There is a saying: when you see the tip of the iceberg emerging, there is often a more terrifying mass hidden beneath the surface.
At first glance, it seemed that Mizuki Hidero was merely receiving minor assistance from Elder Lynx. But upon deeper thought, why would an elder of the ninja cat clan, living in seclusion deep in the mountains, collude with a Mist Shinobi from Kirigakure, thousands of miles away?
Could it be due to a mere passing glance?
Of course not.
There had to be an established interest-driven relationship between Elder Lynx and Mizuki Hidero—one strong enough to make Elder Lynx go to great lengths to pave the way for Hidero.
With Lynx as his naiteki (inside collaborator), the probability of Mizuki Hidero obtaining the Mizukage Secret Scroll would increase exponentially. No one could predict what challenges the final fourth round would present.
Although, according to the Neko Boss, only Elvis knew the final trial's content, if the authority of the two ninja cat elders played a role, Mizuki Hidero would gain a major advantage over Mizuki Ryosuke and Hōzuki Mangetsu.
Under the influence of Elder Lynx, Mizuki Hidero was bound to gain the upper hand. After all, if Elvis had to choose between the trusted elders of his clan and a few unknown outsiders, whom would he favor?
The phrase "having allies in court makes things easier" was not without merit.
At first glance, one might argue that Mizuki Hidero's relationship with Elder Lynx was no different from Ryosuke's with the Neko Boss. Wouldn't that make things even?
Ryosuke, however, was not so naïve.
His relationship with the Neko Boss was nothing more than a surface-level acquaintance, built on mutual respect. The Neko Boss had chosen to assist him because of Ryosuke's contributions to the ninja cat clan, not because of any deep-seated loyalty.
For now, it was impossible for the Neko Boss to directly interfere in Ryosuke's favor. The same could not be said for Mizuki Hidero.
Because what bound him and Elder Lynx together was not mutual respect—it was 利益 (ri'eki), self-interest.
One should always remember: there are no eternal friends or enemies, only eternal benefits.
If Mizuki Hidero's scheme succeeded, he would advance to the next round unscathed, leaving Mizuki Ryosuke and Hōzuki Mangetsu in a precarious position.
Now that Ryosuke had fully seen through Hidero's conspiracy, things would not go as smoothly as Hidero had anticipated.
Ryosuke understood that in the shinobi world, there was no such thing as fairness. Even shadowy schemes—as much as brute force—were a testament to one's strength. The ninja world was not the Fire Temple, nor was it run by the Will of Fire; here, it was survival of the fittest.
The outcome was simple—shōsha wa ōja, haisha wa zoku—the victor would reign, and the defeated would be erased.
But now that Mizuki Hidero's plan had been exposed, the outcome had fundamentally changed.
Soon, both Mizuki Hidero's squad and Hōzuki Mangetsu's squad claimed victory.
As expected, Mizuki Hidero won this crucial battle and advanced with a record of four wins, three victories, and one loss.
Meanwhile, Hōzuki Mangetsu's squad dominated all three of their battles with terrifying strength.
Tōkō Yebairen, who had suffered an injury earlier, didn't even need to fight—the Hōzuki Mangetsu squad had already secured their advancement.
It had to be said that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen Squad had faced the most grueling fights so far.
After their third battle, apart from Hōzuki Mangetsu, the other two Seven Ninja Swordsmen were injured, proof of the brutal nature of their encounters.
Thus far, in this Mizukage examination, only the Hōzuki Squad had fought their way through all the trials head-on.
They were the only ones worthy of being called the "Honest Squad."
As the battles concluded, Elder Lynx leaped to the center of the ring, his voice calm and measured.
"Next, we will proceed with the second stage of the assessment," he announced.
"You may select any one of you to challenge either myself or the elder beside me.
"If you can last for half an hour against us, you will be deemed successful.
"At that point, you will earn the right to meet my king."
Elder Lynx paused, scanning the three teams before continuing.
"However, you also have the option of a temporary ceasefire to recover."
"Challengers, do you require rest?"
Elder Lynx smiled as he looked at the three squads, his tone deceptively gentle.
"Mizuki Ryosuke, do you need a break?"
"But I doubt you could handle this level of intensity anyway."
At that moment, Hōzuki Mangetsu locked eyes with Mizuki Ryosuke, his words carrying an undeniable challenge.
"Hahaha!!!"
"That won't be necessary."
"Let's start—no point wasting time."
Mizuki Ryosuke met Mangetsu's gaze, instantly recognizing his intent.
The two of them had subtly teamed up to completely disregard Mizuki Hidero's presence, acting as though he didn't exist.
Mizuki Hidero's face turned ashen.
His fists clenched, his knuckles whitening as he glared at Mizuki Ryosuke and Hōzuki Mangetsu with undisguised fury.
Though they had ignored him entirely, he chose not to rest either.
Part of it was pride—he refused to be outdone by the two.
But another part came from his secret advantage: Elder Lynx.
With Elder Lynx manipulating events from the shadows, Hidero carried an undeniable confidence.
"Just you wait."
"You two look down on me? I'll make you pay for that."
A dark glint flashed in Mizuki Hidero's eyes.
Meanwhile, Mizuki Ryosuke found himself curious.
His own grudge with Hidero was obvious. But why was Hōzuki Mangetsu so antagonistic toward Mizuki Hidero?
Could it be that before the exams, as two of the greatest Mist Shinobi prodigies, they had clashed before?
This was a question only Hōzuki Mangetsu himself could answer later.
"So, among the three of you, who will challenge us first?"
Elder Lynx's voice echoed through the Colosseum, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Caution and recklessness were often mistaken for one another.
In ninja battles, information was always the most critical factor.
This was not a fair match.
Each of the three had just fought exhausting battles, while the two elders had watched the entire time.
Some of their abilities were already exposed, while the elders' abilities remained completely unknown.
This meant the three young challengers were at an inherent disadvantage.
What was more, no matter who stepped forward first, they would have to face the full strength of an opponent whose abilities were a complete mystery.
Whoever fought first would inevitably be forced to reveal techniques and strategies, putting them at a massive disadvantage.
Not to mention the sheer stamina required to endure a full half-hour against an elite opponent.
In short—whoever fought first would be sacrificing themselves for the sake of the others.
It was nothing short of an enemy-funding act.
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