The Supreme Five-Star Mizukage Dons the Mizukage Hat

The hazy, indistinct mist obscured the sky over Kirigakure even in the depths of winter. This near-constant fog was exactly as the rest of the Shinobi World perceived the village: oppressive and mysterious.

Uchiha Chen's shadow clone followed Yagura down the gangplank at the Kirigakure harbor. Looking around, he could vaguely make out the desolate streets of the village and the occasional ninja leaping between rooftops through the thick, white mist.

Uchiha Chen observed this ninja village, which was starkly different from Konoha, with curious eyes.

Konoha was one of the largest cities in the Land of Fire, second only to the Capital of Fire where the Daimyo resided. Every day, the village's various entrances were bustling with merchant caravans and a constant stream of mission clients.

Uchiha Chen didn't need to return to Konoha to know that at this time of year, approaching the end of the lunar cycle, the village would be decorated with lanterns and filled with people, even while at war with Kumogakure and Kirigakure.

In contrast, Kirigakure, which enforced a "closed-door" and "Bloody Mist" policy, not only had a much smaller architectural footprint than Konoha but also clearly had a very sparse civilian population.

The ratio of villagers to ninjas in Konoha exceeded twenty to one, whereas in Kirigakure, that ratio was likely less than five.

"In other words, although Kirigakure has nearly seventy percent of the active ninja count that Konoha does, their speed in replenishing low-to-mid-tier ninjas is far inferior to Konoha's."

Uchiha Chen secretly assessed Kirigakure's war potential. Soon, he followed Yagura through various security checkpoints and defensive measures, heading straight for a desolate building in the northwest corner of the village, its exterior walls covered in moss.

Inside a tea room in the Kirigakure Anbu building that had almost never been used.

Uchiha Chen stood behind Yagura, eyes fixed forward, alongside another of Yagura's trusted confidants.

Yagura knelt in front, holding a teacup crafted by the Grand Artisan Bureau of the Land of Fire, and respectfully handed it to the black-haired old man sitting opposite him.

"Third Mizukage-sama, please!"

"Mm!"

The Third Mizukage, his face covered in age spots, took the teacup. His eyes, which had been kept tightly shut, finally opened into two thin slits, peering at Karatachi Yagura through the curling steam rising from the cup.

"How is your control over the Three-Tails?"

"I am already capable of entering a partial Tailed Beast state to release a Tailed Beast Bomb!" Yagura raised his eyelids, his voice steady and unhurried.

"Good!"

A hint of joy appeared on the Third Mizukage's senile face. He reached out to take the Mizukage hat from the Anbu standing behind him, his hands lingering as he smoothed out the wrinkles on the fabric with a touch of reluctance.

He was the oldest among the five Third Kage.

He had been a disciple of the First Mizukage, Byakuren, and had stood by the First's side during the first Five Kage Summit.

Back then, of the five bodyguards present at the summit, four went on to become the Second Kage; only he had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Hozuki Gengetsu, missing his chance at the title.

After Hozuki Gengetsu died, he had barely managed to ascend to the position, but after decades of accomplishing little, it was time to yield to the younger generation.

"The time has come, Yagura!"

The Third Mizukage slowly handed over the Mizukage hat, his voice sounding somewhat dry as he spoke:

"Fourth, the future is your era now!"

Thump, thump, thump!

There were six people in the tea room, including the Third Mizukage's Anbu, yet at that moment, only one heartbeat could be heard.

Yagura straightened his back, sitting with perfect posture. With an exceptionally solemn expression, he accepted the Mizukage hat from the Third Mizukage and replied sincerely:

"Yagura will not fail your expectations."

Then, after taking the hat, he did not place it directly on his own head. Instead, to the Third Mizukage's slight surprise, he handed the hat to Uchiha Chen for safekeeping.

"Yagura, you are far more composed than I was at your age. This is good, very good!"

The Third Mizukage swept his gaze over Uchiha Chen, not surprised to find someone he didn't recognize.

