108 - Smiles and Daggers

Upon entering the Land of Water once again, Masashi could clearly feel that the atmosphere in this country had changed.

The stance of opposition was visible. But it wasn't opposition between ninjas…

It wasn't even the usual tension between villages. No, this was something far more dangerous—it was opposition between ordinary people and ninjas!

Among the Five Great Nations, it was well-known that the daimyō of the Land of Wind had a strained relationship with Suna, to the point where the Land of Wind would sometimes delegate missions to Konoha instead of Suna.

However, it had to be said that this wasn't a state of outright opposition. At most, the daimyō of the Land of Wind felt the Suna ninjas were somewhat ineffective, but the mechanism of cooperation between the daimyō's government and the ninja village still functioned well.

In the Land of Water, however, this generation's daimyō seemed to have experienced some kind of political turmoil, perhaps like a struggle for succession among princes, and as a result, he was severely lacking in security.

Meanwhile, Kiri, which had implemented the Bloody Mist policy, seemed to have maxed out its ability to instill fear. Consequently, the relationship between the daimyō's government and Kiri was extremely tense.

The daimyō was worried that the Kiri ninjas might lose control and attack him as well. He had even dreamed, more than once, of the Kiri ninjas swinging his severed head like a toy on a swing.

The daimyō's attitude naturally influenced the entire system of the Land of Water, which ultimately led to a strained relationship between ordinary citizens and ninjas.

The Mizukage being assassinated—though unsuccessful—had ignited the flames of this tension.

At its core, it all stemmed from the Bloody Mist policies implemented by the Third Mizukage.

Distrust had begun to turn into outright hostility.

In truth, this wasn't entirely Obito's fault; the Land of Water already had its own inherent problems.

"Masashi-nii," Shisui, observing everything along the way, grew increasingly puzzled. "I can't help but feel that whether we renew the alliance or not no longer matters."

"We still need to renew it," Masashi replied. "The Land of Water is a country of ninjas; this nation needs its ninja forces. It's just that Kiri has been abnormal for far too long."

Despite the opposition, all the turmoil still centered around Kiri.

In the original timeline, the extinction of many ninja clans was primarily carried out through the military might of Kiri's forces.

However, a chaotic Kiri did not align with Konoha's needs. No one wanted a den of lunatics lurking behind them.

Led by Kiri's ANBU, Masashi and Shisui went deeper into the country. Along the way, civilians would avoid them as soon as they saw them.

In front of the ANBU, Masashi hadn't used the Flying Thunder God even once. This was just the beginning, and he didn't want the marks he had set up to be discovered by the Kiri ninjas.

If they found out, Obito would also find out.

Masashi still wanted to give him a "surprise."

Thinking back to when he had considered Kiri as a fallback option in his plans, he couldn't help but feel relieved that he hadn't gone through with it.

The divide between the Land of Water's ninjas and its nation was so deep that, given the Uchiha clan's temperament, few would have been able to tolerate it.

This discomfort only disappeared after they entered the Mist Valley.

Once inside, it felt as though they had stepped into another world, completely isolated from everything outside the valley.

Suddenly, he thought that this might be one of the reasons why the Kiri ninjas didn't care about the opinions of their citizens.

Living in such an isolated place, they were already exhausted dealing with the Bloody Mist policies. How could they spare the effort to care whether the people outside liked them or not?

Finally, he saw Kiri.

The most terrifying place in the ninja world appeared, at first glance, to be peaceful.

But within his sensory range, the area was filled with countless cold and sinister chakra signatures.

There were a few that were relatively less oppressive, but they were rare.

Suddenly, the Kiri ANBU stopped.

A large group of people had appeared ahead.

Masashi took one look. Oh, plenty of old acquaintances.

However, instead of stepping forward to greet them immediately, both he and Shisui tacitly pretended to take a sudden interest in the surrounding plants and flowers.

"Gentlemen, the emissaries from Konoha are here to visit the Mizukage. Please make way," the ANBU leader said.

His words were polite, but the actions of the ANBU were not as harmonious as his tone suggested.

They were clearly on guard.

From the crowd, a man in his forties stepped forward. His gaze passed over the ANBU and landed on Masashi and Shisui standing behind them.

The ANBU couldn't discern anything from his expression.

The only thing they could conclude was that this guy probably hadn't washed his face that morning.

"Handling such a minor matter as welcoming guests should be left to us old folks. Don't you all have more important tasks at hand?" the man said. "It's better not to lose focus."

Hearing this, the ANBU were cursing him internally. Wasn't this whole situation your fault to begin with?

