The closer they got to Kirigakure, the heavier the murderous atmosphere became.
The already damp and chilly air gradually mixed with a faint metallic smell.
It was the distinctive scent of dried blood.
Signs of battle began appearing along the way.
Trees had been violently destroyed, the ground was scorched black, and broken kunai and shuriken littered the area.
Occasionally, they even came across corpses that had not yet been cleared away, dressed either in Kirigakure shinobi uniforms or civilian clothing, silently telling of the brutal clashes that had taken place.
Terumi Mei's heart sank deeper and deeper, yet her speed only increased, her emerald eyes filled with bloodshot veins and anxiety.
Chiya remained silent as he followed behind her, his face hidden beneath his cloak and completely calm.
Only his deep eyes remained active, calmly observing everything along the way while rapidly processing and analyzing the information.
More than ten miles from Kirigakure, the sounds of intense fighting and explosions could already be heard faintly, like muffled thunder rolling across the sky.
They could even feel slight tremors coming from the ground beneath their feet.
"The fighting has already started! It's coming from the direction of the village!"
Terumi Mei's voice trembled as she suddenly stopped and looked toward the source of the sounds, where even the sky seemed to have been dyed an ominous dark red.
"It's not just the Kaguya Clan."
Chiya spoke calmly, his senses far sharper than Terumi Mei's.
"The chakra is chaotic. There are at least three different Bloodline Limit users fighting, along with the chakra of a large number of ordinary shinobi... The scale is considerable."
"What? Other Bloodline Limit clans are involved too?"
Terumi Mei turned toward Chiya in shock.
The Kaguya Clan's rebellion was already bad enough.
If other Bloodline Limit clans had become involved as well, that meant Kirigakure's internal conflict had completely erupted.
This was no longer a rebellion by a single clan, but an explosion of grievances that had been suppressed for a long time.
"Go that way."
Chiya did not explain further.
He changed direction and headed toward a secluded waterway outside Kirigakure.
Kirigakure was surrounded by water, with countless hidden and open waterways leading into the village.
It was the best route for infiltration.
The two of them avoided the likely main battlefield and sped along a narrow river channel shrouded in mist.
Scattered debris floated on the river, along with indistinct dark-red fibrous substances.
The closer they got to the village's distinctive massive gate constructed from enormous rocks and steel, the more intense the smell of blood and the chaotic chakra fluctuations became.
The gate was tightly shut and covered in traces of battle.
Clearly, a frontal assault would not solve the current problem.
Chiya led Terumi Mei around to a relatively secluded section of the village wall.
It was near an abandoned pier, where security was comparatively weak.
Even so, a few Kirigakure ANBU were still stationed on the wall.
"Stay close to me."
Chiya spoke softly.
The next moment, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan appeared in his eyes again, and his figure swept up the wall like a ghost.
The two Kirigakure ANBU on the wall only caught a vague glimpse of something flashing past their eyes.
Their minds became hazy for a moment.
When they recovered, they only felt as though they had been spacing out for a while.
They looked around warily but found nothing.
At close range, Chiya's genjutsu was remarkably effective against these guards, who were not elite combatants.
After successfully infiltrating the village, the sight before them made even Terumi Mei, who had experienced plenty of turmoil, gasp in shock and freeze in place, her face turning deathly pale.
Was this really the Kirigakure she remembered?
The once relatively orderly streets were now filled with craters.
Many of the buildings on both sides had collapsed or were still burning, while thick smoke billowed into the air.
The pungent smell of gunpowder mixed with the heavy stench of blood, almost enough to make one vomit.
Corpses could be seen everywhere along the streets, beneath the eaves, and beside the drainage ditches.
There were ordinary villagers and shinobi from Kirigakure's regular forces, but even more numerous were the unmistakable Bloodline Limit users.
The most conspicuous were naturally the lunatics of the Kaguya Clan.
They roared like beasts, their skin pale and their eyes blood-red.
Their bones pierced through their flesh, forming grotesque spikes and blades as they crazily attacked every living being that was not one of their own.
