Kisa Hoshigaki, who had been standing nearby, no longer paid attention to Shigure's Flying Nimbus. He listened instead—every word, every tremor in Shigure's voice.
"Threaten ?" Kisa thought. Who would dare threaten this monster? That would be a death wish.
"Here!"
Without warning, Shigure tossed Sahada from his hand.
The black, living blade erupted into being like a coiling shark, its maw and scales shimring with a terrible hunger. Kisa's breath hitched as he watched it manifest—was this so storage ninjutsu? Reclaiming Sahada, he felt a wave of stunned recognition wash over him.
So Shigure had found it. He wasn't bluffing. He wouldn't have returned to Kirigakure just to kill Kisa—there was no need to make things complicated. Killing would be instant given Shigure's strength; the real point was the ssage.
"I—" Kisa started.
"Shut up," Shigure said coldly.
The single word landed with the force of a blade. Kisa's mouth closed and he kept silent; anywhere else he might have scoffed, but the murderous intent radiating from Shigure now was genuine—and enormous. It made the hair on his arms stand up.
The presence alone was terrifying.
Shigure did not delay. He escorted Kisa straight to the Mizukage's office. Word of the arrival and the palpable aura spread fast; two Kirigakure shinobi who were mid-report glanced up, curiosity prying at them. They regretted it instantly.
"Stay kneeling!" Shigure's voice cut through the room and the air thrumd with hostile chakra. The two reporters dropped to their knees without question, faces paling.
Even i Terumī's usual composure faltered. The smile she wore most days drained away as she felt sothing she had rarely, if ever, felt from Shigure: unfiltered killing intent. She blinked, concerned and surprised. What had provoked this fury? Whoever had angered him to this degree—were they even still breathing? If they were, they were either impossibly strong or absurdly lucky.
Her gaze slid to the figure near the door and froze.
Sahada—hung across his back. The great sword of the Seven Ninja Swordsn. And the man who held it… Kisa Hoshigaki: a Missing-nin of the Hidden Mist.
i stood abruptly, agitation bubbling up. The two kneeling shinobi exchanged bewildered looks. What could have startled their Mizukage so?
"You two, leave," i said, voice clipped.
"Shigure is in a bad mood. Co back later with your report."
When the pair had gone, Shigure stepped forward and bowed once before i. His voice, now steady, carried a decision. "Kisa Hoshigaki is a Missing-nin of the Hidden Mist. Let him remain the wielder of Sahada."
i blinked. She hadn't expected that. A Missing-nin—allowed to carry Sahada as one of the Seven Swordsn? The thought seed absurd. Could she trust soone who had once betrayed Kirigakure?
"You trust him?" she asked bluntly.
Shigure's answer was imdiate.
"I trust him. If he dares betray , I will make his life worse than death."
The words made Kisa tremble in a way he hadn't in years. Shigure didn't promise execution. He promised sothing darker, more patient. The implication was enough to chill any mind.
i lowered her eyes to consider. Finally she nodded slowly. "It's possible. I have no objection—provided we take precautions."
"And the others?" she asked.
"The Council, the elders, the Swordsn…"
"Let him change his na, wear an Anbu mask, serve undercover as an Anbu," Shigure replied.
"He's done similar work before; it won't be unfamiliar."
i considered the proposal again, weighing risk against the unique advantage Sahada offered—if allied. After a long breath she agreed.
"Alright. Make it official, then. We'll give him a new identity and place him under surveillance. But the badge stays under my command."
Kisa's jaw went slack. It was almost too easy—too simple. How could the Fifth Mizukage so readily accept the return of a Missing-nin? The answer was the boy before her: Shigure's authority carried weight few could ignore.
i exhaled, then demanded the reason for his fury. "Now tell —what outraged you so?"
Shigure's expression darkened. He t i's gaze with stone-cold resolve. "Danzo Shimura asked Konoha to support him as Hokage."
At those words, i's face changed instantly. Color drained, then anger flashed. "That is the greatest taboo in the Ninja World," she snapped.
"Interfering in another village's succession—no matter the circumstances—is forbidden. If Kirigakure sides with Danzo, we'll bring ruin upon ourselves. There will be no peace."
