Shitsukura's Bad Luck

"Phew! That scared me to death!"

Only after confirming that Uchiha Maki had left did Katsuki breathe a sigh of relief.

"What are you afraid of? My father won't eat you." The girl looked at him with a smile.

"That's not necessarily true. Heaven knows whether Lord Mu is planning to steam or braise her... Anyway, if anyone dares to seduce my daughter in the future, I'll tear them to pieces!"

Katsuki's face was beaming with a bright smile.

"Tsk! That must have been tough."

The Otome's smile was rather enigmatic, causing Katsuki's heart to flutter.

The Land of Water, the Kirigakure.

The ordeal that Katsuki caused dealt a heavy blow to the Mist Ninja.

In the Battle of Aomori Island, nearly a hundred Jonin, led by the Third Mizukage, were killed, along with a large number of Special Jonin and elite Chunin. Only four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen survive.

The major families in the village were also severely damaged; either the clan chief had died, or a powerful elder had sacrificed his life, and mourning music filled half the village.

The loss of the Mist Ninja was already a major blow, and the added discontent from the Water Daimyo made things even worse for the village.

"... Damn natural disaster!"

The Fourth Mizukage, Shitsukura, vented the pent-up pressure in his heart. The endless troubles of this period had left him exhausted, and his already thin figure appeared even more frail.

After unleashing a torrent of angry words, he collapsed into the large armchair, utterly exhausted, staring up at the ceiling, feeling deeply depressed.

He had a tough job as the Mizukage, taking on this heavy responsibility at a difficult time. There was no glory in it, only endless pressure crashing down on him like a tidal wave. All of this left him exhausted, otherwise he wouldn't have dispersed the Anbu to release the pressure in his heart.

"When will this ever end...? Water Daimyo..."

"Since you're working so hard, why don't we help you?"

A strange, ethereal voice suddenly appeared in Shitsukura's earlobe.

"Who?"

Shitsukura remained seated in the chair, but subtly straightened his back. The taut muscles beneath his clothes seemed poised to unleash astonishing power at any moment. He carefully searched for the source of the sound, but to no avail, and his heart sank slightly.

"If you have the guts, come out and speak. What kind of person are you, hiding your head and tail?"

"Heh heh! The same old trick of provocation?" A voice came from the air, ethereal and Shitsukura. Shikura looked around in surprise, still finding nothing. "Never mind... Our boss wants to meet you! Fourth Mizukage."

Amidst a sinister, ambiguous laugh, a face with a yin-yang shape, resembling a pitcher plant, peeked out from the Shitsukura table.

"Water Release, Water Whip."

The clear torrent twisted into a long whip, and with a swift and powerful strike from Shitsukura, the water whip lashed Jue's body, sending him flying. He crashed headfirst into the wall, where he seemed to merge into it as if he were in water.

"What the hell... what is this thing?"

Shitsukura reached for the coral staff on the table and warily scanned his surroundings. After a brief exchange, he realized how strange his enemy was, possessing a movement technique far superior to Earth Release is a type of magic that allows one to escape while concealing one's own aura). This enemy was not someone to be trifled with.

Could it be another natural disaster?

This thought inexplicably surfaced in his mind, Shitsukura's mood plummeted. The Mist Ninja had truly been having a run of bad luck lately; a natural disaster had severely weakened the village, and now this guy with unknown background had arrived...

"Hey, hey, using a whip to entertain guests is very impolite, Fourth Mizukage."

"Hmph! That depends on the kind of guest. Someone as sneaky as you deserves a whip." Shitsukura sneered, his mind racing as he considered how to break the deadlock. The Anbu hadn't made a move yet; it was safe to assume they'd all been killed. Now, he could only rely on himself...

"How ruthless... Alright, our boss is here."

As the ambiguous voice faded, a white, humanoid figure slowly emerged from the wall, then unfolded its petals like a tightly closed lotus flower, revealing an elderly, white-haired man hidden within.

"Water Release..."

"Too slow."

A hoarse, low voice drifted out slowly. The old man simply raised his white-haired head, his Red Eyes, more vivid than fresh blood, staring at Shi Shitsukura hand seals. Shi Cang's hand seal movements froze completely.

"Write... Sharingan... Who are you?"

Shitsukura struggled to move his mouth and uttered a question. He had seen the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan before, but he had never seen such terrifying eye power. This overwhelming terror was several times that of Uzumaki Katsuki. Although the person standing opposite him was just a frail old man, he gave people the feeling of a man-eating beast.

With just one glance, Shitsukura was immobilized in place by the Binding Technique, and even the power of the Three-Tails was sealed away by this terrifying Genjutsu.

He used all his strength, but could only barely manage to utter those few words.

"A name? You, a junior, actually dare to be called a Kage... The Shinobi World these days is truly disappointing... I might as well tell you, my name is... Madara Uchiha."

Madara Uchiha!

The name seemed to possess a kind of magic. Shitsukura stared in astonishment, his lips trembling uncontrollably. He couldn't express how excited he was, and in that instant, he revealed his true feelings.

As experienced as Ban was, he naturally wouldn't let such a good opportunity slip by.

"The Mist Ninja are getting worse with each generation... Just listen to me obediently and don't try to resist..."

Madara Uchiha whispered, his crimson eyes staring directly at Shitsukura. The three black Tomoe slowly rotated, dragging Shitsukura's still-resisting spirit little by little into an endless abyss.

Soon, Shitsukura's previously stiff body returned to normal, and he sat back in the chair. The color in his eyes had dimmed considerably. His remaining consciousness was intact, but it lacked a core personality. In its place was a false consciousness that was brutal, belligerent, and extremely vengeful.

"Go find Konoha for revenge... unite all available forces... destroy that village."

The seed was quietly planted in Shitsukura's heart. Only then did Madara Uchiha close his eyes, staggering backward. White Zetsu reached out and supported his body.

Using Genjutsu to forcibly control the Mizukage, Shitsukura, was not so easy. Perhaps it was nothing for Madara Uchiha in his prime, as even the most unruly Nine-Tails had to submit to his eyes. But as he aged, everything changed. Even his eyes were transplanted replacements, unable to unleash his true power.

Fortunately, it was ultimately successful.

"Zetsu, find a way to contact Stone Ninja. Konoha has been too comfortable for too long. There's no need for a world that's indulging in false peace. I want to bring true peace to this world... a world without sorrow."