Hozuki Mangetsu

The Hozuki, Kaguya, and Yuki Clans were Kirigakure's three largest shinobi clans.

If you compared them to Konoha, they were much like the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga Clans there. Even their respective circumstances were remarkably similar.

The Hozuki Clan was a family of Mizukage, while the Kaguya, a bunch of battle-crazed lunatics, were as unpopular with the villagers as the Uchiha.

But Kirigakure was different in one important way.

The Hozuki, the first clan to produce a Mizukage, hadn't withdrawn from public life like Konoha's Senju. Instead, they had always held on to a great deal of power and influence in Kirigakure.

That had become fertile ground for conflict, and by now, the problems had grown too deeply rooted to resolve.

Hozuki Mangetsu stood outside the teahouse and let out a long sigh.

He understood all of this. The uncles who ran the clan understood it, too. But there was no way they'd willingly give up their interests.

Knock, knock!

"Come in!"

Hearing the Third Mizukage's aged yet vigorous voice from inside, the white-haired boy stretched and pushed open the door. He knelt on one knee, his cold, emotionless gaze level with the Third Mizukage's, and said calmly,

"Third, you wanted to see me?"

"Mangetsu, you're here!"

The Third Mizukage greeted him without looking up. Putting on a show, he picked up a document his assistant had just brought him and spent several minutes reading it carefully. Then he casually took out another.

At this rate, you'll be dead before you finish that pile of documents!

Hozuki Mangetsu grumbled inwardly, saying nothing as he maintained his one-knee kneel. He didn't even blink.

Did this old bastard think he could make him lose his patience by keeping him waiting? He was underestimating Mangetsu's composure!

The Third Mizukage leisurely read through a few more documents before smacking his forehead as if he'd suddenly remembered something. He looked up at Hozuki Mangetsu and said,

"I completely forgot our 'prodigy' was here!

"I'm getting on in years, and the village's affairs keep me busy. Once I start handling paperwork, I tend to forget things. Sit down, sit down!"

He told Mangetsu to sit, but the Third Mizukage had already had all the chairs removed. The only one left in the entire teahouse was the one beneath him.

"Thank you, Mizukage!"

Hozuki Mangetsu rose without a hint of deference, then leaned back.

Water trickled out from beneath the trousers covering his legs, transforming into a high-backed chair that supported him.

"Excellent!" the Third Mizukage exclaimed. "Your Water Style shape transformation is already highly refined. Most of the village's jonin can't match you!"

Hozuki Mangetsu licked his lips and grinned, showing off his gleaming white fangs. He made no attempt to be modest.

"Mangetsu, I believe you're a true genius. You have not only an extraordinary talent for training, but also a perspective and judgment that transcend your clan and even your nation.

"I've never regarded you as a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy. I see you as a shinobi who thinks like a Mizukage."

Wow, am I really that good?

That's me for you. Even the Third Mizukage, who's always been at odds with my clan, thinks so highly of me.

Hozuki Mangetsu was starting to get carried away.

"Mangetsu, I trust you!

"So I'd like to ask you something. If you were the Mizukage, if you sat where I do, how would you handle a situation like this?"

Even the Third Mizukage had to ask Hozuki Mangetsu for advice?

The Mizukage seat was as good as his! Everything was set!

Overjoyed, Hozuki Mangetsu accepted the thick stack of documents from the Third Mizukage. He was already planning the grand speech he'd give.

But as soon as he opened the first document, the heading made his face go deathly pale—

A Complete Record of the Hozuki Clan's Collusion with Konoha.

He looked up at the Third Mizukage in bewilderment. In those sincere eyes, he saw only a glimmer of anticipation.

Even more confused, he began mechanically leafing through the files.

Colluding with an enemy nation, murdering fellow shinobi, forcing innocent shinobi to defect. Each crime was serious enough to cost lives.

He'd never imagined his clan could be so brazen—especially when it came to colluding with Konoha. They were still fighting Konoha on the front lines!

If I were the Mizukage, wouldn't I wipe out the whole Hozuki Clan?

The Third Mizukage's gaze roamed over Hozuki Mangetsu. Seeing anger, inner conflict, and pain mingling on his face, he secretly rejoiced.

The Hozuki Clan's many misdeeds in those files were, of course, all true.

It wasn't just the Hozuki. The Kaguya, the Yuki, even the Third Mizukage himself had plenty of dirty dealings. They were all much of a muchness.

But talent for training had nothing to do with life experience.

At Hozuki Mangetsu's age, people often thought they understood everything when in fact they understood nothing. It was also the age when they were most easily swayed by a plausible-sounding argument.

"By Kirigakure's rules, crimes like these warrant wiping out the entire clan.

"But, Third, surely you don't think that showing me this evidence will make me your accomplice and get me to help you exterminate the Hozuki Clan?"

Hozuki Mangetsu gritted his teeth, his face growing even paler. "I'm not that stupid!"

Too bad you weren't that stupid.

The Third Mizukage felt a little disappointed, though he'd never expected any shinobi in the Shinobi World to be foolish enough to wipe out their own clan. He simply adjusted the speech he'd prepared.

"Mangetsu, why would you jump to such an extreme conclusion? The Hozuki Clan is the Mizukage's clan!

"What I mean is, we can't let a few bad apples tarnish the good name of the Second and the Hozuki Clan, or endanger Kirigakure!"

The Third Mizukage brought out twenty or thirty Hozuki shinobi dossiers. As he sorted through them, he remarked, "This one doesn't deserve to die," and, "This one deserves to die, but he's made great contributions to Kirigakure." After that, only around ten files remained.

Most of those left belonged to the current Hozuki clan head, Mangetsu's cousin, Hozuki Shimotsuki, and his trusted followers.

The more wealth they took for themselves, the dirtier their hands got. That was only natural.

Of course, the Third Mizukage had also done a little—insignificant—sorting of his own.

If it was only those who deserved to be punished, Hozuki Mangetsu's resolve began to waver.

Hozuki Mangetsu lowered his head and fell silent for a long while. At last, he raised it and stared intently at the Third Mizukage's robes, saying in a low voice,

"What do you want to do? I can cooperate with you to a certain extent!"

The plan was working!

The Third Mizukage fought to keep from smiling.

He'd originally planned only to persuade Mangetsu to assassinate the "heinous" Hozuki clan head, then drive him into exile before he grew strong enough to threaten Yagura's position.

He hadn't expected to get a batch of Hozuki shinobi out of it, too!

"Mangetsu!"

The Third Mizukage's voice brimmed with warmth and overflowing emotion.

He swore he'd never felt even one percent as much warmth or goodwill toward a member of the Hozuki Clan as he did now.

What made a good Hozuki?

This was the kind of Hozuki he loved!

"I can't have my own men do it. If the clans think the village is behind this, it'll only intensify the conflicts within the village.

"The village can't withstand another upheaval!"

The Third Mizukage stood up and straightened his clothes. Then, bringing his knees together, he knelt and leaned forward, performing a full dogeza.

"I'm counting on you to do it yourself, Mangetsu!"

It was hard to refuse when a man in his seventies, the highest military leader in the nation, put aside his pride and begged you with a dogeza.

Hozuki Mangetsu felt a surge of fervor rush to his head. He was convinced everything he was doing was righteous, and for the good of the village!

"Very well. I'll do it!"

In a hidden room nearby, Uchiha Chen listened to the boy's firm reply through the bug and couldn't help clicking his tongue.

Why did this plot feel so familiar? Hadn't he seen it somewhere before?

The present was just like the past, wasn't it?