NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21: CHAPTER 21
Mizukage's Office: A Summons from the Mist's Shadow
That day, a messenger hurried to deliver an urgent summons to Mizuki Ryosuke. The Third Mizukage, Mizuki Taki, had personally requested his presence at the Mizukage's office.
Ryosuke, fresh from completing a B-rank mission, didn't hesitate. He immediately made his way toward the towering Mizukage building, its ominous presence looming over the heart of Kirigakure.
As he climbed the mist-shrouded stairs, a twinge of curiosity gnawed at him. Unlike in Konoha, where the Hokage's office was relatively accessible, the Mizukage's domain was sealed off to most of the village. Only the most trusted retainers were allowed an audience, and for an ordinary shinobi to be called in was anything but normal.
Knocking on the thick wooden doors, Ryosuke took a moment to collect his thoughts. The very room he was about to enter was a mystery to 90% of Kirigakure's shinobi.
The doors creaked open.
Stepping inside, Ryosuke instinctively surveyed his surroundings. But what he found left him somewhat disappointed.
For all the secrecy surrounding it, the Mizukage's office was surprisingly unremarkable. A spacious yet spartan room, devoid of unnecessary decoration. No grand displays of power, no ostentatious embellishments. Just a simple desk, some cabinets filled with scrolls, and a few practical furnishings.
Even among shinobi, the Mizukage was expected to embody restraint and discipline. A leader who indulged in extravagance would never last in the Mist, where strength dictated respect.
At the far end of the room, seated behind a neatly arranged desk, was Mizuki Taki.
The Third Mizukage.
A Task from the Mizukage
"Cough, cough… Ryosuke, you're here."
Mizuki Taki, frail yet ever composed, greeted him with a weak smile. His sickly appearance had become an unavoidable reality—his body, seemingly on the verge of collapse, was an illusion that masked the iron grip he still held over the village.
Though his health had deteriorated, his influence had not.
Ryosuke and Mizuki Taki had grown closer in recent months, largely due to their shared connection through Lotus. Yet, despite this familiarity, Ryosuke maintained his professionalism.
"Mizukage-sama, I was told you had a task for me."
Although Mizuki Taki had previously permitted him to address him less formally in private, Ryosuke understood the importance of maintaining proper decorum in a setting like this.
"That's right."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
A sudden pressure filled the room as Mizuki Taki straightened in his chair. The weight of his chakra—subtle yet undeniable—settled over Ryosuke like the suffocating mist that enveloped Kirigakure's waters.
"I have an important mission for you."
His voice, though calm, carried a quiet intensity that demanded absolute attention.
"I want you to lead your team and hunt down the traitor Nakajima Koji."
"Bring me his head. Intact."
The final word was spoken with chilling finality. The Mizukage's eyes, normally veiled in neutrality, now burned with a controlled fury.
A direct assassination order.
Kirigakure had long been known for its brutal, no-nonsense approach to handling traitors. And yet, for the Mizukage himself to issue such an explicit command… this was different.
Ryosuke wasted no time in responding.
"As you command."
Refusal was not an option.
The Mizukage's expression softened slightly upon hearing Ryosuke's immediate compliance. The overwhelming pressure in the room faded as quickly as it had appeared.
"This mission… it ties into something larger."
Mizuki Taki's tone became more measured, a hint of reluctance creeping into his voice.
"I can't disclose everything to you."
He leaned forward, folding his hands atop his desk.
"But what you need to know is this—Nakajima Koji was once handpicked by me."
Ryosuke's mind immediately began piecing things together.
A shinobi personally selected by the Mizukage? That meant Koji was likely part of the "Mizukage faction." If that was the case, his defection wasn't just an act of disloyalty—it was a potential intelligence leak.
The implications were severe.
If Nakajima Koji knew sensitive information about Mizuki Taki's inner circle, his betrayal could weaken the Mizukage's hold over the village.
Which raised an even more pressing question: Why wasn't this assignment being handled by the ANBU?
Mizuki Taki reached into his desk and slid a scroll across the table.
"This contains everything you need to know about the mission and Nakajima Koji."
Ryosuke took the scroll and bowed slightly in acknowledgment.
"Return quickly," Mizuki Taki added, his gaze sharp. "A storm is coming, and when it does… I may need your strength."
There was something unspoken in his words.
A deeper meaning.
"I understand."
With that, Ryosuke turned and exited the Mizukage's office.
A Web of Secrets
As he briefed his squad on the mission details, Mizuki Ryosuke couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than he had been told.
Mizuki Taki's cryptic warning—about a major event on the horizon—troubled him.
If something truly big was about to unfold in Kirigakure, why hadn't there been any signs? Neither his clan nor any of his trusted sources had caught wind of anything significant.
That meant only one thing.
This wasn't just a classified matter—it was top-secret.
And yet, his mission still provided enough clues to make some educated guesses.
The fact that Nakajima Koji was personally chosen by the Mizukage meant he was deeply entrenched in the Mizukage faction. His sudden defection was not only a betrayal but a serious threat.
And if Koji possessed sensitive information, why was Ryosuke tasked with eliminating him instead of ANBU?
Two possibilities came to mind.
The first: Mizuki Taki trusted him more than his own ANBU.
The second: The Mizukage lacked full control over ANBU.
Ryosuke grimaced at the latter thought. If the Third Mizukage had truly lost his grip over Anbu, then the political power struggle in Kirigakure was reaching a dangerous boiling point.
After all, the head of ANBU was none other than Yagura Karatachi—the rising star of the Mist, personally appointed to his position.
If Yagura had infiltrated Anbu deeply enough to intercept mission orders or classified intelligence, then it made perfect sense why Mizuki Taki had chosen to use outside operatives like Ryosuke instead.
And if this defection was truly connected to the so-called "big event" Mizuki Taki had warned him about…
Then the situation in Kirigakure was far more unstable than he had originally thought.
Ryosuke exhaled quietly.
Lately, he had been getting too close to the Third Mizukage, entangling himself in the power games of the Mist.
It was beginning to interfere with his long-term plans—his carefully calculated strategy of staying neutral.
Perhaps, once the chaos of the Jōnin exam promotion disputes settled, he could distance himself again.
For now, however, all he could do was move forward.
And complete the mission.