Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

A Mizukage hat symbolizing the highest authority in Kirigakure.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Master Yuan ascended the high platform.

He walked up to Hozuki Kaigetsu, a relieved and reassured smile on his face.

With trembling hands, he solemnly placed the straw hat, which carried the history and future of Kirigakure, on Hozuki Kaigetsu's head.

"The future of Kirigakure... I'm counting on you..."

After uttering these final words, the old man's body went limp and he fell backward.

He passed away suddenly amidst the gasps of countless people.

His face still held that relieved smile.

A bloody era that lasted for decades came to an end with the peaceful passing of an old man.

Hozuki Umizuki, wearing a slightly oversized water-shadow hat, was bathed in the morning light.

He looked at the complex faces below the stage and felt the heavy weight on his head.

He knew this was just the beginning.

The funeral of an old era is the coronation salute for him, the new king.

But the real challenge is only just beginning.

His gaze swept past the crowd and landed on Yagura and Mei Terumi beside him, whose expressions were inscrutable.

One is the strongest Jinchūriki, and the other is a genius with two bloodline limits.

How can I win them over and get them to genuinely serve me?

Hozuki Kaigetsu's fingertips tightened unconsciously.

A few days later, Master Yuan's funeral came to a close in the silent drizzle.

That rain seemed to be bidding farewell to this bloody era that had lasted for decades.

As the old man who had controlled the fate of Kirigakure returned to dust, the thick fog that had accumulated over the village for so long seemed to thin out a little.

As the first rays of sunlight after the rain pierced through the clouds and shone on the large desk in the Water Shadow's office, a meeting that would determine the future of Mist Shadow officially began.

The atmosphere in the office was even more somber than in a cemetery on a rainy day.

The newly appointed Fourth Mizukage, Hozuki Kaigetsu, has already taken his seat in the Kage's throne.

The slightly oversized straw hat placed on the corner of the table symbolized a heavy weight of power, or an invisible mountain pressing down on his shoulders.

His younger sister, Hozuki Shio, stood behind him like a loyal guard, arms crossed. Her delicate face was filled with excitement, and her purple eyes scanned everyone present, as if she were inspecting her own territory or pondering what to have for lunch.

All eyes in the office, whether on the surviving elders with their complex expressions or on the department heads standing in the corner, were subtly focused on the same person.

Yagura, a type of citrus.

The once most promising candidate for Mizukage was now sitting quietly to one side. He was thin and had a youthful face, but his deep eyes and the hideous scar under his left eye gave him an aura of pressure that was beyond his years.

Whether he supports her or not could affect Hozuki Kaigetsu's position as the new Mizukage, whether it is secure or not.

The future of Kirigakure will be determined by whether it moves towards unity or falls into a hidden division.

In stark contrast to the tense atmosphere was Hiruzen Sarutobi, who sat on the guest sofa.

He was honored as a special advisor and attended the meeting.

But he didn't say a word from beginning to end, and didn't even lift his eyelids.

He simply held a steaming cup of barley tea slowly, occasionally blowing away the floating tea leaves and taking a small sip.

His ease and composure made it seem as if he were just an ordinary person visiting his neighbor's house, rather than the mastermind behind the overnight overthrow of the Hidden Mist Village's government and the one who personally placed Hozuki Kaigetsu on the throne.

But the more he acted this way, the more oppressive the atmosphere in the office became.

Everyone knew that the seemingly outsider Third Hokage was the true arbiter in this room.

He dedicated the stage, the spotlight, and everyone's attention to Hozuki Kaigetsu.

This is his last and most important test as the new Mizukage.

Hozuki Kaigetsu's palms were already sweating.

He could feel the almost tangible scrutiny emanating from Yagura and Mei Terumi.

Take a deep breath and suppress the turmoil in your heart.

Any schemes or tricks seem laughable in the face of that Hokage.

So he chose the most direct and honest approach.

He stood up, his gaze unwavering, looking directly at Yagura Karatachi, and also at Mei Terumi on the other side, who was idly playing with her long brown hair.

"I know that many people here are not happy about me taking this position."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear, echoing in the quiet office.

"In terms of seniority, I am inferior to the elders present here. In terms of strength, Mei Terumi's dual bloodline limits are unparalleled."

This candid confession surprised both Yagura and Mei Terumi, causing a slight change in their expressions.

Hozuki Kaigetsu paused, then his voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable resolve.

"but!"

"Behind me stands a person who can redefine the word 'power' with their ideas and vision!"

His hand pointed to the figure leisurely sipping tea.

"My will is his will! The future I promise is the future that Konoha will bestow upon Kirigakure!"

These words, rather than a declaration of sovereignty, were more of a blatant showdown.

In the office, Yagura's hands, which were clasped across his chest, tightened at the knuckles.

His brain was working at lightning speed.

You disagree?

Revolt?

and then?

That night involuntarily resurfaced in his mind once again.

That colossal emerald giant that blotted out the sky, that spiraling bone sword like a god's sword, and the scene of effortlessly cleaving Kaguya Honebami's proud White Bone Forest into dust...

The despair he felt at that moment still haunts him like a nightmare, residing in the deepest recesses of his heart.

Times have truly changed.

That man has elevated the form of war to another dimension.

That was the crushing power of ideas, the demolition of civilization.

Resist Konoha?

That's like a moth drawn to a flame, courting its own destruction.

Yagura slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, all the struggle, resentment, and pride in his purple pupils had faded away, leaving only a numb clarity.

He stood up.

This action made everyone's hearts leap into their throats.

Mei Terumi stopped fiddling with her hair and sat up straight. Hozuki Shio instinctively stepped forward, blocking her brother's path.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Yagura Karatachi walked step by step to Hozuki Kaigetsu's desk.

Then, he did something that made everyone's brains go blank.

This man from Kirigakure, known for his maturity beyond his years and his arrogance, this former candidate for Mizukage, knelt on one knee before Hozuki Kaigetsu, whose seniority, strength, and reputation were far inferior to his own.