Vote

"Alright, since no one has anything else to say, let's settle this with a show of hands."

Elder Genji's gentle gaze swept over everyone present as he spoke slowly.

At this point, the atmosphere in the conference room had nearly solidified. During the earlier argument, only Karatachi Yagura, Hozuki Sengetsu, and Xiu Bing had openly opposed the Third Mizukage. Under the pressure, many others had not dared to speak up.

But things were different now. They had to declare their stance—support the Third Mizukage or support Yagura. Abstaining would only offend both sides.

Gulp!

The distinct sound of someone swallowing echoed out. A sound that would normally have gone unnoticed now seemed especially abrupt.

The ninja who had made the sound was Aogiri, the principal of the Kirigakure Ninja Academy—an elderly jonin.

He was an old man who had lived through the First Shinobi World War. Due to his advanced age and declining health, he had taken over management of the Ninja Academy, only to watch helplessly as the Third Mizukage altered the rules established by the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu, and initiated the Bloody Mist Policy.

When the Second Mizukage had first followed Konoha's example and established a Ninja Academy, the Hozuki Clan had set an example by enrolling their members. As a result, there had been no shortage of ninja from bloodline-limit or secret-technique clans in the academy. It had flourished with every kind of talent.

Unfortunately, the prosperity did not last. The Second Mizukage died during the war, and the Third Mizukage took power, forcefully implementing the Bloody Mist Policy. This bloody and cruel system immediately drew fierce dissatisfaction from the major clans.

However, after the Second Mizukage's death, the clan factions of Mist Village had been unable to find anyone capable of contending with the Third Mizukage. Without a leader strong enough to command widespread support, the factions naturally became loose and scattered, leaving them powerless to stop the Bloody Mist Policy.

So, to express their dissatisfaction, they simply chose to withdraw their clan members from the academy.

After all, ninja from bloodline-limit clans were precious. They could not be wasted under such an unreasonable system.

And the Third Mizukage had been more than happy to see them retreat.

From then on, Kirigakure's Ninja Academy had completely fallen beneath a bloody shadow.

As principal, Aogiri had naturally been dissatisfied. He had fought against it before, but with his meager strength, it had been no different from trying to stop a chariot with a mantis's arms.

In the end, he had yielded. He no longer spoke for those children, closing his eyes, blocking his ears, and choosing to go along with the Third Mizukage.

But today, in the young man named Karatachi Yagura, he seemed to see the shadow of the Second Mizukage from years ago.

The same courage to shoulder responsibility, the same optimism and drive, and the same backing from the major clans.

All of it deeply moved the elderly ninja.

Perhaps he really can lead Mist Village onto a brand-new path?

Aogiri prayed silently in his heart. The passion that had lain dormant for decades seemed ready to boil anew at that very moment.

He was not alone in thinking so.

Although most of those attending the meeting were commoner ninja personally promoted by the Third Mizukage, it was not as though they had no objections to the Bloody Mist Policy. But as people who had risen to power by relying on the Third Mizukage, they had no standing to openly oppose him.

But now that Karatachi Yagura had taken the lead and personally charged forward, then...

Mist Village's Logistics Department head, Suifeng, raised his head and surveyed the situation, silently calculating the number of supporters on each side.

Karatachi Yagura, Hozuki Sengetsu, Xiu Bing—they already have at least three votes. If I join them, that will make half the votes. As long as one more person agrees, the reform resolution will pass by majority vote! It's worth a gamble!

Meanwhile, the Third Mizukage appeared calm and composed, as though victory were already in his grasp.

Although Karatachi Yagura caught me off guard today, have I been Mizukage for decades for nothing? The moment I spoke, Hozuki Sengetsu and Xiu Bing were so frightened that they did not dare say another word. Heh heh, they're still far too inexperienced to fight me!

As he took pride in how easily he had resolved the crisis, he also seethed with rage at Yagura and the other two for daring to pull such a move behind his back.

It seems the suppression of these so-called clan ninja is still not enough. After all these years, they still haven't learned their lesson. Every so often, they jump out and make trouble!

The Third Mizukage's narrowed eyes were filled with icy light. He had already begun planning how to find another opportunity to weaken the Hozuki Clan and the Yuki Clan.

"Then, all those who support reforming the Ninja Academy's graduation system, please raise your hands!"

Elder Genji's voice rang out slowly.

Karatachi Yagura immediately raised his arm. His small body now stood like an upright banner, sounding the horn of resistance against the Third Mizukage.

Hozuki Sengetsu and Xiu Bing raised their hands as well, one after the other, without much hesitation. Clearly, their earlier fearful expressions toward the Third Mizukage had been deliberately put on to lull him into complacency.

After all, if they had not made the Third Mizukage believe victory was assured, why would he have proposed a vote himself?

And if he had not proposed it himself, then even if the vote ultimately passed, he would have had countless reasons to refuse to recognize the result.

After all, he was the Mizukage, the supreme authority of Mist Village.

But things were different now. If he refused to acknowledge the outcome of a voting process initiated by the Third Mizukage himself, then the Mizukage's prestige would suffer tremendous damage.

Who would submit to a Mizukage who broke his word? It could even shake the foundations of the Third Mizukage's rule!

When he saw the triumphant smiles on Hozuki Sengetsu and Xiu Bing's faces, the Third Mizukage's expression darkened, and killing intent seemed to brew in his eyes.

However, he did not panic. Even so, Yagura's side only had three votes, still less than half.

But in the next moment, his hand began to tremble slightly, because Kaguya Steel Bone had raised his hand as well.

The Kaguya Clan might not have had much brains, but they at least knew whom they should follow.

Back in the Warring States Period, when the clans fought chaotically, the Kaguya and Hyuga were allied clans with close ties. They followed the Hyuga Clan's decisions.

But after the ninja villages were founded, the Hyuga Clan moved as a whole to the Land of Fire without taking them along. So they found themselves a new leader—the Hozuki Clan of the Land of Water. From then on, they followed the Hozuki Clan and became one of Mist Village's three great clans.

The reason the future Kaguya Clan would lose its mind and be exterminated was fundamentally because Mist Village no longer had a leader capable of guiding them forward.

Only Hozuki Suigetsu remained of the Hozuki Clan, and he had been captured by Orochimaru. The Yuki Clan had long since been exterminated. Without an external brain, the Kaguya naturally acted like a pack of stubborn fools.

Therefore, once Karatachi Yagura secured the Hozuki Clan's support, bringing the Kaguya Clan aboard had naturally been no trouble. The reason they had not let Kaguya Steel Bone speak earlier was, first, because the Kaguya Clan truly was not good with words, and second, to keep a trump card in reserve.

Sure enough, the instant that trump card was revealed, the Third Mizukage's face darkened like water, and a massive amount of chakra began gathering within his body.