Ryuzetsu's cooperation saved Karin considerable trouble, so she was content to delegate the leader's authority to him.
Thanks to his reputation, Ryuzetsu swiftly took control of Hidden Grass Village and began promoting key members of the 'Grass Flower' faction.
As a result, Mizawa and others from the 'Grass Seed' faction felt increasingly suppressed within the village.
Already resentful that Karin had handed the leadership to Ryuzetsu, Mizawa secretly gathered 'Grass Seed' faction shinobi.
In a crude underground chamber, Mizawa addressed the assembled Grass shinobi, "The 'Grass Flower' faction has no intention of letting us live! Our concessions only embolden them to take more! We must fight back and reclaim the power that belongs to us!"
The crowd below immediately erupted in agitation.
If Karin were present, she would have noticed that most of these shinobi were from her former intelligence line, including the ramen shop owner.
After riling up the group, Mizawa dismissed them, keeping the ramen shop owner behind.
The ramen shop owner said, "Mizawa, you're already an elder. Why risk holding such gatherings? If Ryuzetsu and his people go too far, we can report it to the leader!"
Mizawa's expression twisted. "Hmph, you think she cares about whether we live or die?"
The ramen shop owner was taken aback, then said, "No matter what, the leader is part of our 'Grass Seed' faction!"
Mizawa retorted, "She's probably already planning to betray 'Grass Seed'!"
"No way!" The ramen shop owner hesitated, then added, "I heard Ryuzetsu's prestige in the village is growing. If the leader doesn't rely on us, isn't she afraid Ryuzetsu will rebel?"
"That thickheaded Ryuzetsu…"
Mizawa cursed.
It was precisely because he realized Ryuzetsu had no intention of betraying Karin that he felt alarmed.
The previous turmoil had left 'Grass Seed' with a tarnished reputation in Hidden Grass Village. If Ryuzetsu genuinely supported Karin and won her over to the 'Grass Flower' side, the 'Grass Seed' faction's position would become precarious.
The ramen shop owner grew anxious. "It… it can't be that bad, can it?"
Mizawa's expression turned ferocious. "She doesn't understand anything! She's just a puppet we propped up, yet she dares to hand the leadership to someone else!"
The ramen shop owner asked, "What are you planning to do?"
"She was originally a spy planted by the village in the Hidden Leaf. No one in Hidden Grass Village dares to offend the Hidden Leaf now. As long as we hold this secret, we can make her our puppet!"
Mizawa revealed his ambitions.
The ramen shop owner's heart pounded with fear. "Threaten the leader!? That's rebellion!"
Mizawa snarled, "So what? Should we just sit and wait for our doom?"
The ramen shop owner felt he barely recognized Mizawa. He couldn't understand why someone who had already secured an elder's position would risk rebellion.
Mizawa continued, oblivious to the other's thoughts, "I poured everything into making her leader! And what did I get? A powerless elder title! Is that fair?! Ryuzetsu's position should have been mine! I'm the one who should be sitting in the leader's seat!"
"Indeed, it's unfair!"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind them.
Both men were startled and spun around, only to see a figure wearing a cat-faced mask and a hooded red-cloud cloak standing there.
"The Akatsuki…"
"'A'!?"
Upon recognizing the figure, the two were horrified!
They never imagined an Akatsuki member could infiltrate this secret underground chamber undetected. And it was 'A,' the Akatsuki powerhouse who had gained a fearsome reputation during the earlier chaos in the Land of Grass!
Undoubtedly, the figure was Uchiha Shinji, here to eliminate loose ends.
Mizawa and the ramen shop owner's line had outlived their usefulness to Shinji. To ensure Karin's safety, they had to be eliminated afterward.
When Karin assigned Mizawa the task of investigating the 'Box of Ultimate Bliss,' it wasn't about recovering the box—it was a pretext to dispose of this group.
"What a pity," Shinji said with a smile. "Hidden Grass Village will need new elders again!"
"Damn it!"
The ramen shop owner was completely panicked.
Facing a powerhouse like Akatsuki's 'A,' mustering the courage to resist was nearly impossible.
Mizawa, meanwhile, dropped to his knees with a thud. "Lord, I have top-secret information about our Hidden Grass Village leader that you'll definitely find interesting!"
Shinji's expression was mocking. "What kind of top-secret information?"
The ramen shop owner looked at Mizawa in disbelief. "Mizawa, you…"
Ignoring him, Mizawa said, "Lord, Ryuzetsu is just a puppet. Our Hidden Grass Village's new leader is Karin of the Uzumaki clan, and she's at the Hidden Leaf Village's shinobi academy!"
Seeing Mizawa expose the leader's identity, the ramen shop owner stopped hesitating and cautiously looked at Shinji, hoping this secret could buy his life.
Shinji said calmly, "Is that all?"
Mizawa hurriedly added, "Don't kill me! I know other secrets! The village recently built a laboratory in the Land of Fire!"
Shinji's gaze sharpened. "What laboratory? Where exactly?"
Mizawa pleaded, "Give me a month—no, a week! I'll find out for you!"
Shinji inwardly sighed in relief, confirming Mizawa only knew of the laboratory's existence, not its specifics.
"I underestimated you," Shinji said, pausing before continuing, "Good thing I came, or you might have caused real trouble!"
Mizawa's expression changed. "W-What do you mean?"
"Oh, nothing much. Just that Karin's situation was my doing!"
Shinji waved a hand casually.
Mizawa and the ramen shop owner exchanged stunned glances, their faces paling as dread set in.
They weren't fools. After hearing Shinji's words, they realized they'd fallen into the Akatsuki's trap. All their recent actions had helped the Akatsuki gain control of Hidden Grass Village.
"Run!"
Mizawa shouted, darting backward.
The ramen shop owner followed without hesitation, retreating swiftly.
Swish!
In an instant, a golden silhouette projected from Shinji's body, transforming into two skeletal hands that seized Mizawa and the ramen shop owner.
After the last major battle, Shinji had realized that Susanoo required practice. The more proficiently it was used, the more refined its dojutsu constructs became.
Caught in the grip of Shinji's Susanoo, the ramen shop owner knew death was certain and roared, "When did you Akatsuki turn Karin?!"
Shinji replied, "What made you think Karin wasn't already an Akatsuki member? Oh, right, I altered your memories!"
With that, Shinji snapped his fingers lightly.
"Aaah!"
Amid their agonized screams, Mizawa and the ramen shop owner were crushed into pulp within Susanoo's grasp…