Since Mizuki Ren and Mizuki Rokka had already uncovered the secret of Ryosuke's basement, and with the Third Mizukage's recent death in battle, the two had simply decided to move into Ryosuke's home.
Because of this, a group of uninvited guests had forced their way inside.
Ryosuke's once spacious living room now felt uncomfortably cramped due to the sheer number of "visitors."
At the low, Japanese-style tea table used for hospitality, Mizuki Rokka and Mizuki Lian sat stiffly, pouring tea for their uninvited guests with visibly restrained expressions.
The leader of the group, an elderly man with a mane of white hair and a beard to match, accepted the tea from Rokka with slow, deliberate movements. His wrinkled face, carved with time and experience, betrayed an air of authority. His voice, though calm, carried an underlying weight of command.
"Rokka, I wouldn't have come here in my old age if it weren't for something important." He paused, his gaze resting heavily on her. "We only hope you'll respect the wishes of us elders… and help ensure the continued prosperity of the Mizuki clan."
Despite the seemingly benevolent words, his tone was suffused with an unmistakable sense of entitlement.
This was Mizuki Gensai, the former Great Elder of the clan—Rokka's own father and the father-in-law of the late Mizuki Taki. Even when Taki was alive, this man commanded significant influence, and now, with the Third Mizukage gone, his power among the Mizuki elders had only grown.
Sitting beside him was another elder, slightly younger but no less imposing, his long silver hair framing his stern face. He nodded approvingly.
"Indeed, Rokka. You know we all watched young Hidero grow up. And even Taki himself acknowledged his talent."
"He is the most suitable heir to lead the Mizuki clan forward," another elder chimed in.
With these words, it became clear what they had gathered for. The room had grown eerily quiet, save for the steady breathing of several Mizuki clan members stationed at the entrance. Their expressions were grim, their presence a silent threat.
Rokka's hands tightened around the tea cup, her expression darkening. The meaning behind their visit was painfully obvious.
These men—once silent and detached—were now pressing their authority upon her and her daughter, seizing the first opportunity after Taki's death to manipulate them.
"Rokka, don't pretend you don't understand."
The second elder, Mizuki Isamu, broke the momentary silence, his voice edged with impatience.
"We want Lian to marry Hidero."
The words hung in the air like a dagger.
Mizuki Lian's hands curled into fists at her sides, her sharp eyes flashing with anger. Just as she was about to lash out, Rokka firmly gripped her wrist, holding her back.
Not just Lian—Rokka's expression, too, had turned ice-cold.
"Elder, Uncle," Rokka's voice was like steel. "Taki's body hasn't even gone cold, and you come here with this? Is this how you respect the dead?"
For a brief moment, the elder's smile flickered.
Then, as if discarding his false pretense of civility, Gensai's aged, clouded eyes snapped open with an unsettling sharpness.
"You speak of disrespect?" His voice was suddenly forceful, pressing like an invisible weight against the room. "We are thinking of the future. And your future, Rokka, as well as your daughter's, will be far brighter with Hidero as Mizukage."
The second elder leaned in, playing the role of the negotiator. "You and Lian could become the mothers of Kirigakure's next Mizukage. What greater honor is there?"
Rokka clenched her jaw.
"I will repeat myself once. Lian will not be marrying Mizuki Hidero."
Her voice was firm and unshakable.
"She already has someone she loves," Rokka continued, each word carrying a sharp finality. "And both Taki and I supported her decision."
At that moment, the room's atmosphere shifted.
A subtle flicker passed through Gensai's pupils. His wrinkled hands, resting on the table, twitched almost imperceptibly.
"Lian," Gensai's voice softened suddenly, his gaze locking onto the young girl, "your mother said she respects your choice. So, I ask you directly. Are you willing to marry Hidero?"
As he spoke, his right hand, hidden behind his sleeve, moved ever so slightly—forming a single-handed seal.
Genjutsu.
A faint flicker danced in Lian's eyes. Her body went rigid, and her pupils dilated.
"Lian?" Rokka called, her heart clenching.
No response.
The warmth in her daughter's expression had vanished, replaced by a vacant emptiness.
Damn it!
She tried to shake Lian's shoulder, but the young girl remained still.
Then, without warning, Rokka felt a sharp sting at her throat.
A slender, near-invisible ice needle had embedded itself in her skin.
Her second uncle, Mizuki Isamu, had acted swiftly, striking her mute before she could shout for help.
Rokka's eyes widened in horror as she realized she could no longer speak.
The elders watched in satisfaction as their plan came to fruition.
Gensai's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Now, answer me, Lian. Do you accept?"
A long pause.
Then, Lian's lips slowly parted—
BANG!
A voice like a thunderclap shattered the moment.
"GET THE HELL OUT."
A sudden, violent pressure filled the room, drowning out all other sound.
The tea table splintered in an instant, the ceramic cups exploding into fragments. The Mizuki elders barely had time to react before a powerful presence descended upon them.
Standing in the doorway, his eyes burning with uncontained fury, was Mizuki Ryosuke.
His arrival wasn't simply a matter of timing—he had sensed the flicker of chakra manipulation from a distance, and now that he was here, his rage was palpable.
The oppressive chakra radiating from him sent a chill through the room.
Gensai and the other elders—veterans of countless battles—were suddenly silent.
Mizuki Ryosuke stepped forward, his cold gaze sweeping over the elders before settling on the barely-conscious Lian.
His hand clenched into a fist.
"Who," he growled, his voice as dark as the depths of the ocean, "gave you the right to decide her future?"
The elders, who moments ago held such dominance, now found themselves in a far different position.
The tide had turned.
And in that instant, they realized—
This was no longer the same Ryosuke they once ignored.
This was a man they could no longer control.
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