Flames shot into the sky, and the roar of explosions spread outwards from the heart of Kirigakure, shattering large patches of glass. The air seemed to freeze for a moment, followed by a scorching hot gale rushing past.
The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, stood in the ruins of the courtyard, looking down at Momochi Zabuza, Terumi Mei, Ao, and a group of mid- and low-level Kirigakure ninja below.
Hozuki Mangetsu lay on the ground, his life hanging in the balance.
Obito and Pain had vanished before everyone arrived.
The gale dispersed the swirling mist, and a black long rod fell, its hook at the front end locking onto the throat of Elder Genji, hooking him up like a dead fish.
Yagura reached out and grabbed Genji's head, forcibly twisting it ninety degrees, forcing him to look at Terumi Mei and the others:
"Old man, I originally wanted you to enjoy your old age, plant some crops, grow some flowers, and find you a dignified old woman to remarry, but... they won't allow it."
"Come on, Elder, you need to see the faces of each of them clearly, don't forget –"
Yagura's hand squeezed harder and harder, and Elder Genji's neck became twisted beyond recognition.
"Save him!"
Terumi Mei shouted, making hand signs with both hands.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
A thin stream of high-pressure water shot out of her mouth, like a spear, piercing towards Yagura.
On the other side, Zabuza and Ao attacked Yagura from the left and right.
Terumi Mei, Zabuza, and Ao were the only remaining high-end combat forces in Kirigakure after the complete annihilation of the previous generation of Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
But facing the joint attack of these three, Yagura did not react at all, still holding Genji's head, and said in his ear:
"...You are dying because of them."
Crack!
Accompanied by the sound of bones breaking, Genji's head twisted unnaturally, and then drooped down heavily.
Elder Genji died.
But Terumi Mei's Water Dragon Bullet had already arrived –
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
A wall made of soil and rocks suddenly rose from under Yagura's feet, blocking the incoming Water Dragon Bullet.
Dozens of Kirigakure ninja rushed out, meeting Zabuza and Ao.
From beginning to end, Yagura didn't make any move to counterattack.
Because he knew very well.
There were many people who wanted him to die.
But there were even more people who wanted him to live.
"It's the loyalists!"
The Kirigakure ninja, who greatly outnumbered the reformers, walked out of the darkness, their eyes coldly watching Terumi Mei and the others, the contempt in their eyes undisguised.
A way to make money and live a good life was so clearly presented in front of these people, but they not only didn't take it, but even wanted to overthrow it?
Were they just stupid?
Zabuza kicked away a ninja who was trying to block him, his fierce gaze sweeping around, and said in an arrogant tone without any cover:
"You guys actually dare to show your faces? Don't you know the Land of Water Daimyo is in the village?"
Ao could see clearly with his Byakugan that Yagura was being controlled by a genjutsu. If Yagura dared to deny it, it would be simple, just find someone to release the genjutsu for him.
This was an almost zero-cost, risk-free way to prove his innocence.
But everyone knew that Yagura, or rather the masked man behind the scenes controlling everything, would not agree.
At this point, the legitimacy of the Mizukage had been subverted.
Now that Kirigakure's biggest financial backer, the Land of Water Daimyo, was here, anyone who still stood by Yagura's side was undoubtedly a confirmed rebel.
Even if they won and killed Terumi Mei and the others, so what?
Kirigakure would no longer be the Kirigakure of the Land of Water, which was absolutely unacceptable to the Land of Water Daimyo.
Once the Land of Water Daimyo cut off funding, could they expect a group of sneaky, lazy loyalists who only wanted to earn quick money to do missions and earn money?
Don't be ridiculous.
Before long, these people would fall apart due to lack of money.
From the moment the Land of Water Daimyo arrived in Kirigakure, the best choice for the loyalists was to obediently hide in their beds, not show their faces, not let anyone see them, and wait for the end of this battle.
If Yagura lost, they could admit their mistakes.
Even if Terumi Mei's faction was strong, they couldn't possibly purge all the loyalists.
Kirigakure would still need people to work, and they would just return to their previous state.
If Yagura won, the Land of Water Daimyo would not recognize Yagura's legitimacy.
The loyalists would immediately cut ties with Yagura at the speed of light, shedding all connections.
Anyway, the reformers were basically all dead in this battle, and the loyalists could just elect one of their "own people" to take over.
They would still earn a lot of money.
