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Elder Genji frowned, his brow furrowing into the shape of the "川" character.
He was now a highly respected and admired figure in Kirigakure.
However, few knew that in his youth, he had been nothing more than a mediocre ninja, possessing neither exceptional talent nor remarkable skill.
Everything changed the day he returned alone to the Hidden Mist Village, carrying the corpses of two fallen comrades on his back.
No one knew what Genji had experienced on that mission.
All they knew was that when he came back, he was covered in wounds, on the verge of death.
Yet he hadn't forgotten to bring back the bodies of his teammates.
That spirit of loyalty, of refusing to abandon his comrades, was hailed as noble and heroic.
From that moment on, Genji rose in fame within Kirigakure.
People believed that although he lacked exceptional strength, he was a man of integrity—a reliable figure.
And so, bit by bit, he climbed the ranks to the status he held today.
His famed act of loyalty remained a tale told time and again.
One could say that it was that single incident that paved the way for Genji's political and social standing.
But if the people of the village discovered that it had all been a lie—a conspiracy he had meticulously orchestrated—everything would collapse.
Although Genji was certain Uchiha Haru had no concrete evidence, destroying a man like him didn't require proof.
Rumors alone could ruin him.
Especially someone like him.
"Elder Genji? Elder Genji?"
A voice pulled him back.
The illusion around him vanished, replaced by the Mizukage's office.
Genji blinked.
The leaders of the Hidden Mist were staring at him with concern.
They had no idea why Elder Genji had suddenly frozen, standing there stiffly like a statue.
Fortunately, the episode lasted only a few seconds.
Had it gone on longer, they might have panicked.
"Elder, is something wrong?" one of the high-ranking officials asked.
"Oh," Genji said, snapping out of it. He smiled faintly and answered calmly, "It's nothing. I'm just getting old. My mind tends to wander."
That simple excuse neatly covered up his momentary lapse.
"Elder Genji, you are getting on in years. You should rest more, not strain yourself so much," a ninja nearby said with concern.
Elder Genji still held a special place in the hearts of many ninjas, especially among the younger generation.
"I appreciate your concern. I will take better care of myself," Genji replied calmly.
"Since you're fine, then could you explain what this Uchiha just said?"
"He claims the elders were aware of all this!"
Another official's voice rang out.
The room grew tense again, focus returning to the earlier accusation.
Genji furrowed his brow slightly.
He glanced at Uchiha Haru, who gazed back at him with a calm, unflinching expression.
After a brief pause, Genji spoke.
"Everyone, this young man is named Uchiha Haru."
"I invited him to help uncover the truth—that the Fourth Mizukage was being controlled."
His words sent shockwaves through the chamber.
"Uchiha Haru? Isn't he the one the Masked Man spoke of?"
"Wait, the elders invited him here? Then why were we kept in the dark?"
"Elder Genji, you owe the Kirigakure leadership an explanation."
A matter this grave, yet the village's high command had been completely unaware?
They could no longer remain passive. The council erupted in demands.
Mei Terumi's expression shifted, surprise flickering in her eyes.
From her understanding, no matter what angle you viewed him from, Elder Genji should never have made such a statement.
Unless...
Unless this was part of a much deeper game.
She glanced sideways at Uchiha Haru.
Calm, composed, in complete control.
Nothing seemed to escape his calculations.
He was truly terrifying.
It seemed her guess had been right.
But what had driven Elder Genji to change his stance so suddenly?
Genji raised his hand, signaling for silence.
"Everyone," he began, "some time ago, I received information through a...special channel. I learned that the Fourth Mizukage was being controlled through powerful genjutsu."
"However, this matter concerned the Mizukage's honor—and the reputations of everyone present."
"I should have immediately informed you all of this threat to Kirigakure."
"But I couldn't."
"If the intel had been accurate, it would have been easy to address. But if it were false, the implications would be dire."
"As a senior of this village, for me to even suspect the Mizukage would have brought disgrace on all of you."
"I couldn't drag the village into scandal based on uncertain intelligence."
"So it wasn't that I didn't want to tell you. I was hesitant. I hope you understand."
His voice was sincere.
After hearing his explanation, the expressions of the high-ranking Kirigakure officials softened.
