Hozuki Mangetsu and Yagura froze for a moment, they hadn't expected to hear such words coming from the mouth of the Third Mizukage at this time.
Yagura frowned. "Third Mizukage, this 'fairness' you speak of is nothing more than crooked reasoning."
"What I've seen are lives disappearing one after another under the Blood Mist Policy, their bodies buried, abandoned, their souls wailing and crying."
"And you, lying on a throne built upon their bones, enjoying everything… I only want to ask on their behalf, by what right?"
The Third Mizukage gave a cold sneer, "Yagura, you should know better than anyone who it is that truly lies upon the throne enjoying everything."
"It's the great clans who rebel now alongside the Genji."
"The truth is, the fact that you can even stand before me today, facing me with the posture of a strong man, the person you should thank most is me."
"If not for me, your end would've been as a dog serving the higher clans. You grew under my protection, enjoying the blessings I bestowed, and now you bite the hand that fed you. You're the biggest traitor of them all!"
Yagura fell silent. The Third Mizukage's ideology was extreme, but those noble clans weren't exactly righteous either.
It was under the Mizukage's push that the Village Hidden in the Mist had reached this point, that was true.
But the one who invented that very policy wasn't the Mizukage, it was the clans at the start.
They used all kinds of filthy methods to make the lower classes slaughter one another. On the surface, it looked like an "elite policy", the strong ruled, but in truth, the clans themselves never had to take part in such killing.
On the contrary, whenever a talented ninja managed to rise from that carnage, they would immediately reach out and take him in, giving him no chance to refuse, turning him into their guard or enforcer.
All of this, Genji had once told him, had happened in Kirigakure's past. And thinking about it now, perhaps the Third Mizukage's greatest contribution had indeed been dragging those clans down with him.
Otherwise, what would have happened? The upper powers would only grow larger, while the hopes of the lower people would fade more and more. Until one day, no one could ever see a way upward again.
At that thought, Yagura spoke, "Mizukage, I support your suppression of the clans, but your persecution of the common people is even harsher than your attack on the clans! In that case, you have no right to call yourself justice!"
A faint smile curved across the Third Mizukage's lips,."Yagura, do you even understand what justice is?"
"I'll tell you. The Land of Water is actually rich in resources. But those daimyos, nobles, and merchants take more than ninety percent for themselves, leaving us with less than one-tenth."
"If that small portion were divided equally, none of us would have enough, we'd all starve to death."
"So the only way is to reduce the population, eliminate a large portion of people, and give the remaining few enough to live well."
"That is why I advanced the Blood Mist Policy."
Yagura's pupils contracted. He didn't think the Third Mizukage had any reason to lie about something like this. He knew the nobles led by the daimyo took most of the wealth, but he hadn't realized how much they took.
Yet… to rebel against the bloodline clans was still within the scope of ninja matters. But to rebel against the daimyo and the nobility, that was to defy the very foundation of the ninja world. That was heresy. He couldn't bring himself to do that.
So was that why the Third Mizukage hadn't dared either? If that was the case, then even if they defeated him now, if Yagura took his place, wouldn't he face the exact same dilemma?
Would he not, in the end, walk down the same path, perhaps even more bloody, more violent, more extreme?
For the first time, Yagura felt a shadow cast over the title of Mizukage itself.
But then, remembering Genji, he regained his confidence. Compared to him, Genji saw farther and thought deeper. Surely, this was something Genji had already foreseen.
And if he'd foreseen it, then he must have a solution. Otherwise, he wouldn't have encouraged Yagura to stage the coup.
So, everything after this, it was best left to Genji to handle. His job now was simple: to fight.
Yagura's eyes hardened. The arrow was already nocked; there was no turning back. Things had come this far, no matter what, the Third Mizukage had to die.
Battle lust surged through his body once again. With the unconditional support of the Three-Tails, chakra poured from within him endlessly, inexhaustible, unending.
Seeing this, the Third Mizukage said coldly, "So, you two really intend to fight me to the death. In that case, I'll erase you both right here."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Third Mizukage formed hand seals rapidly and chanted, "Water Style: Five Dragon Bullet Technique!"
In an instant, five water dragons surged skyward from around him, roaring as they rushed toward Yagura.
This technique was an improved version of the Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu, from seals to activation, it was unbelievably fast.
In just a moment, the five dragons were upon Yagura.
Yagura immediately entered his tailed-beast transformation, turning into a creature wreathed in brown chakra.
He opened his mouth, a Tailed Beast Bomb rapidly condensed and shot out toward the five oncoming water dragons.
The dragons were fast, but Yagura's Tailed Beast Bomb was faster. It struck the convergence point of the five dragons and, in an instant, blasted them apart, continuing straight toward the Third Mizukage!
The Third Mizukage frowned, "A jinchuriki truly is a troublesome existence."
He quickly formed more seals, his speed still blindingly fast.
"Water Style: Water Formation Pillar!"
Taking a deep breath, the Mizukage exhaled a massive jet of water, filled with incredible force, toward the incoming Tailed Beast Bomb.
The two collided, and this time, the Tailed Beast Bomb was repelled in an instant by the immense impact and elasticity of the water pillar.
The bomb flew off into the distance—
BOOM!
A violent explosion once again illuminated the night sky over Kirigakure.
Just as the Third Mizukage allowed himself a brief sigh of relief, a figure suddenly flashed into view, exploiting that split second of distraction.
It was Hozuki Mangetsu.
When all seven of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's blades had been summoned, he had still chosen his favorite, the twin sword Hiramekarei.
At this moment, the twin blades had merged into one. Mangetsu gripped it with both hands and shouted, "Hiramekarei, Unseal!"
In an instant, a surge of powerful chakra erupted from the blade, crashing down toward the Third Mizukage.
A look of irritation flickered across the Mizukage's eyes. One jinchuriki Yagura was troublesome enough, but on top of that, an equally formidable Hozuki Mangetsu.
Still, he had prepared for this. Having already set up his backup plan in secret, the Third Mizukage showed no panic. As Mangetsu's blade came swinging down, a figure identical to the Mizukage suddenly leapt out from behind him.
The clone lunged forward and grabbed Mangetsu tightly.
Mangetsu tried to break free, but just then, he saw the Third Mizukage form more seals once again.
"Water Clone, Great Explosion!"
BOOM!
The water clone clinging to Mangetsu detonated violently on the spot.
And in the same instant, on the other side, Yagura's second Tailed Beast Bomb had already gathered, and now it shot straight toward the Third Mizukage.