Corruption.
I thought of the dirty word; its almost symbiotic relationship with bureaucracy, power and order was nothing more than parasitic and yet…a part of me believed— hoped— it would heed my commands and enter a state of nonexistence for the very sake that I am…well, special.
I am Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage. But I was also Jason—a man whose past life sharpened me like a blade against my enemies in this one. I was two minds in one body, a man with knowledge that should have remained buried in another world. And because of that, I was more powerful than I could've ever been.
But…in a sense, that is a corruption of its own. Seated behind my desk I saw myself in the third person, a hypocrite indulging in a false reality of my own making. Just as my existence corrupted this world, tilted the scales of blood, war and coin in my favour I swallowed the hard pill that several others, enemies, allies, friends and subordinates were just as I am.
Corrupt.
I released a sigh, shaking my head as I flipped to the next page of Eiko's written interrogation reports. The Demon-Masked man stood before me with a peppy energy about him. His report was detailed and its source— an expertly tortured Yuuta Kenshin— was forthcoming of the many secrets his corruption bore.
"Kurohane, you've already gotten an advance copy of this, haven't you?" I asked the ANBU operative standing statuesque beside Eiko.
"Yes sir, we have already confirmed some of the information Eiko has provided. Yuuta Kenshin's associates and their daily routes are being charted as we speak." Kurohane stoically answered.
I nodded along and flipped back to a previous page, "And what of these…hidden entrances? Says here that they were dug and maintained by some among the Poison Mist clan, has anyone of interest used those entrances yet?"
"Over the past week, since Yuuta's capture, there hasn't been any movement that would confirm beyond a doubt that his associates are working with the enemy or that the Poison Mist is accomplice to the fact." Kurohane said.
Eiko quickly went on to add, "Yes, that's true but usually when an operative is set to carry out a mission like Yuuta's, one that can lead to discovery, the others tend to lie low until things calm down for certain or…" He glanced at his fellow masked shinobi.
Reluctantly, Kurohane completed the thought, "...Or more arrests have been made. To that end we've compiled a list of Yuuta's associates we'd like to pick up for further interrogations. His accounts of his betrayal are broad and vague, Kumogakure has done good work but they'd have made a mistake among one of these."
I hummed as Kurohane handed me yet another scroll, "Relying or expecting the enemy to make a mistake is a mistake in and of itself, Kurohane, but I can forgive it this time." I let Eiko's report fall as I rested my back and unraveled the new scroll, "We're grasping at straws here after all."
Despite what felt like overwhelming proof of their meddling, none of this would stand up as something Kumogakure couldn't deny or forfeit as the actions of rogue, solo acting extremists. And the moment we presented such flimsy proofs to them they'd know just how much— or rather, how little we knew and double down on their low profile spies.
We need something to pin them with now, something that will lead to— "What's this? Hisako Yuki?" I looked between them, bewildered about what her name would be doing on this list after everything that had transpired, "What does she have to do with this? Did Yuuta name her specifically or is this just some last attempt at manipulation?"
Eiko seemed to have nothing to say, his head turned to Kurohane, just as expectant of an explanation as I was. The stoic ANBU shook his head, "This is no manipulation sir, Yuuta Kenshin did not name Hisako in his confessions but upon investigating the warrant of his claims and the associates he outed to us, we discovered that Hisako has been in regular contact with a number of them. It can't be a coincidence."
I blinked and sat up, my already present headache rearing up for a stronger round of pangs, "Are you saying what I think?"
Kurohane didn't hesitate, "Hisako Yuki may have personally reached out to Yuuta's associates, we believe, given her history of acting undercover, hiding her true beliefs and her outskirt ideology…that experience may have led to the discovery of multiple enemy village spies."
"Who she then began courting…" Eiko completed the thought, a tinge of excitement and wonder staining his voice. He chuckled, "That would make sense. I wondered what she'd do after what happened to her teacher."
I groaned. Hisako Yuki…frankly I hadn't thought about her in months. Ever since I'd settled the chaos surrounding the attacks her teacher, Shizu Yuki, put her up to. I thought saddling her with the Funato clan's oppressive environment would discourage any more rebellious ideas but it seems that she may have been a lost cause right from the moment Shizu was executed.
