Not long after Yosuke and Pakura departed, Gyūtarō set foot in the Land of Water.
If Yosuke had left even a single day later, he might have run into Gyūtarō.
Before Gyūtarō had gone very far into the Land of Water, he was intercepted by Hidden Mist shinobi.
One of the Mist shinobi stepped forward and questioned the cloaked Gyūtarō sharply:
"Who goes there?! What is your purpose for entering the Land of Water?!"
Gyūtarō scratched his cheek in confusion.
"Huh? Things weren't this strict the last time I came here. What happened?"
Hearing his tone, which suggested he had visited the Land of Water many times before, the Mist shinobi relaxed slightly.
"You're probably a merchant coming to trade from outside the Land of Water. I advise you to leave immediately. The Hidden Mist Village has officially declared war on Konoha. The entire Land of Water is now under martial law."
Gyūtarō asked doubtfully,
"War already? It hasn't been that long. Didn't they say the Hidden Mist Village would stay neutral and not join the war?"
The Mist shinobi let out a deep sigh.
"It's all because of those damned Konoha ninja. They assassinated the Sand Village's envoy who came to negotiate a peace treaty—and not just anyone, but the Sand Village's hero, Pakura of Scorch Release. Our Mizukage-sama was furious and immediately declared war on Konoha."
"That really is unfortunate," Gyūtarō replied. "But I came to the Land of Water to find someone. Once I find them, I'll leave right away."
"The Hidden Mist Village is completely sealed off to outsiders now. If the person you're looking for is inside the village, give it up and come back after the war is over. This time, four great ninja villages are joining forces to attack Konoha—the war should end quickly."
Gyūtarō thanked him.
"Thanks. The person I'm looking for isn't inside the village. Once I find them, we'll leave immediately."
As Gyūtarō walked away, he was still completely baffled.
"Are Konoha's people really that bold? Do they think they don't have enough enemies already—are they trying to take on the entire shinobi world at once?"
Gyūtarō continued deeper into the Land of Water and arrived at a lake.
He shouted toward the surface,
"Hey, brat. I'm here."
The entire lake churned violently, and a massive wave surged toward Gyūtarō.
Gyūtarō quickly formed a simple Lightning Release hand seal and plunged his hand into the water.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Strike."
Blue arcs of electricity crackled through the lake, accompanied by a piercing scream.
The wave dissipated, and the lake returned to calm. Half a head emerged from the water, shouting toward Gyūtarō in pain,
"Stop! Stop! Stop!"
Gyūtarō halted the jutsu, and the figure of Suigetsu Hōzuki slowly rose from the surface of the lake.
Suigetsu complained bitterly,
"It was just a joke! Did you really have to use Lightning Release? My whole body's still numb!"
"I was joking too," Gyūtarō replied casually. "Every time I zap you with Lightning Release, you look like you're enjoying it. I thought you liked it."
Suigetsu's face flushed red as he shot back,
"I do not enjoy it! Don't slander me!"
Suigetsu walked from the lake to the shore and sat down in front of Gyūtarō, sulking.
The first time Suigetsu had encountered Gyūtarō, he had been able to rely on the Hydrification Technique to completely ignore Gyūtarō's strange methods of attack. No matter how powerful Gyūtarō's attacks were, they were useless against Suigetsu's fully liquefied body.
But ever since Gyūtarō discovered that Lightning Release could counter the Hydrification Technique, Suigetsu had been utterly overwhelmed, with no ability to fight back at all.
Suigetsu asked,
"So what do you want with me this time?"
Gyūtarō explained his purpose and extended an invitation.
"I came to the Land of Water to invite you to join my organization. Want to come with me?"
Suigetsu asked in surprise,
"You want me to defect from my village, call you big brother, and become your underling?"
The question left Gyūtarō momentarily stumped.
"Defect… I'm not sure if joining our organization requires defection. I guess it probably doesn't?"
After all, although Yosuke had founded the organization, there were no concrete rules or regulations—it was all completely freeform.
Gyūtarō continued,
"But once you join us, we'll be comrades."
Suigetsu crossed his arms arrogantly.
"That's not enough to interest me. I have no reason to leave the Hidden Mist Village and join your organization."
"I see. If you're refusing, then there's nothing I can do. I still have things to take care of, so I'll be leaving."
Gyūtarō turned around and walked away without hesitation.
That reaction completely caught Suigetsu off guard.
Wasn't the usual process supposed to be him declining first, then Gyūtarō insisting, promising all kinds of benefits?
"Wait!" Suigetsu called out, stopping him.
Gyūtarō turned back in confusion.
"What is it, brat?"
Suigetsu cleared his throat.
"It's not like I can't join you… but I have one condition!"
"What condition?"
"You help me collect the Seven Ninja Swords of the Mist. If you agree to that, I'll join you."
"Oh, that's fine. Let's go."
Gyūtarō answered smoothly, without hesitation.
His casual response drove Suigetsu completely insane.
"Hey! Can't you ask some questions?! Like what the Seven Ninja Swords are, who's holding them, how difficult they are to collect—can you not be so dismissive about it?!"
Gyūtarō replied oddly,
"But as long as we help you collect all seven swords, that's enough, right? There's no need to ask those questions right now."
Suigetsu was utterly defeated. He lowered his head dejectedly.
"You're right… let's go."
Suigetsu had never wanted to become a rogue ninja and leave the Hidden Mist Village.
But his older brother, Mangetsu Hōzuki—hailed by the Hidden Mist as a prodigy capable of wielding all seven Ninja Swords—had died under mysterious circumstances.
In addition to being the wielder of the Twin Blades, Mangetsu had also possessed scrolls sealing the Longsword Nuibari, the Blunt Sword Kabutowari, and the Explosive Sword Shibuki—three Ninja Swords that had no current successors.
After Mangetsu's death, the scroll sealing those three swords vanished without a trace.
Suigetsu had been investigating his brother's death ever since, but had found no leads.
Although Suigetsu was also known as a prodigy within the Hidden Mist Village, and despite the fact that the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki, belonged to the Hōzuki clan, the villagers of the Hidden Mist disliked Suigetsu.
As a result, Suigetsu had long been living by himself at a lake outside the village.
His thinking was simple: if he could gather all seven Ninja Swords of the Mist, then perhaps the truth behind his brother Mangetsu's death would finally come to light.
And besides—
Suigetsu had a dream.
That dream was to surpass his brother Mangetsu Hōzuki and collect all seven Ninja Swords.
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