CHAPTER 271: CHAPTER 271: CRAWLED OUT? THEN DON’T GO BACK

Kirigakure.

Elder Genji had informed Hōzuki Chiren of the situation.

Among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Hōzuki Chiren was the only one who had been rescued from the battlefield rather than simply released. Although he had already passed his sword down to Hōzuki Mangetsu, like Hōzuki Chikage, he still retained a degree of authority.

The difference was—

He was stronger and held a higher position. Lately, he rarely went on missions himself, instead serving primarily in the village as a patrol and guard.

At the same time, he was one of the few people Genji truly trusted.

"Elder Genji, please give your orders."

Very few people knew how deep the bond between Genji and Chiren ran, but Chiren understood well—if Genji had secretly sought him out, then something serious had happened.

"I’ve met with Kanda Kyoichi. He told me something terrifying—our Mizukage might be under control. I’m going to confirm that myself."

"What?!"

Chiren was stunned.

The Mizukage... being controlled?

Was that a joke?

How could that even be possible?!

His first reaction was disbelief.

But—

Genji waved his hand. "Just listen. If I don’t return in one hour—or if I’m taken to see the Mizukage—go to him and request his help."

"Yes, sir!"

Chiren’s face was solemn as he bowed deeply.

Genji hesitated for a moment, then said, "Chiren, you’re powerful and capable, but not fit to be the Fourth Mizukage... If it really comes to the point where Kanda Kyoichi must take action—have Konoha appoint our Fourth Mizukage."

"...Huh?!"

Chiren was dumbfounded.

Let Konoha name the Fourth Mizukage?

"If it reaches that point, I’ll likely be dead. There won’t be any room for discussion. You must find Kanda Kyoichi. My life doesn’t matter—but we cannot allow the village to fall into the hands of those operating in the shadows."

Genji spoke with heavy seriousness.

Even if this move didn’t fully prevent the manipulation of the village, it was still better than continuing down the current path.

Kirigakure had reached the point where transformation was no longer optional.

Chiren gave a silent nod.

He turned to liquid and vanished.

Only then did Genji set off toward Yagura’s location.

Currently, Yagura was "training" in a secluded courtyard at the northwestern corner of the village, guarded by a sealing team.

They called it training—but it was, in truth, imprisonment.

Only those of sufficient rank could meet with him.

Of course, Genji had the authority.

He was the village’s most senior elder. His combat ability might not be outstanding, but no one doubted his leadership or experience. He was a pillar of Kirigakure.

So when he arrived—

"Elder Genji."

"I need to speak with Yagura. No problem, right?"

"Uh... Well, the Mizukage’s office... Fine, please go ahead. But I must accompany you. Yagura-sama is a Jinchūriki. He may be emotionally unstable due to the Tailed Beast."

The squad leader wanted to refuse, but the moment Genji slightly raised an eyebrow, he faltered, lowered his head, and opened the gate.

Genji entered in silence.

The sealing team leader followed behind him.

Inside the room, Yagura sat calmly. When he saw Genji walk in, he showed no surprise—though he did glance briefly at the sealing team ninja, saying nothing more.

"Yagura, I’ve come to ask you something. Back in Konoha, did you secretly contact Kanda Kyoichi?"

Leaning on his cane, Genji’s expression was cold, as if interrogating him for treason.

Even the sealing squad leader was visibly shaken.

Secret contact with Kanda Kyoichi?

How could that be?!

Yagura instantly understood what was happening.

Only he, Chūkichi, and those in Konoha knew about that contact.

So Genji had either heard it from Chūkichi or directly from Kyoichi. Either way, this meeting was a test—a step toward change.

But Yagura’s expression didn’t shift. He simply glanced at Genji and replied, "Yes, I did have private interactions with him. But it was purely to exchange thoughts on genjutsu and its integration with Kirigakure techniques."

"That’s all it was?"

Genji leaned on his cane, keeping a poker face—but inwardly, he was shaken.

Yagura clearly understood what he meant.

And his response... included mention of genjutsu.