Yagura had been the "Crown Prince" of Kirigakure for five or six years; it would be abnormal if he didn't have his own private forces.

After all, the "Crown Prince" didn't always ascend to the throne. Take Konoha's Orochimaru, for example—after twenty years of cultivation, he was still surpassed by a young upstart like Namikaze Minato.

Thinking of this, the Third Mizukage suddenly lowered his head in silence, the image of a defiant, white-haired youth appearing in his mind.

Kirigakure had seen a surge of talent in recent years. Mei Terumi from Genji's faction, and his own subordinates like Kisame and Ringo Ameyuri, all had the potential to become top-tier powerhouses. Furthermore, a group of exceptionally gifted mid-tier ninjas like Zabuza had emerged.

But if one were to truly speak of it, Kirigakure's greatest genius remained Hozuki Mangetsu, known as the "Prodigy of Kirigakure."

At the mention of the Hozuki surname, the Third Mizukage's mind conjured the image of a yellow-haired man with a small mustache. The terrifying "Steaming Danger Tyranny" still made his hands tremble for a split second, even decades later.

A few drops of tea spilled onto the table.

"I'm old, truly old!"

The Third Mizukage downed the hot tea in his cup in one gulp to hide his loss of composure.

"Yagura, I saw in your mission report that Fuguki and the Hozuki clan are colluding with Konoha, is that right?"

Yagura raised his eyelids, pondering the Third Mizukage's intent in suddenly bringing this up, and sighed lightly:

"Yes, I never expected there to be such treacherous, ungrateful wretches in the village."

Although the number of rogue ninjas from Kirigakure was far higher than that of the other four major ninja villages and such matters were commonplace, Yagura, who shared the same political stance as the Third Mizukage, naturally had to agree with him.

"A new Mizukage taking office requires a new situation, a new atmosphere!"

The Third Mizukage slowly looked at Karatachi Yagura, his gaze resting on his youthful, baby-faced features. As if he had made up his mind, he let out a long breath:

"There is too much clutter in the Mizukage's office. I must clean it up thoroughly so that you can move in and redecorate it to your own liking."

"Mizukage-sama?"

"Yagura!" A flash of sharp light appeared in the Third Mizukage's aged, weary eyes as his wrinkled hand pressed a listening device into Yagura's palm.

"Go to the room next door and see if the Mizukage Hat fits; I have another guest to meet here."

"Yes!"

Yagura bowed his head, stood up, and signaled for Uchiha Chen, who was holding the Kage Hat, to follow. The two exited and entered a small room adjacent to the tea room.

Only then did Uchiha Chen have the time to carefully examine the Mizukage Hat in his hands.

The hat was woven from bamboo leaves and oil paper, painted in the sky-blue color that symbolized the Land of Water and Kirigakure. A blank space on the front bore the character for 'Water,' and silk veils hung from both sides.

The craftsmanship was quite exquisite; it had to be worth five hundred ryo.

Uchiha Chen stroked the sky-blue hat in his hands.

This hat, worth only five hundred ryo, symbolized the position of the supreme military leader of one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations and was the faith and dream of countless shinobi.

He reached back and placed the hat on his head, checking himself in the mirror.

Hmm, as expected of me, I really am handsome!

Later, when I wear the Hokage Hat, I can say, 'Before I wore you, I had already worn a Kage Hat!'

"Chen, stop messing around! It won't look good if someone sees you!"

Yagura stood on his tiptoes to take the Kage Hat off Uchiha Chen's head and placed it back on his own.

As his friend whom he 'trusted unconditionally,' Yagura actually felt it didn't matter if someone wore the hat, but he still had to consider the opinions of others in the village.

"Come on!" Yagura took out the listening device the Third Mizukage had given him, flipped the switch, and said:

"Let's see what the Third Mizukage is actually planning!"

From the other side of the listening device, the voice of the confidant Yagura had left in the tea room came through:

"Third Mizukage, Hozuki Mangetsu has arrived!"

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