The Third Hokage Grows Suspicious

The core area of the Mizunuki Clan had mostly been reduced to ruins, with broken corpses scattered everywhere.

Many Kaguya Clan members and Mizunuki Clan ninjas lay tangled together, having killed one another. Their bodies were almost impossible to identify.

As the Third Mizukage and the elite Anbu joined the fray, they swiftly took control of the scene, which looked like something straight out of hell.

Only a few Kaguya Clan members remained standing, and even they were covered in wounds. The bone blades and armor in their hands were battered beyond repair.

Kaguya Kengenin turned to look at the Third Mizukage, who had arrived late. A mocking yet strangely relieved smile appeared on his face.

"Third Mizukage! The Mizunuki have gone too far! My Kaguya Clan will not tolerate such humiliation!"

Roaring out those final words, Kaguya Kengenin suddenly drove a bone spike into his own chest as the Third Mizukage watched in shock.

The light in his eyes quickly faded. His body swayed, but he stubbornly refused to fall. His breath, however, had stopped completely.

Seeing this, the remaining Kaguya Clan members followed his example. Even those too weak to extend their bone spikes drew their kunai and resolutely plunged them into their hearts.

They exacted revenge on the Mizunuki in the most horrific way possible, and with it, drew a blood-soaked full stop at the end of their actions and their clan.

Looking at the devastation in the Mizunuki Clan's territory and the countless corpses, the Third Mizukage's face darkened until it seemed ready to drip with water.

The Mizunuki Clan had suffered devastating losses among its elite in this battle, and its bloodline had nearly been wiped out.

"Clean up the scene and treat the wounded. Investigate this thoroughly! Find out exactly what caused these lunatics to lose control again!"

The Third Mizukage was deeply puzzled. An armed rebellion was a capital crime in any village.

He had shown leniency, killing only the ringleaders and sparing the many clan members who had followed Kaguya Naoto into rebellion. Even the punitive measures imposed afterward shouldn't have driven the Kaguya Clan to such madness.

There had to be another reason behind this, something he hadn't noticed.

The turmoil and investigation continued until the next morning, and the clues were soon gathered together.

Kirigakure's Anbu found a badly damaged letter with a rough map on Kaguya Kengenin's body. It was stained with a great deal of blood.

The handwriting was sloppy, and the paper was the most common kind used in Kirigakure, making it impossible to trace its source.

Then, analyzing the letter and inspecting the Mizunuki Clan's territory led to a major breakthrough.

In the abandoned house marked on the map, they found signs of a fierce struggle. Scratches from Shikotsumyaku resistance marked the walls and floor. More importantly, Kirigakure's Anbu found the Kaguya ninja whom Namikaze Yoru had redeemed. He had apparently died in the fighting.

The marks of Ice Release on his body and internal organs were unmistakable. Everything seemed to point to the "truth."

The Third Mizukage frowned as he studied the collected clues.

All the signs and evidence at the scene suggested that the Mizunuki Clan had secretly imprisoned and tortured the Kaguya ninja, who had gone missing earlier.

Someone had then deliberately revealed this to Kaguya Kengenin, prompting the Kaguya Clan's extreme retaliation.

A few surviving Mizunuki elders trembled when they heard this and hurriedly protested their innocence.

"My Mizunuki Clan would never do such a thing! Lord Third, please investigate this thoroughly!"

"This is clearly a frame-up! That house has been abandoned for years. Why would we imprison anyone there?"

But even they couldn't explain why the man had been in their territory. The marks of Ice Release torture on his body also left them unable to defend themselves.

It was all too convenient.

The Third Mizukage's sharp gaze swept over the various "irrefutable proofs" his subordinates had found. The doubts in his mind only grew heavier.

It was as if an invisible hand had been precisely prodding the Kaguya Clan's most sensitive nerves. First, there had been the Mizunuki spying on them; now, there was the supposed secret imprisonment by the Mizunuki.

The scheme was flawless, but that very lack of flaws made the Third Mizukage reluctant to believe it.

He was almost certain that someone was exploiting the Kaguya Clan's obsession and madness to stir up conflict between the Mizunuki and the Kaguya.

With nothing more than a letter with a rough map, someone had dealt a devastating blow to—or even wiped out—two of Kirigakure's great kekkei genkai clans.

The Mizunuki Clan had suffered enormous losses, its ranks of elite ninjas nearly wiped out. After that night, the Kaguya Clan's core members had all been killed. The elderly, women, children, and a few young servants who remained were no longer a threat.

Who could it have been?

For now, the priority was to stabilize the village. The rest could be investigated gradually.

The Third Mizukage drew a deep breath and made his decision:

"Although the Mizunuki Clan was the victim in this incident, your clan's failure to properly guard its territory contributed to this tragedy.

"Starting today, the Mizunuki Clan will cooperate with the Anbu investigation and undergo internal reforms."

He paused, then continued in an even colder voice. "All surviving members of the Kaguya Clan are to be imprisoned and kept under strict guard."

Those words marked the end of the Kaguya Clan's glory and future in Kirigakure. He showed them no mercy.

His ruling seemed to punish both sides equally, but he had secretly ordered the Anbu to keep investigating the source of the anonymous letter and the possible mastermind behind it.

Meanwhile, Namikaze Yoru was still moving in secret amid the chaos.

He had gone to great lengths to plan all this. Now it was time to reap the rewards.

Since the investigation was still ongoing, the bodies of the fallen ninjas had been taken to the Mizukage Building first and had not yet been returned to their clans.

That gave Namikaze Yoru a chance to fish in troubled waters.

Using Mind's Eye of the Kagura to sense chakra, he followed at a distance behind a squad transporting "evidence" and the bodies of the ninjas.

Although security in the Core Area of the Mizukage Building had not been relaxed, the constant coming and going of transport teams inevitably created openings.

When he sensed that the Kaguya Vegetable Corpse had been confirmed dead and moved inside a barrier he couldn't sense through, Namikaze Yoru knew his long-awaited opportunity had arrived.

"Whoosh!"

With the Flying Thunder God Jutsu activated, Namikaze Yoru successfully infiltrated the depths of the Mizukage Building.

The place was probably underground. Having received a great deal of the Land of Whirlpools' legacy, Kirigakure had protected the entire room with layer upon layer of seals and barriers.

Namikaze Yoru was now inside a room that looked like a morgue. Numerous fallen ninjas lay on rows of wooden beds, making for a rather unsettling sight.

Yet faced with this scene, Namikaze Yoru couldn't keep the corners of his mouth from rising. Anyone who saw him would surely think he had something wrong with him.

"Redeem."

[Scan complete. The following items can be redeemed:]

[Ding! Kaguya Clan Member Remains (intact) *13... Estimated value: 80 points per body]

[Ding! Kaguya Clan Member Remains (damaged) *37... Estimated value: 40 points per body]

[Ding! Mizunuki Clan Remains (intact) *17... Estimated value: 50 points per body]

[Ding!