Genjutsu...

It seemed Kanda Kyoichi had been telling the truth.

"Yes. That’s all. His genjutsu is quite strange. Even after seeing it twice, I couldn’t decipher it. In fact, I paid a price for it."

Yagura sighed, as if regretful.

"I’ll verify your story. If I find you’ve betrayed the village, even as a Jinchūriki, I’ll kill you."

With those words, Genji turned to leave.

But—

Just as he reached the door, someone stepped into his path.

It was a bodyguard from the Mizukage’s office.

Genji’s heart sank.

"Elder Genji, the Mizukage requests your presence."

"...Understood."

---

One hour?

In an hour, Kirigakure could be long gone.

Kyoichi’s wood clone grumbled underground. Genji’s setup wasn’t necessarily bad—but by the time the intel got back to him, it’d already be too late.

And right now—

It was the perfect moment to strike.

White Zetsu had gone topside.

While transformed, White Zetsu wouldn’t be able to sense the movements underground. Once he took Genji away, Kyoichi could signal his main body.

Even just a grain of soil marked with Flying Thunder God was enough to transmit the signal silently.

White Zetsu led Genji away.

The wood clone instantly activated the seal, sending a small clump of soil back through space.

---

Kyoichi immediately understood.

That senile old Genji had gone and taken the most reckless approach.

Still...

If the clone could perform the jutsu, that meant White Zetsu had also left.

Clearly, White Zetsu was being used as a failsafe—to extract Genji if things went wrong.

This was the perfect chance!

Kyoichi’s eyes lit up.

Capturing a live White Zetsu was one of his goals this trip. And White Zetsu would never have guessed that Genji had a Flying Thunder God marker on him as well.

If needed, Kyoichi could teleport to his side instantly.

Now—

Was the time!

So they want Kakuzu and Sasori to kill me?

Let’s take out their home base first!

With a plan in mind, Kyoichi quickly stopped and began forming hand seals.

"Sensei..."

"I’ll leave behind a wood clone. You all continue toward Kirigakure, but I’m heading directly into the village to handle something."

"Yes!"

Kakashi didn’t know what had happened—

But following Kyoichi’s orders was never wrong.

What surprised him even more—

Was that Kyoichi-sensei had even mastered Wood Release clones.

This was battle-level Wood Release—not the weak stuff used by Wind Festival’s Toshiki and the others.

Yet...

Looking over, Shisui and Kurenai didn’t seem surprised at all...

Apparently, this wasn’t new to them.

Kakashi fell silent.

At first, he thought he could catch up to Kyoichi with enough effort. Later, he realized just how vast the gap between them was, and that only drove him to train harder.

But now—

He realized that even mastering one of Kyoichi’s accomplishments might make him stand at the top of the shinobi world.

This guy...

Was simply not normal.

Kakashi muttered inwardly, and the next second, Kyoichi’s true body vanished.

At the same moment.

In Kirigakure, White Zetsu was leading Genji toward the Mizukage’s office, thinking about how to quietly dispose of the old man.

They had barely taken a few steps...

When a ripple of space distorted the air.

White Zetsu froze—then instantly realized:

He’s here.

Flying Thunder God...?

He understood immediately—Kanda Kyoichi had mastered the space-time technique created by the Second Hokage. He instantly tried to abandon Genji—

But—

A hand clamped down on him.

Last time, the situation had made using this technique difficult. But this time was different.

Coming up from underground—Kyoichi made the rules now.

In the blink of an eye, Kyoichi tapped several points on White Zetsu’s body, and with the other hand, unleashed a sealing array that rapidly spread across its form.

Chakra point sealing—

Four Symbols Seal!

Genji was still reeling in shock.

He had already prepared himself for death—but the turnaround had come far faster than he could’ve imagined.

Kanda Kyoichi had arrived instantly.

More than that, Genji watched as, after the sealing, the person in front of him morphed into a strange humanoid creature.

He had never seen anything like it.

And not even for a second had he sensed that the person beside him had been some kind of imposter.

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