Naruto: The Nine-Tails' Legacy

As the Mizukage prepared to leave, Mei Terumī finally spoke the moment Kakashi's group disappeared completely.

"Mizukage-sama, please wait."

"I also wish to understand something."

"Elder Genji committed no wrongdoing, so why did you imprison him…"

"Mei Terumī."

Yagura suddenly interrupted coldly.

"I heard that during my absence, some people recommended you become the Fifth Mizukage."

"..."

Mei's expression stiffened slightly.

"Hmph."

Yagura's pink eyes narrowed dangerously.

"So naïve…"

"And you expect to become Mizukage?"

"Tell me this."

"Why do you think I was attacked near Kirigakure in the first place?"

Those words instantly made Mei realize something.

"You suspect Elder Genji secretly collaborated with Akatsuki?"

"That's impossible!"

"And why is it impossible?"

Yagura suddenly turned toward her sharply.

"Mei Terumī."

"It seems too much time has passed."

"You no longer truly recognize me as Mizukage."

"Do you believe I require evidence before imprisoning high-ranking shinobi?"

"The clues I possess are not something you need to know."

"You only need to obey my orders."

"Kirigakure still hides traitors among its ranks."

"And this time…"

Yagura's childish face became terrifyingly cold.

"I will carry out a complete purge."

The moment Yagura calmly uttered the words "complete purge," fear instantly spread across Mei and the other Jōnin standing nearby.

Because those words represented the greatest nightmare carved into every Kirigakure shinobi's heart—

The Bloody Mist era.

Unlike his youthful appearance, the Fourth Mizukage had always been truly ruthless.

"... Mei Terumī."

Yagura suddenly spoke again.

"I heard you seem rather close to Konoha lately."

"Then I'll assign you a mission."

"Go investigate which Konoha Jōnin and Genin teams will attend the upcoming Chūnin Exams in Kirigakure."

"And…"

His gaze sharpened slightly.

"Monitor whether Konoha properly buries Shisui Uchiha's corpse."

"Until the Chūnin Exams begin…"

"You no longer need to return to the village."

Hearing the completely contradictory "mission"—which practically screamed that Yagura intended to send her away deliberately—Mei instantly understood.

The Mizukage no longer trusted her.

The only question remaining was why.

Was it because she asked about Elder Genji earlier?

Because she contacted Kakashi beforehand?

Or…

Because some people recommended her as the Fifth Mizukage?

"Yes."

Mei finally lowered her head calmly.

She understood perfectly that saying anything further now would only invite disaster upon herself.

Thus, she quietly turned and left.

Watching Mei depart, Yagura slowly withdrew his gaze.

A faint cold smile briefly flickered across his face before disappearing again.

Deep within Kirigakure existed a prison reserved exclusively for the village's most dangerous criminals.

Even ordinary Jōnin-level missing-nin would never qualify for confinement there.

And currently, the entire village remained enveloped beneath thick mist.

A sensory technique personally maintained by the Fourth Mizukage.

Anyone entering or leaving the mist would immediately be detected by Yagura himself.

At this moment, Yagura walked alone through the fog.

His destination—

The dead prison.

Because Jūzō Biwa remained imprisoned there.

Outside the prison gates, Yagura carefully examined the surroundings with his pink eyes.

After confirming nothing existed except the mist itself, he finally stepped inside.

Click.

The sound of footsteps immediately attracted Jūzō Biwa's attention.

The tortured former Seven Ninja Swordsman slowly forced open his eyes.

Even slight movements tore open countless wounds across his body, causing him to grimace in agony.

Yet Kirigakure's sealing techniques prevented him from even committing suicide.

In fairness, although Kirigakure excelled at cruel torture methods, they also specialized in training their shinobi to resist torture.

As a former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Jūzō had clearly learned those lessons thoroughly.

After finally recognizing the visitor, shock appeared across his face.

"You?!"

"You look even more miserable than I expected."

Yagura calmly approached him.

"It seems…"

"You've become useless."

The visitor was naturally Yagura himself.

However, unlike before, no one accompanied him now.

Jūzō laughed bitterly and self-mockingly.

"Hehehe…"

"Good timing then."

"Just kill me already."

"I'm almost done enduring this…"

"Before that…"

Yagura's expression remained emotionless.

"Tell me exactly how you were captured."

"And describe everything that happened."

Yet surprisingly, Jūzō didn't answer immediately.

As though understanding his concern, Yagura slowly raised his hand.

Upon his finger rested a ring engraved with the symbol "Three."

The Akatsuki ring.

Proof that Yagura truly belonged to Akatsuki.

Kirigakure couldn't possibly know the Fourth Mizukage was secretly connected to Akatsuki.

"... The assassination target hired bodyguards."

Jūzō finally closed his eyes and began recalling the battle.

"Originally, Itachi and I were fighting two-on-one against that bitch Mei Terumī."

"Her defeat was inevitable sooner or later…"

"But then that damn Hatake Kakashi suddenly appeared."

"Not only did he save Mei…"

Jūzō's expression darkened.

"That bastard wasn't simple."

"Although Itachi eventually drew him away…"

"Once I had to fight Mei alone, I wasn't her match."

"That's all."

"... Did you personally witness Itachi fighting Kakashi?"

"Hmph."

Jūzō sneered coldly.

"So that's what you're really asking."

"You people are still suspicious of him."

"But fighting that Kakashi nearly killed Itachi too."

"If the assassination target hadn't been stupid enough to get captured as a hostage, Itachi probably wouldn't have escaped either."

Then suddenly, Jūzō recalled something.

"Oh right."

"What happened to that assassination target afterward?"

"Uchiha Itachi completed the mission."

"Although he suffered serious injuries."

"Good."

Jūzō laughed harshly.

"At least that means I didn't suffer for nothing."

Yagura continued asking several more detailed questions.

The answers perfectly aligned with the reports Itachi previously submitted to Akatsuki.

Eventually, the surrounding mist thickened further, making Yagura's expression impossible to see clearly anymore.

"I actually…"

Jūzō suddenly laughed weakly.

"Had the stupid hope that Akatsuki might've sent you to rescue me…"

"You never exposed my identity to Kirigakure."

Yagura's voice remained emotionless.

"That earns you one final favor."

"What favor?"

Jūzō laughed bitterly.

"I only ever enjoyed killing people."

"I don't really have wishes."

"Good."

Suddenly—

A blood-red tail erupted violently from Yagura's body.

The surrounding mist scattered instantly as the tail pierced straight through both Jūzō and the prison gate behind him.

Then—

The enormous crimson tail crushed Jūzō's body into bloody pulp.

"Perfect."

Yagura slowly withdrew the tail.

"There will soon be many more dead people in this village to accompany you."

Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> [email protected]/AiraTales7 (replace @ with a)