Their fighting style had no rules whatsoever.
There was only the most primitive and violent assault, often exchanging injuries for their enemies' lives as they fought like madmen.
"The Shikotsumyaku... Those battle-crazed maniacs..."
Terumi Mei's teeth trembled.
But the Kaguya Clan was not the only one.
Not far away, several members of the Yuki Clan joined forces to use Ice Release.
Enormous icicles and freezing mist forced a squad of Kirigakure ANBU to retreat repeatedly, instantly turning the street into a frozen hell.
In another alley, scorching heat and flames could be faintly seen.
Farther away, she could even see shinobi using Lava Release, dissolving defensive fortifications and the bodies of shinobi with highly corrosive liquid.
There were also other shinobi whose names she could not identify but who clearly possessed Bloodline Limits.
Some fought against Kirigakure's regular forces.
Others fought against Bloodline Limit clans.
The entire village had completely descended into indiscriminate bloodshed and chaos.
"How could this... How could this happen..."
Terumi Mei muttered, her body trembling slightly.
"It's not just the Kaguya Clan... The Yuki Clan, and other clans too... They all rebelled?"
The scene before her far exceeded her worst expectations.
This was no longer a simple rebellion.
It was a bloody purge aimed at the existing order of Kirigakure, especially the policies that discriminated against Bloodline Limit users.
For a long time, the higher-ups of Kirigakure, particularly the elders and some conservative factions, had always been wary of, suppressed, and even purged Bloodline Limit clans.
Now, with the disappearance of the Third Mizukage and the resulting power vacuum, all those accumulated grievances had completely erupted.
"It seems the consequences of your village's policies are even more severe than I imagined."
Chiya's calm voice sounded beside her, carrying a trace of cold insight.
"Extreme suppression and discrimination will eventually invite backlash.
These Bloodline Limit clans are not simply rebelling.
They are fighting for the space they need to survive, or rather... they are seeking revenge."
His gaze swept across the battlefield as he analyzed the situation.
"Kirigakure's regular forces and elite ANBU have the advantage in numbers and are well trained.
But they are fighting without unified command, and they are at a disadvantage against multiple strange and powerful Bloodline Limits.
As for the Bloodline clans, their individual strength is formidable, but they lack organization.
They are fighting independently, and some are even clashing with one another...
Chaos is the main theme here."
Just then, an especially violent explosion came from the direction of the Mizukage Building in the center of the village, accompanied by an arrogant roar.
"Hahaha! Kill! Kill all those bastards who reject us! Kirigakure belongs to Bloodline Limit shinobi!"
It was the voice of the Kaguya Clan's leader.
They had actually already begun attacking the village's central seat of power.
Terumi Mei suddenly came to her senses, determination flashing through her eyes.
"No! I can't just stand by and watch the village be destroyed like this! I have to stop them!"
Chakra surged through her body as she prepared to charge into the chaotic battlefield ahead.
But Chiya reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.
The force was not great, yet she could not break free.
"Calm down, Terumi Mei. What can you accomplish by charging in right now?
With your current identity and strength, you'll only be dragged into the chaos and become a target for everyone.
Neither the shinobi loyal to the village nor the rebelling Bloodline clans will listen to you."
"But..."
Terumi Mei's eyes reddened with anxiety.
"To calm this chaos, we need strength, timing, and... a target."
Chiya's gaze shifted toward the Mizukage Building, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
"First, we need to determine whether the Third Mizukage is alive or dead.
If he is still alive, finding him will be the key to stabilizing the situation.
If he is already dead... then who has the ability, and who has the qualifications, to end this chaos?"
His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Terumi Mei's heated mind.
She immediately understood what Chiya meant.
Blindly participating in the fighting was meaningless.
They had to find the root of the problem and the key to resolving it.
"Then... what should we do now?"
Terumi Mei forced herself to calm down and looked at Chiya.
At this moment, she subconsciously regarded him as her pillar of support.
Chiya surveyed the surroundings before finally fixing his gaze on the roof of a relatively intact building at a higher elevation not far from the Mizukage Building.
