A water droplet appeared in front of Yōkō's finger. Without forming any hand seals, the water droplet shot out and pierced a nearby rock.
A trace of envy appeared in Yellow Dog's eyes:
"The Water Gun Technique, and it's a seal-less jutsu. Very good. Spread the word that Hōzuki Rinzuki leaked the Hōzuki clan's secret technique as well, attacking the Hōzuki clan's weakest point fiercely."
Although envious, Yōkō believed Yellow Dog wouldn't have any thoughts of seizing it.
Shinobi placed great importance on protecting their own jutsu intelligence.
If someone learned a Great Fireball technique, they would wish they were the only one in all of Konoha who knew it.
Shinobi wouldn't casually probe into others' jutsu secrets. Targeting a specific person or clan to probe for jutsu intelligence would be considered a hostile act.
Yōkō's own strength wasn't weak. Even if someone had malicious intentions towards him, they would have to weigh the consequences carefully.
The name 'ANBU Copper Fox' carried some weight.
Yellow Dog came to the Land of Whirlpools to gain merit for his promotion to ANBU Vice Minister. Yōkō performing excellently would only make Yellow Dog happier.
Yellow Dog said: "Fox, you successfully seized the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei. I will apply for an S-Rank mission reward for you."
"Next, you will carry the sealed Twin Swords: Hiramekarei and advance slowly along the coastline."
"I will lead the entire battalion to set up an ambush, aiming to kill a group of significant people from Kirigakure."
"Right now, there must be many people in Kirigakure who want to inherit the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei. Whether they are geniuses from the Hōzuki clan or geniuses from Kirigakure, killing them is all merit."
Yōkō was very happy inwardly; his sixth S-Rank mission was secured.
On the sea surface far from the Land of Whirlpools, five large ships sailed not far from each other.
A drenched person climbed onto the largest ship. The Kiri-nin nearby all bowed their heads, not daring to say a word.
Kuriarare Kushimaru's cruelty wasn't just directed at enemies; people in the village who offended him wouldn't fare well either.
He headed straight for the second floor of the ship.
After entering the second floor, he first saw Elder Genji on the podium.
After the death of the Third Mizukage, Genji had been managing the village. Genji wanted to become Mizukage, but the major clans disagreed.
Who knew how long Genji would live? What if he lived for several more decades? How would the clans ever ascend to the Mizukage position then?
Kuriarare Kushimaru then looked at the clan heads seated in the front rows of the cabin.
Genji declared that the person who performed most outstandingly in the war against the Land of Whirlpools would become the Fourth Mizukage. This was clearly using a piece of fat meat to consume these shinobi clans.
Kuriarare Kushimaru was Genji's man; he enjoyed seeing the clans suffer.
Passing many jōnin and clan heads sitting on cushions, Kuriarare Kushimaru reached the front.
"Elder Genji! Hōzuki Rinzuki is dead! His Twin Swords: Hiramekarei were taken by Konoha!"
"What!" Hōzuki Kyougetsu, the Hōzuki Clan Head, was the first to stand up: "How is that possible?"
He immediately summoned a half-person tall scroll. Opening the scroll, there were seven characters representing the Seven Ninja Swords.
The characters for 'Long' representing the Longsword: Nuibari, 'Severed' representing the Severed Sword: Executioner's Blade, and 'Blunt' representing the Blunt Sword: Kabutowari were all very dim.
This was their Hōzuki clan's concession to the village, no longer summoning these three swords; these three swords belonged to the village.
After forming a hand seal, he pressed his hand on the character 'Twin' representing the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei. A puff of white smoke later, nothing happened.
The clan heads of the Kaguya, Kiri, Yotsuki, and other clans nearby all watched Hōzuki Kyougetsu's stunned expression coldly.
The Twin Swords: Hiramekarei did not appear.
Hōzuki Rinzuki had lost the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei.
"Clan Head Kyougetsu, you shouldn't have entrusted such an important sword as the Twin Swords to him just because Hōzuki Rinzuki is your second son."
After the Kaguya Clan Head spoke sarcastically, he found no one else chiming in. He looked left and right at the clan heads of the Kiri, Yotsuki, Fubuki clans, etc. These people usually seized every opportunity to attack the Hōzuki clan; why were they silent today?
Genji glanced at the Kaguya Clan Head. That fool whose brain is full of nothing but bones.
Genji said to Kuriarare Kushimaru: "Explain the details. Don't omit anything."
Kuriarare Kushimaru said: "Hōzuki Rinzuki and I encountered an isolated Konoha squad on the coastline of the Land of Whirlpools and attacked them."
"A Konoha ANBU platoon appeared."
"The others in that platoon were average, but the platoon leader was actually Copper Fox, who made a name for himself in the Land of Rivers war."
"Hōzuki Rinzuki told me to flank and kill the ordinary Konoha shinobi while he dealt with Copper Fox."
"Copper Fox is very strong. Before I could kill many people, Copper Fox appeared carrying the Twin Swords."
"I saw that Copper Fox wasn't injured, his clothes weren't even wet. It was simply unbelievable, as if he had easily defeated Hōzuki Rinzuki, so I immediately returned to report."
"Copper Fox..." Genji murmured the name, recalling the intelligence about Copper Fox.
The Suna front-line command had once issued a specific order: the Konoha ANBU Copper Fox has an absolute defense secret technique; ordinary attacks are completely ineffective. Be careful if you encounter him.
Genji said: "Next, issue an S-Rank mission. Select three jōnin to complete the mission to retrieve the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei."
"The jōnin who performs most outstandingly in the mission will become the successor to the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei."
After Hōzuki Kyougetsu moved past the initial shock and accepted this reality, he heard Genji's order and became angry again:
"Successor to the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei? Elder Genji, the successor to the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei is a matter for our Hōzuki clan! There's no need for the village to issue an S-Rank mission!"
Genji, however, said: "The Hōzuki clan, holding such an important sword as the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei, not only failed to produce a high-combat elite jōnin but also lost it."
"This is Kirigakure's shame. The village must naturally take charge."
"However, out of respect for your Hōzuki clan, among the three jōnin, two will be nominated by your Hōzuki clan, and the other will be nominated by me."
"If the two Hōzuki shinobi you put forward perform mediocrely in the mission to retrieve the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei, then you can no longer blame me."
"During the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha has already fought against Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure. This is the time when Konoha is at its weakest."
"If we can't secure our share of the mission in the Land of Whirlpools now, when will Kirigakure ever become prosperous?"
"Every clan, every shinobi, must fight with the goal of winning the war."
"If the Hōzuki clan holds everyone back and cannot hold onto the Seven Ninja Swords, then don't blame the village for being ruthless."
Hōzuki Kyougetsu almost said, Don't spout nonsense here using the Mizukage's tone, but he held his tongue.
The Fourth Mizukage had not been selected. Genji had continued and strengthened the Third Mizukage's Village Hidden in the Bloody Mist policy.
Genji commanded a large number of cruel and brutal jōnin, led by Kuriarare Kushimaru, Momochi Zabuza, and others. Genji's faction was not to be trifled with.
The major clans were also locked in life-and-death struggles amongst themselves.
Hōzuki Kyougetsu thought, If the Hōzuki clan sends two jōnin to complete the sword retrieval mission, the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei will most likely remain with the Hōzuki clan.
Damn that Copper Fox. When we catch him, we must soak him in the Hōzuki clan's secret liquid and dissolve even his bones.
***
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(Chapter End)