They're promoting the "Konoha threat" theory, and spouting nonsense about the Hidden

Chapter 90: I have heard of the execution of Yi Fulian, but I have not heard of the assassination itself!

Excellent, Kirigakure needs talent like you!

Hozuki Shingetsu looked at the scene before him and was quite satisfied.

The rest of you should watch carefully and learn from this!

Which leader wouldn't want a subordinate who, after the leader has laid the groundwork, can then embellish the leader's intentions with words and support them with actions?

As for being opportunistic and two-faced... is that even a thing?

It's only human nature. As long as it fulfills its proper function, Hozuki Shingetsu is very magnanimous about such trivial matters.

Of course, this has nothing to do with the fact that he is that kind of person.

So, Hozuki Shingetsu gave him a deep look and remembered the person in front of her.

"I never imagined I'd end up like this... Hozuki Shingetsu, you're truly remarkable!"

At this moment, perhaps because the noise from the people below was too loud, Lian, who was bound in mid-air, slowly woke up. After listening for a while, she understood his current situation.

"Ahem... Now that I'm in your hands, I have nothing more to say. But what do you plan to do with me now?"

Bound in mid-air by the tailed beast's chakra, Ren looked down at Hozuki Shingetsu with a mocking expression and said, "What else can you do besides imprison me for life? Are you suggesting you kill me in front of all these people?"

"Regardless, I am your official superior, the Mizukage who wore the divine robes in front of all the villagers of Kirigakure. In what capacity do you intend to judge me now?"

"Is it your identity as the 'Timely Rain' of Kirigakure, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the young head of the Hozuki clan, or... the Daikichi of the Land of Water?"

Not good!

Yoshio Uzumaki, who had been watching the battle from the sidelines, felt his heart sink. He sighed inwardly, thinking that Ren was indeed worthy of being the Mizukage for many years. Even in this life-or-death situation, he could still find a chance to escape.

As Ren said, no matter what he did, his current identity as the Water Shadow was his protective charm.

Although he was utterly wicked and single-handedly caused tonight's civil war, Hozuki Shingetsu and the others could not kill him with a legitimate reason.

At most, they could imprison him and restrict his movements.

Just like the Fourth Mizukage in the original work who had his genjutsu broken, at most he would be restricted in his freedom until the end of his life.

There's no other reason than this; it's the greater good, and it's the rule of the game.

Moreover, these words can only be effective in such a critical moment when everyone is watching, and when Hozuki Shingetsu has just rallied people with his righteous cause.

Otherwise, once everyone has dispersed after a while, even if Ren says those words, Hozuki Shingetsu could easily find a hundred ways to kill him and then simply dismiss it as the Mizukage's fatal injury.

But when all of this is laid bare, the game can no longer be played this way.

Since Hozuki Shingetsu wants to gather public support to give the Hozuki clan's actions a legitimate and justifiable guise, it means that he has already entered this game of power. Once you're in the game, you have to follow the rules. No one wants to play with someone who doesn't follow the rules.

In the stillness of the night, Ren's weak voice was amplified infinitely, echoing throughout the world. Everyone involuntarily looked towards Hozuki Shingetsu, trying to see how he would answer.

Hozuki Crescent Moon was silent for a moment before answering, "Water Shadow? Ha, what is Water Shadow?"

He didn't expect anyone to answer, but at that moment a voice suddenly rang out, picking up where Hozuki Shingetsu left off.

"The Water Shadow is the village chief, the village's guardian, an entity recognized by all villagers, and the embodiment of the village's collective will."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and found that the one who answered was the same fence-sitter from before. He was now answering Hozuki Shingetsu's question in a trembling voice.

"Well said!"

Hozuki Shingetsu praised the young man for his quick thinking, then asked, "So, when the Mizukage loses the villagers' approval and ceases to be the embodiment of the village's collective will, is he still the Mizukage?"

"So, we're judging the Mizukage?"

