakure."
"There is no other way."