In practical classes, Kei, who always held something back, consistently ranked among the top ten in his class. Whether in ninja tool handling or actual combat, his performance was always a notch below that of his two older clansmen.
In theoretical classes, however, there was no need to hold back.
Kei was always at the top of his class.
Overall, Kei's grades consistently placed him among the best in his entire year, but never at the very top.
Keeping his performance at this level-
Was also within Kei's expectations. He had no intention of drawing those brats' attention over some pointless "limelight" and causing further problems. If he really wanted to show what he could do, it would not be too late after graduation!
Especially once the Third Shinobi World War broke out.
There would be plenty of opportunities to dance on a knife's edge.
At this stage, what mattered most was settling down to study and train properly!
Besides, as someone who had been an ordinary person in his previous life, Kei was genuinely fascinated by these supernatural powers. Despite the immense pressure of his studies, he really did find some enjoyment in them!
Every piece of new knowledge he acquired greatly stimulated Kei's most primal impulses and desires.
Over that past stretch of time, Kei had been like a sponge, constantly absorbing every bit of knowledge at an astonishing pace. If circumstances and timing had permitted, he would even have conducted some special experiments to test certain conjectures of his!
Thus, this study schedule, which most people would have found incredibly tedious and complicated, instead placed no mental strain on Kei whatsoever. He embraced every bit of it!
Just as with practical training, Kei became absorbed in studying theoretical knowledge.
He would often unconsciously lose track of time.
Until his body sent him "fatigue signals."
"Huh?! It's this late already?"
His neck felt a little sore, so Kei instinctively rolled it and straightened up, catching sight of the time displayed on the clock sitting on his desk.
Kei paused briefly, then felt drowsiness wash over him. He stretched and yawned as he spoke.
"I have to get up early tomorrow. Time to wash up and get some rest!"
Kei closed his book, stood up, stretched his arms and legs, then left the study and headed straight for the bathroom.
After washing up, Kei went straight to bed. Exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep in less than a minute. He should have slept until dawn as usual, but tonight brought a tiny little billionth of an unexpected mishap!
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!
He had no idea how long he had been asleep.
Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps, not particularly loud, rang out and instantly woke Kei. Almost unconsciously, he rolled out of bed on instinct.
With a turn of his right hand, a kunai appeared in his palm!
Kei darted away.
He reached the attic at top speed.
Through the window, by the faint moonlight, he saw nearly a hundred figures racing past outside, and his pupils abruptly contracted.
Ice Release!
This was a kekkei genkai created through the perfect fusion of wind- and water-nature chakra!
In other words, any member of the Minazuki Clan who inherited the clan's kekkei genkai was innately endowed with at least these two chakra natures, making them more sensitive to wind and water than ordinary ninja. Aside from the degree to which he had previously condensed his "power of ice," another important reason Kei believed his kekkei genkai talent surpassed everyone else in the clan was that he could easily sense the rhythms of "wind" and the flow of "water"!
He could even obtain a great deal of information through them!
For example, right now, when someone came close to Kei.
The wind flowing around him and the faint traces of water in the air could provide him with varying degrees of feedback!
Not only could Kei easily use these powers, he could also rely on them to obtain a whole range of information about his immediate surroundings!
Although this sensory ability was still very weak, it could clearly grow stronger as Kei's own power increased, especially once he gained a deeper mastery of wind- and water-nature chakra!
The people who now entered Kei's field of vision had made no particular effort to conceal their presence, so naturally, he detected them immediately.
Conversely, these people could naturally detect Kei's presence with equal ease.
However, for one thing, they paid no attention whatsoever to a little kid like Kei. For another, they did not believe he could detect their presence. More importantly, they clearly had an important mission, and every one of them raced past the side of Kei's house at high speed.
Then they swiftly disappeared into the thick darkness behind it.
Their hurried movements, and most importantly, the powerful presence each of them exuded, all proved that their strength was at least above chunin level.
These are definitely the clan's most elite forces. Why would they mobilize at this hour?! That direction... isn't that toward the Mizukage Building? Could it be a coup?!
Kei's expression abruptly changed as he thought of a terrifying turn of events.
A coup!
Such things were by no means rare in Kirigakure.
They had occurred even when the First Mizukage, Byakuren, led the village, let alone now. Ninja inherently believed that strength reigned supreme, and the Mist Ninja were prime examples. If you could not lead me to victory and secure the corresponding benefits, you could not blame me for opposing you!
Or even overthrowing your rule!
Before this, however, Kirigakure's coups had never been particularly large in scale. Most had been minor disturbances. The most serious had occurred just after the First Mizukage, Byakuren, died. His successor, the Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hozuki, was a violent warmonger, which had sparked internal conflicts within the village. That incident had been somewhat serious because the Kaguya Clan had gotten involved!
Fortunately, Kirigakure had Genji, and not everyone in the Kaguya Clan was truly a reckless brute. Otherwise, given Hozuki Gengetsu's temperament-
That coup might well have left Kirigakure awash in blood, and the Kaguya Clan might very well have been wiped out ahead of time!
And now!
If this really was a coup, its scale clearly could not be small!
Kei distinctly remembered that the original story had contained no detailed account of the Third Mizukage Aoki's death. Even the time of his death was uncertain, let alone anything else. In other words, this Third Mizukage might have died naturally, or he might have met an unnatural end!
His own clan might also have been among the participants!
Otherwise, how could he explain what his clan's elite forces were mobilizing to do at this hour?!
Surely this could not be a nighttime training march?!
This was a force of nearly a hundred ninja above chunin level! Even though their Yuki Clan was one of Kirigakure's prominent ninja clans, this was already an enormous deployment!
Aside from a coup, Kei truly could not think of any other reasonable turn of events.
As he gazed into the thick darkness, Kei's brows knitted tightly.