Chapter 96: Suikazan Fuguki, Picky About His Bloodlines
"After that, we got lucky. That man went after Mangetsu Hozuki next, repeatedly smashing his body apart, but Mangetsu kept regenerating using his clan's Hydrification Technique. Then that man used some kind of special taijutsu style—with his bare fists, he generated over a hundred fireballs that evaporated massive amounts of water vapor. Mangetsu let out screams I'd never heard before..."
At this point, Fuguki shuddered.
Even the others in the tent shivered sympathetically. Everyone understood the Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique—it was an exceptionally troublesome secret technique.
Conventionally, the best methods to counter the Hozuki Clan were genjutsu or Lightning Style techniques. Fire Style could work, but the elemental nature relationship meant Water beat Fire. Using Fire Style to overcome the Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique was extraordinarily difficult. However, if you could truly use Fire Style to overcome that elemental disadvantage, you could make the Hozuki Clan experience the most extreme agony imaginable.
According to documents within Konoha Village, when Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha joined forces to pacify the ninja world and establish Konoha's supreme authority, Madara had used Fire Style to burn alive several Hozuki Clan masters, nearly annihilating the allied ninja army formed by numerous Water Country ninja clans.
That crushing defeat of the allied clans made the various ninja families of the Water Country recognize the superiority of the hidden village system. The then-leader of the Kirigakure Clan stepped forward and rallied his allies to establish the Hidden Mist Village.
In any case, everyone present understood the terrible implications within Fuguki's words and could roughly imagine the agony Mangetsu Hozuki must have endured.
But then again—
Who exactly was this Konoha ninja who had single-handedly killed or crippled the Seven Ninja Swordsmen? They knew about this incident, but not much. The village hadn't widely publicized it. Only because they were stationed on the front lines against the Mist did they know even the basics.
Of course—
Just because they didn't know didn't mean Orochimaru was ignorant. Since Orochimaru was using this question as a test, it meant he definitely knew the details.
Fuguki spoke again, his voice carrying extreme relief.
He said: "But thanks to Mangetsu temporarily holding that man back, Juzo and I and Raiga Kurosuki managed to escape. Also, I believe that man's forbidden technique couldn't last very long. Otherwise, given the movement speed he displayed, catching and killing us would have been effortless."
Finally, Fuguki protested his innocence: "Lord Mizukage, the mission's failure truly wasn't due to our incompetence. Konoha was simply too devious and cunning, hiding such a terrifying figure who had never shown himself before. We were caught completely off guard, and by the time we realized what was happening, it was already irreversible!"
He had thoroughly fallen into Uchiha Shisui's genjutsu, essentially volunteering everything he knew like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.
And this scene—
Made everyone regard Uchiha Shisui with increasing caution and vigilance. Shisui of the Body Flicker hadn't just mastered the Body Flicker Technique to perfection—his genjutsu prowess was terrifyingly profound. Even the veteran Uchiha jonin they knew couldn't match Shisui's genjutsu skills.
Orochimaru pondered for a moment. He didn't evaluate whether Fuguki's answer was correct or not—or rather, his not stopping the interrogation indicated Fuguki hadn't lied.
He asked again: "Next question. How did you learn of Hyuga Ritsu's movements and set an ambush for him?"
Hearing this question—
Everyone present realized the preliminaries were over. This was the main event. They instantly shed their previous emotions and distracting thoughts, focusing two hundred percent of their attention, ears perked up waiting for Fuguki's answer.
"Hyuga Ritsu? Hmm! You mean Konoha's White Yaksha? Someone from Konoha passed intelligence to me, informing me that Hyuga Ritsu would depart from Mount Kinko to support Team Kakashi. They would take Route Seven. The specific timing and updated route map were also provided."
Fuguki continued answering without any abnormality.
White Yaksha?
Some present had heard this title, others hadn't. But after today, this name would likely spread widely instead of being known only among the Mist ninja with high recognition.
Ritsu sat quietly, ignoring the scrutinizing gazes directed at him. His eyes remained fixed on the interrogated Fuguki. Through his Byakugan, he could clearly see the chakra flow within Fuguki's brain being interfered with and twisted, forming an exceptionally complex and unique structure.
