Even in winter, a hazy veil of fog shrouded the skies over Kirigakure. That fog had hardly ever changed, much like the Shinobi World's impression of Kirigakure: oppressive and mysterious.
Uchiha Chen's clone followed Yagura down the gangplank at Kirigakure's harbor. Looking around, he could just make out the village's deserted streets through the thick white mist, with the occasional ninja darting about.
Uchiha Chen studied the village with curiosity. It was completely different from Konoha.
Konoha was one of the largest cities in the Land of Fire besides the Capital of Fire, where the Daimyo's residence stood. Every day, caravans came and went through several of the village's entrances, and people seeking to post missions streamed in without end.
Chen didn't even have to return to Konoha to know that, with the New Year approaching, the village would be bustling with people and decorated with festive lights, even while it was still at war with Kumogakure and Kirigakure.
Kirigakure, however, enforced a policy of "closed borders" and the "Bloody Mist." Its built-up area was far smaller than Konoha's, and it clearly had far fewer civilians.
Civilians made up more than 20 percent of Konoha's population, while in Kirigakure, the proportion might be below 5 percent.
So, although Kirigakure has nearly 70 percent as many active-duty shinobi as Konoha, it's far slower at replenishing its mid- and lower-ranking ranks.
Chen quietly assessed Kirigakure's potential in war. Before long, he had followed Yagura through one checkpoint and security measure after another, heading straight for a desolate building in the village's northwest, its walls thickly overgrown with moss.
Inside the Kirigakure Anbu building, in a tea room that had almost never been used.
Uchiha Chen stood silently behind Yagura, alongside another of his trusted subordinates, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
Yagura knelt at the front, holding a finely crafted teacup from the Land of Fire's Grand Artisan Bureau. He respectfully offered it to the black-haired old man seated across from him.
"Lord Third, please!"
"Mm!"
The Third Mizukage, his face covered in age spots, took the teacup. His eyes, which had been closed the entire time, finally opened to narrow slits. Through the curling steam, he looked toward Karatachi Yagura.
"How is your control of the Three-Tails?"
"I can already release a Tailed Beast Bomb in Partial Tailed Beast Transformation," Yagura replied evenly, lifting his eyelids.
"Good!"
A hint of delight appeared on the Third Mizukage's aged face. He reached behind himself and took the Mizukage Hat from the Anbu standing there. With some reluctance, he smoothed the wrinkles from its brim.
Of the five Third Kage, he was the oldest.
He had been a disciple of the First Mizukage, Byakuren, and had stood beside him during the first Five Kage Summit.
Of the five bodyguards at that summit, four went on to become Second Kage. He alone had been soundly defeated by Hozuki Gengetsu and missed his chance to become Kage.
After Hozuki Gengetsu's death, he had barely managed to take the position. He had achieved little over the past few decades. It was time to hand the role over to the younger generation.
"It's time, Yagura!"
The Third Mizukage slowly held out the Mizukage Hat, his voice a little raspy.
"Fourth, your era begins now!"
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Including the Third Mizukage's Anbu, six people were in the tea room, yet only one heartbeat could be heard.
Yagura straightened his back and sat ramrod straight. With an unusually solemn expression, he accepted the Mizukage Hat from the Third Mizukage and replied sincerely:
"Yagura will not fail you."
But instead of putting the hat on, he handed it to Uchiha Chen to hold, much to the Third Mizukage's surprise.
"Yagura, you're much steadier than I was at your age. That's good. Very good!"
The Third Mizukage glanced at Chen. He didn't recognize him, but that didn't surprise him.
Yagura had been Kirigakure's "prince" for five or six years. It would have been strange if he hadn't built up some private forces of his own.
After all, being the "prince" didn't guarantee you'd take the throne. Orochimaru, for example, had built his standing in Konoha for twenty years, only to be overtaken by a young upstart, Namikaze Minato.
At that thought, the Third Mizukage suddenly lowered his head and fell silent. The defiant figure of a white-haired boy rose in his mind.
Kirigakure had been overflowing with talent in recent years. Mei Terumi, from Genji's faction, and Kisame, Lin and Ringo, from his own, all had the potential to become top-tier powerhouses. On top of that, a host of talented up-and-comers, including Zabuza, had emerged.
But when it came down to it, Kirigakure's greatest genius was still Hozuki Mangetsu, known as the "Prodigy of Kirigakure."
Whenever he heard the surname Hozuki, the Third Mizukage thought of a yellow-haired man with a mustache. Even decades later, remembering that terrifying Steaming Danger Tyranny made his hand tremble for an instant.
A few drops of tea spilled onto the table.
"I'm old. Truly old!"
The Third Mizukage drained the hot tea in his cup, concealing his lapse.
"Yagura, your mission report says Fuguki and the Hozuki Clan are colluding with Konoha. Is that right?"
Yagura lifted his eyelids, wondering what the Third Mizukage had in mind by suddenly bringing it up. He sighed softly.
"Yes. I never thought the village would have such treacherous traitors."
Kirigakure had more defectors than the other four great villages by a wide margin, and incidents like this were nothing new. Still, since Yagura shared the Third Mizukage's political stance, he naturally went along with him.
"When a new Mizukage takes office, there should be a new order and a fresh start!"
The Third Mizukage slowly looked toward Karatachi Yagura. His gaze settled on the boyish face, and he let out a long breath, as though he'd made up his mind.
"The Mizukage's Office is full of clutter. I need to give it a thorough cleaning before you move in, so you can redecorate it to your liking."
"Mizukage?"
"Yagura!" A glint appeared in the Third Mizukage's weary, aged eyes. His wrinkled hand pressed a listening device into Yagura's palm.
"Go try on the Mizukage Hat in the next room and see if it fits. I'll stay here to meet another guest."
"Yes!"
Yagura bowed his head, rose, and gestured for Uchiha Chen to follow with the Kage Hat. The two left and entered a small room next door to the tea room.
Only then did Chen have time to examine the Mizukage Hat in his hands.
Its brim was woven from bamboo leaves and oiled paper, then painted sky blue, the color of the Land of Water and Kirigakure. A blank strip at the front bore the character for "Water," while silk veils hung on either side.
The craftsmanship was pretty fine. It had to be worth five hundred ryo.
Uchiha Chen ran a hand over the sky-blue hat.
This hat, worth a mere five hundred ryo, represented the highest military position in the Five Great Shinobi Nations. It was the dream and the faith of countless shinobi.
He turned it around, put it on, and looked in the mirror.
Mm, as expected of me. I look great!
When I wear the Hokage Hat someday, I can say, "Before I put you on, I'd already worn a Kage Hat!"
"Chen, quit fooling around! It wouldn't look good if someone saw you!"
Yagura stood on tiptoe, lifted the Kage Hat off Chen's head, and put it on his own.
As his "unconditionally trusted" friend, Yagura didn't really mind Chen trying on a hat. Still, he had to consider what the others in the village would think.
"Come on!" Yagura took out the listening device the Third Mizukage had given him and switched it on. "Let's find out what the Third Mizukage is really planning!"
From the other end of the device came the report of Yagura's trusted subordinate, whom he'd left in the tea room:
"Third Mizukage, Hozuki Mangetsu has arrived!"
The name I came up with yesterday got some bad feedback, so I've deleted it. Just letting everyone know!
Before you continue