The Source of the Conflict

"Shingetsu, although I don't support the Mizukage's 'Elite Kirigakure' plan either, there's no need to show your opposition this way, is there?"

After they had left the residential district behind, Ao finally couldn't help asking what had been on his mind.

In Ao's view, opposing something just for the sake of opposing it was only natural when you were enemies. But there was no need to focus on these civilians. If they wanted to win anyone over, shouldn't they be trying to win over shinobi born among the common people?

Ever since the Second Mizukage had followed the Second Hokage's example and established the Ninja School, Kirigakure's school had supplied the village with a large number of cannon-fodder shinobi.

It was precisely the emergence of so many cannon-fodder shinobi that had gradually reduced the sacrifices among the Kekkei Genkai Clans in recent years. This had indirectly led the clans in all Five Great Shinobi Villages to support the construction of ninja schools—a kind of win-win-win for the villages, clans, and common people.

Yet even cannon-fodder shinobi were shinobi, and their strength was worlds apart from that of civilians. That difference also meant that civilians had no real influence over the course of events.

"Ao, weren't you originally a student at the Ninja School?"

Hozuki Shingetsu kept smiling as he chatted with the villagers, speaking quietly to Ao.

"That's right. If I hadn't met you at the school, Shingetsu, how could I have become the Chunin I am today? I might be just like those shinobi from commoner families, constantly taking missions just to make a living!"

Remembering the first time he had met Hozuki Shingetsu at the Ninja School, Ao couldn't help but feel that it had been the most important choice he had made in his twelve years.

Hozuki Shingetsu nodded, then shifted the topic and explained why he was doing this.

"Perhaps these civilians are far weaker than shinobi, but sometimes you don't need a blade to kill. Besides, with us and the Mizukage at odds but not yet openly at war, every bit of support we can win is worth pursuing."

"Of course, the main thing is that all I've spent is a twenty-minute smile on the walk home, along with a little money and some small acts of help. Why wouldn't I do it?"

After all, why wouldn't Hozuki Shingetsu cultivate a reputation that cost so little and brought such benefits, requiring only a little kindness and a few smiles?

Besides, it was also tied to some of his plans for the future.

Solving some of the common people's problems selectively, hiring eloquent people to keep praising Hozuki Shingetsu's kindness, subtly suggesting that the Mizukage treated people poorly and failed to keep his subordinates in line, and turning the Mizukage's faction against the public—all of it served one plan.

A plan to overthrow the current regime.

Though Hozuki Shingetsu's answer didn't resolve all his doubts, Ao knew Shingetsu had always been strong-willed. And the Hozuki Clan was wealthy and powerful enough not to care about such a small expense, so Ao dropped the subject.

The two of them returned to the Hozuki Clan's compound in silence.

That evening, to celebrate Hozuki Shingetsu's promotion to Jonin and his impressive achievements in the Land of the Moon, even the head of the Yuki Clan, the Hozuki Clan's ally, attended the banquet.

Hozuki Town was ablaze with lights. The clan members shared in the pride, thrilled that the Hozuki Clan had produced such an outstanding heir.

The host and guests had all enjoyed themselves. After the banquet, the current head of the Hozuki Clan, Hozuki Zangetsu, held a private meeting with his son in the study.

Hozuki Zangetsu was around forty, at the peak of a shinobi's career. During the First Shinobi World War, he had followed the former Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu, in invading the Land of Earth. After the Second Mizukage had tied down the Second Tsuchikage, Zangetsu had successfully led the remaining Mist Ninja back to the Land of Water.

Unfortunately, as soon as he returned to Kirigakure, news arrived that the Second Mizukage and the Second Tsuchikage had killed each other. At the time, he was still young, and no match for Ren, the First Mizukage's bodyguard. Then the Kaguya Clan rebelled, and the position of Third Mizukage ultimately fell to Ren.

Well, objectively speaking, the Mizukage's seat had, in a sense, returned to its rightful owner.

If Hozuki Gengetsu hadn't joined forces with the Kaguya, Yuki, and other clans to stage a coup after the First Mizukage, Byakuren, died, it would have been hard to say who would have become the Second Mizukage.

After all, the bodyguards of the First Kage at the First Five Kage Summit had generally been their chosen successors. Everyone except Ren had gone on to become the Second Kage of their respective villages.

And that was the source of the conflict between the current Mizukage, Ren, and the Hozuki Clan. After all, how could the person who started it all possibly escape the consequences?

But your position determined your perspective. As the young clan leader of the Hozuki Clan, Hozuki Shingetsu naturally had to firmly label Ren as evil.

"So Ren didn't even see you? Looks like he already knows what we're after."

Hozuki Zangetsu took a small sip of tea and spoke with certainty.

"But is the Ninja Academy principal's position really that important? Important enough for you to go to all this trouble to get it? And even then, you must know that the odds of succeeding are practically zero."

Hozuki Zangetsu looked at his son in puzzlement. He knew his son had his own ideas, but still couldn't fully agree with his way of thinking.

According to Kirigakure's rules, most newly promoted Jonin had no official post. They simply took missions and trained on their own, with little else to do. Only a small number of Jonin with sufficient strength and experience were given responsibilities.

Hozuki Zangetsu didn't understand why his son was seeking a position as soon as he had become a Jonin, or why he was even trying to use his battlefield achievements to strengthen his case.

But as his father, and as the head of Kirigakure's largest clan, the Hozuki Clan, he could always cover for his son, whatever he did.

"From what Ren said, he'll probably announce your appointment at the Jonin Meeting in three days. Once he does, whatever post he assigns you, you won't be able to move for a while. He's probably calling this meeting because he wants to make the appointment a fait accompli."

"You can still change your mind. With your achievements this time, you could easily get a good position in the Intelligence Department."

The Hozuki Clan possessed the Hydrification Technique, and was naturally skilled at gathering intelligence. That was why Kirigakure's Intelligence Department had always been under the clan's control.

Of course, since Ren took office, he had surely been building up his own intelligence network. But the head of the Intelligence Department was still a Hozuki Clan member, publicly overseeing all of Kirigakure's intelligence operations.

That was the confidence behind Hozuki Zangetsu's words.

"Besides, you're at the point in your career when you should be pushing forward as fiercely as you can. Taking on this sort of busywork now won't help you improve your strength!"

Hozuki Shingetsu looked at the disappointment in his father's eyes and felt helpless.

After all, when your perspectives differed, you really did see things differently. And with their differing outlooks and goals, he couldn't lay out his entire plan for his father. He could only keep his head down and build up his own power.

And that was what troubled Hozuki Shingetsu, the transmigrator, most.