Attempting to assassinate the Mizukage—with Zabuza, of all people?

Zabuza had been declared a fugitive after being accused of an attempted assassination of the Mizukage. He was currently at large.

That statement wasn't entirely accurate.

In truth, among those who tried to assassinate the Mizukage that night, Zabuza was the only one who successfully escaped.

The others had died at the scene.

Those whose identities could be traced were all civilian ninjas who shared the same belief—to end the Bloody Mist and restore the village to its former glory.

The Mizukage's faction, though ruthless, did not harbor malice toward these people. They had no choice but to stop them but still respected their resolve.

However, they deeply despised the mastermind who had exploited these people.

Assassinating the Mizukage and publicly exposing the conflict was a foolish move that only provided opportunities for outsiders.

The greatest suspect was none other than the Hōzuki clan!

Even the ninja clans opposed the Bloody Mist, but for entirely different reasons.

Now the Mizukage had begun rallying civilian ninjas against the established ninja clans, and if this continued, civil war was inevitable.

The Yuki clan had already taken the fall. Someone had used Ice Release that night, and the Mizukage had immediately led the ANBU to the Yuki clan's territory, slaughtering all of their ninja members. The remaining non-ninja clan members were then exiled from Kiri.

"This isn't good, Kagemune-sama," the ANBU leader said, suppressing his anger. "Kiri has its own laws, and you are overstepping your bounds!"

"The village's laws were built by us," the man said calmly. "You need to remember not to bite the hands that fed you."

The atmosphere grew tense, to the point of almost breaking.

To the ANBU, every second felt like an eternity.

The other side wasn't just testing them—they were genuinely here to intercept the Konoha emissaries.

"Eh? Oh, it's you?"

Suddenly, Masashi's voice broke the tension.

He stepped forward from behind the ANBU, as if he had just noticed the people there, his face showing apparent surprise.

"It's been a long time!"

Shisui turned his head slightly, struggling to hold back a laugh. He could swear that Masashi absolutely did not know who this person was.

Because for most of the missions Masashi had completed, Shisui had been present. Anyone alive, Shisui would have known.

If Masashi didn't know him, then this person certainly wasn't a survivor.

"Indeed, it has been a long time," the man smiled, playing along perfectly. "You are as humorous as ever."

Masashi smiled back and patted the ANBU leader on the shoulder.

"You've worked hard. I'll catch up with this old friend of mine, and then I'll go see the Mizukage myself."

"Ah, I see. My oversight," the ANBU leader's demeanor changed completely. "I'll report to the Mizukage now. I'll take my leave."

With that, he waved his hand and quickly departed with the other ANBU.

Their hasty departure eased the tense atmosphere among the ninja clans to some extent.

But it was only eased, not eliminated.

Because standing before them now were two young Konoha ninjas who had killed a significant number of Kiri ninjas during the war between Konoha and Kiri.

To put it bluntly, most of the people in the Kiri now held grudges against these two individuals.

The White Ghost had not only killed the most but had become a nightmare for the ninja clans. The stories of his exploits during the war still haunted their dreams—stories of entire squads vanishing into the mist, only their headbands left behind as cruel markers.

If the Village of the Bloody Mist hadn't already broken the spirit of the current Kiri ninjas, they would have been seeking revenge the moment these two set foot in the Land of Water.

This sort of thing was exactly what Kiri ninjas would do. Getting hot-headed was a common trait among them; once they were fired up, not even the Mizukage himself could hold them back.

Unless he was ready to make examples of them.

The Kiri clans especially valued family revenge. The village couldn't control these people, and sometimes even the clans themselves couldn't rein them in.

The Yuki clan had been doomed because a few young hotheads from their clan acted recklessly.

Kagemune wasn't exactly a good person, but he had never encouraged the young Yuki clan members to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage.

That kind of move would leave too much evidence. Having managed to become an elder of the Hōzuki clan at over forty years old, he wasn't that foolish.

What he hadn't anticipated was the loss of control over the pawn, Zabuza.

That loss of control had brought the conflict between the ninja clans and the Mizukage's office into the open, and now there was no turning back.

Kagemune carefully observed Masashi and Shisui before him.

Kagemune carefully observed Masashi and Shisui before him, ultimately settling his gaze on Masashi.

This was mostly because Shisui's serious demeanor made him disinclined to engage in conversation.

He bent slightly at the waist and offered a bow to both of them.

"Such courage—admirable!"

Seeing this, Masashi and Shisui returned the gesture.

"I've heard much about the White Ghost, and today I finally see him in person." he smiled faintly. "Have you really seen through me?"

