The day passed in apparent peace.
The lower-ranking ninja and ordinary civilians had no idea what had happened the night before. Apart from the higher-ups and a few people with special standing, Kei might truly have been the only person who clearly realized that something extremely important must have happened within Kirigakure last night.
Even if it was not the worst-case scenario he feared, this unresolved situation still kept Kei's nerves on edge.
Because there was no telling when "danger" might suddenly erupt.
Compared with those who knew nothing, it was hard to say who was fortunate. But if Kei had to choose, he would rather worry a little more. At least that was far better than going straight to meet God without a clue!
Even if he really had to die.
Kei had to know exactly why he was dying. This could be called an obsession of his. With that mindset, he watched time slowly pass, while Kirigakure seemed as though nothing had happened at all!
The village's residents continued living at their normal pace.
Nor did the Ninja Academy suspend classes as Kei had previously suspected. Instead, it resumed normal teaching the day after the holiday ended.
Everything was so natural.
Everything was so peaceful.
A full month or so passed without anything happening.
Kei gradually lowered his guard. Just as he began wondering whether he had been worrying over nothing, a bombshell announcement from the village's leadership instantly shook all of Kirigakure!
The news was that the Third Mizukage, Aoki, had died of illness, and Karatachi Yagura would succeed him as their village's Fourth Mizukage!
When this news spread throughout Kirigakure without any warning.
The first reaction of the more than ten thousand middle- and lower-ranking ninja, along with the hundreds of thousands of civilians, was utter disbelief.
"What!? Lord Mizukage died of illness!?"
"When did this happen!?"
"Why wasn't there any news at all!?"
"Impossible, I don't believe it! I only just saw Lord Mizukage a few days ago. How could he have suddenly died of illness!?"
"Could there have been a mistake!?"
"But!?"
"I don't believe it!"
"Lord Mizukage!!"
They had never imagined that their Third Mizukage would die just like that!
They had been given absolutely no warning!
It had struck as suddenly as an avalanche.
Before this, their Mizukage had appeared perfectly hale and hearty in public!
There had not been a single sign.
And he had simply died of illness!?
After all, whenever the Kage of the Five Great Shinobi Villages died suddenly, it was in battle.
Deaths from severe injuries or illness were not unheard of either. The most classic example was the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. After the battle at the Valley of the End, he had reportedly been bedridden with severe injuries, but even he had held on for a while before passing away!
To put it plainly, there had to be a process.
One that allowed the village's residents to accept it.
But with a sudden death like this, and not even one in battle, there was no way Kirigakure's ordinary civilians could accept it!
After the initial shock, the middle- and lower-ranking Mist Ninja most loyal to the Mizukage reacted by suspecting foul play!
They could hardly be blamed for thinking this. In fact, quite a few ordinary civilians had similar thoughts, because Kirigakure had a serious history of attempted coups!
Even though all the previous coups had failed.
Even the most dangerous attempt had failed to threaten the Mizukage's position, but who could say for certain!? Who could guarantee that this attempt had not succeeded!?
This terrifying suspicion.
Instantly sent an exceedingly dangerous atmosphere spreading through Kirigakure.
However, when Genji stepped forward to confirm the news, that dangerous atmosphere dissipated before it could fully take shape.
Genji's prestige in Kirigakure remained extraordinarily high. With him stepping forward of his own accord to vouch for the announcement, the conspiracy theory that the Third Mizukage had met an "unnatural death" instantly collapsed. Even though a small number of people still harbored doubts, faced with Genji's firm stance, not one of them ultimately chose to take any dangerous action.
Especially after the Land of Water's daimyo issued his decree.
The small ripple that had only just arisen vanished completely.
Under these circumstances, Kirigakure completed a transition of political power.
So the Third Mizukage died? That certainly explains all that activity.
Upon learning the news, Kei first looked stunned, then slowly nodded instinctively, understanding dawning on his face.
The death of a village's Kage and the resulting transfer of power were indeed extremely significant matters. As one of Kirigakure's three great clans, their Yuki Clan certainly had to display the proper attitude at the appropriate time, and even take suitable action when necessary!
This was a political necessity!
Whether leaning left, leaning right, or remaining neutral, they had to make a choice.
This was an inevitable feature of a country, of a ninja village.
It was also an important issue that those within it constantly had to confront and handle.
However, this transfer of power was clearly nowhere near as simple and peaceful as it appeared. If the transition had truly been smooth, there was no reason for their Yuki Clan to mobilize so many elite forces. Judging by their clan's response, it could likewise be inferred that the Kaguya Clan and the Hozuki Clan had acted on no small scale either. And unless the village's other small and medium-sized ninja clans were fools or cowards, they would certainly have taken corresponding action too!
Thus, Kei could be certain that an extremely fierce power struggle had taken place among the higher-ups that night!
As for exactly how it had unfolded, that was beyond what Kei could speculate about at present. But the one certainty was that he no longer needed to live on edge. The Mizukage had changed, and power among the higher-ups had been reshuffled.
For a ninja village.
This was undoubtedly an enormously important matter. Moreover, given Kirigakure's standing in the Shinobi World, it was bound to further affect the balance of the entire Shinobi World.
The other four great ninja villages would all turn their attention toward Kirigakure at this time, particularly Kumogakure and Sunagakure. A ninja village was most susceptible to turmoil during a transfer of power, and that was often the best opportunity for another country to invade!
Although Kirigakure's geographical advantages made it difficult for other countries' ninja villages to invade, if Kirigakure truly gave them an opening, neither Sunagakure nor Kumogakure would readily let it slip away.
Thus, the coming period would be Kirigakure's most critical time, as well as an important test of the new Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura's methods and mettle!
Still, with Genji around, Kirigakure would not fall into chaos no matter what.
And as long as it weathered this period smoothly, Kirigakure could get back on track!