The Mizukage Is Strong But Overly Cautious

Mizuki Ryosuke—once known as Zhang Wei—was reborn from the Great Celestial Dynasty.

That's right!

Mizuki Ryosuke is one of the countless transmigrators.

He was reborn into the world of ninjas! Moreover, he was born into the Mizuki clan, a family in Kirigakure that possesses the rare Ice Release bloodline limit.

When Mizuki Ryosuke entered this world, Kirigakure was under the rule of the Second Mizukage. It was the end of the First Great Ninja War, just before the Second Mizukage's fall.

Thrown into the world of Naruto without any clue how or why, Mizuki Ryosuke had no way of returning to his original world.

Now, he has made up his mind—to live well under the name Mizuki.

The Law of Survival

From his past life, Mizuki Ryosuke had learned a fundamental truth:

If you want to live in peace, you must first learn to avoid danger.

And now, he had been reborn in one of the most dangerous places imaginable—the world of Naruto!

The thought alone sent a chill through him. The Senju and Uchiha clans wielded power on a "nuclear" level compared to the rest of the ninja world.

To the strong, crushing the weak was as easy as stepping on an insect.

Fortunately, although Mizuki Ryosuke did not awaken any overpowered ability (cheat skill), he was a true genius.

He could master any jutsu as long as he was taught.

Even if it was a forbidden technique or secret art—if he studied it a few times, he could grasp its essence.

However, despite his immense talent, Mizuki Ryosuke had never once revealed his abilities in Kirigakure.

The Reason?

There was only one—it was far too dangerous.

If he exposed his true potential, he would immediately be seen as an asset by both his family and Kirigakure, and they would push him to undergo harsh training.

And what would be the result?

First and foremost, the title of "peerless genius" would bring endless danger upon him.

For example:

• Political strife within the village

• Assassination attempts from enemy shinobi

• The attention of a certain perverted scientist (Orochimaru, anyone?)

• Countless other complications

At the same time, the supposed "benefits" of revealing his talent were nothing short of a death trap.

With intense training from Kirigakure, he might rise to become the head of the Mizuki clan… or even the Mizukage.

The mere thought of becoming Mizukage made Mizuki Ryosuke's mind go blank. Cold sweat dripped down his back.

Ninjas already lived in a high-risk profession.

A Kage? That was high-risk among high-risk.

Just look at history:

• Third Kazekage – Assassinated by a traitor from his own village.

• Fourth Kazekage – Murdered by Orochimaru.

• Fourth Hokage – Killed by Danzo's schemes and his own student.

Becoming a Kage didn't just mean fighting external enemies—

It meant constantly watching out for betrayal from within your own village, your apprentices, and ambitious figures plotting in the shadows.

Unless Mizuki Ryosuke possessed overwhelming power like Senju Hashirama, becoming a village leader was out of the question.

And to make matters worse…

This was Kirigakure.

The Blood Mist Village.

Historically, Mizukages had some of the worst survival rates—second only to the Kazekage.

Since the Third Mizukage, Kirigakure had fallen under the influence of Uchiha Madara.

The Fourth Mizukage? Completely controlled by Uchiha Obito, turned into nothing more than a puppet of war.

Since the battle at the Valley of the End, Madara had been orchestrating events from the shadows, planning for his own resurrection.

From what was revealed in the original story, Madara personally corrupted Obito, and Kirigakure became a tool in his grand scheme.

During Obito's transformation, Madara didn't just control Kirigakure's Anbu—

He even had command over the Three-Tails.

And let's not forget—tailed beasts were considered a village's equivalent of nuclear weapons.

Yet Madara easily mobilized the Three-Tails and had it sealed inside Nohara Rin, all while using Kirigakure's Anbu as his puppets.

This alone showed just how much power Madara had within Kirigakure.

The Smartest Choice? Lay Low.

If his talent caught Madara's attention, he could end up as nothing more than another pawn—or worse, a discarded piece.

Since the rule of the Third Mizukage, Kirigakure had begun its descent into the Blood Mist era.

The village was already in a state of chaos.

And it all started with the succession of the Third Mizukage.

......

The Third Mizukage – Mizuki Taki

That's right—the current Mizukage is also the patriarch of the Mizuki clan, an influential bloodline in Kirigakure.

In terms of lineage, he is still Mizuki Ryosuke's uncle, making their family ties relatively close.

Before his rise to power, Mizuki Taki served as the personal bodyguard of the First Mizukage, Byakuren, and later as the Anbu Commander under the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki. His strong personal relationships with both of his predecessors solidified his place within Kirigakure's political structure.

With such credentials, Mizuki Taki's succession to the title of Third Mizukage seemed inevitable.

However, despite what should have been a seamless transition, his rise to power was delayed by two full years after Gengetsu Hōzuki's death.

The Struggle for Power

Two major factors contributed to this delay:

1. Mizuki Taki's frail health – He had suffered from chronic illness since childhood, frequently requiring rest and medical attention.

2. The immense prestige of the Second Mizukage – Gengetsu Hōzuki was a legendary figure whose influence lingered long after his death, surpassing even that of Byakuren in certain aspects.

Because of Gengetsu's immense reputation, many of his most loyal followers refused to accept Mizuki Taki as their leader.

Even after Gengetsu's death, some of his diehard supporters outright rejected Mizuki Taki's authority, believing that he lacked the strength and leadership necessary to guide the village.

They adopted a stance of "following orders in name only," refusing to fully recognize him as Mizukage.

Among the factions resisting his rule, two were particularly powerful:

• The Kaguya clan, infamous for their Dead Bone Pulse (Shikotsumyaku) bloodline limit.

• The Hōzuki clan, the dominant family of Gengetsu's lineage, led by his direct descendants.

The Kaguya and Mizuki clans had a long history of enmity, their feud stretching back generations.

So when the Mizuki clan gained control of Kirigakure, the Kaguya naturally opposed them at every turn.

For these reasons, Mizuki Taki's ascension was delayed for two years, and even after he officially became the Third Mizukage, his influence remained limited.

The Decline of the Third Mizukage's Rule

It may have been precisely this instability within Kirigakure that caught the attention of Uchiha Madara, allowing him to seize control from the shadows and manipulate the village to his advantage.

Mizuki Taki's lack of authority and commanding presence resulted in the village's elite shinobi losing respect for him.

This led to widespread unrest, and Kirigakure was soon consumed by infighting.

For over a decade, the Mist Village has been in a state of continuous internal conflict.

Instead of recovering from the First Great Ninja War, the village's strength has only deteriorated further.

Objectively speaking, Kirigakure is in a state of crisis.

Externally, the other four Great Shinobi Villages have rebounded from the war's losses and are actively expanding their influence.

Internally, Kirigakure is fragmented, with multiple ninja clans constantly struggling for dominance.

Meanwhile, Mizuki Taki lacks the power to unite them, leaving the village to spiral further into chaos.

The Hidden Hand Controlling Kirigakure

Most alarming of all, a hidden force has ensnared Kirigakure in darkness.

From every possible angle, the best course of action is to remain unnoticed.

Just one word.

Survive.