In fact, at this point, everyone present knew what Hozuki Shingetsu was planning to do. Instinctively wanting to stop Hozuki Shingetsu from speaking, they looked at their bare left arms and silently shut their mouths.

If this kind of behavior isn't considered opposing the lotus, then they don't know what exactly constitutes opposition.

"No! He's a tyrant!"

The opportunist, now fully aware of his presence, answered again.

Hozuki Shingetsu gave him an approving look and said, "That's right. Without the approval of the masses, a Mizukage is no longer a Mizukage; he's just a tyrant!"

"Therefore, I have heard of the execution of a man named Lian, but I have never heard of the murder of a shadow!"

With a powerful and resounding voice, Hozuki Shingetsu's tail twitched, slamming Ren, who was in mid-air, hard to the ground.

"Ahem... What are you going to do?"

At this moment, Ren seemed to realize what Hozuki Shingetsu was trying to do, and she crawled on her stomach, trying to escape.

However, Hozuki Shingetsu quickly stomped him to the ground and slashed his back with a kunai.

"Since he is a tyrant condemned by all, he must be despised by all. Who dares to step forward and spit on our tyrant?"

Looking at the still-dripping kunai in Hozuki Shingetsu's left hand, even the most densely-minded person would understand what Hozuki Shingetsu meant by "disdain".

Hozuki Shingetsu stopped the former Hozuki clan ninjas who wanted to come with a look, staring intently at these former centrists.

Clearly, simply siding with the left is not enough to demonstrate their loyalty; Hozuki Shingetsu is blatantly asking them for a pledge of allegiance.

He wanted to use the lotus incident to completely bind everyone present to his cause.

As long as these people have the blood of the Third Mizukage Ren on their hands, they will resolutely destroy Ren's reputation and nail him to the pillar of shame of Kirigakure.

In contrast, Hozuki Shingetsu, the future master of Kirigakure, will also be free of any "political stains".

Well, at least not on the surface.

These former centrists clearly understood this, but their ambivalent behavior over the years had made them hesitant to move forward—they could accept supporting Hozuki Shingetsu by taking a left-leaning stance, after all, it was just a small thing, and doing so when the situation was clear was harmless.

But stabbing a kunai into the Mizukage... is that the same thing?

Once the thorn is pierced, it not only means there is no turning back, but also signifies a complete severing of ties with everything the lotus represents.

"I'll do it!"

Just as the situation became awkward and Hozuki Shingetsu wanted to make an example of Ren, the fence-sitter reappeared, taking the kunai from Hozuki Shingetsu's hand with trembling but resolute steps, and slashed it hard across Ren's back!

Lian grunted, her eyes fixed on this despicable person she had previously disregarded.

"Lady Crescent Moon, please!"

Only then did Hozuki Shingetsu have time to seriously strike the respectful young man before him.

This person was about twenty years old. His build and appearance were quite ordinary, with no distinguishing features. He had the typical appearance of a ninja, the kind that you could easily miss if thrown into a crowd.

Hozuki Shingetsu's mind raced, and he quickly recognized the name of the person in front of him: Akiba Masanobu.

The Akiba clan is not a bloodline ninja clan, but a small ninja clan that has inherited some unique ninjutsu.

In fact, this is the norm for most ninja clans in the ninja world. The vast majority of ninja clans are simply families that passed down ninjutsu from generation to generation, having obtained some ninjutsu by chance.

Akiba Masanobu, born into such a small ninja clan, was naturally unwilling to remain in this position for his entire life, which is why he thought of using his "meritorious service in joining the dragon" to achieve a leap in social class.

"You'll be my secretary tomorrow!"

Clearly, Hozuki Shingetsu deduced Akiba Masanobu's demands from his series of actions and immediately made a promise.

"yes!"

Akiba Masanobu was overjoyed and excitedly agreed.