If the Land of Water Daimyo was confused and still recognized Yagura as the Mizukage, knowing that he might be under genjutsu, then that would be even better.
Anyway, Yagura couldn't, and had no way to, hold the loyalists accountable for not helping him –
Otherwise, where would he find a group of dogs who knew the ins and outs, were good at selling their conscience, and were willing to work for him?
In terms of both emotion and reason, the loyalists shouldn't have appeared at all.
Ao pursed his dry lips, his Byakugan seeing clearly that the loyalists in front of him were not under genjutsu, and had come here voluntarily to protect Yagura.
"Are these guys crazy?"
Clatter—clatter—clatter—
The sound of dense footsteps rang out again, along with the small sound of samurai swords colliding with armor.
Terumi Mei turned her head to look.
She saw the Land of Water Daimyo sitting in a sedan chair, surrounded by hundreds of samurai guards, their stern and cold gazes meeting those of the many ninja.
The samurai who guarded the Daimyo were all masters of swordsmanship.
Although they couldn't use ninjutsu, their swordsmanship alone was enough to fight ordinary Chunin and Jonin evenly, not to mention that they were numerous and could form battle formations, plus the Daimyo's intimidation.
These hundreds of people were clearly a very important fighting force.
The lazy voice of the Land of Water Daimyo came from the sedan chair: "What are you waiting for? Capture the rebels!"
Hearing this, Terumi Mei breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second, she saw the samurai under the Land of Water Daimyo draw their samurai swords, their blades...pointed at them!
"What?!"
Terumi Mei exclaimed.
Why was this happening?
Elder Genji had written to the Daimyo several days ago, and less than half a day ago, he had personally visited to explain the whole story, so the Daimyo knew that Akatsuki Yagura was being controlled, right? Could it be that...
"Ao!"
Terumi Mei looked at her old teammate.
Ao's expression was gloomy as he slowly shook his head.
The Daimyo was not under genjutsu.
The Land of Water Daimyo opened his fan and gently fanned himself, saying in a tone with special rhythm:
"Mizukage Yagura, working from dawn till dusk, doing his best, sharing the Land of Water's internal affairs, but he was framed by villains, slandered and accused. Today, I will set things right, and kill the traitors... Oh right, you're called rogue ninja. But, it doesn't matter –"
The Daimyo was too lazy to continue making things up, and waved his hand.
"Kill them."
Terumi Mei's face turned cold.
Linto was right.
The Land of Water Daimyo... had betrayed them.
He didn't care about the Mizukage, the Bloody Mist Village, or Kirigakure at all.
The Land of Water Daimyo only cared about who could help him make money.
From this point of view, Yagura was really too competent.
Yagura chuckled: "Everyone, send our old friends on their way, at least we were colleagues, give them a quick death."
"Yes!"
One loyalist ninja after another pounced over.
The Daimyo's samurai army surrounded them, preventing anyone from escaping.
Yagura made hand signs, and the enormous chakra of the jinchuriki gathered in his mouth.
"Water Style: Bullet Shot!"
A shock wave made of water, fully ten meters high, smashed over like a cannonball.
Terumi Mei stared blankly at the sky full of enemies.
Elder Genji was dead.
The Land of Water Daimyo had abandoned the legitimacy of the ninja village.
How was she supposed to fight this?!
Terumi Mei's heart fell into the bottom of a deep valley, and despair, like darkness, swallowed her.
Just then a huge knife came spinning over.
The blade cut off Yagura's water style, knocked away dozens of ninja rushing in the front, and stabbed heavily into the ground.
The earth trembled, and the Land of Water Daimyo fell from the sedan chair, letting out a painful wail.
Linto appeared silently, gently holding the Decapitating Sword. He turned his head and said to Terumi Mei:
"Don't forget, your promise."
Promise?
Yes, she had said it, Yagura, the Daimyo, the Akatsuki organization, any enemy who dared to block her way...
She would kill them with her own hands!
Either be reborn in slaughter, or die in slaughter, there was no third way, so what was there to despair about.
Figures fell from the sky, landing behind Linto.
Sasuke and Momo-chan drew their respective swords.
Mayuri slowly put Orochimaru's ninjutsu disc into his chest.
Zabuza grinned: "It should have been like this a long time ago, screw this and that, take them one by one, chop them all up!"
Linto drew the Decapitating Sword.
"Let's move."
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