Meanwhile, Choza Akimichi, Shibi Aburame, Kō Inuzuka and others frowned deeply, irritation and disgust rising in their hearts. They despised this behavior of selling comrades' intelligence to the enemy!
Uchiha Izumo and Uchiha Teyaki, two jonin from the Uchiha Clan, openly displayed contemptuous expressions. Such lowly tactics were truly disgusting!
"You're certain someone from Konoha passed you intelligence, not that it came from spies we planted in Konoha?"
Orochimaru continued questioning in the Mizukage's tone.
"The information was indeed relayed through our spies planted in Konoha, but they're all exposed agents under tight Konoha surveillance. The intelligence they pass back has definitely been screened—or rather, certain people in Konoha are using them to transmit specific intelligence to us."
As though to prove he wasn't lying, he added: "Previously, certain Konoha people transmitted intelligence about Uchiha Clan members through them several times. Based on that intelligence, we hunted down four Uchiha jonin and even captured a pair of Sharingan. Unfortunately, the village had experimented before—the burden of transplanting Sharingan is simply too great. They maintain a permanently activated state. Even top-tier geniuses get dragged down by this massive drain on their development. Besides, top geniuses all have their own powerful Kekkei Genkai or secret techniques. There's no point transplanting these cumbersome Sharingan, so these war trophies could only be sealed away."
These words—
Made everyone's hearts leap with shock. Orochimaru's recording subordinate flinched, his brush leaving an illegible scrawl across the paper.
Shisui, as the caster, nearly bulged his crimson eyes out of their sockets, his face full of disbelief, as though hearing some absurd fantasy.
And Uchiha Izumo and Uchiha Teyaki, who had just been scorning the lowlifes who sold out comrades, could no longer maintain their composure. They exploded in fury.
They leapt up, rage bursting forth as they began spewing obscenities.
"Who? Which bastard son of a bitch dares—"
Bam! Bam!
Ritsu sprang into action, striking both with Gentle Fist techniques before they could react, knocking the wind out of them and forcing them to swallow back their curses mid-sentence.
"Gentlemen, please be quiet. The interrogation isn't finished. I know you're furious, but don't forget that I'm a victim just like your fallen clansmen. I'm even more enraged than you right now, but I also hope you'll realize that shouting solves nothing. People who can't control their own emotions are worthless in my view."
Ritsu lowered his voice, speaking rapidly yet clearly as he berated the two Uchiha. "You're both skilled members of the Uchiha Clan. Don't make me look down on you. Don't disgrace your Uchiha pride here!"
Having said this—
He released them.
Stepping back, he returned to his chair.
Izumo and Teyaki rubbed their struck abdomens vigorously, easing the pain from having their breath knocked out. First they glared viciously at Ritsu, then exchanged glances with each other. With dark expressions, they returned to their seats, then fixed their fierce three-tomoe Sharingan gazes on Suikazan Fuguki.
Because Ritsu acted quickly, Fuguki wasn't greatly affected. He only furrowed his brow instinctively in confusion, but his self-control-lacking consciousness couldn't make more complex connections. With Shisui's soothing, this shallow doubt quickly vanished. Fuguki continued with lingering interest, sighing: "At the end of the day, the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan is practical and useful. According to Ao, the burden of transplanting Byakugan isn't too great. Unfortunately, the Hyuga Clan's Main and Branch Family system is too disgusting. The Branch Family's Byakugan simply can't be taken, and the Main Family has so few members who mostly hide in the village without coming out. Even when they do emerge, they're accompanied by numerous Branch Family guards. Otherwise, obtaining several pairs of Byakugan would definitely boost our village's strength significantly."
His voice was full of regret.
Everyone looked at each other, their gazes full of speechlessness. Izumo and Teyaki's temples throbbed with rage, their lips bitten bloody. These damned Mist ninja were being picky about their plunder!
They actually dared to disdain their clan's Sharingan. They truly deserved to be cut into a thousand pieces!
Ritsu wasn't angry, nor was he pleased that his clan's Byakugan was so highly valued.