That's the secretary to Hozuki Shingetsu, the future rising star of Kirigakure! With such a position in hand, the Akiba family could achieve upward mobility with just a little effort!

Perhaps it was the broken window effect of Akiba Masanobu, or perhaps it was the effect of Hozuki Shingetsu's daughter, Makoto, that led to Terumi Ansai taking the lead, and one by one everyone gathered around Ren, ready to write their names on this pledge of allegiance.

"Although I know you have your own ideas, I still have to remind you... If this continues, the authority of the Mizukage will be basically trampled on."

Hozuki Cangetsu staggered over to his son's side and gave him a reminder.

Hozuki Shingetsu was naturally aware of this.

Back in the Five Dynasties period, those military men shouted, "The emperor shall be whoever has the strongest army and the most powerful horses," completely shattering the emperor's authority.

In his later years, Zhao Kuangyin went to great lengths to enhance the authority of the emperor.

But what does it have to do with him that the authority of the title "Shadow" has been undermined?

Ying is merely the head of a village; how could he possibly restrain a future ruler of a nation?

Furthermore, the ninja world is all about strength, and it is in this kind of world that one can talk about "fist is power, clenching a fist is holding power, and throwing a punch is wielding power".

Then Hozuki Shingetsu coldly watched as Ren went from cursing to wailing, then from wailing to barely breathing, until finally she breathed her last.

Thus, the nameless and faceless Third Mizukage in the original work came to his final end.

After a brief period of concealment, Hozuki Shingetsu left and arrived at Kaguya's position nearby.

After Hozuki Shingetsu appeared with Ren, Kaguya Yoshio knew that the situation was hopeless.

However, he was surrounded by Hozuki clan ninjas from all sides, and was in a desperate situation. Therefore, for the sake of the clan's survival, Kaguya Yoshio could only helplessly wait for Hozuki Shingetsu's decision.

He had already made up his mind that if Hozuki Shingetsu went too far, he would risk the annihilation of the Kaguya clan in the ninja world to show them the power of the Shikotsumyaku!

To his surprise, Hozuki Shingetsu appeared before them without saying a word. Instead, he pulled out a cup from behind his back, pricked his finger with a kunai in front of Kaguya Yoshio, and dripped a drop of blood into it.

"..."

Kaguya Yoshio seemed to realize what Hozuki Shingetsu was planning, and his whole body tensed up instantly, staring at the bottle in his hand with an indescribable look.

But that wasn't all. After dripping his own blood, Hozuki Shingetsu seemed to think it wasn't enough, so he asked Uzumaki Yoshio, Yukinagi, Terumi Ansai, and the other bloodstained ninjas for a drop of blood, mixed it together, and presented it to Kaguya Yoshio.

"If that secret technique works, I swear I will do everything in my power to help you eliminate the effects of the Bloodstain Disease. But if it doesn't, the Kaguya clan must unconditionally obey the village's orders and pay for the sins of today!"

Hozuki Shingetsu didn't keep anyone in suspense and directly revealed his thoughts.

"If you agree, then take this bottle; if not, then let the Kaguya clan be completely wiped out from this ninja world! The choice is yours!"

Seeing Kaguya Yoshio's trembling hand reaching for the bottle, Hozuki Shingetsu smiled with satisfaction.

From this moment forward, Kirigakure will officially enter the Hozuki Era!

On the night of January 3rd, Kirigakure 33, the Third Mizukage, Ren, in order to eliminate dissidents, disregarded the overall situation and secretly released the Six-Tails, controlling the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, Yagura Karatachi, causing countless casualties in Kirigakure.

Fortunately, Hozuki Shingetsu had a keen eye and could see for thousands of miles. He led the ninja to restore order and brought peace back to Kirigakure.

On that day, Hozuki Shingetsu voluntarily became the Six-Tails Jinchuriki in order to protect the village.

The third generation of Mizukage Ren died from her injuries.

Historically known as the Blood Mist Rebellion.

(End of this chapter)