Chapter 34: , The Hope of the Kaguya Clan

Kaguya Clan grounds.

The entire Kaguya clan grounds were currently filled with a fervent atmosphere.

Everywhere one looked, sturdy Kaguya clansmen were passionately brawling, while others stood by, clapping and cheering.

They didn't even pay the slightest attention to the Mist Anbu ninja who had come to visit. The Mist Anbu ninja merely shook his head, not taking it to heart.

After all, the habits of the Kaguya were known to everyone in the Mist Village; there was nothing strange about it at all.

The Mist Anbu ninja passed through the Kaguya grounds and headed straight for the clan leader’s room.

Inside, the current leader of the Kaguya clan, Kaguya Ichiro, had already been waiting for a long time.

"Clan Leader Kaguya Ichiro, I have brought the orders from the Mist Anbu Chief."

"The agreed-upon time is tomorrow. As long as you fulfill your promise to eliminate the Mizunuki, the Mist Anbu Chief will support your ascension to the position of Mizukage."

The Mist Anbu ninja finished in one breath, his tone filled with incitement.

"Tell Hozuki Mangetsu that I have already received the message."

Kaguya Ichiro’s voice was not as excited as one might imagine; instead, it carried an unimaginable calmness.

"Understood."

The Mist Anbu ninja felt a bit strange, but he did not probe further. Since the message had been delivered, he turned and left.

After the Mist Anbu ninja left, a sturdy young ninja emerged from behind a screen, his face heavy with a grave expression.

The youth possessed the Kaguya clan’s signature sturdy build and strange eyebrows.

He was none other than the current young clan leader of the Kaguya—Kaguya Yuta.

Kaguya Yuta clenched his fists, his face twisted as he questioned Kaguya Ichiro.

"Father, why did you agree?"

"Do you really believe that Hozuki Mangetsu will step down from the Mizukage position after the coup succeeds?"

"If we get involved now, we are just being used as a tool!"

Kaguya Yuta’s emotions were very intense, and seeing this, Kaguya Ichiro felt a sense of relief.

What Kaguya Yuta didn't notice was that Kaguya Ichiro seemed different today; the usual boisterous "Kaguya aura" was gone, replaced by a touch of composure and wisdom.

"Yuta, you are quite right."

"Hozuki Mangetsu will never give up the Mizukage position, and I will never sit on the Mizukage throne because of a coup."

Kaguya Ichiro said calmly, his eyes peaceful, as if he were discussing something completely unrelated to himself.

"Then why—"

Kaguya Yuta’s eyes were filled with astonishment. He murmured to himself, as if meeting his father for the first time.

"Child, you are still too young."

"Once the water of the waterfall of hatred falls, there is no turning back."

"The Kaguya clan is the same; it is too late to turn back now."

Kaguya Ichiro’s tone remained indifferent, his eyes filled with a depth Yuta could not understand.

"Why?!"

"If the clansmen don't participate, wouldn't nothing happen?!"

Kaguya Yuta exclaimed in disbelief.

"You think too simply."

"Do you think that if we don't participate, it has nothing to do with us?"

"If Hozuki Mangetsu falls and there is no one to check the power of Mizunuki Taki, do you think the Mizunuki will spare the Kaguya clan afterward?"

Kaguya Ichiro questioned him with a burning gaze.

At this, Kaguya Yuta froze in place.

"The number of newborns in the clan this generation is nearly one-third less than the last."

"Conversely, the casualties of our clansmen have risen by nearly half compared to the previous decade."

"Do you know why?"

Kaguya Ichiro continued to press Kaguya Yuta, leaving him completely silent.

"As long as the Mizukage position remains in the hands of the Mizunuki, the pressure from the village's upper echelons will not decrease."

"The Mizukage is constantly cutting the mission quotas for the Kaguya clan; without missions, there are no resources."

"Because of this, our clansmen can only take on dirty, exhausting work that no one else wants; the danger level increases exponentially, and casualties are gradually worsening."

