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Yagura Karatachi…
Finally, we meet.
In Kirigakure's history, the Fourth Mizukage was an extremely significant figure.
The "Village of the Bloody Mist" had begun under the Third Mizukage, but its most terrifying era was under Yagura's rule—especially the persecution of Kekkei Genkai users.
The atrocities of the "Bloody Mist" reached their peak not because of Yagura's own will, but because he had been placed under Obito's genjutsu.
Since the exact date of Obito's attack was unknown, even Kirigakure would struggle to mobilize the entire village against him and the Akatsuki.
Not to mention, Kirigakure itself wasn't exactly united.
Yagura bore great responsibility for Kirigakure's sins, but he was also a tragic puppet.
Still, no matter what, Midorima had almost zero interaction with him. So why was Yagura summoning him now?
Teranchi Midorima followed the ninja into the Mizukage's office building.
When a voice from inside called, "Enter," the guide gently pushed open the door.
This was Midorima's first time stepping into the Mizukage's office.
It wasn't as large as he'd imagined. One wall displayed half-body portraits of the First to Third Mizukage, while the opposite side held a bookshelf neatly packed with scrolls.
Directly facing the entrance was a two-meter-long desk, behind which stretched a wide window.
Yagura stood by the window, gazing down at the streets. Only when the door opened did he turn around.
If Midorima hadn't read 'Naruto', he might have been fooled by Yagura's appearance—a boy who looked no older than 20, his face still carrying traces of youth, his smile as gentle as a spring breeze.
"Lord Mizukage." Midorima bowed slightly.
"Are you adjusting well in the medical division?" Yagura asked.
"It's fine. Just a bit too… peaceful." Midorima's tone carried a hint of complaint. His gaze flickered to the side, where Ao stood against the wall, watching him intently.
Ao was already wearing his eyepatch—likely one of the few spoils of war from Kirigakure's clashes with Konoha.
Under normal circumstances, few could threaten Yagura. So was Ao here just to wait for him?
A sense of unease crept into Midorima's heart.
Just then, the door opened again. He turned to see Mei Terumī, her eyes widening in surprise.
"You—?"
They spoke in unison.
'Would she rat him out? No… In the original story, she wasn't the type to blab. Well… Even the calmest people need an outlet when pushed too far.'
And for Mei, "marriage" seemed to be the one topic that made her lose her cool.
But she was only 14. Surely she wasn't 'that' desperate yet?
Midorima stared at Mei's slightly irritated face, his mind racing through endless arguments.
Mei's gaze swept past him, landing on Yagura.
'I haven't forgotten what happened this morning!'
She stole a glance at Midorima, annoyed when he ignored her.
"Now that you're both here… I'll get straight to the point. I recall that neither of you passed the graduation exam weeks ago, correct?" Yagura sat down, studying the two before him.
Though they were still children, in the shinobi world, this was the age where the next generation had to be considered.
The endless wars had drastically shortened the lifespan of ninjas.
Very few ever died of old age.
"Yes." Midorima nodded without hesitation, though he was puzzled.
'Was this about a make-up exam?'
Both Mei and Midorima were full of questions.
"Is this him?" Yagura picked up a sheet of paper from his desk.
Midorima stepped forward, taking the paper. Mei leaned in to look as well.
The drawing depicted a man with half his face covered. The exposed side was horribly burned, his features unrecognizable—even his ears had been sliced off.
But the most terrifying part was his eyes—sharp, filled with killing intent.
Midorima suddenly felt a tug on his sleeve. Glancing down, he saw a small hand gripping his clothes.
Mei, just like him, was remembering that day.
Those eyes had been like a vicious beast lurking in the mist, watching its prey, ready to end their lives at any moment.
Just like it had with their two fallen comrades.
"Yes," Midorima took a deep breath, meeting Yagura's gaze. "He's the one who injured the three ninjas brought to the medical division, isn't he?"
"The victims were from the Sensor Division. He discovered them during their investigation. We're still tracking him. The reason we called you here was to confirm if he's the same man who attacked you." Ao explained.
"He is. But… what will you do if you find him, Lord Mizukage?" Mei asked.
"Dispatch the Hunter-nin. I won't allow someone like him to roam freely near Kirigakure."
"No—Lord Mizukage, please leave him to us." Mei stepped forward. "Our graduation exam was to kill him. That's why I've been delaying my make-up exam."
"Unnecessary. You're no match for him." Yagura waved his hand dismissively.
"It 'is' necessary!" Mei's voice was low but firm. "Lord Mizukage, he killed our comrades—two of them, right in front of me. If I can't avenge them, I'll never find peace. And if he kills me, then I never deserved to be a ninja in the first place. Right, Midorima?"
"Huh?"
Midorima blinked.
'The shift in tone was way too fast!'
One moment he was treating patients, the next he was being dragged into hunting a rogue ninja?
"Don't you want revenge?" Mei pressed, staring up at him.
Her eyes were like bright green jewels—soft yet unyielding, impossible to refuse.
"Does my opinion even matter?" Midorima sighed, turning to Yagura. "I'm a medic-nin. Of course I remember—I never officially graduated. And I remember the smiles of our comrades. We promised to go fishing together after the exam, to explore every mountain on this island. But now… Lord Mizukage, even if we're not part of the Hunter-nin, don't we have the right to avenge them? Medics shouldn't always hide in the backlines."
Facing a powerful rogue ninja was risky.
But Kirigakure was Mei's "territory." She wouldn't die so easily.
Besides, his ultimate goal was to escape Kirigakure—which might mean facing the Hunter-nin.
If he couldn't even handle one rogue ninja now, then escaping was pointless.
"You two… aren't afraid of death?" Yagura studied them.
"Of course we are. But shinobi can't hide in safety just because they fear death. That place should be reserved for those who truly need it."
"Pretty words" cost nothing, and they made people like you—as long as you didn't jinx yourself.
Yagura massaged his temples, scanning the documents on his desk before finally looking up.
"Fine. But you won't go alone. I'm assigning a captain to lead you—follow his orders. You leave tomorrow."
"Understood."
As Midorima and Mei left the Mizukage's office, they exhaled in relief, exchanging a glance and smiling.
"Oh, Midorima…"
"Yeah?"
"Care to explain what you meant by ''destined to lack men''?"
Mei's eyes narrowed, her smile growing sweeter—and far more dangerous.
"..."
---
Meanwhile, in the office…
"Lord Mizukage… Do you really think they can handle this?" Ao frowned.
"Kirigakure has never been this short on manpower." Yagura's voice was heavy. "As a sensor, you know what the war with Konoha cost us. Our elites are gone—even the Seven Swordsmen have been halved. The new generation must grow up fast. Kirigakure can't afford to wait."
Ao lowered his head.
Kirigakure's problems had begun under the Third Mizukage, but after the war with Konoha, the loss of elite ninjas overshadowed everything else.
Without enough powerful shinobi, survival in this brutal world was impossible.
That was the law of the ninja world.
"But… it's still too risky."
"The true selection of elite shinobi has already begun. Those two are just participants—not the main players." Yagura's gaze fell on the desk.
A row of photos lay there, each depicting a different face.
Ao's eyes locked onto one in particular, his brow furrowing.