He contemplated how, after completely abolishing the Caged Bird Seal, he should protect his clansmen from harm by those coveting their practical and useful Byakugan. Fuguki's assessment wasn't alarmist rhetoric—it was a trial and challenge he must face.
The Caged Bird Seal truly didn't just have negative aspects—it also had positive ones. The Caged Bird Seal had protected the Hyuga Clan well during the chaotic Warring States Era, sparing them from many ambitious schemers' covetousness.
If Ritsu couldn't devise a better method to replace the Caged Bird Seal, even if he abolished it now, history might repeat itself later. The only difference would be that the Main Family might become his descendants.
Orochimaru's gaze lingered deeply on the contemplative Ritsu. That sudden strike against the two Uchiha jonin had been extraordinarily fast. Those two weren't some small-fry jonin either—they were outstanding even among jonin. Being able to subdue them instantly meant Ritsu's strength definitely surpassed them both.
He was increasingly interested in just how deep Ritsu's hidden depths ran. Of course, such mysteries required time to slowly explore answers. For now, he needed to focus on the current interrogation.
After all, this interrogation was quite entertaining. He looked forward to what other surprises awaited him. This Fuguki fellow was rather interesting.
Orochimaru turned his gaze back to Fuguki and continued questioning: "Tell me their names. Not their real names, but their names in Konoha."
Fuguki spoke three names. After hearing them, Orochimaru immediately summoned a trusted subordinate and ordered him to investigate these three individuals at the personnel department. If they were currently in camp, bring them immediately. If they were out on missions, have personnel send orders recalling them. If—they were already dead, bring their files.
After dispatching his subordinate, Orochimaru didn't wait idly but continued: "Suikazan Fuguki, why did you expend such effort targeting a mere Hyuga Ritsu?"
"Because I judged that once this White Yaksha matured, he would become a threat similar to White Fang or the Yellow Flash. So I felt that even at a certain cost, even if it might be a trap, I had to eliminate him. Facts proved I was half right—White Yaksha truly is a massive threat. But I was wrong about the other half—he had already matured. I underestimated him too much."
After speaking, Fuguki's face showed deep frustration, regretting his careless underestimation.
Watching Fuguki's regretful, resentful expression, everyone's feelings were mixed. There was some joy that their village had produced another powerhouse comparable to White Fang and the Yellow Flash, but simultaneously thinking that someone in the village had sold out Ritsu's intelligence felt anything but pleasant.
Even more, several far-sighted individuals worried whether the village might experience internal strife next.
Hyuga Ritsu was praised by Fuguki as an expert comparable to White Fang and the Yellow Flash. Simultaneously, he was the clan head of the prestigious Hyuga Clan—meaning he wasn't just personally formidable but commanded numerous troops... They dared not continue that train of thought. The subsequent scenarios were truly unimaginable.
Among those present, the one known as the second-smartest—with no one daring to claim first, and even third or fourth going unclaimed—Shikaku Nara now furrowed his brow deeply, revealing a heavy mood he had no energy to conceal.
However—
Orochimaru seemed in good spirits, even praising Fuguki: "A threat like White Fang and the Yellow Flash? Your judgment isn't bad!"
"Lord Mizukage, you overpraise me. Ultimately, I was too careless, not anticipating Hyuga Ritsu had already reached that level of strength. He'll likely be a major enemy we face for decades to come!"
Fuguki's expression was bitter.
At this moment—
The previously dispatched subordinate returned to report, no one following behind, holding three file folders. Seeing this, everyone's pupils contracted. He brought back files instead of people—and three files at that. This meant all three were already dead.
Without even opening the folders, just seeing these three files, they could smell the unnatural death wafting on the wind.
The subordinate approached, bending to whisper in Orochimaru's ear while placing the folders on the desk.
Orochimaru's expression remained unchanged, making his emotional state completely unreadable. After the subordinate finished speaking, he waved dismissively. He didn't immediately open the folders but continued watching Fuguki: "Speaking of which, Suikazan Fuguki, weren't you worried this was a trap Konoha set for you? In fact, you did suffer greatly because of it, resulting in both Ao and Juzo Biwa being lost in this operation!"
***
50+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces