Chapter 216: Watching the Fire from Across the Shore
"This matter likely has nothing to do with us. Mizuki, let the Mist ninja handle it. If it really goes wrong, then we can step in…"
Kakashi shook his head as he spoke.
"You noticed something?" Mizuki asked.
"The Mist ninja came all the way out here with such enthusiasm—it's too much. That jōnin, Ao, said he came to greet us, but I think we just ran into him by chance."
"By chance?" Mizuki thought for a moment and nodded. "Makes sense. We're not important enough for them to travel this far into the open sea just to greet us. Besides, finding a specific ship on the vast ocean? That's nearly impossible—like finding a needle in a haystack."
As they spoke, a massive dark shape began to surface near the ship's hull. Suddenly, several figures shot up from beneath the water, splitting into two opposing groups. On one side stood Ao and his three subordinates. On the other were three masked figures wearing scratched Mist Village forehead protectors. They landed steadily atop the half-surfaced giant creature beneath them.
"Rogue ninja?" The implication was clear—this encounter was likely a domestic dispute within Kirigakure, and the Konoha shinobi had simply been caught in the crossfire.
"As expected, Ao wasn't being honest. Running into us was just a coincidence, and now he's using it to gain favor." Kakashi was confident in his assessment.
"And so what?" Mizuki replied. "You want to call him out? What's the benefit? Let's not waste the favor—just pretend we don't know anything."
Kakashi nodded in agreement.
"Seems like the internal problems of Kirigakure are far from solved. The Fifth Mizukage has a lot on her plate."
"Those masked guys… ANBU? And that giant sea creature—they riding a mutated humpback whale?"
"Possibly," Kakashi said, jotting down notes in a small notebook. After writing a bit more, he tucked it back into his chest pocket.
"Their motive for this attack is strange. A passenger ship to the Land of Water—what could it offer ninja? Most of the cargo isn't even useful to shinobi."
"Sometimes it's not about what's to be gained," Mizuki explained. "You're good at reading jutsu and tactics, Kakashi, but not hearts. We don't need to know exactly who those attackers are to guess their intent. With the new Mizukage in power, there are bound to be the disgruntled and the opportunists trying to cause chaos. This attack may be part of a campaign of indiscriminate strikes on all trade and travel routes to the Land of Water."
"Indiscriminate?" Kakashi frowned. "What's the benefit in that for these anti-Mizukage elements?"
"Benefit?" Mizuki chuckled. "They don't need to benefit. All they need is for Mei Terumi to fail. If she can't maintain open lines of exchange, the already resource-scarce Land of Water will face serious challenges. If she can't preserve order and authority, her position as Mizukage may not last long."
"I see." Kakashi quickly grasped the logic. These kinds of coordinated terrorist-style strikes were exactly the kind of trial that tested a new leader. Ao and his team were likely part of a regular patrol force on the sea route and happened to encounter the Konoha team by coincidence.
While Mizuki and Kakashi talked, the battle on the sea was nearing its conclusion.
"In this kind of environment, the Mist ninja really have the upper hand."
"Yeah."
The advantage of home territory was overwhelming. If Mizuki and Kakashi went all out, they could've wiped out either side—but not because the enemy was weak. It would be pure overpowering force. In a closer matchup, they wouldn't fare so well here.
As the battle ended, Kakashi exhaled and turned to Mizuki.
"After what we saw yesterday and today, what's your impression?"
Mizuki paused, gathered his thoughts, and replied,
"The Mist's combat style is… problematic. How to say it… there's a huge difference in philosophy."
"Go on," Kakashi said with interest. "I've fought Mist ninja many times. Remember Zabuza from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen during the Wave Mission? I had impressions too, but I could never quite articulate them."
The genin gathered close, eager to hear Mizuki's take.
Clearing his throat, Mizuki began,
"The core difference in Mist ninja tactics lies in their purpose. Once you've seen it enough, it's hard to ignore. In the mainland, ninjas who specialize in stealth and assassination are rare. But in Kirigakure, they're widespread. That likely stems from the village's geographic isolation and its selection policies. If I had to sum it up in a phrase: Mist ninja fight with an ancient style."
"Ancient style?" Kakashi repeated, as if the term resonated.
"Yes," Mizuki confirmed. "Most people overlook this, but chakra wasn't always a thing. Ninja existed before chakra came about. In those early days, they lacked raw combat power but excelled in stealth, assassination, and using any means necessary to complete a task."
"Any means necessary?" The younger ninja shifted uneasily at the phrase, proud as they were to be shinobi.
"Let's be honest," Mizuki said. "Ninja were never a noble profession. We were tools for powerful people to handle their dirty work. Reviled and marginalized by other warrior classes until chakra turned the tide."
Kakashi added,
"So you're saying Mist ninja have retained much of that pre-chakra tradition and style—steeped in blood, secrecy, and ruthlessness—while the rest of the shinobi world moved on?"
"Exactly," Mizuki nodded. "Just look at their history and combat behavior—it's all there."
"No wonder I always felt something 'off' about them," Kakashi said, enlightened. "Their rule-breaking, their selfish, results-oriented fighting… they don't follow our mainstream principles because their foundation is totally different."
To be continued...
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