At my command. I swallowed the truth thickly and faced Kirigakure's current reality with a deep exhale, "Tell me how complicit the Poison Mist clan are, I need to know if we have another Yuki incident brewing."
At this Eiko jumped to speak before Kurohane could get a word in, "Uh, I should clarify that yes, the entrances Yuuta confessed to are situated around the Poison Mist compounds but…are there any clan members tangled up in its creation or maintenance? No, Yuuta, couldn't name any member of the Poison Mist even when I went ahead with the assumption that they were involved."
Kurohane scoffed, "The informant's ignorance doesn't exonerate the Poison Mist from suspicion, Eiko. I read the same report and I find it curious how any secret entrance into the village exists so closely to their compound." My ANBU operative turned to me, a certainty in his voice, "Someone has been bought, turned or coerced, Mizukage-sama."
I had a look at the list again and saw an absence of Poison Mist clan names, I raised a brow to Kurohane and he answered the unspoken question without prompt, "We don't have any suspects at this time, sir. But there is a need for closer investigations, we're hoping once the Kumo's spy network determines things have cooled down enough, they'll begin using the entrances again. We'll catch them in the act, sir."
I nodded, "Them, sure, but what about the Poison Mist? Low caste they may be but I can't afford any clan infighting, especially not now, I am trying to change things for the better."
Kurohane didn't have an answer that could satisfy me and so he merely bowed his head in shame. I sighed, crossed my fingers and eyed the two of them.
"Just so I've understood this all, there is an active spy network within the village seeking to destabilise and sabotage us. Hisako Yuki may have already contacted them and sold whatever secrets she may be privy to living in the Funato compounds and could well be working with them against us. And there are possibly several hidden entrances into the village, one of which is right under the noses of the Poison Mist clan and none seem to be aware or complicit in this fact…did I get all that right?"
Eiko stepped forward, "Uh, there's one more thing. A far-fetched theory but…" he swallowed under my gaze, "Okay, I think some of these entrances may have been created around low caste clans specifically because…well, they number the greatest in terms of discontent and disgruntled."
"What?" I squinted.
"There's this theory, underground, black stuff major clans wouldn't care or hear about. Some abused low caste shinobi sell their identities, their places in their clans for a…better life outside Kirigakure. I'm thinking some of these deals may have included or even hinged on—"
"Building secret entrances into the village." My fists clenched to white as I seethed. "How long has this…theory existed, Eiko?"
He shrugged, "I learned about it when I was a Genin."
I shut my eyes and inhaled. That was well past my time and fully cemented in the Third Mizukage's early reign, a time known well as— the birth of the Blood Mist. "Kurohane, do you know anything about this?"
The ANBU operative fidgetted but ultimately nodded, "There have always been unverifiable rumours."
I scoffed, almost laughing. "I'm sure back then, no one thought such in-depth investigations were necessary. As long as the low-caste clans were there to serve, there was no need to record them, watch them, or account for them in detail."
I shook my head. A whole year as Kage, and still, the village was seen as a place to escape—a place to run from rather than build a future in. The realization sat heavy in my chest, a weight I couldn't shake. It made sense now why Yuuta sent his family away. Not out of fear of repercussions—but out of hope. Not for himself, but for them.
His sacrifice will be their prosperity.
As I savoured the taste of incompetence in my mouth a knock came at the door before it opened, Mangetsu peeked in eyes darting between the two masked shinobi standing in the file cluttered office before landing on my brooding form, "Elite Jounin Mei Terumi and subordinate have returned to report on their mission, Master."
"What? Mei shouldn't be back yet." My mood twisted, the disillusionment I felt with the system dissolved in the nervous excitement at her return but confusion quickly drowned it out. Mei had at least two more weeks before I expected her back, something had gone awry. "Eiko, Kurohane, we'll continue this discussion later and…hold off on picking up Hisako Yuki, I'll need to confer her activities with Lord Funato first, bring in the others."
""Yes, sir!""
The two excused themselves, leaving me alone with the weight of their terrible news. I took a slow breath, forcing the tension from my shoulders, pushing the grim thoughts aside. By the time Mei walked in with her subordinate, I had already schooled my expression into something both welcoming and Kage-appropriate.
"Mei! You're back sooner than…" the look on face was anything but glad to see me, "What happened?"