MTLNOVEL Chapter 6: CHAPTER 6
"You must be hungry, Ryosuke. Come and eat."
After confirming that Mizuki Ryosuke was safe, Mizuki Lian took his hand and led him to the table.
The meal before them was a traditional Japanese dinner, prepared with care, yet Ryosuke didn't hesitate—he immediately picked up his chopsticks and began eating.
During the meal, the two sat together in a way that might have seemed, to an outsider, like a newlywed couple.
After dinner, Mizuki Lian left his home, as was their unspoken routine.
Even though both of them insisted that their relationship was purely that of siblings, some things still had to be avoided in the eyes of others.
Once she was gone, Ryosuke wasted no time.
His training resumed, night after night.
The recent events had stirred something within him—a sense of urgency. He could no longer afford to be complacent.
Kirigakure – The Mist Village
In an unassuming, concrete structure hidden away in the shadows of Kirigakure, a scene was unfolding.
The building looked ordinary from the outside, but within, it was something else entirely—
This was Kirigakure's Anbu headquarters.
Inside, a thin, battle-scarred shinobi sat in a chair, his fingers tapping against the wooden armrest.
His face bore the kind of scar only a veteran of countless, merciless battles could carry.
A masked Anbu agent kneeled before him, delivering his report.
As the words left the Anbu's mouth, the man's expression darkened with every passing sentence.
Then—
"A bunch of worthless fools!"
His voice cut through the dimly lit room like a kunai through flesh.
"Because of this failure, that old relic, Mizuki Taki, has been alerted!"
His eyes gleamed with murderous intent, his bloodlust rolling off him in waves.
"Lord Yagura, I have already ordered the remaining Iwa-nin to go into hiding," the Anbu ninja said hastily, his posture lowering in apology. "There will be no further leaks."
The man seated before him—Yagura Karatachi—was no ordinary shinobi.
The Anbu Commander of Kirigakure.
A man who, in another timeline, would rise to become the Fourth Mizukage and the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails, Isobu.
Yagura's grip on the armrest tightened, but after a moment, he scoffed.
"Hmph."
He leaned forward, his cold gaze pinning the Anbu in place.
"This is your last chance."
His voice was quiet, yet the sheer menace behind it made the experienced Anbu shudder involuntarily.
"Understood!" The ninja bowed deeply, his voice unwavering.
Yagura exhaled, the tension momentarily easing.
"…What about Kaguya?" he asked, his tone shifting. His eyes gleamed with a calculated, hidden malice.
"No need for concern, my lord," the Anbu agent replied swiftly.
"The Kaguya Clan has fully accepted the offer we presented. They believe our promises without question."
"If you give the order, they will riot immediately."
Yagura chuckled.
A slow, dark, knowing chuckle.
"Kaguya…" he murmured, shaking his head in amusement.
"Just a clan of muscle-headed fools who rely too much on their bloodline."
His fingers drummed against the chair's armrest.
"And what of Mizuki Ryosuke?" the Anbu agent asked carefully.
Yagura dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
"He's insignificant. A mere child. We have more important matters."
His focus remained on his true target—Mizuki Taki.
Once Taki was eliminated, the seat of the Mizukage would be his.
And in his mind's eye, he could already see himself seated upon the throne of Kirigakure.
Just as he was basking in his ambitions—
Something shifted.
Yagura's pupils contracted violently, and his expression went eerily blank.
Then—
His irises changed.
His natural light orange eyes darkened into a deep, crimson red.
And in them, three rotating tomoe formed a perfect Sharingan.
For the first time in the history of Kirigakure—
The leader of the Anbu was placed under a Genjutsu.
If any Konoha shinobi had been there, they would have recognized it immediately.
This was no ordinary illusion.
This was a high-level Genjutsu of the Uchiha clan.
And it came from someone who stood at the very peak of the shinobi world.
The Next Day – The Mizukage Building
The elite of Kirigakure had assembled in the towering Mizukage Building.
Today was the monthly Jōnin meeting.
Every Jōnin of Kirigakure had been summoned.
These weren't just any shinobi—they were the backbone of the Mist Village.
Even across the entire Hidden Mist, the total number of Jōnin barely exceeded 300.
But these were not ordinary warriors.
Even a squad of twenty Jōnin could annihilate a small nation.
If a mere twenty Jōnin could challenge a Kage…
What could three hundred accomplish?
That was the true strength of Kirigakure's elite.
Despite their power, only a fraction of the Jōnin attended these meetings.
Most were occupied with high-priority missions—assassinations, border skirmishes, and intelligence-gathering operations.
The Jōnin meeting wasn't just a strategic discussion.
It also served a crucial function—
The promotion of new Jōnin.
A shinobi's promotion to Jōnin rank wasn't a simple affair.
It required the approval of the Mizukage, the Jōnin Commander, and a consensus from the existing Jōnin ranks.
Most future Kage candidates emerged from either the Jōnin Commander or the Anbu Commander's ranks.
In essence—
The future of Kirigakure was forged in these very meetings.
And today—
Among the gathered warriors, one unfamiliar face stood out.
Mizuki Ryosuke.
As he stepped into the grand hall, the room fell silent for a moment.
Many Jōnin glanced in his direction, their gazes sharp, evaluating.
But soon, they understood what his presence meant.
There were only two reasons a shinobi attended the Jōnin meeting:
1. They were already Jōnin.
2. They were about to become Jōnin.
And today—
Mizuki Ryosuke was here for the latter.
This was his moment.
His Jōnin promotion trial was about to begin.