"Sorry for the trouble..."
Karatachi Yagura wore a respectful expression. Facing the deeply wrinkled old man before him, he wouldn't dare show the slightest disrespect, even as Mizukage.
The old man, Genji, had been one of the elders who followed the First Mizukage in establishing Kirigakure. He commanded immense prestige and wisdom.
His standing in Kirigakure was enough to rival that of the Mizukage.
"At my age, I still have to make you come all this way for me..."
"I've been a complete failure as Mizukage."
Yagura wouldn't dare call himself an old man in front of Genji. Back when Genji was earning his merits alongside the First, Yagura hadn't even been a fertilized egg.
"It wasn't your fault, little Yagura..."
Genji's voice was aged yet wise, and even in the face of such a dire situation, his tone remained calm.
He was a ninja from a generation even older than Chiyo's.
"I'd originally planned to work with the children in the village and try to wake you."
"I just didn't expect the mysterious man to give us no chance."
"Fortunately, you've awakened now..."
"Kirigakure's situation hasn't become too dire yet."
Yagura shook his head and gave a bitter smile.
"It's not that simple. After struggling against the Mangekyo's power for so long..."
"I can feel that my soul and spirit have grown extremely weak."
Yagura pointed to his head. In this world, the existence of souls was accepted as fact.
"I've only just woken up, and I'm barely holding on."
"If I didn't have to suppress the Three-Tails, I might have lasted another year or two..."
"But now..."
A Tailed Beast and its Jinchuriki were two sides of the same whole. If the Tailed Beast was extracted, the Jinchuriki would naturally die too. There was no way out.
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