Chapter 172: Elder Yuan Shi
A water droplet appeared in front of Yoru’s finger, without hand seals, the water droplet shot out and pierced through a nearby stone.
Kiiroinu’s eyes showed a hint of envy:
“Water Gun Technique, this is an unmarked ninjutsu. Very good, also spread the news that Hozuki Ringo leaked the Hozuki Secret Technique, and fiercely attack the Hozuki Clan’s weakest point.”
Although envious, Yoru believed Kiiroinu wouldn’t have any thoughts of snatching it.
Ninjas particularly valued protecting their ninjutsu information.
Someone who learned Great Fireball wished that all of Konoha only had him knowing Great Fireball.
Ninjas wouldn’t casually probe others’ ninjutsu secrets; if targeting a specific person or ninja clan to probe ninjutsu information, it would be seen as hostile behavior.
Yoru’s own strength wasn’t weak; even if someone had malicious intent toward Yoru, they’d have to weigh it themselves.
Anbu Copper Fox, this title still carried some weight.
Kiiroinu came to the Land of Whirlpools to gain merits for promotion to Anbu Vice Minister; with Yoru performing outstandingly, Kiiroinu would only be happier.
Kiiroinu said: “Fox, you successfully captured Twin Blades Flounder, I will apply for an S-rank mission reward for you.
Next, carry the sealed Twin Blades Flounder and slowly advance along the coastline.
I will lead the entire brigade to set up an ambush, striving to kill a batch of influential people from Mist Village.
Mist Village must now have many people wanting to inherit Twin Blades Flounder, whether geniuses from the Hozuki Clan or Mist Village geniuses, killing them all counts as merits.”
Yoru was extremely pleased in his heart; the sixth S-rank mission was in hand.
On the distant sea surface of the Land of Whirlpools, five large ships were not far from each other, sailing together.
A drenched person climbed onto the largest ship; nearby Mist Ninjas all lowered their heads, not daring to say a word.
Kusarinotsurumaru’s cruelty wasn’t just toward enemies; if people in the village provoked him, they wouldn’t have a good end either.
He headed straight to the second floor of the multi-story ship.
After entering the second floor, he first saw Genshi Elder on the presidium.
After Third Mizukage’s death, Genshi had been managing the village; Genshi wanted to become Mizukage, but the major ninja clans disagreed.
Who knew how long Genshi could live; if Genshi lived another few decades, how could the ninja clans ascend to the Mizukage position?
Kusarinotsurumaru then looked toward the major clan heads in the front row of the cabin.
Genshi declared that the one who performed most outstandingly in the War of the Land of Whirlpools would become Fourth Mizukage; this was clearly using a piece of fat meat to consume these ninja clans.
Kusarinotsurumaru was Genshi’s man; he was happy to see the ninja clans suffer setbacks.
Passing by many jonin and clan heads sitting on cushions, Kusarinotsurumaru arrived at the front row.
“Genshi Elder! Hozuki Ringo is dead, his Twin Blades Flounder was taken by Konoha!”
“What!” Hozuki Clan Head Karin Ameyuri was the first to stand up: “How is that possible?”
He immediately summoned a half-person-tall scroll, opened the scroll, and on it were seven characters representing the Seven Ninja Swords.
Among them, the ‘Long’ character representing Needle-Blade Sewing Needle, the ‘Broken’ character representing Kubikiribocho, and the ‘Blunt’ character representing Kabutowari were all very dark in color.
This was their Hozuki Clan’s concession to the village: no longer summoning these three ninja swords, which belonged to the village.
After forming hand seals, he pressed his hand on the ‘Twin’ character representing Twin Blades Flounder; after a burst of white smoke, nothing happened.
The nearby Kaguya Clan, Kusagakure Clan, Terumi Clan, and other clan heads all coldly watched the dazed Karin Ameyuri.
Twin Blades Flounder did not appear.
Hozuki Ringo had lost Twin Blades Flounder.
“Karin Clan Head, you can’t hand such an important ninja sword like Twin Blades to him just because Hozuki Ringo is your second son.”
After Kaguya Clan Head sarcastically spoke, he found no one following up; he looked left and right at the Kusagakure Clan, Terumi Clan, Water Moon Clan, and other clan heads—these people usually seized every opportunity to attack the Hozuki Clan, so why were they silent today?
Genshi glanced at Kaguya Clan Head, this fool whose brain matter was all bones.
Genshi said to Kusarinotsurumaru: “Explain the details in full, without any omissions.”
Kusarinotsurumaru said: “Hozuki Ringo and I were on the coastline of the Land of Whirlpools and encountered a lone Konoha squad, so we attacked them.
A Konoha Anbu squad appeared.
The others in that squad were average in strength, but the squad leader was actually Copper Fox, who gained fame in the Land of Rivers war.
Hozuki Ringo told me to circle behind and kill the ordinary Leaf Ninjas while he dealt with Copper Fox.
Copper Fox was very strong; before I killed many, Copper Fox appeared carrying Twin Blades, on his back.
I saw Copper Fox unharmed, not even his clothes wet—an utter impossibility, as if he easily defeated Hozuki Ringo, then immediately came back to report.”
“Copper Fox…” Genshi murmured this name, recalling intelligence about Copper Fox.
Sand Ninja Frontline Headquarters had once issued a specific order: Konoha Anbu Copper Fox has Absolute Defense Secret Jutsu; ordinary attacks are fundamentally ineffective, so be careful when encountering him.
Genshi said: “Next, issue an S-rank mission, select three jonin to complete the mission of recapturing Twin Blades Flounder.
The jonin who performs most outstandingly in the mission will become the successor to Twin Blades Flounder.”
After recovering from the initial shock, Karin Ameyuri accepted this reality; hearing Genshi’s order, he became furious again:
“Successor to Twin Blades Flounder? Genshi Elder, the successor to Twin Blades Flounder is a matter for my Hozuki Clan; no need for the village to issue an S-rank mission!”
Genshi instead said: “Such an important ninja sword like Twin Blades Flounder, your Hozuki Clan holding it not only fails to produce high-combat elite jonin but also lost it.
This is Hidden Mist Village’s shame; of course the village must take over.
But considering your Hozuki Clan’s face, two of the three jonin will be nominated by your Hozuki Clan, and the other by me.
If the two Hozuki Ninjas you nominate perform averagely in recapturing Twin Blades Flounder, you can’t blame me anymore.
In the Second Ninja War, Konoha has already clashed with Cloud Village, Hidden Stone Village, and Hidden Sand Village; this is precisely when Konoha is at its weakest.
If even now we can’t secure the mission quota in the Land of Whirlpools, when will Hidden Mist Village become prosperous?
Any ninja clan, any ninja, must fight with war victory as the goal.
If the Hozuki Clan drags its feet and can’t hold the Seven Ninja Swords, don’t blame the village for being ruthless.”
Karin Ameyuri wanted to say, don’t speak so grandly here in the tone of Mizukage, but the words reached his mouth and he didn’t say them.
Fourth Mizukage has always been unable to be selected; Genshi continued and strengthened Third Mizukage’s Village of the Bloody Mist policy.
Genshi had a large group of cruel and brutal jonin under him, led by Kusarinotsurumaru, Juzo Biwa, and others; Genshi’s faction was not to be trifled with.
The major ninja clans also had life-and-death struggles among themselves.
Karin Ameyuri thought, if Hozuki Clan sends two jonin to complete the Twin Blades recovery mission, Twin Blades Flounder would likely still be Hozuki Clan’s.
Damn Copper Fox; once caught, he would definitely be soaked in the Hozuki Clan’s secret fluid, dissolving even his bones.
