The eastern border region of the Land of Water.
After the Kaguya clan was expelled from Kirigakure by the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, on trumped-up charges, they had been settling here.
It had been nearly two years.
Although the entire clan possessed extremely strong combat talents, due to their bloodline disease, their average lifespan hardly exceeded 30 years. Living to 40 was considered a miracle.
Their combat personnel numbered a little over 200 at most.
Under such circumstances, no matter how dissatisfied they were with Yagura Karatachi's actions, they dared not harbor thoughts of revenge.
But now, things were different.
Inside Kirigakure, the Elder "Genshi," whose power and influence were comparable to Yagura's, had secretly dispatched envoys. He claimed he wished to coordinate with them from the inside and outside to execute Yagura and retake the highest political power in Kirigakure.
The current Kaguya Clan Leader summoned all two hundred or so combat members of the clan to the assembly hall.
"I believe everyone has had enough of this cowardly existence over the past year."
"Leaving aside the decline in our overall standard of living, the lack of professional medical ninja has further aggravated our clan's bloodline disease. In just two short years, we have lost hundreds of companions."
"Furthermore, we are innocent! It was all that bastard Yagura. He feared our power, so he used slander to drive us out of the village!"
"Now, the opportunity has arrived!"
The current Kaguya Clan Leader clenched his right fist tightly, raised his arm, and shouted:
"Half a year ago, Genshi sent me an invitation. He will coordinate with us from within to execute Yagura Karatachi together!"
"Once successful, our Kaguya clan will become the family in control of Kirigakure's Shinobi Department."
"Not only will we be able to restore our past glory, but we will also lead the clan to a new pinnacle!"
After the Kaguya Clan Leader finished shouting these words, the Kaguya clansmen below, dressed in white robes and characterized by two cinnabar dots above their eyebrows, raised their arms and cheered ceaselessly!
Being framed and expelled from the village had not only caused the clan's standard of living to plummet to rock bottom.
At the same time, the lack of treatment from excellent medical ninja left many clansmen suffering from the torture of the bloodline disease.
In just one short year, the clan, which originally had less than a thousand people, had lost over a hundred more.
Now, the Kaguya clan absolutely wished they could eat Yagura's flesh and drink his blood.
Now, the chance had finally come!
"Pass down the order!"
The Kaguya Clan Leader waved his hand again to issue the command:
"Anyone over five years old with combat ability must go to the battlefield!"
The Kaguya clan currently had about two hundred adult ninja capable of fighting.
But if minors over five years old were included, the number could exceed three hundred.
"Patriarch, what about Kimimaro..."
Hearing this, a clansman whispered to the Kaguya Clan Leader, asking for instructions regarding a gifted child within the clan.
The Kaguya Clan Leader frowned slightly upon hearing this.
Kimimaro Kaguya.
4 years old.
His parents had died of the bloodline disease within the last year.
However, he displayed super-strong combat talent. At only four years old, he already possessed strength surpassing that of an average Genin.
With such strength, he was fully qualified to go to the battlefield.
But the Kaguya Clan Leader could imagine the brutality of this coming war.
It would be a pity for such a genius to die on the battlefield so early.
Although the Kaguya clan were battle maniacs by nature, they were not fools.
They also knew the importance of the next generation to a ninja clan.
Kimimaro was undoubtedly the leading figure of the Kaguya family's next generation.
After pondering for a long time, the Kaguya Clan Leader decided:
"Leave him in the clan grounds, together with the women and children who remain behind."
After the meeting ended, the Kaguya ninja went home to prepare with excitement written all over their faces.
In their view, returning to Kirigakure was in the not-too-distant future.
In front of a small hut in a corner of the clan grounds.
A boy, not yet five years old, with short gray-white hair, was crouching at the door. Watching the busy clansmen, his eyes revealed confusion and bewilderment.
...
...
Clang Clang Clang~
One week later, a deafening bell rang out within Kirigakure.
Like the siren in Konoha, this represented the ninja village's highest alert.
Once the alarm sounded, all ninja in the village were required to gather in front of the Administration Building.
However, the situation in Kirigakure was now somewhat different.
Those gathering toward the Mizukage building were only a small portion of personnel, led by the ANBU and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
More than 70% of the ninja in the village did not move.
The reason was simple.
Because the ninja of Kirigakure were now divided into two camps.
One was Mizukage Yagura.
The other was Elder Genshi.
The alarm sounding was Mizukage Yagura's business.
The ninja under Genshi would not pay it any heed.
...
...
Ten minutes later, in front of the Mizukage building.
ANBU wearing masks, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen holding their ninja swords, and the grassroots ninja under their command known for their cold and bloody nature.
Approximately a thousand people gathered together.
Looking around, the current experts of Kirigakure were all assembled here.
Kisame Hoshigaki, Fuguki Suikazan, Mangetsu Hozuki, Juzo Biwa, Zabuza Momochi...
And—"Ming"!
Terumi Mei was not among them because Mingyue had arranged another task for her.
"Lord Mizukage has arrived!"
Suddenly, someone shouted.
Everyone turned to look.
Yagura Karatachi, short in stature and with a face so childish he didn't look much older than an 11-year-old brat like Mangetsu Hozuki, walked out of the Administration Building.
Although he looked like that, no one truly treated him as a kid.
Everyone present knew perfectly well how bloody and cruel this man's administrative methods were.
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