Kaguya Uprising

As a bloodline ninja clan of considerable influence within Kirigakure, the Kaguya Clan naturally had their own power base and informants inside the Mizukage Building.

The news that Kaguya Naoto had been taken in for investigation struck the Kaguya Clan Compound like a stone dropped into a still lake, sending ripples through every layer.

In the Clan Leader's Residence, several core members of the clan gathered together, the atmosphere as oppressive as the silence before a storm.

Rage and humiliation hung thick in the air, resentment written plainly on every face.

"This is too much! Clan Leader Naoto was only trying to find new supply channels for the clan, and they humiliate him like this?"

"I've said it all along—those bastards in the Mizukage's office are just using this as an excuse to suppress us, the Kaguya Clan."

"If we don't avenge this insult, how can the Kaguya Clan still hold its ground in the Land of Water? I propose we all march to the Mizukage Building and show them what the Kaguya Clan is made of."

This inflammatory speech immediately drew a chorus of agreement. Kaguya Naoto's loyalists tried to counsel restraint, but the heated crowd paid them no mind.

Soon, the Kaguya Clan's high-ranking members returned to their respective posts and began mobilizing their people, preparing to march on the Mizukage Building to demand an explanation.

News that the Kaguya Clan was on the verge of revolt reached the Third Mizukage's ears almost instantly.

At that moment, he was facing a resentful Kaguya Naoto, rubbing his brow in frustration.

"Clan Leader Naoto, why exactly did you go into that dense forest? Where did that mysterious Secret Code come from?"

"I've answered that many times already. The code came from a letter someone tossed into my residence. As for why I went into the forest—I wanted to verify whether the letter was genuine, and whether that traveling merchant was a spy."

Kaguya Naoto replied helplessly, his own anger barely contained after being asked the same questions repeatedly.

"And the letter?"

"It's in my robe. You may take it and examine it."

Seeing Kaguya Naoto's open and honest demeanor, the Third Mizukage found himself caught in a dilemma.

But thinking of the unrest about to erupt from the Kaguya Clan, he had no choice but to set aside considerations of commercial gain for now. He gave an order to the ninja behind him:

"Go bring that traveling merchant here. Alive. I will interrogate him personally."

The ninja behind him acknowledged at once and hurried toward the inn where Namikaze Yoru was staying.

Inside the inn, Namikaze Yoru sat calmly before the tea table, his heart utterly unruffled. In truth, through the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, he had already grasped every movement outside.

The ninja keeping watch outside was growing drowsy from the late hour but forced himself to stay alert.

Seeing that the man in the room had not yet slept, he simply assumed the merchant was too shaken to rest.

Before long, the Anbu ninja dispatched from the Mizukage Building arrived at the inn and asked the watchman, "Is that foreign merchant still here? What's the situation?"

"He is. Probably a bit shaken—hasn't slept yet," the watchman quickly replied.

"Good timing. The Mizukage wants to interrogate him. Come with me."

With that, the watchman led the way toward Namikaze Yoru's room.

Inside the room, Namikaze Yoru had already sensed all of this. A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips. He knew it was time for the traveling merchant's final act.

A few minutes later, the two ninja grew increasingly uneasy. A short stretch of hallway seemed to stretch endlessly before them.

"Damn! It's a genjutsu!"

The Anbu ninja snapped awake, realizing they had unknowingly fallen for the "Art of the Fox's Heart," trapped in a loop on the inn's corridor.

He immediately channeled his Chakra, surging it through his own meridians. The Kirigakure watchman beside him was jolted alert by the shout.

"Release!" ×2

The scene before them spun and warped, snapping back to the door of Namikaze Yoru's room. The two of them rushed to open it.

The moment the door swung open, their faces changed instantly.

"Not good."

They tried to retreat, but it was too late. The instant they stepped inside, flames erupted skyward. The entire inn shook with a violent explosion, and the two were hurled backward by the blast wave.

The seasoned Anbu ninja barely managed to steady himself, while the watchman was gravely wounded.

In the blaze, he caught a fleeting glimpse: a ninja wearing a Ghost Face Mask stood face-to-face with the "traveling merchant" in what looked like an embrace, a single bone spike piercing straight through the merchant's chest.

Ignoring his comrade's injuries, the Anbu ninja charged into the flames. The hotel room had completely collapsed, and the masked assailant had vanished without a trace.

He searched desperately through the ruins, finally finding only the charred corpse of the "traveling merchant."

Left with no choice, the Anbu ninja brought the nearly unrecognizable remains back to the Mizukage Building.

The Third Mizukage stared at the corpse, blackened like a piece of charcoal. The oppressive pressure of a Kage-level powerhouse erupted from him without restraint.

"Excellent. Kill the witness, will they? Find out who did this," he said, each word dripping with fury.

The soot-covered Anbu ninja did not immediately withdraw. Instead, he hesitated before adding, "In the firelight, I think I saw a bone spike pierce through the man's heart and lungs."

The Mizukage's half-lidded eyes snapped wide open. His gaze, sharp as a blade, bore into the Anbu ninja, sending cold sweat trickling down the man's back.

"Without solid evidence, this matter is not to be mentioned again."

"Yes, sir."

The Anbu ninja dared say no more. He withdrew at once to join the other Mizukage Building ninja in searching for the assassin.

The office was now left with only the Third Mizukage alone. Under the flickering lamplight, his expression shifted between uncertainty and resolve, his thoughts unknown.

After a long while, he finally rose and made his way to the room where Kaguya Naoto was being held.

As soon as he saw the Third Mizukage, Kaguya Naoto immediately pressed, "Was that Traveling Merchant brought here? I can confront him face to face!"

The Third Mizukage looked at Kaguya Naoto with a complex expression, his tone cold as he said, "That Traveling Merchant is dead."

"What? How is that possible?"

The Third Mizukage promptly took out the remains from the Sealing Scroll and laid them before Kaguya Naoto.

Kaguya Naoto stared fixedly at the charred corpse, then, as if noticing something, his expression shifted dramatically.

Just as he began to defend himself, the Third Mizukage cut him off, saying, "Your clansmen are gathering in the clan grounds. I want to ask—what exactly is the Kaguya Clan planning?"

Kaguya Naoto was truly losing his composure now, stammering, "No... it's not that... this matter... really has nothing to do with our Kaguya Clan."

"I can let you go back, but I need to see an explanation—a real explanation!

Otherwise, I will personally lead men to demand one. You, who participated in the Land of Whirlpools war, should know well the fate of a ninja clan that opposes the entire village."

With that, he said no more, opened the door, and walked away without looking back.