"Let's not say the quiet part out loud," Masashi replied with a nod. "I'm here to discuss business, not to stir up your internal conflicts."

Among the Kiri ninjas, some younger faces seemed eager to move. One stepped forward. "You dare come here after—"

Noticing this, Masashi smiled and cut in, "Looking for revenge? How about following the old traditions?"

"Masashi, there's no need to provoke them," Kagemune said. "Young people always think we are stubborn and want to break all the rules. Their actions should be understood."

"You're not even fifty yet, but you talk like you've got one foot in the grave," Masashi shook his head. "We're all ninja clans—fighting and killing are normal. I've always honored tradition."

"Being too aggressive doesn't suit a cooperative attitude."

"'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' Is that so hard to understand?" Masashi's smile faded. "I'm kind of young, too. It's easy to provoke me."

"I don't know where this Rome is," Kagemune replied with a slight smile, "but I understand your point about following local customs. Still, being too aggressive doesn't suit a cooperative attitude."

Masashi's words seemed to remind Kagemune of something. He turned back to the crowd, his expression hardening. "Let me be clear—anyone who ruins this will face the clan's punishment."

The restless movements in the crowd quieted down.

Satisfied, Kagemune turned back.

"Please, this way."

With that, the ninja clans parted to form a path, their eyes locked on Masashi and Shisui.

Kagemune stood at the entrance of this "road," smiling.

"Since we're all friends here, I won't stand on ceremony," Masashi said calmly as he stepped forward. Shisui gave the crowd a cool glance, shook his head slightly, and followed.

Kagemune's smile widened as he led the two into Kiri.

The walls of Kiri were no smaller than those of Konoha's, and due to the terrain, their main gate even appeared more imposing.

But it carried a far more sinister air.

Unlike the lively gates of Konoha, which were always open and bustling with merchants and travelers, the Kiri gates felt like the perfect set for a horror film.

Add a spooky soundtrack, and it would feel authentic.

Kiri ninjas were everywhere, but to the untrained eye, it seemed deserted.

Walking through the fortress-like village, Masashi felt no signs of ordinary life.

"The Kiri ninjas really have it rough," he sighed.

Shisui glanced at him, wanting to comment but holding back. Finally, he muttered, "Masashi-nii, you can drink tea back home, too."

"I feel like you're insinuating something, but you have no evidence," Masashi shot him a look. "You're young—why's your mind so dirty? You've picked up bad habits."

That's your fault! Shisui felt wronged but kept quiet, maintaining his professional image as Konoha's envoy.

"Oh? You enjoy the tea ceremony?" Kagemune looked at him in surprise. "It's rare to find young people interested in such things. Since we share this interest, let's not be strangers. We should get closer."

Shisui had been too cheeky earlier, making the atmosphere awkward. Masashi just hoped he wouldn't mess up in the Mizukage's office.

Behind them, the ninja clans dispersed as they entered the village, but not before memorizing every detail of the two Konoha ninjas' appearances.

In their eyes, Shisui lived up to his reputation: cold, serious, and reserved.

But the White Ghost was another story—far harder to describe. He seemed even more hot-headed than the Kiri ninjas themselves.

Kagemune led the two through the village, eventually passing the towering Mizukage Building.

It resembled a massive water barrel and dwarfed all other structures in Kiri. Its design was purely militaristic, devoid of any signs of civilian life.

"We're here," Kagemune said as they stopped in front of a building along a gravel path.

The building had a hint of civilian charm and was clearly a guesthouse.

"This guesthouse is reserved for esteemed visitors. It's fully equipped with everything you'll need," Kagemune said. "Feel free to rest here. Should you need anything, there are people available to assist you."

His tone suddenly turned suggestive. "Of course, remember that business is important. Take care of yourselves."

"???"

Why did that sound so familiar? Shisui was confused.

"Thank you," Masashi ignored the undertone in Kagemune's voice. Flattery wouldn't sway him in negotiations; he just wanted a proper rest. "But aren't we meeting the Mizukage today?"

"There's no rush," Kagemune smiled. "He needs time to prepare. The information you gave to Mangetsu is very important, but only a few people know about it."

"Reliable as ever!" Masashi gave him a thumbs-up. "That's fine, then. We're tired anyway—time for a good meal and sleep."

"Rest is important," Kagemune nodded. "By the way, there's a gathering tonight. We'd like to invite you two—can we count on your presence?"

"Of course!"

"Then I'm relieved. Enjoy your rest, gentlemen." After saying this, Kagemune left.

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29/150 reached for bonus chapter.