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"Old man, promise me something. If you want to stay in Kirigakure, you can't leave this room until the competition is over," Midorima said sternly, placing the freshly cooked sea fish on the table and locking eyes with the Third.
"Why?" The Third frowned, his expression one of pure innocence.
When he had lived by the sea, no one had ever restricted his freedom.
"If anyone finds out you're connected to me, I'll die," Midorima replied.
"Cough! Cough!" The Third, who had been eating the fish, choked violently at these words, the food lodging in his throat. He hacked several times before finally recovering. "Who wants to kill you?"
"I don't know. That's why, after the competition ends, I'll handle some things, and then you'll be free to move around."
The fact that the Third had ended up in this state couldn't have happened without a reason.
If it were just a case of mental instability, that would be one thing. But if someone had deliberately targeted the Third, then Midorima knew his own situation could be just as dangerous.
He wasn't foolish enough to believe he could handle an enemy that even the Third couldn't defeat.
Once he secured the title of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he would test Yagura's stance.
Based on the subtle hints in Naruto, Yagura was someone who genuinely wanted to restore Kirigakure's glory. It was only after falling under Obito's control that the village became the "Village of the Bloody Mist." Therefore, Yagura should be inclined to uncover the mastermind behind it all.
Of course, Midorima wouldn't be reckless enough to ask directly—what if Yagura also wanted the Third dead? That would be walking straight into a trap.
Becoming one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was just the first step toward stepping into the spotlight. After that, he still had to deal with Igawa Bu.
In short, even if he succeeded in joining the Seven, the road ahead wouldn't be easy.
Midorima could only take things one step at a time.
Seeing that the Third had finished eating, Midorima decided to examine his condition again.
The fact that the Third had made it all the way from the seaside to Kirigakure without losing control made Midorima wonder—was his condition improving?
Regardless, a thorough checkup was necessary. Even if Midorima's residence was shabby, if the Third went berserk and destroyed the place, where would he live?
He needed to minimize the risks.
The Third's chakra was far more active than before, and there were no signs of old injuries. Overall, his condition was improving.
"By the way, before you rest, go take a bath," Midorima said after finishing the examination, pointing toward the washroom.
After days of traveling, the Third's face was covered in grime, and his originally white hair had turned a dingy gray. The sour stench emanating from his body was detectable from two meters away.
As for the risk of being recognized by someone with ill intentions—well, a simple disguise would suffice.
He wasn't skilled at complex transformations, but giving the Third a pair of sunglasses and sticking on a fake beard wasn't beyond him.
While the Third bathed, Midorima took stock of the day's gains.
Treating Akimoto Ruri's mother had been a trivial task for him, and he had even received a reward—"Lightning Release: Lightning Dash." The Analysis Lab had successfully deciphered this B-rank jutsu.
Now, Midorima finally had time to review the details of this technique.
"Lightning Dash": Difficulty—B; Range—Close; Classification—Supplementary. A Lightning Release technique where the user coats their body in lightning-charged chakra, drastically increasing movement and attack speed. The space within two meters of the user is also infused with lightning chakra.
It was a movement-enhancing jutsu, perfect for escaping. Combined with Wave Riding Strike, it would mean double the speed—double the fun.
This was Midorima's only real gain from the two matches so far.
Not that he was complaining. A B-rank jutsu was nothing to scoff at, especially one with such practical utility. But a thought lingered in his mind—if he could somehow merge the traits of Wave Riding Strike and Lightning Dash, the result might be something truly formidable.
As Midorima pondered the possibilities of a composite jutsu, Igawa Bu sat at his dining table, his face clouded with worry as he downed glass after glass of alcohol.
His wife watched his expression carefully, sensing something was wrong but not daring to speak up.
Normally, Igawa was indeed afraid of her, but when he was in a foul mood, even she knew better than to push her luck.
Suddenly, Igawa stood up, startling her.
Before she could ask what was wrong, he had already retreated to his study.
Once the door was closed, he struggled to contain his emotions before finally letting out an excited whisper: "An opportunity… an absolute opportunity… No, I must stay calm… I have to stay calm…"
Igawa clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, using the pain to steady his racing thoughts.
The fact that the Third Mizukage was still alive had caught him completely off guard.
After years without any news, Igawa had assumed the Third was dead. Yet now, he had seen him again with his own eyes.
In that moment, terror had nearly suffocated him—especially with that eerie blink and unsettling smile, which had turned his fear into outright horror.
If the Third were to meet with the Fourth, Igawa was as good as dead.
The root of the problem lay in the past. During that fateful battle between Kirigakure and Konoha, Igawa had played a role—albeit unwillingly. Under the influence of a genjutsu, he had brought someone to meet the Third Mizukage.
By the time the genjutsu wore off and he regained his senses, the battle between the two villages had already begun.
The sheer brutality of that conflict had left him paralyzed with fear. Four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had died, and countless elite shinobi had been slaughtered—losses no one had anticipated before the battle.
As the leader, the Third had borne the full weight of the blame—from his own conscience, from the elders led by Genji, from the villagers, and from the surviving shinobi who questioned his decisions.
Everyone had turned against the Third, and the elders, led by Genji, had forced him to step down as Mizukage.
The series of blows had left the Third on the verge of collapse.
When Igawa first learned of this, he had been consumed by guilt. But then, that person had appeared again—ordering him to lure the Third out. After that day, the Third Mizukage had never returned.
Now, Igawa knew the truth: the Third was still alive.
If the Third ever revealed what had really happened, both Mizukages, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the ANBU, and the elders would tear Igawa apart limb by limb.
But where there was great risk, there was also great opportunity.
The greatest danger could also be the greatest chance.
Thanks to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen selection exams, a hundred of Kirigakure's finest shinobi were gathered in one place.
After two rounds, only 24 remained in the competition. Even if not all of the eliminated 76 had been incapacitated, every one of them was injured.
In other words, Kirigakure's defenses had never been weaker.
If he reached out to that mysterious figure now, there was a real chance to eliminate not just the Third, but even the Fourth Mizukage.
With that person's help, taking control of Kirigakure might not be impossible.
As for Midorima Asachi? Once the village was his, crushing a mere shinobi would be as easy as squashing an ant.
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