The Return of Yagura

"I truly didn't expect this, Fugaku. To meet again in a place like this after all these years."

A hoarse voice echoed through the corridor as the pale-faced Orochimaru slowly emerged from the shadows.

His eyes burned with suppressed fanaticism and greed.

"Long time no see, Lord Orochimaru." Fugaku bowed slightly, his tone quite courteous.

The last time they had met was on the battlefield.

As a commander, Orochimaru had been Fugaku's superior.

Times had changed, and both had become rogue ninjas.

Meeting again in the same organization, one could not help but lament the irony of fate.

"Fugaku, you hid yourself very well. Even when the situation on the battlefield was so dire back then, you never once revealed your Mangekyō Sharingan."

"And Itachi, being so young—one has to marvel that a tiger father has no dog for a son."

Fugaku let out a modest laugh. "Lord Orochimaru, I know what you are thinking."

"But unfortunately, you are no match for me, so I advise you not to do anything unnecessary."

Orochimaru's brow furrowed, his golden snake-like pupils constricting sharply as he realized the surrounding space was collapsing and shrinking like modeling clay.

A pair of massive Mangekyō Sharingan loomed in the sky above the space.

The next moment, Orochimaru snapped his eyes open. The footsteps of Fugaku and Itachi had already faded into the distance.

It was Fugaku's Genjutsu! He hadn't even seen him weave hand signs; it was just a single glance!

Orochimaru recovered, feeling no physical discomfort, but a deep sense of wariness took root in his eyes.

Such powerful ocular prowess, and Itachi didn't even have to lift a finger.

He flicked his tongue out, greed surging within him.

He had thought that with Itachi joining the organization, he would finally have his chance.

He hadn't expected Fugaku to join as well.

In this situation, whether he wanted to seize Itachi's body or the Mangekyō Sharingan of both men, it had become impossible.

The perfect Sharingan was within reach, yet unattainable, leaving him feeling as if his heart were being clawed by a hundred talons.

The Uchiha Clan.

Konoha...

He whispered hoarsely, "It is time to go back and take a look."

However, he had been away from Konoha for many years, and the situation within the village was unclear.

He needed a new pair of eyes, a helper who was sufficiently clever and adept at lurking and gathering intelligence.

"Hmm, that child... he should be quite good..."

Land of Water.

Karatachi Yagura had been under control for so long that his perspective had been extremely limited.

On the journey back, he had already discovered that many parts of the Hidden Mist were falling into chaos.

Banditry and theft were becoming increasingly rampant, and the entire Land of Water was sliding toward decay.

All of this made his heart ache, further strengthening his resolve to quell the chaos and revitalize the Hidden Mist!

Although he had not appeared in the village for a long time.

The village was no different without him.

Just as chaotic.

After all, he had often played the disappearing act in the past.

Disappearing for long stretches at a time.

When Karatachi Yagura appeared, those who saw him did so with postures of fear and evasion.

But there was little genuine respect for the Mizukage.

He knew that to reorganize the Hidden Mist, the first thing to resolve was this mess of factions and fragmented governance.

The long-term "Bloody Mist Village" policy and the chaotic orders issued while he was under control had filled the village with suspicion and infighting.

Karatachi Yagura was mentally prepared for this, so he immediately and secretly summoned the leader of a faction known for stability and reform—Mei Terumi.

"Lord Mizukage."

Mei Terumi bowed slightly, her etiquette flawless, though her eyes held a look of scrutiny.

This was the first time in years that Karatachi Yagura had summoned her to his office.

To be precise, it was the first time he had appeared here openly.

Yagura did not beat around the bush; he knew time was of the essence and went straight to the point:

"Mei Terumi, I know that like everyone else, you are full of doubt and even anger regarding my many orders over the past few years."

"I can tell you the truth now—I, the Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura, was under the control of a mysterious masked man's Genjutsu for a very long time."

"W-what!?"

Mei Terumi's pupils constricted. Although some in the Hidden Mist had long speculated whether the Mizukage was being controlled, hearing it confirmed by the Mizukage himself still sent a massive shock through her heart.

"Those orders that persecuted our own kin and crippled our own strength were not my intention."

Karatachi Yagura's voice carried a trace of pain and remorse.

"The Hidden Mist cannot continue like this. I need the help of those I can trust to set things right and revitalize the village."

"And you are the one I believe truly cares about the future of the Hidden Mist."

He looked at Mei Terumi, his gaze sincere. "Are you willing to assist me?"

Mei Terumi was silent for a moment, her mind weighing the situation rapidly.

If she refused, the Hidden Mist was in such a state of disarray that even with Karatachi Yagura's formidable combat power, seizing total control would be an incredibly difficult task.

She did indeed have her own power base, and she had once thought about striving for more in the future power shuffle, even coveting the position of Mizukage.

But by comparison, she could not bear to see the village continue to sink into chaos and bloodshed.

As someone who truly cared for the welfare of the Hidden Mist and the Land of Water, Mei Terumi did not want to let more people lose their lives for the sake of her own selfish interests.

Yagura's candor and the chaotic situation at hand led her to make a quick decision.

"For the future of the Hidden Mist, I am willing to serve, Lord Mizukage."

She promised solemnly, temporarily setting aside her personal ambitions.

Karatachi Yagura looked deeply at Mei Terumi. He had originally thought that if she refused, he would use the position of the next Mizukage as bait to persuade her.

It seemed he had underestimated Mei Terumi.

"Then I thank you."

Karatachi Yagura stood up and bowed to Mei Terumi.

Mei Terumi, not expecting the usually overbearing Mizukage to bow to her, returned the gesture in a flurry.

"You are too kind, Lord Mizukage."

With a helper by his side, Karatachi Yagura felt a sense of relief.

"The most urgent task is to stabilize the people and gather our strength."

"Immediately, in my name, secretly convey this order: cease all persecution policies against the Kekkei Genkai clans."

"At the same time, do your best to find the geniuses who have drifted away, especially the Hozuki Mangetsu and Hozuki Suigetsu brothers, as well as Ringo Ameyuri, the wielder of Kiba. We need every bit of available strength."

Mei Terumi nodded. "Yes, I understand."

Karatachi Yagura then picked up the expired financial report on the table and said:

"The village's financial situation is chaotic and dire. I need your people to help me compile the latest reports. I need to know where the village's money has gone."

"There are many things about the village I don't understand. You must report the intelligence that needs urgent handling to me first."

"We will summarize the rest slowly."

Mei Terumi quickly entered her role and reported several key situations:

"There are a few things. First, Suikazan Fuguki, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, has defected from the village with the Kubikiribōchō, and his whereabouts are unknown."

"Second, and currently the most serious problem, the Cipher Division has become too powerful to control."

"Its leader, Suikazan Fuguki, took advantage of the period when you were under control to purge dissidents and install his own cronies."

"He had long seen that your state was not right, but he kept it quiet, secretly accumulating power with the intention of waiting for the right moment to topple you and ascend to the position of Mizukage himself."

Yagura's eyes turned cold. His primary task upon returning was to reclaim power and stabilize the village.

The Cipher Division, controlled by Suikazan Fuguki, not only possessed massive influence but also held the village's intelligence hub and assassination forces.

He was a thorn that had to be removed. Regardless of his personal character, his very existence was a massive threat to the authority of the Mizukage.

"There are too many eyes and ears around Suikazan Fuguki. I will personally select the right people to deal with him."

"Next time you see me, remember to bring Ao along to check if my state is normal."

"Yes."