"Go there first and observe the entire situation.
Then... we'll grab a 'tongue' and get a clearer picture of what's happening."
His figure flashed again, and Terumi Mei hurriedly followed.
The two of them moved like ghosts along the edge of the chaotic battlefield.
They avoided several fierce clashes and silently landed in the shadows of the target rooftop.
From there, the entire chaotic scene of Kirigakure was visible.
Blood and fire spread through the streets.
Roars, explosions, and cries merged into a desperate symphony.
The Mizukage Building, which had once symbolized Kirigakure's authority, was now under a furious assault led by the Kaguya Clan's rebels.
The defensive barrier outside the building flickered, clearly struggling to hold.
Chiya's gaze was like the most precise radar, quickly locking onto a target.
A wounded Kirigakure ANBU squad leader had just retreated from the battlefield beside the Mizukage Building.
He was crouched behind a broken wall, panting as he bandaged his injuries.
Judging from his uniform and bearing, he should know quite a bit of inside information.
"Wait here."
Chiya gave a brief order before his figure vanished from the spot.
The next moment, he appeared like a ghost behind the ANBU squad leader.
The man did not even have time to react.
He only felt pain in his neck before everything went black and he lost consciousness.
Chiya casually carried the unconscious 'tongue' back to the rooftop.
Terumi Mei watched his practiced movements, her heart tightening.
This was the difference created by absolute strength.
Chiya placed the ANBU squad leader down and transformed his Sharingan into the Rinnegan.
He stared directly into the unconscious man's sea of consciousness and began forcibly reading fragments of his memories.
This method was more direct than interrogating someone through genjutsu, but it was also much more brutal and would cause irreversible damage to the victim's brain.
However, this was not the time to worry about that.
A moment later, Chiya released his hand, a look of understanding flashing through his eyes.
He looked toward Terumi Mei's pale face, his Rinnegan returning to ordinary black eyes as he slowly spoke.
"The situation is worse than it appears.
The Third Mizukage has been missing for at least a month, and no one knows whether he is alive or dead.
This attack was not launched by the Kaguya Clan alone.
At least three Bloodline Limit clans that have been suppressed for a long time were involved in planning it.
The elders' faction is doing everything it can to suppress the rebellion, but they are divided internally as well.
Some advocate using force, while others want negotiations...
As for the rebelling Bloodline clans, their goal does not seem to be limited to overthrowing the existing leadership.
They want to completely purge every faction that opposes Bloodline Limits and establish a new Kirigakure ruled by Bloodline Limit shinobi."
He paused before adding the most crucial point.
"According to his memories, there also seems to be an unknown faction operating behind the scenes, fanning the flames and providing certain information and support...
They made this rebellion more violent and far more sudden."
After hearing this, Terumi Mei felt a chill shoot from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
The village was not only suffering from internal conflict, but might also be being manipulated by an outside force.
This was truly adding insult to injury.
"We have to do something..."
She repeated helplessly as she looked down at the hellish scene below, a deep sense of powerlessness gripping her.
Faced with such a complicated deadlock, her own strength was simply too insignificant.
Chiya stood at the edge of the rooftop, the fierce wind whipping his cloak and making it flutter loudly.
He looked down upon this hell of blood and fire, his expression still frighteningly calm, as though he were admiring a painting that had nothing to do with him.
"Chaos is dangerous, but it is also an opportunity."
He muttered to himself, a barely perceptible curve appearing at the corner of his lips.
"It seems this trip to the Land of Water will be... more interesting than I expected."
His gaze once again fell upon the swaying Mizukage Building, and his mind was already rapidly calculating.
How could he seize the greatest possible benefits for Konoha, and for himself, amid this chaos?
Perhaps it was time to leave a deeper mark under the blood mist of this village in the name of Uchiha Chiya.
And the little follower beside him, Terumi Mei...
It seemed her fate had finally reached the moment when she had to make a real choice.
"Terumi Mei, would you be willing to become Mizukage?"
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