Muzan sat opposite Michikatsu in the cave, engulfed in darkness. Both had adapted to their surroundings without the need for light. Michikatsu's six eyes flickered softly in the shadows as he gazed toward the cave entrance, where rays of sunlight penetrated.
"I must share what happened before I lost everything," Michikatsu said in a hushed tone. "It's crucial you understand Shinji's impact on the Land of Iron and the severe decline we've experienced."
"I'm all ears."
"About a year ago, shinobi from the Land of Earth began frequently infiltrating our territory. Initially, they came in small groups—just five or six at a time—but the numbers steadily increased, and soon dozens were regularly crossing our borders." Michikatsu leaned closer, his multiple eyes fixating on Muzan with varying intensities. "I alerted Shinji as soon as I recognized the trend, and he promised he would take care of it personally."
"I'm guessing he didn't follow through."
"Even worse—he made the situation riskier." Michikatsu's upper set of eyes narrowed as his lower pairs remained focused on Muzan. "These shinobi weren't invading; they were welcomed into our lands. Shinji had signed a formal agreement with them months before I was even aware of their activities."
A cold dread sank into Muzan as he realized this was more than mere corruption or weakness; it was a betrayal of the Land of Iron's essential neutrality.
"These shinobi are from the Kamizuru clan," Michikatsu continued. "Though they hail from the Land of Earth, they don't owe loyalty to the Daimyo ruling there. They aim to overthrow him and seize control of the nation." He paused, his six eyes studying Muzan's expression for a reaction. "Shinji is giving them material support and safe passage through our lands."
"What does he stand to gain from this?" Muzan inquired, suspecting the answer would be unsatisfactory.
"That's precisely what I sought to uncover." Michikatsu touched the markings on his face with a regenerated hand. "I began my investigation without informing Shinji."
"What did you find out?"
"The Kamizuru are in the midst of a civil war against the legitimate government of the Land of Earth. The local Daimyo has recruited mercenaries from the Land of Lightning to combat the Kamizuru rebellion. These mercenaries, known as the Yotsuki, are among the finest fighters I've encountered." Michikatsu's tone grew more intense. "The Land of Iron has effectively become the primary battlefield for this conflict. The Kamizuru use our territory to launch surprise assaults on their foes, retreating back across our borders with the Yotsuki in pursuit. Our civilians are caught in the crossfire, suffering and dying for conflicts unrelated to them."
Muzan absorbed this grave news carefully. A foreign civil war had been intentionally brought into neutral lands by the very leader meant to safeguard that neutrality. Innocent lives were being lost due to Shinji's blatant disregard for established principles.
"You still haven't explained what Shinji gains from allowing this," Muzan pressed.
"That's the missing piece I failed to uncover." Michikatsu clenched his hands into fists, the strain drawing attention to his pale knuckles. "I confronted Shinji directly, demanding to understand his actions."
"What was his response?"
"He heard me out with unfailing patience and politeness. He thanked me for expressing my concerns," Michikatsu chuckled dryly, void of any humor. "He assured me he would take immediate action and politely asked me to leave his chambers so he could work on solutions. I trusted him—what a fool I was."
"When did you realize he was deceiving you?"
"Within days. Nothing changed after our discussion. The Kamizuru continued their operations unabated, and civilian casualties kept rising." Michikatsu began to pace restlessly within the confines of the cave. "That's when I understood Shinji had no intention of halting this chaos. So, I took matters into my own hands."
He paused, tracing the crimson marks on his face once more.
"I rallied every samurai still true to the ideals of neutrality and honor. We set ourselves up at key border crossings, implementing strict controls to stop unauthorized shinobi from entering. We turned away many Kamizuru warriors and fought off groups attempting to force their way through."
"Shinji must have noticed your actions."
"Naturally, but he didn't intervene directly. He simply ignored my efforts as if they were nonexistent." Anger flickered in Michikatsu's middle pair of eyes as he recalled the events. "I felt bound by my duty to protect the Land of Iron. All I could do was defend the borders and try to safeguard civilians. I did my best with what I had."
"So, how did you end up captured and mutilated?" Muzan asked, anticipating a painful answer.
"Ishikawa Kamizuru," Michikatsu replied, a mix of respect and disdain in his voice. "The leader of the Kamizuru Clan—a monster, perhaps the most dangerous fighter I've ever encountered."
He flexed his regenerated hands in disbelief.
"I thought I knew what strength was. After decades of training, having mastered countless techniques, I believed I could protect what mattered. Then I fought Ishikawa and realized I had been a frog at the bottom of a well, mistaking the small patch of sky above for the entire world. I couldn't defeat him."
"But he didn't kill you," Muzan pointed out.
"No, the battle was prolonged before he ultimately overcame me, only to hand me over to Shinji alive." Michikatsu fixed all six of his eyes on Muzan with chilling intensity. "Shinji's intent wasn't to eliminate me; he aimed to break me and keep me conscious. He let me live to 'experience the new Land of Iron,' as he described it. He claimed he would usher in a new era of strength and prosperity, and he wanted me to witness it from my prison."
Muzan felt his hands clenching into fists involuntarily, overwhelmed by the casual cruelty inflicted upon Michikatsu.
"You still don't know what Shinji truly gains from his alliance with the Kamizuru," Muzan noted.
"No, that's the key information I couldn't uncover despite extensive investigation," Michikatsu admitted, moving toward the cave entrance and standing in the shadows beyond the sun's reach. "It didn't seem that the Kamizuru were giving him any funds. They weren't offering military support for the Land of Iron's defense. Instead, it appears that Shinji is the one supplying them with arms and the battleground."
"There has to be something," Muzan mused. "Shinji wouldn't jeopardize the Land of Iron's neutrality and risk provoking retaliation from various nations unless there's something valuable in return."
"I recognize that in theory, but I never found any evidence of what that could be." Michikatsu turned his back to the entrance, and his six eyes shone brighter in the shadows. "Whatever Shinji is getting from this arrangement, he has concealed it exceptionally well. If I had to guess, it might involve expanding the Land of Iron."
Muzan rose and joined Michikatsu at the cave entrance, careful to remain in the shadows.
"Whatever he's planning, we will uncover it eventually," Muzan declared with conviction. "Once we gain control of the Land of Iron, all of Shinji's secrets will come to light."
"You seem confident in our success," Michikatsu remarked.
"I am. Shinji's temporary strength is rooted in secrets and deceit. Such foundations are bound to crumble eventually." Muzan gazed out at the sunlit forest beyond the cave.
For a moment, Michikatsu was silent before a smile crept across his face, his six eyes crinkling at the corners.
"You've changed quite a bit since I last saw you," he observed. "You now think like a leader rather than a victim of circumstances."
"I've had reasons to shift my perspective," Muzan said, stepping further back into the cave's depths.