Reborn in Konoha as the Anbu Torturer-Chapter 703: he Excited Third Mizukage

In Kirigakure.

His expression softened noticeably when the Third Mizukage received the intelligence that Konoha would have a new Hokage.

Six of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were still in the village, with only Zabuza Momochi having gone to Konoha.

"The new Hokage of Konoha is Minato Namikaze!"

As the Third Mizukage said this, his tone was like someone discovering they'd won a lottery. But it wasn't just an ordinary lottery win—it felt like he had known the winning numbers beforehand, placed all his bets on them, and hit the jackpot, having gone all-in with everything he had.

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This sensation was indescribably pleasant. Even though his eyes were blind, he could sense, through chakra perception, that those around him shared the same joyful feelings.

"Zabuza has made a significant contribution this time."

The Third Mizukage still recalled his conversation with Zabuza. The latter told him about his relationship with Minato Namikaze and the issues between Minato and the Third Tsuchikage.

During this time, Konoha's major scandal regarding the Third Hokage erupted.

It was a scandal and an astonishing revelation—Orochimaru and Danzo had come forward and publicly admitted to their past actions before the entire village. This event was bewildering to everyone in the ninja world.

At that time, no one knew the whole story. Still, Zabuza, before returning to Kirigakure, had gathered some critical information, realising the subtle rivalry between Minato Namikaze and the Third Hokage.

Konoha, known as the most peaceful village in the ninja world, was now facing internal conflict. No one would have believed that the Third Hokage was refusing to relinquish his position and that Minato Namikaze was poised to take over the mantle of leadership.

There was only one Hokage seat, and both of them wanted it. The old Hokage didn't want to step down, while the new one was eager to take over. This is what led to the current situation.

When the scandal broke, many in the ninja world were busy ridiculing and laughing at Konoha, but Kirigakure had already been prepared. Thanks to Zabuza's intelligence, they had long understood the dynamics and knew that Minato Namikaze would likely become Konoha's new Hokage.

Zabuza's information made them aware that Minato was already making moves against the Third Hokage.

The public exposure of the Third Hokage's misdeeds by Orochimaru and Danzo was no coincidence. It was clear that Minato Namikaze had orchestrated events from behind the scenes. Nothing like this had ever happened in the ninja world—not even in smaller villages, let alone in a town as historically significant as Konoha.

Minato's deliberate actions to undermine the Third Hokage could only explain this extraordinary situation.

Once they realised this, they knew Minato would inevitably become the next Hokage. There was no doubt in their minds. Now, with the official intelligence confirming that Minato would become the Fourth Hokage, everyone felt a sense of clarity and satisfaction, as if they had known all along.

"Zabuza must be close to reaching Konoha by now. He will likely be the first to arrive from any village and will represent Kirigakure in offering the first formal congratulations to Konoha's new Hokage. This marks the beginning of a very friendly relationship between Kirigakure and Konoha."

The Third Mizukage smiled faintly. After their previous discussions, he felt fully prepared for the current situation. For the first time since he had become Mizukage, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction, believing that this would be one of the most significant accomplishments of his leadership.

When the Third Mizukage first assumed power, he was limited by external influences, particularly the Elder, who had previously held significant control. Once he entirely took over, he had to deal with ongoing conflicts with Kumogakure, leaving him little time to triumph. Instead, he often felt like he was cleaning up the messes left by his predecessors.

But now, as he firmly held the reins of Kirigakure, he felt that forging a solid alliance with Konoha, led by Minato Namikaze, was his most meaningful accomplishment as Mizukage.

In the past, Kirigakure had relied on an uneasy alliance with Kumogakure, even though Kumogakure had been draining their resources. Kirigakure would have been vulnerable to attacks from other powerful villages without this alliance.

However, at this moment, Kirigakure was more isolated than ever, with no allies and the threat of future attacks from Kumogakure looming. The Third Mizukage knew that Kumogakure, having emerged from the Third Ninja War unscathed, would soon come after them again.

When evaluating possible alliances, the Mizukage saw that the distance from Sunagakure was too great for meaningful relations, and their deep enmity with Iwagakure, dating back to the deaths of the Second Mizukage and the Second Tsuchikage in battle, made peace impossible.

This left only Konoha as a potential ally.

Zabuza's intelligence and connection with Minato Namikaze opened the door for Kirigakure to form a new relationship with Konoha.

At this very moment, the Third Mizukage's excitement surpassed anything he had felt before—even rivalling the moment he became Mizukage.

Minato Namikaze becoming Hokage signalled the dawn of a new era for Konoha. This wasn't the same village it used to be. Under Minato's leadership, Konoha could reach new heights, much like in the era of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, who had dominated the ninja world.

The Third Mizukage understood the shifting dynamics of the ninja world. The older generation of Kage would soon give way to a new generation. He had already seen that many villages needed stronger successors to carry on the leadership.

Kumogakure, for instance, had only the Raikage's son, A, as a potential successor, but A still had a long way to go before matching the strength of the Third Raikage.

Iwagakure's future seemed even more uncertain. The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, had no clear successor in sight, and he didn't even know who would eventually take over.

In contrast, Konoha flourished, with talented young ninjas constantly emerging.

As for Kirigakure...

The Third Mizukage didn't want to speak of his village's situation. He hadn't been the ideal candidate for Mizukage; he had only taken the role out of necessity after the death of the previous Mizukage when no one else could step up.

For years, Kirigakure had been controlled by an elder from the Land of Water, and the Third Mizukage had been preoccupied with cleaning up the messes left behind by his predecessors.

But now, he saw a new opportunity—an alliance with Konoha under Minato's leadership. This could lead Kirigakure to a brighter future, free from the shadow of Kumogakure's dominance.

"If we can establish friendly relations with Konoha, Kumogakure will no longer dare to bully us so easily," the Third Mizukage thought, hopeful for the future.

With this alliance, Kirigakure would finally have the chance to regain its strength and restore its position in the ninja world.

...

"I trust Zabuza will complete his mission successfully," the Third Mizukage declared, filled with optimism.