The Mizukage Is Strong But Overly Cautious

Shore of the Lake of Fog

The battlefield had been clearly divided into two fronts.

At the periphery, Mist's Jōnin and Anbu clashed, yet their engagements were more tactical than deadly. Unlike the blood-soaked history of Kirigakure's Bloody Mist, these combatants exhibited restraint. Surrender was accepted, prisoners were bound but unharmed, and the fights rarely escalated beyond decisive exchanges. The battle here was pragmatic; even in war, the shinobi of Kirigakure understood survival.

Their real conflict wasn't personal—it was dictated by political allegiance. The Anbu elite, Mizukage's personal guard, and the radicals willing to die for their cause were the exceptions. Otherwise, these were comrades who once shared the same village, only divided by the decisions of their superiors.

Unlike the peripheral skirmishes, the true carnage raged at the heart of the battlefield.

Within a five-kilometer radius of the central clash, the land itself had been ravaged beyond recognition. Trees were splintered, the soil was overturned, and shattered ice littered the ground, mingling with severed limbs and pools of blood. This was the battleground of the Mizuki Clan and the Kaguya Clan—a war of bloodline limits, Hereditarily Inherited Jutsu clashing in a relentless struggle.

The Kaguya were as they had always been—berserkers wielding the terrifying power of Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse), their bodies producing bone weapons at will. Their destructive force, reminiscent of Kimimaro's legendary prowess, had reached its peak, reducing everything around them to a wasteland.

In stark contrast, the Mizuki clan fought with ice-cold precision. Trained in the advanced use of Hyōton (Ice Release), they defended with composure, countered with lethal efficiency, and waited for the perfect moment to strike.

A battlefield of two extremes.

At the very heart of this chaos, Mizuki Hidero and his father, the Mizuki Clan's Chief Elder, engaged in a fateful duel against Teru Yoruichiro, the leader of the Teru Yoruichi clan—a master of Shikotsumyaku who had honed its power beyond even the feared Kaguya elites.

Teru Yoruichiro, possessing the raw might of Kimimaro's most advanced techniques, overwhelmed his opponents in close quarters. The Eight Inner Gates, an advanced taijutsu technique few could master, fueled his movements. His attacks came at a speed nearly impossible to react to. Against him, the aging Elder Mizuki struggled to maintain dominance, while Mizuki Hidero, though formidable, had yet to reach his full potential.

Despite their combined efforts, Teru Yoruichiro had the advantage.

The Great Elder knew that unless they acted now, they wouldn't have another chance.

"Huff… Huff…" The Elder panted, his old body showing signs of strain. He turned to his son.

"Hidero… don't hold back." His voice was calm but resolute. "Victory or defeat… will be decided in one strike."

The younger Mizuki nodded, his expression set. He knew this would be their last stand.

The two shinobi moved in perfect synchronization, their hands forming intricate seals at near-invisible speed. Teru Yoruichiro narrowed his eyes. This was different from their earlier attacks.

In an instant, hundreds of crystalline ice mirrors materialized around him, a shimmering dome of Hyōton chakra.

Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors.

Teru Yoruichiro scoffed. "Again? That won't work."

He had already dismantled this technique earlier. His body blurred as his Shikotsumyaku-enhanced bones lashed out, fracturing several of the mirrors in an instant.

But something was off.

Even as he shattered them, the remaining ice mirrors remained active, and the Mizuki duo inside continued forming seals.

A sliver of unease crept into Teru Yoruichiro's mind.

Then he felt it—a sudden, overwhelming surge of Hyōton chakra.

The shattered ice mirrors reformed instantly, this time brimming with lethal energy.

"…This isn't just Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors," he realized.

The Great Elder and Hidero finished their seals.

"Hyōton: Reiryoku Hyōsō (Ice Release: Crystal Cataclysm)."

A deafening explosion followed.

The mirrors burst apart, sending razor-sharp shards of chakra-infused ice in every direction. A frigid storm engulfed the battlefield, reducing everything caught in it to frozen ruin.

A killing technique, unlike the traditional mirrors, designed to trap, crush, and annihilate.

But Teru Yoruichiro had already activated his trump card.

Sawarabi no Mai (Dance of the Seedling Ferns).

Massive bone spires erupted from his body, stretching out in a twisted forest of skeletal spears. Each bone moved independently, controlled by his will, shielding him from the blizzard of ice. It was the very technique that once made Kimimaro a near-unstoppable force.

Yet, even Shikotsumyaku had limits.

As ice and bone clashed, Teru Yoruichiro's defenses began to fracture. His once-unbreakable bones splintered under the relentless cold, cracks forming along their once-impervious surfaces.

Realizing that staying defensive would only lead to his demise, he made his move.

With a burst of speed, Teru Yoruichiro shot forward, maneuvering through the blizzard toward a single target.

The Elder Mizuki.

His sharp bones impaled the old man's chest before he could react.

The battlefield stilled.

Then the Elder… smiled.

At that moment, Teru Yoruichiro felt a presence behind him.

"…Too late."

Sharp ice pierced through his chest.

Mizuki Hidero had struck.

Blood dripped from Teru Yoruichiro's lips, but instead of pain, he smiled too.

"…I see." His voice was calm, accepting. "This was your plan all along."

The Great Elder had sacrificed himself to create an opening for his son.

A lesson passed down in war—those who know their enemy best are often their greatest rivals.

The two leaders of opposing bloodlines shared a moment of silent understanding.

With mutual respect, they closed their eyes for the last time.

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