"I think you should know how many resources the growth of the Shikotsumyaku requires."

"Without resources, there is no new blood born within the clan."

"Plus, the Kaguya clan has offended too many people in the village; no one is willing to extend a helping hand."

"Most importantly—"

At this point, a trace of exhaustion and helplessness appeared in Kaguya Ichiro’s eyes.

"The pride of the Kaguya clan will not accept help from anyone."

"Even if they have to rob or plunder, they will not accept charity from others."

"This is the Kaguya; except for themselves, everyone else is a weakling in their eyes."

"The weak are not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the Kaguya; everyone is immersed in past glory, unwilling to face reality!"

"This arrogance has taken root in the bones of the Kaguya; it is a disease, it is cancer!"

When Kaguya Ichiro said this, Kaguya Yuta seemed to lose all his strength and collapsed onto the floor.

"Is there..."

"Is there really no hope left?"

Kaguya Yuta muttered to himself, his eyes filled with despair.

"No!"

"Yuta, the Kaguya clan still has hope."

Kaguya Ichiro suddenly smiled, his eyes flashing with a dazzling brilliance.

"What is it?"

Kaguya Yuta suddenly scrambled to his feet, looking at his father with longing eyes.

He was the only true wise man of the Kaguya clan.

Kaguya Yuta loved the Kaguya clan more than anything; as long as there was a glimmer of hope, he was willing to try his best.

"The hope is—"

"You!"

Kaguya Ichiro smiled and pointed his finger at Kaguya Yuta.

On his rugged old face, he was smiling with unusual gentleness.

"Me?"

Kaguya Yuta’s mouth hung open, his eyes full of confusion.

(Please vote, please support, thank you!)

When Mizunuki Ryosuke was busy rushing back to the Mizunuki clan grounds and walking on the streets of the Mist Village, a strange feeling made him feel awkward.

Because he was wearing the image of Mizunuki Taki.

Along the way, people greeted him one after another, which was the complete opposite of his usual feeling of being unknown.

For Mizunuki Ryosuke, this feeling was simply—

Too annoying!

"I didn't expect that being Mizukage meant dealing with so many people and things every day."

Thinking of this, Mizunuki Ryosuke shook his head vigorously.

How could a Mizukage, tied down by trivial matters, compare to his usual carefree life?

Thus, Mizunuki Ryosuke’s rejection of the "Mizukage" identity in his heart increased even more.

Be the Mizukage? It is impossible to be the Mizukage in this lifetime!

Just doing missions and drifting through life is enough.

Because it was too troublesome to deal with people greeting him along the way, Mizunuki Ryosuke decided to take a small, deserted path.

As Mizunuki Ryosuke suddenly changed his route—

Behind him, a figure hidden in a gray robe, looking somewhat sneaky, followed him.

Mist Ninja Village, a deserted, dark alley.

Mizunuki Ryosuke, who had been rushing along with his head down, slowly stopped, turned around, imitated Mizunuki Taki’s voice, coughed twice, and spoke slowly.

"Cough, cough—"

"You've been following me the whole way, come out."

As the words fell, a ninja completely hidden in a gray robe suddenly appeared in the alley.

Judging by the speed alone, this person was at least at the Jonin level.

Seeing this, a trace of gravity flashed in Mizunuki Ryosuke’s eyes.

This was a sensitive period; could this person be an assassin sent by Hozuki Mangetsu to kill the Mizukage?

But that didn't make sense either; tomorrow was when the big show would start. Sending an assassin now would only alert the enemy, wouldn't it?

Mizunuki Ryosuke frowned.

But regardless, the person in front of him was sneaking around following the Mizukage; the possibility of an assassination attempt was eighty percent!

It’s not like the person followed him all this way just to sell him adult magazines, right?

Cough, cough.

Mizunuki Ryosuke became increasingly vigilant in his heart, avoiding the risk of capsizing in the gutter.