Chapter 082 The Death of the Fourth Mizukage

After the civil unrest was quelled, Mei Terumi led Ao and Chojuro straight into the Mizukage’s tower.

Yagura Karatachi, you traitor who was manipulated into destroying the village—today marks your end.

Stepping over the threshold, Mei Terumi thought to herself.

The atmosphere around Mei was tense, so much so that neither Ao nor Chojuro dared speak. Both knew her mood had soured lately—especially Chojuro, who felt it deeply. Mei had raised him, cared for him; to him, she was both a shrewd leader and a gentle, loving mother. But since their journey to the Land of Hot Water, her tenderness had faded, and the murderous intent she harbored leaked out more than before.

Chojuro didn’t dwell on it, nor did he wish to know the hidden reasons behind it. All he understood was that Mei’s anger was for the village’s sake. Now, his only task was to help her eliminate the threat to their home.

Upon entering the Mizukage’s office, Mei immediately saw Yagura Karatachi. He was already restrained by Mei’s elite shinobi, bound tightly with ropes inscribed with sealing techniques, unable to move at all. He sat behind his desk, eyes stripped of their former sharpness and cold detachment, now clouded with confusion and dazedness. Around him, the air shimmered with an almost imperceptible disturbance.

“It’s genjutsu, and a powerful one at that,” Ao said, removing his eyepatch and activating his Byakugan, fixing his gaze on Yagura. “The genjutsu lingering in Yagura is on its last legs, but he’s been tormented for so long that his mind can’t resist it.”

Mei asked, “Is he salvageable?”

“He can be saved, but he’ll be left a fool,” Ao replied. As if worried Mei might hesitate, Ao added, “Even if we save him, he won’t survive. He’s done too much harm to the village—even if he was manipulated, the responsibility cannot be shirked. And don’t forget Lord Genma’s instructions.”

Mei shook her head.

“I don’t pity him. I just think dying without facing justice is far too easy for him.”

“Do it, Ao.”

Ao extended his finger to a specific point on Yagura’s body—the node where the genjutsu chakra flowed. With the Byakugan’s power, Ao could see every direction of chakra movement within Yagura. He infused his own chakra, breaking the genjutsu’s nodes one by one.

A series of soft pops sounded, and Yagura vomited a mouthful of foul blood, his body going limp and collapsing to the floor. His breathing was faint. He barely managed to open his eyes, saw those around him, and his lips parted, uttering a syllable too weak to discern before expiring.

Gazing at Yagura’s corpse on the floor, Mei felt a complex, indescribable emotion.

“Yagura once gave everything for the village. That’s how he gained everyone’s recognition and became the Mizukage,” Mei spoke in a low mood. “He led us through the Great Ninja War, only to fall before the dawn. He once loved the village and its people, yet was manipulated by enemies into harming our nation. Now he’s dead, unrecognized, leaving only hatred. He could have had an honorable funeral, but for the sake of the village’s stability, his death must be kept secret. A lifetime of mediocrity—what does it amount to?”

Ao and Chojuro remained silent. Mei carried a heavy burden, her mood lately dark and troubled. Let her vent as she needed.

“Yes, living like a stray dog, circling the bones of power and the village all your life—what good is that?” A strange voice suddenly echoed in their ears, startling the three into battle readiness.

Behind the desk, near the window, stood a tall man. The silently opened window explained his presence. The bandages on his face and the huge sword strapped to his back immediately revealed his identity.

“Missing-nin, Zabuza Momochi!”

Mei shouted at him, “Why are you here?”

Zabuza Momochi was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—a monster born of the Blood Mist policy. The Mist’s ninja academy graduation rules were brutal, forcing students to slaughter each other, with only the survivors graduating. The year Zabuza graduated, he killed all his classmates, becoming the sole graduate that year. His formidable strength earned him a place among the Mist’s special ops, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—a force wielding seven unique swords for high-risk missions. The massive sword on his back, the Executioner’s Blade, could absorb an enemy’s blood to repair itself.

Last year, Zabuza defected from the village. The details were kept secret, but Mei knew he had once tried to assassinate Yagura Karatachi. For the past year, Zabuza had vanished—no one knew his whereabouts or his intentions. Even Mei’s intelligence network could find no trace of him. Had he not appeared today, she might have thought him dead. But even if Zabuza were dead, Mei would have pursued the matter—the Executioner’s Blade was Mist property and had to be reclaimed.

“Hmph, Mei Terumi, I never expected you’d be the one to do what I always wanted to,” Zabuza’s voice was deep and raspy. “I thought I was the only one who saw something wrong with Yagura, but you noticed too. You were thorough—got it done in one fell swoop. That’s good, saves me the trouble of doing it myself.”

Mei watched Zabuza warily. This man had once been her enemy; they had crossed swords fiercely.

“You disappeared for a year—why show up now, Zabuza?” Mei demanded. “Lord Genma told me the village’s turmoil was caused by someone colluding with outside enemies. Was that you?”

“I’m not that bored. Rather than inciting infighting, I prefer dealing with enemies myself,” Zabuza told her. “I simply tracked a certain man back to the village. The chaos here was his doing.”

“Who was it?” Mei pressed.

“Have you heard of Madara Uchiha?” Zabuza said. “A masked man claiming to be Madara Uchiha instigated this internal strife. Since the end of the Third Great Ninja War, he’s been manipulating Yagura Karatachi—that man is the culprit.”