"Clan head, we haven't seen any Anbu watching the area around our clan grounds, but these traces... They're definitely fresh, no more than two days old."
The reporting clansman spoke with barely restrained anger. "Ice Release! Those scum from the Yuki Clan are still spying on us in secret!"
Kaguya Naoto said nothing, but his own anger surged. He looked at the tree bark the clansman had brought in. Its biting chill had already faded, but the marks left by the frostbite remained.
In truth, Namikaze Yoru found the whole thing rather frustrating. The Kaguya Clan's powers of observation were appallingly dull.
He'd started planting these traces of Ice Release four or five days ago, expecting that a few would be enough to draw their attention. Who knew they'd be so oblivious? He'd been forced to increase the frequency of his "deliveries" before they finally noticed.
"Ice Release... The Yuki Clan!" Kaguya Naoto muttered, his eyes glinting coldly.
He summoned the clan elders and showed them the evidence.
"The Mizukage withdrew the surveillance in public, but secretly sent those Yuki Clan scum to keep watching us. What an insult."
The Council of Elders erupted in outrage, clamoring to go to the Mizukage Building again and demand an explanation.
"Protest? What good would such a toothless gesture do, besides show how weak we are?"
He reined in their fury, then looked around at the assembled clansmen and spoke in a loud, impassioned voice:
"If the village is going to treat us this way, then any move we make will be nothing but a defeated dog's howl."
He clenched his fist, his knuckles even creaking. "If the Mizukage is wary of us, then we need to put him at ease and wait for an opportunity."
Kaguya Naoto made his decision. In public, he sent an elder to the Mizukage Building to make a toothless protest, even adopting a conciliatory tone—a stark contrast to their usual defiance.
It gave the impression that the Kaguya Clan had finally bowed to the village, and that even after suffering such humiliation, they would only make a symbolic protest.
In secret, the entire Kaguya Clan curled up like a wounded beast lying in wait, licking its wounds and sharpening its claws. The calm was as false as the stillness before a volcanic eruption. They were waiting for the right moment to explode.
Little did they know, the Mizukage was just as baffled. He really had withdrawn most of the surveillance targeting them, leaving only the usual patrols in place.
He assumed the Kaguya Clan was taking advantage of his previous compromise and pushing its luck.
Assigning the Yuki Clan to spy on the Kaguya Clan, another major Bloodline Limit clan? That would be tantamount to trampling all over their dignity.
He had no intention of provoking conflict within the village and would never do such a thing. To him, the Kaguya Clan was simply looking for an excuse to cause trouble.
An internal investigation had also confirmed that no Yuki Clan Ice Release users had recently left on missions, further cementing that impression.
Namikaze Yoru watched all of this from the shadows, and couldn't help but think more highly of Kaguya Naoto for his restraint.
The Kaguya Clan was like gunpowder being packed tighter and tighter. All it needed was a fuse to set it off.
He was wondering whether to play another card and speed up the explosion of this Kaguya powder keg.
Then an opportunity presented itself.
Several days later, on an apparently peaceful morning.
A Kaguya Clan informant at the Mizukage Building keenly noticed that a large number of the village's elite ninja, including many Anbu, had been urgently dispatched.
Although the orders were strictly confidential, the number of ninja on duty in the village—especially the guards around the Mizukage Building—had visibly thinned.
"Clan head! The village's elite forces have been deployed. Based on reports from our informants, the Mizukage Building has less than half its usual number of guards."
One of the elders spoke excitedly, the flames of ambition burning bright in his eyes.
Kaguya Naoto sprang to his feet, his long-suppressed emotions bursting forth.
"A heaven-sent opportunity! The Third Mizukage tried to keep my Kaguya Clan out of the center of power, but by sheer chance, he left us with our strongest forces. He's brought this on himself."
He didn't hesitate. "Gather every clansman who can fight! Our target is the Mizukage Building! Today, the Kaguya Clan will claim the Mizukage's seat!"
"Oh!!!"
The Kaguya clansmen, pent up for far too long, roared like thunder.
The Kaguya clansmen surged out of their grounds like demons crawling out of hell, bone spikes bursting through their skin and their faces twisted into snarls. Led by Kaguya Naoto and a group of elders, they made no attempt to hide their intentions as they charged straight for the Mizukage Building at the village center.
Civilians along the way scattered in terror at the horrifying sight, while the few ninja nearby hurried to report to the Mizukage Building.
The Kaguya Clan paid them no heed. Their eyes were fixed on the building that symbolized the highest authority in the Mist Village.
Namikaze Yoru watched the rebellion he had set in motion from a high vantage point, his expression calm.
The Kaguya Clan, fighting at full strength, moved with incredible speed and swept through everything in their path as they reached the open ground in front of the Mizukage Building.
The ease with which they had advanced stirred a flicker of unease in Kaguya Naoto, who led the charge.
But his desire for power had already clouded his judgment. As he gazed at the Mizukage Building right before him, a vicious smile spread across his face. The Mizukage's seat seemed as good as his.
"Vmm—"
A huge blue barrier rose in an instant from all around the square, like an enormous bowl turned upside down.
The massive barrier trapped every Kaguya clan member who had charged the Mizukage Building.
"It's a trap!" one elder cried in horror.
At the same time, the Third Mizukage slowly appeared atop the Mizukage Building. He looked down at the trapped Kaguya with an impassive gaze, icy killing intent radiating from him.
"Kaguya Naoto... I gave your clan a chance. It seems that today I have no choice but to perform surgery to remove the rot and wipe out you pests once and for all."
As his words fell, the elite forces of the Mist Village, previously dispatched elsewhere, emerged like phantoms from every direction, crowding the area. They had clearly been prepared for this all along.
At their head stood the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, along with a large force of Mist Village Anbu.
Even more alarming, several Bloodline Limit users from the Yuki Clan stood among them, cold air swirling around their bodies.
On closer inspection, there were also secret-technique experts from the Hozuki Clan. Their ability to liquefy their bodies was a perfect counter to the Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku.
Only now did Kaguya Naoto finally understand. The traces of the Yuki Clan spying on them, the village's conveniently weakened defenses—it had all been carefully arranged by the Mizukage.
The bait had been meant to make them rebel of their own accord, giving him the perfect excuse to strike.
After piecing it all together, Kaguya Naoto's eyes bulged with fury. More bone spikes erupted all over his body as he roared:
"Third! You set me up—!"
But it was too late. There was no way back.
Driven by a desperate frenzy, Kaguya Naoto shot toward the Third Mizukage atop the Mizukage Building at astonishing speed, but before he had covered half the distance, the elite Mist ninja intercepted him.
In an instant, the open ground in front of the Mizukage Building became a bloody slaughterhouse.
Bone spikes clashed with Ninja Swords, Ice Release slammed against Shikotsumyaku, and roars, cries of pain, and explosions rang out without pause. Blood stained the ground in moments.
Namikaze Yoru watched the brutal battle below in silence, not a flicker of emotion in his eyes. This... was nowhere near the end of his plan.
Before you continue