If you wanted to understand what the Hidden Mist Saizō Iron-Blooded Youth Corps was, you first had to know who Saizō himself was.
So, who was Hidden Mist Saizō?
Back in the day, his name rang through the ninja world like thunder. In the Hidden Mist, he was a legend—a mountain among men.
How far back are we talking? Before the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and Uchiha Madara ever made their mark. That's right—the Warring States era, before the Five Great Ninja Villages even existed.
In that time, there were two giants: Sarutobi Sasuke, and Hidden Mist Saizō. Everyone else—Senju Butsuma, Uchiha Tajima—stood in their shadow.
A ninja's greatness wasn't just about flashy jutsu or completed missions. It was about the character you could hold onto when the world was burning down around you.
Saizō's place as a legend came from a story as dramatic as Hamlet's revenge. The daimyo of the Land of Water was dying, his brother seizing power. In desperation, the daimyo entrusted his five-year-old son to Saizō, with nothing but a golden fish-eagle as payment—a trinket, barely eight taels of gold.
Expecting a ninja to restore a nation for eight taels of gold? Impossible.
But Saizō didn't just accept the task—he actually pulled it off.
It took thirteen long years. He raised the daimyo's son, adopted war orphans, and trained them into a new generation of ninja—the first Iron-Blooded Youth Corps.
During a hunting trip, Saizō led his ninja in a surprise attack, restoring the daimyo's son to the throne in a single, decisive strike.
Then came the twist. The new daimyo wanted to shower Saizō with rank and riches, but Saizō just smiled, produced the golden fish-eagle, and said, "Your father already paid me. Now this fish-eagle is truly mine." Then he left, disciples in tow, his ninja spirit echoing through history. Even Sarutobi Sasuke declared, "In skill, Saizō and I are equals. In virtue, I am far inferior."
From then on, Saizō was known as the "Ninja Saint."
In his later years, Saizō tried to follow Hashirama's example, uniting the Water Country's ninja to form a village. (By then, Hashirama and Madara had already founded Konoha.) Thanks to his reputation, the dream was nearly realized.
But on the eve of Hidden Mist's founding, Saizō died at seventy-five. The First Mizukage title went to Elder Byakuren—if Saizō had lived a few more years, things might have been different.
Saizō was gone, but his legacy endured: the ninja corps of war orphans he'd raised. Only about four hundred strong, but their spirit and training became the backbone of the village. Their motto: "Inherit Saizō's spirit, become the pillars of Hidden Mist." It was the Hidden Mist's own military academy. Many of the village's later legends came from this group—Second Mizukage Hōzuki Gengetsu, Third Mizukage Kujira, Fourth Mizukage Karatachi Yagura.
Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, officially named the group the "Hidden Mist Saizō Iron-Blooded Youth Corps," forging them into a blade for the future—a "Young Cadre Reserve Bureau." Even for the Yuexi Peninsula campaign, he'd been reluctant to deploy them.
The current commander? The new Six-Tails jinchūriki—Utakata.
When the smoke cleared, Ao, Ōpeng, and the Mist ninja walked onto the street. Bone fragments littered the ground, Kaguya rebel corpses sprawled everywhere. In the center stood a youth—gaunt, long-haired, unsmiling, dressed in white. Behind him, four hundred young ninja in matching white, swords strapped to their backs.
The youth bowed to Ao and Ōpeng. "We rushed as fast as we could—Ao-sama, Ōpeng-sama, I hope there weren't too many losses."
Ao glanced at the devastated street, sighing. "It's fine—just one street."
"What?! Konoha snatched the Three-Tails jinchūriki?!"
Utakata's face twisted in outrage. "Unbelievable! This Kaguya rebellion must be Konoha's doing!"
Ōpeng was furious. Only Ao stood silent, brow furrowed.
Before the ruins of Safe House No. 4—crushed trees, a watchtower reduced to powder, Mist ninja corpses scattered, Aming unconscious, Master Genshi half-paralyzed—it was clear how brutal the fighting had been.
Master Genshi shakily raised his left hand, pointing at Ao, then Ōpeng, then Utakata, then waved.
Ao understood immediately. "Ōpeng, Utakata, stay. Everyone else—set a perimeter two hundred meters out!"
Master Genshi struggled, squeezing out two words: "Pa… per."
"You need paper and pen?" Ao asked. Master Genshi nodded.
Paper and pen were brought. Master Genshi took the pen in his left hand—after his first stroke, he'd practiced left-handed writing and was now adept.
As Master Genshi's pen danced across the page, Ao's eyes widened.
"Karatachi Yagura defeated at Yuexi Peninsula! Eight thousand casualties! What?!"
Tears streamed down Master Genshi's face, his throat choked with sobs. Ōpeng collapsed, eyes wide with disbelief.
"That was ten thousand ninja! That was most of Hidden Mist's strength—gone! It must be Konoha's trickery…"
Master Genshi shook his head, confirming it was true.
Ao was the first to recover. "So Konoha also suffered heavy losses, and snatching the Three-Tails jinchūriki is to fortify their defenses. Is that right?"
Master Genshi nodded, writing again.
"Nine-Tails missing."
"That explains everything…" Ao's mind raced, strategizing.
Utakata couldn't stand still. "I'll lead a team to chase down the Three-Tails jinchūriki!"
He turned to leave—only to feel his sleeve tugged. It was Master Genshi, still trembling, shaking his head.
"Master Genshi, what is it?" Ao steadied him, giving Utakata a meaningful look.
"Utakata, priorities matter. The Three-Tails situation will take careful planning. We may be facing an even greater challenge soon."
"What could be more important than the Three-Tails jinchūriki?" Utakata demanded.
"There is." Ao's voice was quiet, grave. "Suikazan Fuguki."
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