She paused, chewing the words over, and her voice softened only a touch as she steadied herself.
"Who whispered this to Konoha? Who reached out to Danzo?"
Shigure's lips pressed thin. He had seen the strings being pulled—Hayate used as a pawn, threats wrapped in titles, Danzo's ancient ambition scraping at Konoha's bones.
i's mind ran through consequences: diplomatic isolation, reprisals, reputational collapse. The Hidden Mist could not afford to be branded an instigator. Not now.
Her decision ford as quickly as the threat had co. "Prepare for counsel," she ordered.
"Call the Council. We will decide our stance—and we will not be bullied into betrayal."
Shigure nodded, but the fire in his eyes did not dim.
Danzo had begun a ga. And now Kirigakure, its Mizukage, and a boy riding a cloud of wrath would decide whether to answer with silence—or with a storm.
Would you like the next scene polished as well—where Kirigakure's Council et
i Terumī understood imdiately—if she could think of the problem, then Shigure could too.
And since he was the one to bring it up…
That ant he couldn't turn it down.
From the anger that had flared in Shigure's expression earlier, i had already guessed the situation.
Soone from Konoha must have found his weakness—soone had leverage over him.
It made sense. Otherwise, Shigure wouldn't have been that furious.
After thinking it through, i realized that if Danzō Shimura had threatened Shigure, that might actually work in the Hidden Mist's favor.
If Konoha beca his enemy, then Shigure would have no reason—no desire—to ever return there again.
"I'll agree for now," i said after a pause, her tone asured.
"But don't be hasty. The situation in Konoha is still uncertain. There's no reason for us to get involved too early."
Shigure nodded. "I know that."
"What's the situation in Konoha now?" i asked casually, not realizing that Shigure had recently been there himself.
"Tsunade has returned to the village," he said.
"She's performing surgery on the Third Hokage. From what I saw, even if the operation doesn't fully restore him, the old man should at least wake up… though he won't last much longer."
i's brows furrowed.
"So, this is to have the Third Hokage wake up—just long enough to appoint a successor?"
Shigure nodded. "That's my guess as well."
"What about you?" she asked. "Are you just going to wait quietly?"
"No." Shigure's tone sharpened as he glanced toward Kisa. "Waiting isn't my style."
He turned back to i, eyes burning with conviction.
"I said it before—I intend to beco the Mizukage."
His words carried a quiet power.
"Becoming the Jinchūriki of two Tailed Beasts—this was my way of establishing authority, to make the people of the Hidden Mist fear ."
"Rebuilding the Seven Ninja Swordsn of the Mist—this is how I earned their gratitude and trust."
He clenched his fist. "And now… this is the final step."
"Shigure," i said carefully, a trace of worry in her voice, "to beco Mizukage… you'll have to do sothing truly earth-shattering."
That kind of ambition could lead to greatness—or disaster.
One wrong move, and the entire village could suffer.
"Kisa," Shigure said suddenly, his tone shifting to command.
"There's still one sword left unclaid—Kiba, the Twin Lightning Blades. I'll leave their recovery to you."
Kisa grinned. "No problem."
Shigure then turned toward i once more.
"Longblade—Haku. Twin Blades—Chōjūrō. Severing Blade—Zabuza. Greatsword—Kisa."
That made four of the Seven Swords already accounted for.
Ringo was recovering well, and once the Lightning Blades were retrieved, that would make five.
Only two swords remained: the Blast Sword (Shibuki) and the Blunt Sword (Kabutowari).
Shigure frowned slightly.
"As for the last two… I haven't found suitable candidates yet. If necessary, I'll choose from among the strongest Mist-nin."
He looked at i.
"Help pick two powerful Jōnin—preferably younger ones."
i nodded thoughtfully.
"You know… if you truly rebuild the Seven Ninja Swordsn of the Mist, the entire village will be stirred. People will believe again."
A small smile curved her lips.
"Even I'm looking forward to it."
...
TN:
🔟 Pa-treon-com/Lordrlin (Support ! 😊)
User Comments
0 comments from readers