No More Results, and You'll Be Stripped of Your Chairman Position

Kirigakure.

The village had now fallen into a gloomy atmosphere. Especially on the very day Jōyō Minazuki set out, a ship had brought back battle reports from the front lines...

And upon hearing that their fathers, children, husbands... had died, the anti-war sentiment grew ever more intense. A dreary rain continued to fall over this ninja village known as a maritime superpower.

They had suffered devastating losses in this Ninja World War!

Especially when Hozuki Gengetsu proposed establishing a forward base in the Land of Whirlpools, Kirigakure had bled money even more badly—really, really badly!!

"What suggestions does everyone have?" A senior Kirigakure official rested his hands beneath his chin, staring solemnly at the other high-ranking attendees. He belonged to the pro-Mizukage faction, which was why the Mizukage had stationed him in the village, but...

He truly could not hold on any longer!

Boss, you said you were going out to expand the business, but not only were the results dismal, you were fucking hemorrhaging money! Your little brother was about to collapse here—couldn't you see all those vice chairmen below eyeing your position, ready to push you out?

And why had you let Jōyō Minazuki come back?

If you had not let him return, no one would have known, and you could have acted as you saw fit. But now...

He was a strong contender for Mizukage. You had not only snatched the Mizukage position from him back then, but there were no wartime gains now either. Instead, you were fucking bleeding money. The board was seriously questioning your ability to execute!

Not to mention the daimyo.

There was nothing I could do now!!

"Sigh... we still don't know the exact situation. Perhaps it isn't that bad?" Kensho sighed. Boss, I can only stall for you a little longer. I hope you can pull yourself together!!

Try to take down a country. That might improve the situation.

"But it's already very bad." The Yuki Clan Head spoke with a solemn expression. "Those weren't one or two ships, but more than a hundred, and all of them were large vessels."

Fuck, I'd been unhappy with you, Hozuki Gengetsu, for ages. The First had clearly said that the Kage's guard who attended the Five Kage Summit would become the designated next-generation Mizukage once he returned. Who knew you would seize power while you had the chance? Now we've finally gotten our opportunity, haven't we!!

Aren't you going to make way for our Yuki Clan??

As for the next Mizukage still coming from the Hozuki Clan?

Heh heh, pay back all that money first!!

"You can't put it that way." Kensho said. "Perhaps the profits from destroying the Land of Whirlpools will make up for the fleet's losses?"

Boss, pull yourself together!

Hurry up and destroy the Land of Whirlpools. If that happens, we still have hope. A bright future will remain in our hands.

"And what if we can't destroy it?"

A voice suddenly spoke up, stabbing Kensho straight through the heart.

Everyone turned toward the speaker...

The Kaguya Clan Head, Kaguya Shuta!!!

"As expected of a meathead." Kensho cursed inwardly. Could you say something like that out loud? You're a Kirigakure ninja! You were actually cursing Kirigakure to lose, especially amid such a dispirited wartime atmosphere. If you weren't one of Kirigakure's powerful Bloodline Families, people would have fucking cursed you out already.

Seeing everyone looking at him, Kaguya Shuta rubbed his braid and asked with a puzzled expression, "Did I say something wrong?"

No, you were absolutely right.

The Yuki Clan Head nearly jumped for joy. What a perfect assist!

Even his Yuki Clan did not dare casually bring up such a topic!

After all, Hozuki Gengetsu was still the Mizukage. Who would dare casually say he might fail? Weren't they afraid of being punished later?

Couldn't you see that the Hozuki Clan Head wanted to tear you apart?

"The Kaguya Clan Head has a point." The Yuki Clan Head spoke with a thoughtful expression. "War is, after all, full of surprises." He sighed. "Sigh!! Though we don't want to think this way, we need to make preparations in advance."

Didn't want to think this way? He was probably ecstatic inside!

The Hozuki Clan Head and Kensho thought with contempt, but now they had no choice but to steer the discussion toward defeat. It was all the Kaguya Clan's fault. If you had no political awareness, then don't casually interrupt!!

What a bastard!!

"The situation remains uncertain. Kirigakure may not lose." Kensho cursed the Kaguya Clan Head inwardly before speaking with a solemn expression. "After all, the Land of Whirlpools is far too weak compared to Kirigakure. We should wait until the intelligence returns to the village before discussing this matter!"

"But only one ship remains now." The Yuki Clan Head said. "How are we supposed to obtain intelligence, or arrange reinforcements?"

By then, even the main force might have to swim back. Just thinking about it was pitiful!!

Fuck, wait until Hozuki Gengetsu comes back? If they didn't spread this around now, how would Jōyō inherit the Mizukage position later?

"How about asking the daimyo to provide another fleet?"

"..."

Hearing someone else recklessly interrupt, the entire meeting fell silent once more.

When the Yuki Clan Head saw that it was once again an assist from the Kaguya Clan Head, he was overjoyed. Was the Kaguya Clan unhappy with the Hozuki Clan and trying to push their Jōyō Minazuki into becoming Mizukage?

What a good man!!

And what about the others?

The Hozuki Clan Head and the pro-Mizukage faction had already cursed the Kaguya Clan Head's ancestors for eighteen generations.

Ask the daimyo for money again?

It might very well be fatal. Kirigakure had suffered a devastating loss, and not only had they lost this shinobi war, they had even lost their shirts attacking the Land of Whirlpools. They would be lucky if the daimyo did not replace the Mizukage. And they still wanted money? Didn't they know the Land of Water's daimyo was famously stingy?

Please, Kaguya Clan Head, could you just speak up already?

They all wanted to keep it from the daimyo and prevent him from finding out so soon, yet he wanted to tell him personally? Did he already have a problem with the Mizukage?

"Then what now?" Kensho sighed. The situation was unfavorable! Looking at the Clan Heads of the major clans around him, he said helplessly, "Let's first send shinobi to the Land of Whirlpools to gather intelligence. Perhaps the situation isn't as bad as we think."

Come on, boss!!

Seeing the resolute look on Kensho's face, the Yuki Clan could only agree helplessly. The Hozuki Clan was still in power, and their influence remained enormous. The Yuki Clan should not stick their necks out so casually. As for sticking one's neck out...

The Yuki Clan Head glanced at the Kaguya Clan Head and sighed inwardly. Leave it to him!!

Yet none of Kirigakure's higher-ups knew that Hozuki Gengetsu was about to go mad...