Though Genji's actions weren't entirely correct, his reasoning could at least be understood.
Given his stature and contributions to the village over the years, they refrained from pushing the matter further.
But Mei Terumi was not so easily swayed.
She knew the truth.
She knew what Genji had really done.
She remained silent—for now.
So the more this went on, the deeper her contempt for him grew.
What a highly respected and admired elder Genji was.
In truth, he was just a schemer cloaked in benevolence and righteousness, spinning lies with a cold and cruel heart.
Compared to him, although Uchiha Haru was ruthless and merciless, he was straightforward and direct in his actions—never weaving webs of deception or twisting truths. He kept his word.
That alone made him far better than those hypocrites.
Watching the reactions of the Kirigakure high-ranking officials present, Elder Genji's expression softened slightly.
He continued, "Because this matter is of utmost importance, using ninjas inside Kirigakure would inevitably lead to leaks."
"Fortunately, a few years ago, I had the chance to meet Haru. Knowing he was trustworthy, I asked him to assist."
"To be honest, I can now confirm that the Fourth Mizukage was being controlled by another through genjutsu. Therefore, I invited everyone here to expose the truth and, finally, with Haru's indispensable help, we succeeded in defeating the masked man who had manipulated the Mizukage."
"Oh, so that's how it happened."
Many ninjas present nodded in sudden understanding. Everything finally made sense.
Yet some still raised questions. "Elder Genji, I don't quite understand. If this was all planned by you and Uchiha Haru, why didn't you say so at the beginning? Why wait until now?"
"Heh."
Elder Genji let out a tactical laugh, but in reality, he was buying time to come up with a response.
"After all, Haru is from the Uchiha clan—an outsider interfering in Kirigakure affairs. Although it was at my invitation, it was still against protocol. That's why I hesitated to mention it earlier."
"If I had stayed silent, would I really watch Young Master Haru bear such a heavy burden alone?"
"How could I rest easy? I'd rather shoulder all blame myself than let my friend Haru suffer even the slightest injustice."
As he spoke, Elder Genji wore a compassionate expression once more.
That look could win an Oscar.
Nearby, ninjas who respected Genji nodded repeatedly, moved by his performance.
Elder Genji was truly admirable!
But Mei Terumi was on the verge of an aneurysm. She clearly remembered him as a different kind of man before...
Now, seeing this charade, all she felt was disgust.
Even Haru nodded secretly. Putting everything else aside, Genji had undeniable skills to reach his current position.
At least his talent for fabrication and acting was unmatched.
"Haru, my friend, I was wronged by my own carelessness."
After spinning this series of lies, Elder Genji approached Haru with a smile.
His expression was friendly and full of trust.
Haru remained calm, merely nodding in acknowledgment.
The matter was exposed.
The truth that the Fourth Mizukage was controlled by the masked man was revealed, and Haru's involvement was plausibly explained.
At this moment, everyone in Kirigakure began to consider the next move.
What should be done now?
As the most "respected" figure among them, Elder Genji made a suggestion.
The top priority was to locate the Fourth Mizukage.
The Mizukage was Kirigakure's symbol—the perfect Jinchūriki hosting the Three-Tails.
No matter what, they could not ignore this.
Other issues could wait until the Mizukage was found.
His words were reasonable, and no one voiced opposition.
Haru said little.
Though he knew full well the Fourth Mizukage was not in Kirigakure but taken away by the masked man.
It was all part of the masked man's plan—to gather the tailed beasts.
With the beasts in hand, how could he not have taken the Mizukage too?
But he kept silent. This matter was too complex to explain clearly.
Thus began the mission to find the Fourth Mizukage.
Because it concerned Kirigakure's honor and the Mizukage's position, it was kept secret, involving limited personnel.
The search dragged on.
Five days passed with no leads.
The Kirigakure high-level officials halted the large-scale search and reluctantly accepted reality.
The Fourth Mizukage was gone.
The tailed beasts were gone too.
Anger.
Frustration.
Rage.
The Kirigakure leaders wanted to deploy ninjas immediately to hunt down the masked man and his organization.
But before that could happen, a more pressing question remained.
With the Mizukage missing, who would now lead Kirigakure?
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Love the story and can't wait to see what happens next?
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