Reborn in the Mist [Naruto SI]

[Tim_Saian]

The village wasn't expecting an attack. Not one of this scale, targeting all five great clans simultaneously a month after the Mizukage's death was not something any one on the council could have predicted.

The Funato clan head was nearly assassinated. The Yuki clan suffered three murders in their defence. The Hoshigaki had Kisame come to their defence, their prodigy who single-handedly dispatched all six invading Kaguya clan shinobi. And the Karatachi had Uncle Aoto cut his would be assassins to ribbons.

Needless to say, things were looking dire and the Funato and Hozuki clans had taken the brunt of the unexpected attacks.

Given what today was the Funato and Hozuki clans did not appreciate the extra pressure as along with recuperating from the attacks, they had to organize the village to welcome the Daimyo himself. And yet the air was filled with unease, the second rate clans smelled weakness in their ruling class and the low caste remained wild and eager to revolt as ever.

"Megumi-dono, Funato-sama, please, retreat to Turtle Island until we can assure the safety of the village. The Daimyo-"

Funato snap struck his cane, silencing Uncle before he could finish, "The Daimyo must be welcomed by the ruling council. It is vital that I be there, that we be there." He quickly added as Megumi glanced at him, "Karatachi cannot receive him alone and then present Yagura as Kage-candidate."

Seated in the corner of the councillor office where we last congregated on the death threats, I pondered the obvious implications Uncle greeting the Daimyo and preceding over my match with Fuguki would present. Especially since I was certain to prevail. It would be as if the Karatachi had taken over the nation overnight.

Last night's events may have left me sour and tender compared to Fuguki who only had to stay inside and protect the Third's family, but during that fight I tasted a drop of what I could truly achieve with Yagura's body.

Petite as he is every punch I threw landed with a mighty force behind it. I figured Yagura would be physically fit considering the weight of the Bo-staff, but I'm realizing I might have outright underestimated his capabilities because the strength I wielded felt unreal.

Every jutsu I casted successfully drew me closer to my Water Affinity, I could sense the hum and build-up of water molecules in the atmosphere if I meditated and passively I could fish out the closest body of water where ever I am. Along with never going thirsty again, I could now casually convert my chakra to Water Release.

It's been two months now and I honestly thought I'd have more trouble figuring this out but it's all come so naturally. I guess his genius is now mine.

That said, I wondered about Uncle. He'd been added to the council near the end of the Third's life and now he's to welcome the Daimyo and present the candidates for Yondaime Mizukage. Even though I trusted the man fully and knew the true person responsible for the Third's demise, his meteoric rise to power can be seen as suspicious and worse, treasonous.

Fuguki sat beside me, his face an unreadable blanket. We parted ways on lighter terms having worked together to protect the Hozuki but while he's no longer rude his unfriendliness remains. I still didn't want to kill him though.

I've had a month long to think about it and I decided that there has to be something I can do to keep him alive. I scarcely recall but I know he served Yagura during his tenure as Mizukage— albeit genjutsu Yagura but still— and only perished when Kisame murdered him for his deception.

Future deception or not, having another Kage-level shinobi running around in service of Kiri was a boon I couldn't casually throw away. What will convince them?

"What would you rather do then? Stay out in the open? You're clearly a target and you're placing yourself right next to the Daimyo! Kiri cannot lose a Mizukage and a Daimyo because of recklessness." Uncle continued to argue.

Nana Megumi snorted, "Your nephew doesn't believe those rascals are responsible for the Third. We may be targets but even so, we'll be guarded by the best, the Daimyo too won't be left alone. Aoto, we must be present."

Uncle glanced back at me with a scowl and shook his head. Breathing out a sigh he heaved and nodded, "Fine then, but don't blame me if things go south."

Nana Megumi smirked, "If you all fall then I will defend myself and the village."

The door flew open and a man announced with a deep bow, "Funato-sama, the Daimyo's procession has been spotted. He will be at the gates within the hour."

He struck his cane with a satisfied grunt, "Good, carry on with our original plans. Increased defence, everyone should be on high alert."

"And make sure to keep a close eye on our Kaguya prisoner." Nana Megumi quickly added.

The man nodded and rushed back out. Uncle glanced at Fuguki and I with a soft, concerned look. I knew what he was thinking and I couldn't help return his gaze with a warm smile. A week or so ago he was confident that I would win, but since we spoke last night and he learned I haven't unlocked the secrets of his summon scroll, I think his confidence falters a bit.

"Fuguki, Yagura," the Funato clan head begun, bothering to gaze on each of us with both his eyes open, "Today one of you will die and the other will become Mizukage."

Bluntly put. I felt like I should argue some more against such a demand for life but this didn't seem like the right place. Not only would I shame Uncle with what can be perceived as cowardice, the Funato head and Megumi could easily decide to crown silent and obedient Fuguki.

Nana Megumi let out a low grunt, begrudgingly accepting the murder-hobo demands of her perished son, "I wish it wasn't so but we should honour him, his reign and the glory he won for our sake."

Uncle made a face, he thought differently but I'm not sure how differently. I'm beginning to think that only Mei and Ao are the only ones who see no point in this useless killing match. And they have no power to change it, at least not yet.

I sighed loudly, "I wish so to, Nana Megumi, it would be a shame to never see Rina again." Her eyes flashed with an emotion but I quickly doubled down in laying my seeds of discourse, "It would be an even greater shame if Fuguki and I were to somehow tie. I fear for the future of Kiri should it lose the both of us, who would be Mizukage then?"

Her head snaps to face the Funato clan head and Uncle hid a sly smirk. Fuguki glanced down at me, a puzzled look crossing his face as his mouth opened to say something but he wisely nodded and faced the clan head.

"I tend to agree, Funato-sama." Fuguki said in a measured tone, "If Yagura and I were to both fall, not only would neither of us be selected but we would send Kiri into further crisis with the release of the Three-Tailed Beast."

I hadn't even thought that far. Good job, Fuguki!

He continued, "Moreover, I don't believe any of the other candidates are sufficient representation of Kiri, they are skilled yes, but known and feared? Kirigakure mustn't reflect weakness with our Kage, now more than ever the Shinobi world must learn that we are not to be trifled."

The Funato clan head hummed in thought as he stroked his beard, Megumi whispered fiercely beside him, already convinced of the clear danger matching up two Kage-level shinobi presented to the village.

"Hmm, I see merit in your arguments, Fuguki, Yagura. But should Yagura-kun fall Harusame will simply reseal the Tailed Beast."

Uncle's face contorted into a deep scowl at his words, "Do not speak carelessly about this, Funato-dono. Yagura was selected after careful consideration, he volunteered to host that beast for the sake of the village and now Harusame will simply reseal it in another?"

Nana Megumi, seeing Uncle become angered sought to intercede but he spoke loudly over her, "And who would the vessel be? Who else can host a Tailed Beast and use it against our enemies? The Utakata boy has trained his whole life and yet he still fails to satisfy expectations. We cannot keep killing and replacing assets, we're losing time to the other great nations!"

A tense mood hung over the room, thick as the mist protecting the village. The three councillors shared looks and the Funato clan head spoke after a moment, "I only wish to preserve the culture Lord First left behind. If we cannot honour the Mizukage's right and will to name his successor, then what cultures shall we honour?"

My ears perked at his wording and before anyone can get a word in I said, "But Sandaime-sama didn't name a successor did he? He gave instruction on how we should be chosen but that's not a right the Mizukage has after death, is it? Otherwise what's stopping the next Kage from saying the candidates should be Genin?"

Uncle's mood quickly lightened at my point, he grinned and exclaimed, "Exactly!"

Nana Megumi snorted at me and shook her head, "Very well, Funato-dono, Karatachi-dono, how about we simply present whoever is the winner of a fair and non-lethal contest to the Daimyo?"

"I find that acceptable." Uncle agreed and we all looked on to the Funato clan head.

He sighed and lightly tapped his cane, "The council has voted then. So be it."

Spoiler: IYKYK

Hii, just wanted to say thanks a bunch for all the support and all the interactions on this story thread, I am new to the site and this has been a very warm welcome, thank you. If you're interested, I do have about a dozen chapters over my BMAC, you can find the link in my 'signature' and uh, well, Yagura is Mizukage by then and is attempting to make some moves and changes. I like to keep a schedule on things if I can so from now I'll be posting two chapters every other day. Everything will come out eventually though if you're thirsting for more but don't wanna bmac, you can give your support on Scribblehub where I first started posting. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.

 

[Tim_Saian]

Kirigakure was abuzz in celebrations. The streets filled with vendors travelled from all corners to sell their vanity wares, fishermen showing off their proudest catch, chefs and grill masons selling sweet seasoned food.

Buildings and stalactite mountains alike were decorated with blue streamers, paper puppets, warm lanterns filling the streets with their scent and exotic animals caged up and put on display. Citizens took to the streets of the Capital and Central districts with mirth, eager to celebrate something for once in the long year of blood and tears.

Drummers, pipers and other instrumentalists heralded the Daimyo's coming. Scantily clothe belly dancers and oni-masked singers performed choruses and muscular oiled men flexed and choreographed harmless fights beside his palanquin.

Contrast to the atmosphere of mirth were the sixteen royal guardsmen that walked at various points along the royal procession. They coordinated security with shinobi skipping across the rooftops above them and while the Daimyo waved cheerfully at the people, blessing and throwing kisses to maidens close enough to swear they felt his breath, all of Kiri's higher-ups held theirs in anticipation.

I watched his entrance from within the Mizukage's Tower, the councillors had gone out to greet him at the capital gates at the north, a thing Nana Megumi expressed gratitude for because had the Daimyo come from any other gate they'd have to shepherd him through the abysmal lands and homes of the Caste district.

Even if it was the Daimyo, it's unlikely the disgruntled and oppressed low caste would behave themselves, in fact, there's all evidence showing that they won't and would see it as an opportunity to voice those concerns to a power equal to that of the Mizukage. Not at all a bad idea, leaders ought to hear the people's protests, but in the current atmosphere it would have been a security issue the moment more than two approach that regal palanquin seeking answers to the ancient problems plaguing them.

I sighed at the thought of what waited me as Mizukage and glanced back at Fuguki who waited to be called along with me. He might have seen reason to back me up in that last meeting with the Funato clan head but I still didn't trust him with Kirigakure. If he became Mizukage I'd have to deal with the threat of the Akatsuki through him and he seemed stubborn already.

Forgetting issues as large as the Akatsuki, there were issues at home, the segregation, classism and outright xenophobia towards other islands, these issues paralyze Kiri and Fuguki is so ingrained in the system that I simply don't see him lifting a finger to change things for the better.

No offence, of course, still a great shinobi. But a shinobi that's meant to follow me. I pulled on my gloves and sighed again, this time at my own power hungry thoughts and reassure myself that things will be fine, that they simply have to be this way first and this is who I have to be to ensure the better, easier times come sooner.

I resurrected Yagura's old ANBU gear for the occasion, my Bo-staff strapped onto my back, two pouches full of shuriken and senbon needles, a couple of kunai and a set of paper bombs. I also had a three pill bottles whose function I couldn't remember but one looked familiar, like the pill Owl mask took to bolster her chakra reserves.

My forearm and shins were guarded with quality metal bars, I wore a flak armour vest instead of my usual layer of chainmail— though I could have worn both, it got too heavy— and I tied my headband proudly on my forehead, it pushed back my grey bangs and made the pink of my eyes stand out even more.

"Yagura-san, Fuguki-san, the Daimyo will see you now." A young woman announced behind me. I turned and recognized her as one of the Hozuki by the way her hair colour shades.

Fuguki and I share a look and then simultaneously we give curt nods to the woman. She bows steeply and exits the lounge.

It's not the first time Fuguki and I have been alone, he towered over me in height, at least three feet taller than me which meant he stood at nearly a two metres tall. I craned my neck to meet his gaze, he hadn't changed anything about his attire or made any special preparations I can tell of, Samehada waited at his back with barely restrained bloodlust.

"Yagura," He started, his voice booming deeper than mine could ever hope to be, "You are…a good shinobi."

My eyes widen and I raised an eyebrow, "Thank you?"

"You're confident you will win, aren't you?"

At this my lips purse in quiet thought. I hadn't succeeded in connecting with Isobu like I originally planned and I couldn't sign a summoning contract for that one-hit KO genjutsu, I wasn't as strong as I wanted to be.

But for Fuguki, what I had would be enough. I found his gaze and held it, "Yes, I must."

He studied me for a moment before letting out a breath as he grunted, "Do not shame me, if you are to defeat me then do so with all your strength, do not hold back. I will not."

Fuguki turned away before I could offer up a response to what I translated as shinobi talk for 'I respect you.'. I followed up after him and together the large hall doors part for us to meet the Daimyo.

Besides Fuguki's towering height I felt like a child walking in with their parent but quickly banished the thought as an aide announced us.

"Yagura Karatachi and Fuguki Suikazan, Daimyo-sama."

"Ho?" The Daimyo's eyes parsed the both of us, going up…and then down. "This is the…the one renown as the Repulse-nin? Hmm, very young yes? Yes?" He looked around the long table that had the councillors on the right side and a trio of eunuch looking men I've never seen before.

The Daimyo himself was a young man no older than his late thirties, two pretty women stood at his side with a fan and the other with a platter of cakes and sweets.

"Not too young, Daimyo-sama, he is also the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, his power only grows as he does." Uncle quickly comes to my defence.

"Hmm? And the large one?" He pulled a dango from a stack and snacked on it.

"Fuguki Suikazan, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and wielder of Samehada, the strongest blade of the Seven." Nana Megumi introduced.

The Daimyo let out a high-pitched squeal of excitement, "Mmm! Ichidaime's favourite weapons, my grandfather favoured him so much and he wielded that Samehada too. Good good. Who will be the Yondaime then? Repulse-nin or Samehada's chosen one?"

Well, that would be me of course.

 

[Tim_Saian]

"Halt!"

The word put a cap on my surged adrenaline, sputtering, I looked past Fuguki with Samehada halfway unfurled, his grin has only grown and his focus remains on me as we stand off atop the beach waters.

Bar Beach— rocks of all sizes rise from the surface as the wave from the greater ocean washes against them and the shoreline leading into Kiri. The Funato clan arranged the event well, with celebrations reaching their peak in the village the most important individuals gathered to watch the next Mizukage rise.

I glanced at them on the stands. Several ANBU— including Owl mask who I thought would be recovering from yesterday given I still am— around a dozen Jounin excluding Mei and Ao, and a handful of Chuunin, even Rina as she sat on the main stage with her grandmother, Nana Megumi.

Lord Funato and the Daimyo were whispering things to each other after calling for us to stop, I wondered what it was and couldn't shake the feeling in my bone it meant nothing good for me.

As soon as Raiga, Juzo and Kisame approached them in bows, I snapped back at Fuguki's enlarged grin, his laughter barely restrained for the seriousness of out bout.

"You…what have you done?"

He smirked and tossed Samehada from hand to hand, "It's all within the rules, isn't it?"

"What are yo-"

"Ahem!" The Daimyo calls for attention and we turn to him together. The young man looked upon us from the beach and announced, "Some last minute changes to our contestants and the rules, it will be the last don't worry."

I noticed Harusame bowing to listen to Nana Megumi's words, the crunch of his face and Utakata's discomfort told me more than I wanted to know, than I wanted to be true.

"According to Sandaime's will this will be a battle royale amongst the most prominent candidates that volunteer to participate. Since the death conditions have been stripped I have seen favour to allow the other swordsmen of the mist participate as they should. Killing your opponent is…" he turned to Lord Funato then continued, "Yes, it is frowned upon but is not the main victory condition. Kisame, Juzo, Raiga, join your opponents in the waters."

Fuck me.

Raiga gladly leaped from stone top to land at Fuguki's side, twirling his Twin Kiba's and matching his shit eating grin. Kisame sunk through the sea, finding his abode within it like the shark he is, he circled underneath my feet for a moment before resurfacing some ways behind me. Juzo strolled across the middle, glancing at Fuguki and I as if weighing the scale against aligning with either of us. He snorts and remains in the middle.

The Daimyo's voice shrieks out with my tripled heartbeat, "The victory condition is…Last man standing! Begin!"

No one moved. Not even Fuguki. I gripped my Bo-staff dearly, my mind spiralling from how this went from manageable to fucked in all but two seconds. I remained keenly aware of Kisame behind me and quickly ranked my opponents by priority while I broke the cold tension.

"You guys see Harusame over there, don't you?" Raiga, the first to turn a side glance is the least of my problems. His lightning Release with the Kiba might be a pain but just thinking about his technique has Yagura's mind pumping out Wind Release techniques I should be capable of.

None answer me, not even Juzo who still looks like he's deciding who to aid in the start of the fight. I considered him the second threat because of Kubikiribocho, that large blade is capable of cutting through insane materials, I can't let it harm me.

"He's here for me, should the Three-Tails be set free to rampage, he'll step in and seal it right back." I pat my stomach for emphasis, "But he won't be quick enough to save anyone in its path, I doubt he will."

Fuguki snorts, his ever present grin dropping at last as he shifts, "I fear no beast. Juzo, shall I cut you down as well?"

Juzo swings Kubikiribocho to form against Fuguki and Raiga in response, "Didn't you hear? The rule is last man standing!"

He shutters forward and I don't spare a second turning on my heels and sprinting towards Kisame. Gotta take out the annoyances first!

Kisame is bobbing inside the water, shirtless already and gathering an immense amount of chakra that suffuses the water around him. I curse my luck for not having lightning release to punish him for such vulnerability and instead bring my Bo-staff down on his exposed head.

The water explodes, casting me into the air for a moment as Kisame swims within a giant water diving shark cloak. Even without having experienced him at his peak S-rank future self I can tell this is a prototype of his technique, weaker, less chakra— He won't keep up this up for long, not without Samehada!

"Water Release: Shark Bullet!" With a thrust of his arm Kisame sends the watery effigy of a shark after my falling body.

At this time all I can think of is how brilliant it would be to know the secret to my clan secret technique. Gritting my teeth and setting my Bo-staff aside I flip through Tiger-Ox-Tiger-Rat hand-signs as fast as my fingers will move and chakra kneaded in my stomach swells into a water within my mouth, "Water Release: Water Bullet!"

Our two techniques clash in a watery display and I continued plummet, turning around just in time to glance Juzo wildly dancing around Fuguki and Raiga's lightning.

My body breaks through the water and I start kicking towards where I last sensed Kisame's chakra— I considered disturbing Juzo's fight with the others but thought better of it, Kisame is less experienced and powerful than Fuguki who has the Samehada, no point getting my chakra drained so early in the battle.

Kisame seems to have the same idea because as I swam after him he responded to my approach in kind. "Kuchiyose no Justu!"

Suddenly poofs of smoke crowd around me and if I weren't holding my breath underwater I'd curse my choice of first opponent. Sharks big and small dashed after me, snapping and gnawing for a taste of my blood.

I know it's exactly what he wants but rather than let his summons make mincemeat of me I swirl water around myself similar to [Water Prison] and ejected from the shark trap.

As I thought, Kisame leaps after me, his gaze narrowed in steep concentration as he brings his katana to bear. But if he thinks he's going to put me on the defensive…

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

His eyes widen in surprise as the [Water Prison] encasing me surged out in form of an enraged water dragon. It smashed into him and releases me so I land back on the water surface, watching with reserved satisfaction as I directed the water dragon with a single half-Tiger hand sign to gnaw and blast him against one of the larger rocks.

All that practise was worth it. I breathed a heavy sigh as Kisame's body cratered against the rock, nearly shattering it from the impact of my [Water Dragon]. His summons disappears underwater but I'm still cautious so I flip through familiar hand signs and water rises to encase him in a [Water Prison] with very little space for movement. It's easily become my second favourite jutsu.

One down...three more to go.

---

Shoutout to noxodrac and Garrett for supporting the library!

Bar Beach

 

[Tim_Saian]

"Raiga!"

Crackling with lightning armour, Raiga braces against Samehada's strike, buckling under the weight of the chakra eating blade. His armour withers from mere proximity with the legendary Shark Skin Blade and his open injuries from it only serve up more of his chakra to the weapon and its user.

Fuguki rips Samehada away, grinding Raiga's chakra as he lifts the sword in time to parry Juzo's wild strike. "Bwahahah! Water Release: Senbon Barrage!"

Relentlessly ignoring the massive chakra drain Juzo released a fury of sharp moving senbon right in Fuguki's face before he kicked away. Samehada absorbs most of the chakra but several manage to find purchase, skewering through Fuguki's cheeks and slicing into his neck before he can move his orange hair to bolster his defence.

Raiga and Juzo skirt further away, keeping distance from the chakra draining leader of the Seven Swordsmen, their leader. Fuguki roared and lashed out against the water, twisting it with his chakra so a whirlpool grows around him.

In response, Raiga's Kiba bursts with lightning again and a ball forms between the tip of the blades above his head, "Lightning Ball!"

Hasty, Raiga launches ball after ball into the growing maelstrom pushing he and Juzo further out, threatening to swallow them unless—

"Wind Release: Divine Wind!"

"Water Release: Water Torrent!"

All three swordsmen turn their attention above as Fuguki's maelstrom dispels in place of a greater technique. The great winds sweeping over the water form tornadoes up to five metres in height that then smash into the torrential swirls of water that whip and grind rock to nothing.

My clone and I land safely away from the terrestrial destruction we've wrought and even though Fuguki manages to escape— wrapped in a thick of orange hair— I can't help but marvel at the effectiveness of combining Water Release with Wind Release. The two jutsu on their own barely cut it as B-rank but together…

It's also my first time casting most of these techniques…as myself anyway. That said, I could already feel a drain on my stamina from casting concurrently and a bit ineffectively. Immediately after ensuring Kisame was out for the count I rushed back here to get the drop on Fuguki and hilariously found all three fighting each other.

Kirigakure isn't a village built on teamwork, I shouldn't have gotten so nervous. From what I observed Raiga is on his last legs having the least amount of chakra to sacrifice to Fuguki in the first place. And Juzo…I can't predict him.

Water rains as my jutsu exhausts the last bit of chakra sustaining it. I squint into the mess, searching for signs of my opponents while my clone watches my back. Yagura's library of jutsu is so much more accessibly when I'm in battle for some reason, likely battle trauma or just the wave of bloodlust I feel rising within me every time I successfully land a technique or blow.

Either way, [Water Clone] felt strange, I knew it wasn't more conscious than a released jutsu but I also felt it could get more complex if I kneaded the chakra I used to create it in a more refined manner. For my purposes though, I merely needed some extra help casting the secondary jutsu.

An unease spreads through me as I continued to watch the area my jutsu tore through, I can't see as good as I should and a rolling thunder carries through the air, tensing with electrical charge.

Raiga's still moving…somewhere. I gripped my Bo-staff and continued to knead chakra throughout my body as I watched for opponents nearing me. As I thought, the entire thing is suspicious and an unnatural mist rolls over the water. I consider leaping over to higher ground but there aren't many rocks left to stand upon.

The air grew tense and I considered casting a Wind Release technique to clear out the thickening mist when suddenly a lightning bolt fell from the sky onto my clone, dispersing it and stinging me with excess lightning.

I grimaced but a sixth sense told me to guard instead so I buckled my Bo-staff just in time to catch Juzo's Kubikiribocho as he leapt up from the water, "Yagura-sama!"

My teeth gnashed together under the weight of the blow, I thought he'd cut through my Bo-staff entirely but it held. With scary ease, Juzo lifted the executioner blade and struck again and again, each strike eating at my stamina and rattling my body so much that I lost control of the chakra I've been kneading in preparation.

Cackling, he twirls and kicked at me, this one I managed to duck under but I quickly regretted it as Kubikiribocho came tearing through the water, chakra coating it and bolstering Juzo's muscles as he struck dead centre on my Bo-staff.

This time I'm thrown off my feet, the blow carries me through the air and shattered remains of the rocks my jutsu tore through. Behind one of them is Fuguki.

Shit!

With no time to react, a completely unfurled Samehada rips against my skin as Fuguki receives me from Juzo like a baseball. He sends me skidding over the water, seeping blood into it as I bounced off before finally sinking in.

Desperate, I kicked onto the surface where I found Raiga waiting, my eyes go wide as the Twin Kiba crackle with lightning. In an exhausted voice he mutters and their light grows, "Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning!"

The bolts come charging through the water before I have a chance to pull myself up and in a numbing flash of light I lose all sensation. Water grips my lungs, flooding them fully as I let out the last of my breath involuntarily.

My eyes blink through the darkening water, I search for my Bo-staff in my line of sight but all I see is Fuguki fending off Juzo. For a moment I wonder who's going to confirm I'm out for the count, Harusame maybe? A Hozuki more likely. Or maybe Raiga since he's spent all his chakra and there's literally nothing he can do against Fuguki.

No one comes though and I continue to sink until I reach the darkest depth where none of the sun's light reaches. My back bounces off something before landing firmly against it. Sensing my fingers regain feeling I spread them across the surface and find its rough and harder than anything, almost razor sharp even though I'm just gliding my lightning stiffed fingers over it.

I try to summon chakra but very little responds. Fucking Fuguki.

Again, I wonder if I've had myself fooled this entire time, if I never had a chance at becoming Mizukage even though I'm impersonating the one person that should.

An impersonation is not the same, it can never be.

"You're right." I hear myself say and blink in the darkness, "You have to be the truth, you have to face the reality and stop treating this like a predetermined game."

I'm sure of it. That's my voice…or Yagura's voice? Yes, but I'm underwater.

Someone snaps their fingers and a soft light emits in the distance, illuminating the cold, dark sea as they drew closer. The light comes from my Bo-staff and the green flower petal at its neck, a man with a stern, cold baby face is carrying it.

"When will you stop faking?" He asked, no…I asked.

The light from the petal spread, chasing the darkness and enveloping me in a cool warmth that raises me to my feet. I glanced around, trying my best not to have an aneurysm as I stared at myself and then at the creature beneath my feet.

"Three Tails…oh shit, I'm rampaging, aren't I?"

---

Shoutout to the library's patrons, noxodrac and Garrett

See ya next tomorrow!

 

[Tim_Saian]

"I'm not real." The second Yagura groaned for the third time. He felt pretty real to me though and even though we share the same shape I think he's more real than I am.

"You have to be the real Yagura, cuz I'm not." Is my consistent rebuttal but the scowl on the real Yagura's face doesn't fall.

I looked below my feet where the Three-Tails slept with its tails pinned to the ocean floor by massive pillars. He doesn't seem to notice us hovering over his head and arguing over who's the real person and that's quite unfortunate, I was hoping to talk to him as well.

"You're doing it again." The real Yagura swam in front of me, refusing to leave my sight. "Trying to ignore me, deny what's happening right in front of you, distract yourself from your reality."

I dart aside for some breathing space and scoffed, "I'm not doing any of that. Actually, I think I'm facing my reality quite head on right now. How can I wake him up?"

The real Yagura rolled his eyes, "That's what I'm trying to tell you, you have to face the reality that there is no separation between Jason and Yagura, not anymore."

Hearing my old name from someone else seized my train of thought completely, "What are you talking about?"

Yagura smiled a bit, finally having my attention, "I am not the 'real Yagura', you are. I am your mental creation, you separated a fragment of the knowledge encompassing…Yagura."

I blinked, piecing his words together as I looked between his eyes that were an exact copy of mine, "You're saying that I made you…?"

"Yes, you refused me." He sounded a bit injured saying so. "You stuffed me into the seal and only call on me when you're fighting and even then, you reject a great portion of who you are to satisfy the expectations of who you were. You're not Jason anymore, you're Yagura."

Again I blinked and took a moment to process his string of words, digest what he's saying. "I know who I am and I know my reality. I'm facing up to it, I have a plan, I have a lot of plans."

"And how are you going to back them up? Keep pinching into me when it comes down to a fight? How are you going to protect the village if you can't even face the true version of yourself?" The real Yagura challenges.

Annoyed I snort, "What the fuck are you even saying? You get genjutsu'd in the real version of this and now I'm here to save your ass!"

"It's your ass now. Have you considered you've always been Yagura? That you're the one who gets genjutsu'd despite knowing all along who is coming after you and how?"

My head ached from the implication of his words, or maybe that's the Bijuu chakra flooding my body and making me run mad on the outside. I gulped and stared at my doppelganger in thought, biting the side of my cheek.

I hadn't considered that I could be the real Yagura, the one that got genjutsu'd— come to think of it, I don't see much of the events prior to being genjutsu'd in the show, there's no way of knowing for sure.

One thing greatly unnerved me about this theory though, "You said I won't be able to talk to Isobu until…"

"Until you accept the parts of you your past deems…unfavourable." His eyes hardened as he spoke and I knew what he meant.

Since I started training, no, since I woke up in this body I've been slipping more and more into Yagura's personality. Soft spoken, gentlemanly but strong, immensely strong and bloodthirsty.

"Yagura wasn't…he wasn't a good person." I swallowed.

My doppelganger pressed a hand on my shoulder and sneered, "See? If you really faced reality, then the personality you'd have locked up here would be Jason's. His expectations, his morals and standards have no place in the shinobi world. They have no place in Kirigakure."

"Then I'll make a place. I'll change Kiri for the better, I'll stop Obito and his Akatsuki and-"

Frustrated out of his imaginary mind, my doppelganger clenched his fist and buried it in my cheek. "You fool. You'll get yourself killed again and this time, there won't be a merciful god waiting to recycle your life."

He hovered over me as I massaged my cheek, "Accept all that you are with no bias, know that this place, this world and village will not bow to a weak-willed man. Already your enemies move against you and yet, here you are, taking measured cups of strength to face challenges that require absoluteness. You will never become Mizukage this way."

Here I laughed, "I already am. Harusame hasn't locked away the Three Tails chakra making me rampage, I can sense it, I can sense that much. I'm fighting Fuguki and Juzo right now and I'll win."

Yagura doesn't look impressed, "A chakra mad version will win? You should have simply killed Fuguki, fought him till his arms and legs were broken and then spared him if you choose to be so kind to your opponents."

"I will not besmirch your efforts, you have trained well and adapted a sliver of the power you so reject. But if you don't reconcile with me then Isobu will be forever lost to you, even if you master his chakra. He will not be there to knock you out of genjutsu when you need and I bet that's what happened the first time around."

I shook my head, "This is why…I don't want to be Yagura. He's too…fierce, too ready to do anything and-"

"And you're not, you're afraid that there's more of him than there is more of you. But that's where you're wrong. Before you and he died your lives were separate, but now here you are and you can't continue living the old life you had, there won't be an easy way out, accepting that until you build Kiri into a place where someone like Jason can live will require every bit of Yagura on the front is the only way. Stop pretending."

When I…Jason died, I lived a life of…depression and hunger for purpose. When that god plucked my soul and asked me what I wanted for a new life, I told him I wanted purpose, I wanted a place where I could be strong. I certainly didn't ask him to place me in the most precarious situation one can be in in the Narutoverse but here I am.

I have a purpose now but…I…

The light on Yagura's Bo-staff flower flickers and he narrowed at me, "Seems my time with you is running out, make a choice, Jason, if you want to change anything you…you cannot hesitate, not anymore."

"Wait!" I called out, desperately looking around the darkening ocean as my thoughts raced, "What if I can't live with it? Yagura…I've seen him be cruel and then kind but the blood is never washed away, it's on my hands and they all respect me for it."

Yagura's scowl only deepens as the darkness consumes, "Then you'd better give up on being Mizukage, only those willing and capable should be Kage and if that's not you, then the best change you can bring to Kiri is by stepping away from it."

---

Special thanks to my patrons; noxodrac, Garrett and John for funding this little library of mine

 

[Tim_Saian]

I was thrust out from my Jinchuriki seal not because I was losing to my opponents, or waking up from Harusame's reinforcing the seal, no, in fact, Harusame had yet to come close to where Juzo, Fuguki and I fought.

Samehada's weight tore into my stomach, grinding the flak ANBU vest I wore to ribbons as its teeth gnawed at my flesh and ate away the Three-Tails chakra. The blow sent me flying and the lessened amount of Bijuu chakra cleared let my head clear enough that I plummeted into the water as I woke up fully.

I still felt it. The torrential rage of the waters Isobu's chakra holds absolute command over, his chakra within water felt as wide and strong as the oceans themselves.

Yagura…

With the strict warnings from the split personality I have lounging in the seal still fresh in my head, I leapt out of the water with ease. Isobu's chakra had already done some major damage to my clothes, skin and muscles, rippling them to lengths and girths that hurt but remain strong nonetheless.

The clang of swords awaits me at the top of the ocean, Harusame lands beside me his fingers blurring with chakra as he wastes no time thrusting them at me, "Three Sealing-!"

"Harusame!" I still had a single tailed chakra cloak boiling over my skin and muddling my features so my voice came out as a growl and the gaze I set on him far more intense by the look of terror that scars him upon seeing it.

"Yagura..?"

"Leave, I will finish this." Even though I said so I wasn't sure how I'd do so. I felt my chakra reserves had been drained from Fuguki's strikes with Samehada but the Version-1 chakra cloak provided enough for me to move on them regardless.

I just have to be careful of Samehada…or do I? With a one-tail chakra cloak boiling over me I exhaled and inhaled, bringing my chakra to the surface and moulding it so it grinds against Isobu's. A measure of balance returns as I sense Fuguki's curious gaze land on me.

I raise a smirk and flex my fist. Accept that you're Yagura right? Okay then, I am Yagura. I told myself as I pressed my fingers into a hand-sign and summoned my Bo-staff from the depths of the water to my hand. Fuguki's eyes narrowed.

Juzo, miraculously still hanging on, slammed his blade against Samehada and spat out a shot of water that only managed to wet Fuguki's hair further. He's exhausted but still fighting if only out of spite. Fuguki roars, his hair spiking out viciously at Juzo, skewering through all the open spaces in Kubikiribocho and angling to stab the wielder.

I twirl my Bo-staff as the last of the Version-1 cloak chakra is grinded and moulded into my own, refilling my reserves to match Fuguki's stolen one with ease. I shut my eyes and call on the knowledge with all its implications, wincing as memories of slaughter and murder fill my mind. I gritted my teeth and accepted it wholeheartedly.

Two hand-signs later and three water dragons roar to life from the waters, "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

Kicking off the water I sprinted faster than I ever thought myself capable of, my three dragons roaring after me. I directed one at Juzo who's skewered like a kebab on Fuguki's hairs and still stubbornly swinging his blade— If I don't take him out now he'll force Fuguki to kill him.

It wasn't an exaggeration, Fuguki, Juzo, Raiga and Kisame, they're nothing like the compassionate Konoha shinobi I watched in my past life. They're killers who will murder and massacre in the name of their village and in the name of strength.

The water dragon roared and swallowed Juzo before Fuguki could deepen his strikes. I slammed my Bo against Samehada, catching Fuguki's attention for a second before my second water dragon roared below him, leaping at his feet from beneath the waters.

His eyes curse me as the jaws of the dragon carry he and Juzo into one another, dispersing in an explosion of water. Not trusting that to be enough to incapacitate two of the strongest Seven Swordsmen, I set the third dragon on their plummeting bodies.

Fuguki wrapped himself in hair at the last moment and the torrential wave of water from the dragon smacked Juzo's unconscious form against a loose rock. I whipped through hand-signs, knowing Samehada feeds chakra right back into Fuguki to heal his wounds and recover his reserves.

At the last hand-sign I pressed my fingers together, bracing against the bloody memories of this jutsu's use. "Wind Release: Blade of Wind"

My dragon swirls Fuguki into the air, tossing him higher and higher before dispersing in a shower and giving way for my manipulated blades of wind to lacerate and rend at Fuguki's hair covered form.

"I'll give you a haircut if that's what it takes!" I yelled out, pressing more chakra into my nigh invisible blade of wind. The A-rank jutsu seeps a lot of chakra from me but I have enough to spare and the drive to steal more from Isobu if that's what it takes to put Fuguki down.

He crashed into the water, purposely expelling chakra as he does so a wave taller than the largest rocks explodes outwards. I cursed and released my Wind technique to clench my Bo-staff as the semi-tsunami comes crashing down at me.

With a twirl and flick of my Bo I cut the tsunami in two only to find Fuguki riding a giant shark towards me. He flips through familiar hand-signs but before I can remember the jutsu dozens of linear waves glide ahead of him, judging by the pressure I know they'd rend through my flesh if I let them.

Eyes narrowed I decide now of all times to become the revered Repluse-nin.

Sensing my decision, my body moves on its own, channelling chakra through my pathways in a complex manner as my hand releases a circular pool of water in the face of Fuguki and his incoming attacks.

The water becomes clear as a crystal mirror in but a second and without thinking about it I brought my Bo-staff's large hook down on it, pulling the mirror towards me in a violent ninety-degree angle.

"Hiden: Water Mirror!"

In response a doppelganger of Fuguki, the giant shark he's riding and all fourteen razor sharp water waves erupt out of my mirror and roar towards their copies.

Fuguki doesn't have the chance to react or even manoeuvre out of the way— I bet he wasn't expecting me to use the Karatachi Hiden since I haven't all this time. Either way, he slams face first into the doubles with enough concussive force to knock him off his now bleeding summon.

Seizing the opportunity, I flick my finger into a half-Tiger seal and a watery whip wraps around Samehada, tossing it far from either of us. I pressed my Bo-staff against his hairy, injured back, feeling the stress of speed casting so many times catch up to me as I gasped, "Submit."

He rolled over and I let him do so cautiously, his eyes burned with desire to fight, to put me down and curse my name but he's on his back and at any moment I could have water dagger through him or drown him in a [Water Prison].

Hopeless, he gasped, "I…submit, Mizukage-sama."

---

Special thanks to my patrons; noxodrac, Garrett and John for funding this little library of mine
See ya next tomorrow!

 

[Tim_Saian]

I had an hour to freshen up and have a bite of something before heading back to Bar Beach in my usual grey-green gear and poncho. I was dead tired from subduing the Three-Tail's chakra, getting knocked into Version-1, and spamming jutsu. But the world waits for no one, not even the Fourth Mizukage.

When I returned, Bar Beach was full of people. At a glance I recognized many of them to be from the five clans or some of the lesser prestigious clans that resided in the Central District. No one from low caste clans was present and with figures like the Daimyo present it's no wonder.

No wonder…I scoffed at my thoughts as I discreetly placed myself at improved stage the most important figures sat at. Nana Megumi, Lord Funato, Uncle Aoto and the clan heads of the Hoshigaki and Yuki clan greeted me as I took my reserved seat beside the chatty Daimyo.

Uncle returned my hat and haori, both bore the symbol of water and my haori read out my full title along its length— Yondaime Mizukage. I wore both and found neither lacking, it's as if they'd prepared the traditional outfit ahead of time and with me in mind as the wearer. My ascension was never in doubt.

I'd done it. I overlooked the beach as it filled with performers and vendors, the darkened sky littered with fireworks, lightning effects and other harmless but flashy jutsu. At my presence servers lined up a buffet of choices and for once I had enough to eat even while being picky.

Even though I was hungry I tried to restrain myself, if only to keep from staining my fresh haori with beef and pork juices. The Daimyo seemed to notice my reservation and simply began offering me pieces from his plate, lobster, clam, salamander even. My polite declines were met with raucous laughter that had me accepting the next time he offered.

As scantily clad women with bangles and braces attempted to hypnotize us with their swaying hips, I couldn't help but think to how the last moments of the succession went, of Yagura's warnings to me.

He's not wrong. I have rejected a large part of Yagura, the part that bubbled within me to bask and enjoy the glory and power I now wielded as a Kage. Already many of my goals were within my reach, there was little I couldn't accomplish from where I sat now and if there was I had a village of loyal shinobi to direct my will.

The gaze that fell on the dancers and the thoughts that passed through my head with the gaze left me wondering how much of me was left, how much of Jason was still important in this world. Yagura was the one who brought me here, not Jason, I haven't accomplished anything as Jason and so far he only spared me the horrors of Yagura.

My head felt like splitting again as my personality and way of thinking started to drift and align more with Yagura's warnings.

A performer guides a tamed lion the twice his size into doing leaps through rings of fire. Another even let the lion have his head for a moment before pulling out of its maw unharmed.

The Daimyo gave applause excitedly and out of mob mentality rather than anything, I gave my applause as well.

I heaved a sigh as my eyes glazed over the many eyes settled on my figure in the crowds. Not all of them wore genuine smiles or were smiling at all. Yagura said I already have enemies acting against me, I wondered what he was talking about but I couldn't be bothered following up when he was telling me I'd have to accept my murderous, bloodthirsty side or never have access to Isobu.

But now, in the haze and noise of my immediate coronation as Mizukage, I found nothing but time on my hands to wonder. Could it be the Kaguya?

They had mounted attack only yesterday but I something about the way Yagura said it made me think it wouldn't be so easy to unravel. It will be something I'll have to look into as Mizukage now, why they attacked and what to do.

What to do? You know what to do. I bit my lip at that. I knew what Yagura, no, any Kiri shinobi would do— get vengeance, exterminate them. They'd threatened the safety of all five clans in one night and the night before the Mizukage succession too, it can't be a coincidence.

And even if it was how dare they attack Kiri? I felt Yagura's patriotic side flare and sighed again. Is there any point in holding back? He could be right and the reason Isobu didn't break Yagura out of genjutsu was simply because of me and my stubbornness to accept my true self.

I'd been working off the theory that it was because Obito's genjutsu is simply that strong but…is it?

"Mizukage-kun, you look dreadful, are you alright?" The Daimyo's sudden consideration catches me off guard and pulls me from my thoughts.

I smiled at him and felt my eyelids drag, "Just thinking of the future and I'm a bit tired."

He grinned and cracked a crab leg, fishing out its flesh with glee. Whilst chewing he nodded, "Of course, with a performance like that anyone would. I was told you even subdued that pesky Three-Tailed during the fight and then went on to handily defeat that Fuguki."

"My duty." Is all I said.

"Ah ah ah, no busy talk tonight, Mizukage-kun. Tonight we celebrate your achievement and that the Land of Water has a new protector." He handed me a crab leg and I restrained a sigh behind a smile as I took it and cracked it open. Rather than let me eat it he snatched it out of my hand and slurped. "Mmm!! Crab from these waters are always richer in texture, you must share your villages secrets for raising them right."

I snorted but nodded, "Of course, Daimyo-dono, I will look into it."

The impromptu party continued to rage with everyone eating their full and casting full glances at the new Mizukage, I felt their judgement behind their eyes, the expectations and hopes for a greater Kiri all lying in their image of me.

At this time the dancers, acrobats and other performers were dismissed, leaving space for the nobles of second rate clans to come bend the knee to their Mizukage.

The five clan heads had been the first to do so right after Fuguki conceded, even Uncle took to his knee and bowed his head at my feet. The second rate clans bowing now included those like the Suikazan who'd just lost possibly their one and only chance to change how power in Kirigakure functions.

Fuguki's clan head was a young woman with bright orange hair and shark teeth, her face betrayed her grown age even though her healthy figure did not. She kept herself low and humble as she presented her pledge, "I swear eternal fealty to Kirigakure and it's Mizukage, my blood is yours. Hail Yondaime Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi."

In a startling show of devotion, she slit across her palm with a kunai and waited for my response. I sat in shock for a second but for my brain booted up and I simply said, "I accept your pledge and sacrifice."

With grace she stepped out of line with a bow for a middle aged man to step up and kneel. I suddenly realized I was going to be out here for a lot longer than I anticipated and once again restrained myself from groaning.

All hail Yondaime Mizukage huh?

---

Special thanks to my patrons; noxodrac, Garrett and John for being a part of the library!

 

[Tim_Saian]

Rina held her breath and the Ram hand-sign in steep concentration. She breathed in the fresh water of the medium sized pond she invaded with her presence, making sure not to lose sight of the chakra bubbling between her feet and the water's surface tension.

She exhaled and shifted her hand-sign to that of the Bird, then with confidence switched to Hare and then another Ram. She felt her chakra respond to her [Hiden] and her body liquefied into the pond with a splash.

The marine life gave her wide berth as she joined them on their plane of existence. She looked up, finding everything massive in comparison to a moment ago but she hasn't the time to marvel at the after effects of her technique. In this state she's more or less invulnerable to all but Lightning and Fire release but more importantly, with her proficiency she's as useful as a puddle of water.

Her creamy, liquefied head bobbed out on the surface of the pond as she furrowed in concentration, willing her chakra, her liquefied body to command the body of water as an external limb. She envisions releasing bolts of water or even just shuriken at the training posts nearby but she's been at it all week and no such luck.

Even now, even after father's gone I'm still so…

"Rina!" Nana Megumi's shrill yell startled her before she could begin brooding. She glanced towards the house they moved into after the Kaguya attack and found the old lady looking more her age than ever.

She was hunched over with her hand clasped behind her back, a trait she's beginning to pick up from spending so much time with Lord Funato. A deep scowl spoils her features until all Rina can see is her father's disapproving squint.

"Come get these things, quick." The old clan head barked, tossing her slippers as she trudged into the house with the weight of the village and clan on her shoulders.

A young Hozuki boy held onto paper bags, waterproofed files and other groceries. As Rina reconstituted herself from the water she caught his otherwise impassive, blank stare rattle with a frown and she could tell he was criticizing her technique.

Mangetsu Hozuki. Hydrification Prodigy. Second Coming of the Demon. Nidaime Reborn.

He was only six years old.

Rina took the waterproof files from his burdened hands, at a glance she spied a proposal for a promotion as well as military action among them. Her eyes don't linger long as Mangetsu bows and mumbles, "Rina-senpai."

If the promotion had anything to do with him she doubted she'll have the luxury of that honorific for long. Squinting, Rina helped ease his burden further and snatched some of the groceries, "Come, Mangetsu-kun, pantry is just in here. How are you?"

The boy followed her over the corner where a separate building from their living quarters stood. At six years he looked very much his age and had very little in the way of height, yet there wasn't much of a cuteness to him either. He had a stern, strong outlook that said he was ready to be tested at any moment.

He used chakra to hold onto and heave most of the groceries after her, she didn't spare him any more of the burden not because she secretly thought of the six-year-old as a rival but because she knew he'd find it insulting if she did any further.

"I am well." He whispered behind her and she nodded, glancing back at him.

"Having fun with your brother lately?" Rina thought to ask as they reached the pantry and servants shuffled out to retrieve what they'd brought. She caught his face light up for a second at the mention of his brother and a smile tugged at his lip.

"He still doesn't walk very well." Is his amused response as he promised, "But I'm training him, he'll be strong soon."

Rina was pleased to hear that, she dusted her grocery stained fingers before pulling out the files from under her armpit. Again, she spied details on the proposal, deployment of teams towards a threat in the Land of Water. Rina didn't have to read the classified document to know what threat it could be talking about and she glanced down at Mangetsu.

She was tempted to ask, it would be obvious why she was asking and being tactful with a six-year-old felt excessive even for a prodigy like him. Instead she bit her cheek and marched around to the main house with him in tow.

He stopped at the threshold though, bowing as Rina turned around to catch him lingering. "I should return to Suigetsu now but…I'll be available."

She didn't need to ask what he meant by that and simply nodded as he excused himself. She switched her sandals to slippers before stepping into the house and as soon as she did—

"Rina! Rina!"

"Yes nana!"

"What's taking you so long? Come, there is much to discuss."

Rina hustled into Nana Megumi's room. It was a plain space with a shrine for her father, Nana's son, at the edge burning with incense. Pictures of her four other children were lined up at the shrine as well as her deceased husband.

Every time Rina saw it she felt a pang of heartache spear through her, the sight of her father, the uncles and aunts she knew for a brief moment in her life but most of all the thought that despite all her strength as clan head, Nana Megumi was alone.

Rina was Hozuki, yes, but her Funato clan mother had raised her with her father. Nana was always distant, busy running the village beside her son, taking account for losses in the clan and looking out for everyone. She was more clan head than grandmother and Rina suspected that's why Megumi and her mother never quite got along.

Nana Megumi half-laid on a tatami mat, several pillows scattered around it to help prop her back however she wished. She sat up straight and shifted to the small table that already had some brewed tea settling on it.

"Pass that here." She gestured for the documents as she lifted her cup for a sip. Her grip remained strong all these years but with only a month passed after outliving her last child and a week since surviving the Kaguya, Rina forgave the slight tremor in her wrist.

Rina curled her feet under her and sat with a straight back as befitting of a Hozuki woman. She hated sitting like this. At home, with her mother, they had chairs with back rests and arm rests and couches too but with Nana, there never seemed to be a chance to breathe.

She sat in silence, patiently waiting for her grandmother to finish reviewing her work. It didn't take long; she only took out a couple documents from the folder to glaze over as she sipped her tea but when she looked up at Rina again she settled a confused frown at her granddaughter.

"Is jasmine tea not good enough?"

Rina blinked at the still steaming kettle like it just materialized. She motioned to pour some but—

"Leave it, you can drink yours with the Mizukage." Nana said as she slurped and set the documents aside with a sigh.

Rina perked at this, eyes wide an eager, a look her grandmother approved of with a smirk. "I noticed the two of you together last week, a lot of time spent."

Last week she'd gathered the courage to ask him to train her and he said yes. She expected less than a disgusted grunt but he actually said yes and spent time training her. Sure it was nothing more complex that fine [Shurikenjutsu] but they sparred a few times and she had a lot to learn from the pointers he gave afterwards.

Rina was already feeling stronger for that alone.

"Yes, I begged him to train me." She said meekly minding her fingers, she had blisters from where she braced her kunai against his Bo-staff's hefty blows. "I think I'm getting stronger already and he's a master of Water Release, like, a true master."

Nana Megumi's reactions to her words varied from a kindly, amused smile, confusion and then her all too familiar scowl, "He's training you?" Rina felt her gaze pierce like she was suspect of a frivolous crime, "Why? Hmm, no, maybe…"

Her grandmother again sat with her thoughts, a shrewd gleam came alight in her eyes as she sipped her sweet jasmine and turned, "Good work, but you can do better. This makes things easier though, go to the Mizukage at noon tomorrow, wear something clean, pretty but don't try."

"Nana?"

The older woman pulled and tilted Rina's chin, examining her features as she instructed, "You're there on my appointment, tell him I took a day to sit with your mother instead but if you dress up well he won't even ask."

Unable to bury her dignity another second, Rina pulled away and gritted, "You want to sell me now?" She'd understood the need to broker a deal with the next Mizukage whoever that would be and out of the two Kage-candidates Rina chose Yagura.

Not only for the prestige of his clan as one of the five but because the chances he's still got some child left under all that shinobi was greater than Fuguki's. If she's to be betrothed it's better her spouse has the potential for goodness and over the last two months, since Yagura became a Jinchuriki in fact, he's had a far more approachable demeanour, he didn't radiate killing intent and didn't look like he had something to prove anymore.

It made for a good strategy against enemies, a cherry persona, no matter how fake paired with that childlike form of his would get most people to drop their guard.

A slight but perceptible contrast to the faux gentleman persona she and other shinobi in their grade had observed about him. And it was doubly proven when he said yes to training her, he wasn't a mask waiting to reveal horrors, he was genuinely a calm, charming and impressive person to be around.

It all makes what her grandmother is implying she do that foul, "He isn't that type of man. I won't just…present myself and he'll leap at me like a vicious beast! He's a nice guy!"

Her grandmother stared at her with a disappointed mope. She shook her head, "All men are beasts. The Mizukage is no different but he is an exception."

Rina got confused, "The exception?"

Nana Megumi nodded and smiled at her interest, "Because you can't sell a Kage what is already his, you can only show him which to value more."

---

Special thanks to my patrons; noxodrac, Garrett and John for being a part of the library!

See you next tomorrow!

 

[Tim_Saian]

The high winds blew against my skin, bringing with them the cold and scent of Kirigakure. My gaze pierced through the mist gathered and clumped around the edges of various important buildings, it obscured the view of the sky for the common man and disoriented lesser shinobi.

Quite a bit clouded around the Mizukage Tower, my tower. I sat at the edge with one foot held up to my chest and the other dangling over, in the briefest moments of respite I've found over the last days the top of my tower held the most serene atmosphere to manage my mood.

Lights flickered below the mists, my people, citizens I've been charged to protect carry on with their nights many still riding the celebratory wave of my public inauguration. It was a brief affair arranged only for the satisfaction of the lame man, for the vulnerable civilian looking out for their families in this time of world strife.

The gaze they set on me then felt far more intense than any major or second rate clan had, they looked onto me as their beacon of hope, several crossing their fingers as they wished for positive change and others simply wishing an end to insecurity.

The pressure of their gaze led the way to my first order— no curfew. The night the Kaguya clan attacked the major clans the village was thrust into a state of emergency, but due to the Daimyo's visit literally the next day, it couldn't be enacted in full. The Daimyo left as soon as the third day after my swearing in at Bar Beach and though my advisors— Uncle, Nana Megumi and Lord Funato— complained it would place them in jeopardy…I wasn't thinking about them when I gave the order.

In truth, it was a multi-faceted test, to find the limits of my executive powers and to bait the Kaguya. It might feel like a whole month or two has passed since their attack but it's barely been a week, I haven't forgotten about them.

But still, they haven't taken the bait and they haven't anything to do with my mood lately. I bit into my cheek as the sweet scent of fried shrimp wafted into my nostrils from…somewhere in the village, I couldn't be bothered to actually track it down when I've tested that I can simply order mine made right here in the Tower.

I wasn't hungry anyway. I was tired and lazy and I didn't want to leave my spot at the edge of the Tower for anything. My mind played the conversation with the real Yagura over and over in my mind, the sight of Isobu, asleep and unconcerned filled my thoughts and the presence of his chakra within me boiled against every delusional idea my brain spat out at me.

This feeling was all too familiar to me but to Yagura, it was jarring. In the past two months I've never felt more like Jason than I do now, depressed, lethargic, unwilling to progress. Yagura felt disgusted at the sensation but he couldn't do anything about it, it was paralytic and only time would tell at this point.

But one thing was certain, I wasn't sure what I was doing anymore. Somehow, all my fiery passion to reinvent Kiri, to fight against Obito and his Akatsuki, to protect my village, it all vanished as I became the Fourth Mizukage.

No, those ambitions still lay within me but more in Yagura than Jason and right now, all I feel is pathetic old Jason. And I'm not even sure why. I have a theory though, one that excuses me of my laziness and it was that my sense of reality was broken.

I mean, how couldn't it be? I thought of myself as two people in differing conditions and both in others. The real Yagura challenged my sense of reality for what has to be the third time by revealing that in all likelihood, I was going to chart the same course for Kirigakure he was fated to.

The fate of the Bloody Mist.

No amount of arguments I came up with could refute that possibility without willingly blinding myself to it. I heaved a sigh and tried to gather the will to continue fighting, to dare to change fate if there is such a thing, after all, that's literally one of the many lessons watching Naruto imparted.

But I merely felt like crying and Yagura hated me for it.

With some skill of my own I sensed a presence fall behind me, I didn't need to turn around to know some ANBU or another knelt at my back, "What is it?"

"Funato-dono is asking for you." It was Owl mask, she had a deep, icy pressure behind her voice whenever she spoke, like she held the frost in her throat ready to release it at any moment.

I snorted. I spent two days entertaining the Daimyo and receiving gifts before Funato grabbed me for lessons in being a Kage. Though calling them lessons are a bit of an exaggeration, many of the things he showed me were things the Third Mizukage already exposed Yagura to.

Still, he had his use, particularly in placing Kirigakure's many keys to power in my hands and if I didn't feel so terrible about this reality, about myself, I would drop down to indulge him.

"Tell him I'm…" I trailed off in thought as I failed to conjure a satisfactory excuse and simply sighed, "You didn't see me."

Owl mask restrained a snort of her own and nodded behind me. Although she wasn't among my advisors her position as head of the ANBU placed her near me in matters of village and national security. I've only gotten around to reading a couple of her organizations reports but they were brief and without detail, the barebones Funato introduced to me one fine morning.

In truth, ANBU reports couldn't be recorded on written material and so much of their debriefings were oral and direct to their immediate superior or whoever called on them to give a report.

"Sir," she starts, unlike Fuguki who has no trouble using my title, it's come a little slower to others, "Ao has returned."

My jaws clenched at this, Ao…I had plans for him, Jason did, not Yagura. For a moment I felt excited and rose to my feet. The winds blew through my hair and fluttered my black shirt and grey trousers, I cracked my fingers and my wristbeads rattled in anticipation as I met Owl mask's gaze.

"Good, it's about time we pay a visit to our prisoner."

Ao…his existence made me feel confident, he was the one who broke Yagura out of genjutsu in the fated reality. His existence made it feel not so bleak that I couldn't accept Yagura into my main personality, that I couldn't accept the fierceness of a Kage-level shinobi.

Clinging onto the feeling of progress, of fighting against the strings of fate and against Yagura himself, I leapt after Owl mask, following her lead down into the Tower.

I can be both, I don't have to become Yagura completely. I can change. I will change!

---

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[Tim_Saian]

"At your service, Mizukage-sama."

Ao wasn't at all surprised to find me as Yondaime or maybe he was and is good at hiding it. "Good to have you, Ao, I have a lot in mind for you." He looked up from where he knelt as I patted his shoulder, a glint of worry, hope and a healthy amount of fear flashed in his eyes.

I smiled, "For now let's just visit our prisoner."

Owl mask who'd been waiting for us at the end of a narrow, wet and dark corridor shifted her weight as she saw us coming. My eyes wandered about the place, long, thin and thick wires sprawled across the ceiling and cut under the walls, apparently it's a security feature as well as a source of power.

Should any prisoner somehow manage to escape their cell, lethal volts of electricity will flood in through their body, it's even been tested against particularly stubborn Hozuki and Lord Funato boasts it can paralyze and kill some if necessary.

Needless to say, there's no getting out for any of Kiri's shinobi prisoners.

The large door opened after two of Owl mask's out of sequence knocks, unlocking the latches alone took a moment and the grunts and curses of the man beyond could be heard until the last bolt is set aside and the door swings open.

Greeting us on the other side is a tall, demon masked man wearing a heavily bloodstained leather apron and clinging onto a pliers with his armpit. I felt his eyes land on me and widen behind his mask, "Lord Mizukage! I wasn't expecting you so soon."

Owl mask pushed past him, letting Ao and I follow after into the square room. One side of the room was complete with a menagerie of tools, weapons, breathing masks for poisons and buckets of filthy and clean water.

On the other side were three Kaguya men, stripped naked and chained to the wall directly or strapped onto a metal slab of a bed. All had wounds pouring blood and two were missing most of their toes and fingers.

It was clear what was happening here and standing as my Jason persona I had trouble stomaching the stench of piss, shit and bile. The smart thing would be to tap into Yagura's brutality, this is nothing to him, nothing he hasn't done or couldn't stand but I held back and bit my tongue and tried not to hold my breath.

The entire reason I came here was to prove Jason was needed just as much as I needed Yagura. I wanted to be needed even if I'm the only person I needed to prove it to. My mental health is too complicated.

"I hope none of them are dead yet." I said, glancing around the rest of the room. Like outside the floor was soaked with water but the wires were better placed here so I figured the water was simply a product of the demon mask interrogator, "Actually, who are you?"

The man bristled at my cold response but provided an answer instantly, "No, I have followed your strict orders to keep them alive until Ao-san's arrival. I am Eiko, Lord Funato picked me from the Intel and Comm's division for this task."

I nodded as he muttered off his qualifications and rank while I stepped closer to the poor fiends that attacked my village. Their disfigured features went beyond missing toes and fingers, one had his entire set of teeth clipped out and scattered on a tray beside the metal slab and another laid with his back out, literally missing his spine.

I frowned as I glanced at the one I caught personally. His arms were chained to the wall behind him such that his body leaned forward constantly. His head hung, a slop of hair messed up beyond recognition and a pool of vomit not far from him.

While tired and exhausted from whatever Eiko was putting him through, I couldn't miss the fact that unlike his fellow Kaguya none his fingers, teeth or spine was missing.

"This one is different." I stated the obvious and hearing my voice close to him the imprisoned Kaguya raised his head, revealing bloodshot eyes, a cracked nose and a part of his skin shaved off entirely to show off his bleached white skull.

"Yes, he is. I heard you personally caught this one, Lord Mizukage, given what I've found out about his…quirks, I'm not surprised it took you to do so."

I shrugged, "Owl mask here weakened him. Now what makes him so different?" I squatted in front of the man, watching his weak grin grow as he glared at me.

Of course, I already knew what made him different, there's no way I wouldn't recognize the [Shikotsumyaku] that nearly killed Gaara and Rock Lee, not after facing a version of it myself. This was what Jason was here for.

Eiko began rambling on about the levels of the Kaguya's bone manipulation ability, highlighting even their survival without a spine as a feat he's yet to fully understand, hence his finger and toe snipping experiments.

I beckoned on Ao as I stared at my prisoner, he leaned beside my squatting form ready to receive orders, "How's that Byakugan of yours?"

Again, Ao didn't seem surprised that I'd asked, "It is well, sir, the transplant was successful even on the battlefield and all inflamed reactions from use have ceased."

I nodded and stood at my full height, "Byakugan has the ability to see through genjutsu, even that cast by the Sharingan."

"Yes, though I am not sure how versed I-"

"However it needs to happen, you will do it. In fact, do it now, check everyone in this room for effects of genjutsu."

I sensed Owl mask shift in silence behind us but say nothing, clearly not comfortable with the use of the Dojutsu in her presence but steadily outranked. Ao doesn't waste another second, chakra floods his eye as he activates the Byakugan.

Veins bulge as chakra floods through them to supply the legendary eye. He passes his gaze over each and every one of us until he releases the technique with a huff.

"There is no one under genjutsu here, Lord Mizukage."

I folded my arms and sighed, "Worrying…Eiko, I want a detailed report on your findings here and not just about their ability, I want names, places, answers to pressing security matters. If it's too sensitive for a written report, come yourself."

Sick of the place I marched out with Ao and Owl mask following after me, "Ao, from now on, until I say so, you're never to leave my side."

This catches him off guard at least, "Yes sir, of course, it would be an honour."

Again I sighed, I just hoped Obito wouldn't kill him right off the bat.

---

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