The Mizukage Is Strong But Overly Cautious

"You're playing me for a fool!"

At this moment, Yagura could no longer hold back.

For the past four hours, he had considered every possible scenario. Did Maeda know about the coup attempt against the Third Mizukage? If he did, had he come alone in the dead of night to surrender or to dissuade him?

Yagura had no choice but to test the old man's intentions, probing carefully with each move. Yet no matter what he asked, Maeda either remained silent or redirected the conversation back to their ongoing shogi match.

Now, four hours later, without uttering a single word about the coup, Maeda was preparing to leave—as if this entire meeting had been nothing more than a casual game of chess.

Was this his way of humiliating me?!

Yagura clenched his fists as anger surged through him. Just then, Maeda's expression changed. The previously calm and reserved elder of the village suddenly exuded a terrifying presence, his aura shifting into something akin to a reanimated corpse—unshaken, unrelenting, and steeped in authority.

It reminded Yagura of the intensity of the Mizukage's own pressure.

Maeda was no mere bystander. He was the third most powerful figure in Kirigakure, after the Mizukage and the leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

"I assumed you understood," Maeda said, his voice now carrying an icy edge. "I didn't expect your comprehension to be this poor."

"What?" Yagura narrowed his eyes. What am I supposed to understand?

"You've gone too far."

That simple statement struck Yagura like a kunai to the chest.

So, he really does know!

For a moment, Yagura prepared to strike first, but before he could move, Maeda spoke again, his zombie-like face showing something akin to reluctant pity.

"No matter how much the Third Mizukage has weakened, he is still the Mizukage," Maeda said solemnly. "You have repeatedly contradicted him in public, making things difficult for me."

"I hope you'll restrain yourself."

Yagura froze.

"You… don't know?" he blurted out in disbelief.

Maeda raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. It was the perfect mask of confusion, as if he genuinely had no idea what Yagura was referring to.

His flawless performance completely threw Yagura off.

"…Fine," Yagura finally said, forcing himself to appear indifferent. "I understand."

But inside, his hatred burned.

This decrepit old relic… to make me waste four hours just to say this?

Just wait. Once the Third Mizukage is dead, I'll deal with you next!

Though Yagura's expression remained calm, his inner fury roared.

"Good," Maeda said with a faint, satisfied smile. "Then I'll take my leave."

"Squad Leader Maeda, take care," Yagura replied stiffly. "Forgive me for not seeing you out."

Maeda, unfazed, walked out of the Anbu building at a measured pace. His every movement remained composed and deliberate, as if he had merely stopped by for a routine discussion rather than stepped into the den of a would-be usurper.

But the moment he left the Anbu building, his pace subtly quickened, his hands tightening at his sides. A hint of tension—perhaps even fear—flickered across his usually impassive face. Only when he was safely outside the compound did he finally slow down again.

"Squad Leader Maeda, you've worked hard."

Mizuki Ryosuke had been waiting for him. He stood beneath the fading night sky, his piercing gaze locked onto Maeda.

He wasn't waiting out of mere courtesy. He needed to confirm the outcome of the plan as quickly as possible.

"…Thank you for the script you gave me," Maeda said after a brief pause. There was an unmistakable trace of admiration in his voice.

Ryosuke had predicted Yagura's every reaction with terrifying accuracy. Before entering the Anbu building, Maeda had received precise instructions on how to act, what to say, even how to modulate his expressions.

It was as if he had been performing a perfectly choreographed play—one where he was merely the actor, and Mizuki Ryosuke was the director.

Not a single detail had been left to chance. Every pause, every vague answer, every deflection about shogi had been planned by Ryosuke in advance.

And Yagura had fallen for it completely.

Of course, Ryosuke simply waved off Maeda's praise. "Where, where. Squad Leader Maeda performed excellently."

Maeda snorted. He knew better. He was no natural actor—if not for Ryosuke's meticulous planning, he would have slipped up a dozen times over.

"But," Maeda continued, "I noticed something during my time there. There were more Anbu stationed in the building than usual." His expression darkened slightly. "It seems Yagura has already begun to move."

Ryosuke showed no signs of alarm. "That's fine. The Mizukage has already made his preparations."

The young strategist turned his gaze toward the horizon.

There, beyond the misty rooftops of Kirigakure, the first light of dawn was beginning to break through the night sky.

A golden hue stretched across the village, heralding the arrival of a new day.

Today, the fate of Kirigakure will take an irreversible turn.

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