"Kirigakure… staying inside the village?"
The moment the Third Mizukage said this Yagura and the rest of the Mist-nin were taken aback, secretly clicking their tongues when they heard the Third Mizukage declare that Kirigakure should isolate itself.
Kirigakure and the Land of Water already occupied a remote corner on the map of the shinobi world.
Unless there was some S-rank mission, they rarely ever appeared in the mainland.
If they sealed the village now, that would practically be the same as shutting off the village and shutting off the nation.
"Mizukage-sama, but if we do that… would Kirigakure still count as one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages?"
Overwhelmed, Yagura couldn't stop himself from shouting outright.
Aside from Mei, who seemed lost in thought, the rest of the Mist-nin all wore expressions of disbelief.
Because of its geography, Kirigakure already had the weakest presence among the Five Great Villages.
If they sealed themselves off and a decade or two passed, the shinobi world might completely forget that the Mist Village existed at all.
It wasn't just Yagura who couldn't accept it, nearly every Mist-nin resisted the idea.
"You are truly… talented.
Those years of training by Byakuren and Gengetsu weren't wasted. Not like Hashirama and Tobirama, who somehow raised four utterly useless disappointments."
Garp couldn't help giving the Third Mizukage a sidelong glance.
Unlike Yagura and the others who were shouting in panic, Garp felt only admiration after hearing the last piece of advice the Third Mizukage left behind.
He had witnessed shadows from two different eras of the shinobi world, the vision, the breadth of mind, the perspective were simply on another level.
At this moment, he couldn't help thinking of Konoha's council.
Those four were also witnesses of two eras, yet their vision, scope, tolerance, and ability were all below bronze, reduced-iron tier.
Any Kage who had lived through a change of eras was without exception a remarkable figure.
Third Mizukage, Second Mizukage Hozuki Gengetsu, Second Tsuchikage Mu, Third Tsuchikage Onoki… but there were always a few exceptions.
And Konoha's high council managed to embody all of those exceptions on their own.
"I've said everything, the things I should say and the things I shouldn't. Whether you adopt them or not is entirely up to you.
Kirigakure's path, the future of the Mist-nin, it all depends on your one decision.
Right now, what you should be doing is not doubting me, but taking everyone… and returning to the village."
Seeing how Yagura and nearly every Mist-nin looked like they wanted to resist, the Third Mizukage felt his heart sink.
In that instant, he seemed to see the tragic future awaiting Kirigakure. Yet remembering he was already half-dead, he could only give a bitter smile.
But just as he gave up hope on Kirigakure's future, a certain face entered the edge of his vision.
"Kirigakure… is full of fools. But there's still a sliver of hope. Not much, but a sliver."
The Third Mizukage's gaze slid toward Mei, the promising double–bloodline Mist-nin he had always held in high regard, and seeing no resistance or agitation on her face, only contemplation, his previously hopeless heart flickered with faint light.
"Yes.."
Yagura and the others' excited expressions instantly froze.
Only now did he truly realize that Kirigakure's desperate survival had been bought with the Third Mizukage's life.
Just like when Madara once hurled a Tailed Beast Bomb equivalent attack toward the Land of Water, and it was Byakuren who held it up… and paid with his life.
"Sorry to let you see this joke, Lord Garp."
Watching Yagura and the others leave the battlefield, the Third Mizukage, now the only Mist-nin remaining, gave Garp a self-deprecating smile.
"It is a joke, but not on you, Third Mizukage. I'm laughing at the Third Hokage.
If Hiruzen had even half your means and vision today, perhaps there wouldn't even be a concept of the Five Great Nations or Five Great Shinobi Villages anymore.
…Tobirama, that guy, even if he had to swallow his pride, he would've begged me to come out of retirement to wipe the other four villages off the map entirely."
Garp shook his head slightly, saying something that made the Third Mizukage feel suffocated.
"Hahahaha…. Then the rest of us villages and Kage really should thank the Third Hokage for 'sparing' us…"
Thoughts flashed through the Third Mizukage's mind one after another, and it seemed he finally understood some things he'd never been able to figure out before.
His expression no longer held the calm depth he showed earlier, instead, he looked helplessly amused.
"..."
Unlike the Third Mizukage, who appeared half relieved, half grateful, Tsunade and Orochimaru, the two students of Hiruzen, lowered their heads in shame.
In the past, as disciples of the "Strongest Hokage" they had been quite proud.
But ever since Garp emerged and broadened their horizons again and again, showing them how vast the shinobi world could truly be, shame was all they felt.
"Go to the Pure Land and thank the Senju brothers.
Those two fools amazed me endlessly in training, battle, and creation of jutsu… but when it came to nurturing the next generation, they were so bad I could barely stand to look."
Garp's joking words caused the air across the entire battlefield to turn suffocatingly heavy.
"Thank you, Lord Garp, for granting my wish."
All traces of relief and joy faded from the Third Mizukage's eyes. His expression returned to the still calmness from before.
He knew Garp's fist had already given him more than enough time.
Not only had he been allowed to leave final instructions for Yagura, but before his death, he was able to let the entire shinobi world re-evaluate their understanding of its Mizukage.
He would not go to the Pure Land to accompany Byakuren carrying Kirigakure's shame and scorn, nor would he go down in history as plain, unimpressive, or "the one Mizukage who was just there to fill numbers."
......
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