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“Grandpa kicked way too hard. Ow.”
Clutching his aching lower back, Yagura stumbled into his room and collapsed onto the bed.
“No — his kicks were too hard.”
The training ground wasn’t a problem.
The Karatachi clan had Earth Release users.
One jutsu would patch it right up.
Grandpa just needed to blow off steam with a couple kicks and he’d be fine.
Not like this was the first time they’d wrecked the place.
Back in his room, Yagura stretched out on the bed with a satisfied sigh.
He crossed his legs and spotted the file he’d left on his nightstand.
Nothing better to do anyway.
He grabbed it and started flipping through.
“Mangetsu Hozuki… chakra natures water and fire. The Hozuki clan plays with fire too? Secret technique is the Hozuki clan’s Hydrification Technique. Highly skilled with ninja blades, can already use B-rank ninjutsu.”
The photo showed a white-haired, purple-eyed kid.
Yagura recognized those eyes.
They looked just like Suigetsu Hozuki from the Hawk Squad in the original series.
Similar name too.
Even though Mangetsu Hozuki only appeared for a few frames during the Fourth War when he got revived by Impure World Reincarnation, Yagura made the connection instantly: this was Suigetsu’s older brother.
The genius who could wield all seven blades of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!
During the middle of the Fourth War, all the other reanimated Swordsmen got sealed away.
But Mangetsu kept fighting until the very end.
Only went down when Itachi Uchiha pulled the plug.
And Mangetsu didn’t even have a blade.
Just his raw ability, and his combat record still beat several other Swordsmen who were actually holding their weapons.
Perfect.
Another mark on the Third Mizukage’s tab.
Or Obito’s.
Either way, no, make that two marks.
Yagura mentally added them to his grudge list.
When he’d been tallying Kirigakure’s talent drain earlier, he’d only counted the characters with major screen time.
He’d missed some.
Mangetsu Hozuki was one of them.
Which reminded him of another Swordsman who got reanimated during the Fourth War: Ameyuri Ringo!
So yeah.
Two marks.
Yagura flipped past Mangetsu’s file and moved to the next one.
“Kaede Onime, heir of the Onime clan, possesses the Double Pupils Kekkei Genkai…”
Rustle…
rustle…
Faint.
Almost imperceptible.
But Yagura caught the sound outside his window.
“Who’s there!”
…
Long silence.
Then a meow drifted in.
“Meow-woof~”
Not quite cat.
Not quite dog.
Yagura’s expression went flat.
“…Could you at least try to sound convincing?”
The voice belonged to a boy around his age, though.
Yagura relaxed slightly.
The intruder obeyed.
Just not in any normal way.
A puddle of white-and-purple jelly oozed through the window.
Yagura’s sanity took a nosedive.
He yelped and scooted backward.
Once the entire mass had flowed inside, it solidified into human form.
White hair.
Purple eyes.
Familiar face.
Now fully human, Mangetsu Hozuki gave his future teammate a friendly wave.
“Hey. Evening, Yagura Karatachi.”
Yagura finally placed him.
He’d never imagined his first meeting with Mangetsu Hozuki would happen in his bedroom.
“Wanna fight?”
That was Mangetsu’s second sentence.
Before Yagura could process it, he blurted out, “…In bed?”
Yagura led Mangetsu out of the compound, heading for the grove outside the village where he usually trained.
A kid like Mangetsu sneaking into the Karatachi estate, no way Grandpa hadn’t noticed.
Retired or not, the old man was still a jonin.
If he’d let Mangetsu through, it meant there was no real threat.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
The contest had already begun.
Both kept accelerating as they ran.
Both thought the same thing: He can match my speed?!
They’d each considered themselves the strongest among Kirigakure’s younger generation.
Right now, they were realizing they might have competition.
Yagura glanced at Mangetsu, who’d fallen behind for a split second before catching right back up.
As expected of a genius who made it into the original story.
He’s got skill.
But Yagura didn’t think he’d lose.
He hadn’t even tapped his Lightning Release chakra yet.
They reached the clearing outside the grove.
Yagura landed solidly.
Mangetsu touched down a heartbeat later, facing him across the open ground.
His eyes locked onto Yagura with burning intensity.
This guy’s strong.
After that preliminary test of Yagura’s ability, Mangetsu’s battle instincts were screaming.
No more words.
His hands flew through seals.
“Water Release: Water Chaos Wave!”
Water Release chakra surged.
Mangetsu spat a spray of water toward Yagura.
Yagura leaped into the tree behind him, dodging easily.
The jutsu’s power was negligible.
Getting hit would’ve been like taking a shower.
But—
“The ground’s covered in water.”
Yagura’s expression darkened as he studied the clearing, recalling the Kirigakure secret technique files he’d read.
“The Hydrification Technique lets Hozuki clan members teleport instantly through water.”
“Looks like you know our Hydrification Technique pretty well!”
Mangetsu dropped his stance and looked up with a taunting grin.
“Thinking of running?”
Not a chance.
This was his first real fight.
Losing his debut would be pathetic.
Lightning Release Taijutsu!
Lightning-blue chakra crackled across Yagura’s body.
He kicked off the tree trunk.
Blinked forward.
His right palm drove toward Mangetsu’s chest.
CRACK!
The lightning-charged strike hit a puddle.
Water exploded outward.
Mangetsu reformed behind Yagura, scalp tingling.
If his reaction had been even slightly slower, if he hadn’t liquefied before Yagura closed the distance, he’d be twitching on the ground right now, paralyzed by Lightning Release.
He cursed internally.
Of course Yagura had to be a Lightning Release user.
Water conducts electricity!
Mental cursing aside, the fight continued.
Before Yagura could turn, Mangetsu drew his standard-issue blade and rushed in.
Boosted by the Hydrification Body Flicker, his speed was vicious.
Against an average genin, the fight would’ve ended before they could blink.
Unfortunately, he was facing Yagura, whose entire body was enhanced by Lightning Release chakra.
Yagura sensed the movement.
Twisted sideways.
The blade missed.
His kick lashed out at Mangetsu’s now-visible form.
Mangetsu had never expected one strike to work.
The moment his blade thrust forward, he’d already planned the next move.
He liquefied and merged with the water on the ground.
Yagura’s kick hit empty air.
Mangetsu reformed mid-attack, grabbing his blade and slashing at Yagura before he could recover his balance.
The blade swept past Yagura’s face.
Dodged again.
So close!
Mangetsu cursed his luck and liquefied again, melting back into the water.
Attack.
Dodge.
Repeat.
Over a dozen exchanges.
Yagura’s dodges grew smoother.
Mangetsu’s attacks grew heavier.
Mangetsu felt it.
Understood instantly.
“Crap. Lightning Release!”
Yagura caught the hesitation and smiled.
“Finally figured it out.”
He’d been feeding Lightning Release chakra into the water the entire time.
As more foreign chakra mixed into the water inside Mangetsu’s body, his hydrated form slowing down was inevitable.
Was this all part of his plan from the start?
Mangetsu felt the pressure mounting.
This is bad.
The guy doesn’t just know Lightning Release.
He knows the Hydrification Technique inside and out.
➤ Next: Being the Boss Starts with Recruiting Your First Underling