MTLNOVEL Chapter 445: Nerves? Schizophrenia?
Jūzō Biwa's expression darkened—the pressure Kazuyama was giving off was enough to make him uneasy.
The title "Konoha's Ghost" wasn't just for show. That was a name earned on the battlefield, backed by blood and victory.
"Hmph. This is Kirigakure. And you're not here to take my blade, are you?"
As a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and a direct subordinate of the Mizukage, he was well-informed. He knew exactly why the Konoha team was here.
The war was over. Kirigakure had lost—but only because the tides had turned. It wasn't complete defeat.
Still, Konoha's rise seemed inevitable. The emergence of the Twin Stars had given them a new generation of overwhelming strength.
"Tch. No sense of humor. Come on, let's take a tour of the Bloody Mist Village."
"Not like many outsiders have seen the place before."
Kazuyama was genuinely curious. Kirigakure was notoriously closed off, rarely allowing anyone in.
Surrounded by ocean on all sides, the idea that such a place could still have towering mountains intrigued him.
The Land of Water was a chain of islands, scattered and remote, cut off by the sea. It added an air of mystery to the country—and to Kirigakure itself.
"Fine. But I'm warning you—just because the war's over doesn't mean we trust outsiders."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Kazuyama understood perfectly.
Not that it mattered. He'd already prepared for this. On the way, he had planted over a dozen crystal markers, each concealing a tagged kunai for his Flying Thunder God Technique.
With his wife and disciples in tow, he couldn't afford any carelessness.
With a guide leading the way, their journey into the village proceeded smoothly.
Not just Kazuyama—even Pakura and the three little ones were glancing around in wonder. And honestly, who could blame them? Kirigakure's landscape was bizarre.
There was nothing but dense fog. Mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks swallowed by mist, leaving only vague silhouettes.
"Damn. Living in this kind of environment... no wonder the people from Kirigakure are all messed up."
"Tch, if I had to spend my whole life in fog like this, I'd probably end up a psychotic murderer too. The kind that just chops down anyone I see."
Kazuyama was the cheerful type. After all those years with the system's influence, he was someone who cherished laughter and lightness.
But here? In Kirigakure?
This mist smothered everything—including any sense of joy.
"Ugh, I used to think Sunagakure had the worst environment."
"But now? Kirigakure... Honestly, Konoha, Iwa, and Kumo are the only decent places."
Used to the vibrant life in Konoha, Pakura couldn't help but compare it with the sandstorms of Sunagakure—and now, the suffocating mist around them. It left her shaken.
The three young ones nodded quickly. They'd traveled all over during the war, but none of the places they'd been came close to the oppressive strangeness of this land.
It was overwhelming. The damp, the gloom, the heaviness of it all—it sank right into your bones.
Before long, Kirigakure came into view.
The village looked... ancient. And the architecture?
In Kazuyama's words: "Too weird. Just can't appreciate it. I'd take Sunagakure's giant fortress over this any day."
Moss-covered walls, cloaked in fog—Kazuyama half-wondered if he'd stumbled into another world.
This wasn't a ninja village. This was Silent Hill.
Suddenly, he turned and stared hard at Biwa Jūzō.
The stare was intense enough to make Jūzō feel uncomfortable. He immediately barked, "What are you looking at me like that for?"
"Just wondering if you're about to slap on an iron helmet and turn into a butcher."
Jūzō Biwa: "...???"
Iron helmet? Butcher?
What the hell was this guy even talking about?
He must be crazy.
Jūzō gave Kazuyama a few more quick glances... and then it clicked.
Konoha's Ghost. Who even has a nickname like that? Normal people don't.
And the way he fought—he wasn't just crafty, he was downright twisted. Everyone knew he pulled every dirty trick in the book when he fought Hanzō. What sane person did that?
Yeah. This guy was a lunatic.
And wasn't he one of Orochimaru's disciples? That snake wouldn't take anyone normal as a student.
Kazuyama noticed the way Jūzō's gaze kept shifting and immediately snapped.
"Hey, you bastard, are you cursing me in your head?"
"I'll have you know, I've got great eyesight. I can see all your little expressions!"
Normally, Jūzō would've thrown something back—but he had just realized something important:
The man in front of him was insane.
And there's no reasoning with a lunatic.
"You're right."
"I shouldn't have insulted you."
The whole place fell silent at those simple words.
Kazuyama's jaw dropped. He didn't say a word for a good while.
Pakura and the three kids were just as stunned. Even the ANBU standing beside Jūzō Biwa were baffled.
What's going on with the captain???
"Wait, what? Say that again?"
"I shouldn't have insulted you. You were right about everything."
Kazuyama froze, staring at Jūzō's calm face, suddenly questioning his own reality.
And then it hit him.
Yeah—he got it!
What did he get?
That Jūzō had definitely been punished by the Mizukage for some battlefield failure... and the stress had split his personality!
There's no other explanation for this sudden switch. One second he was snarling, the next he was acting like a perfectly reasonable human being!
Split personality—it had to be that!
And with that terrifying thought in mind, Kazuyama immediately reined himself in.
If this guy snapped for real and started swinging that Kubikiribōchō around? Damn. That blade was no joke.
One look at the ANBU subtly stepping back in unison, and Kazuyama mentally slapped a label on Jūzō: certified maniac + schizophrenic.
"Whoa, whoa, Jūzō, that's just a joke!"
"My bad, totally my bad. How about we keep moving, yeah?"
Kazuyama quickly switched to a big, friendly grin—completely confirming Jūzō's own suspicions. The man immediately followed suit with equal politeness.
"Ah, Kazuyama, you're new around here. I didn't give you a proper welcome. Come on."
"Later, I'll treat you to some of our village's famous mist wine—tastes great."
The sudden shift was absolutely jarring.
Pakura, the three kids, and all the ANBU felt like their worldviews had just collapsed.
What the hell was going on???
How did these two suddenly start talking like old drinking buddies?
What were they missing here?
"Wow, so this is Kirigakure. Looks pretty good!"
"Really appreciate you showing us around, brother!"
"Hahaha!"
And just like that, the two "lunatics" kept chatting as they strolled side-by-side into the mist-shrouded village—leaving behind a trail of utterly confused spectators.