Chapter 175: How Can the Vast Land of Water Not Accommodate Two Mizukage?
"I... Can I really?" Although Takagi Shōban said this, Uchiha Douhuan saw a flicker of interest in his eyes. Uchiha Douhuan was not surprised by this either. As long as one was a ninja from a major ninja village, who didn't grow up listening to the legends of their own Kage?
Although after growing up, one might recognize reality due to their own talent and background, now that the opportunity was laid bare before him, Takagi Shōban's ambition was also ignited.
"Why not?" Uchiha Douhuan said. "Your Kirigakure now has only three Elite Jounin left, and you are the strongest among them. Also, our Konoha, as a responsible major power in the ninja world, will naturally step in to help your Land of Water restore order. Therefore, Mr. Takagi only needs to consider whether he is willing to be this Fifth Mizukage. Or perhaps Mr. Takagi lacks the confidence to be a good Fifth Mizukage?"
"Lord Hokage! I am too eager for progress!" Upon hearing Uchiha Douhuan's words, Takagi Shōban couldn't hold back any longer and directly slid to his knees before Uchiha Douhuan.
"Hehe, it's good that Mr. Takagi has this confidence," Uchiha Douhuan said with a smile.
"The Mizukage, as the leader of a ninja village in the Five Great Nations, is one of the few in this ninja world who can be called Kage," Uchiha Douhuan stepped forward, patted the other's shoulder, and then said, "After Mr. Takagi becomes Mizukage, you must bear the responsibilities of a Mizukage."
"I will," Takagi Shōban was overjoyed by Uchiha Douhuan's words and had already begun to fantasize about the wonderful life after becoming Mizukage.
"However..." Uchiha Douhuan changed the subject. "There's an old saying: there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Does Mr. Takagi agree with this statement?"
Hearing Uchiha Douhuan's words, a troubled expression also appeared on Takagi Shōban's face. He knew that now was the time to discuss terms. If he wanted Konoha's support to become Mizukage, then he would certainly have to pay a huge price.
However, thinking about being able to sit on the supremely glorious Mizukage seat, Takagi Shōban's little remaining reason quickly vanished.
"Lord Hokage! As long as I can become Mizukage, I am willing to do anything!" Takagi Shōban said excitedly.
"Eh, now you're talking," Uchiha Douhuan waved his hand. "Our Konoha and your Kirigakure, although we've had friction in past wars, I don't think it's impossible for us to become friendly neighbors. Our dispatching troops this time to help your Kirigakure quell the rebellion is a good start, isn't it?"
"Exactly, exactly," Takagi Shōban said. "Kirigakure will forever remember your and Konoha's kindness."
"Kindness is too strong a word," Uchiha Douhuan said. "After all, our Konoha's troops were hired by your Fourth Mizukage at great expense. And now that your Fourth Mizukage cannot wake up, I am also worrying about whom to collect this debt from."
"Rest assured, Lord Hokage. Our Kirigakure is certainly not the kind of ninja village that defaults on its debts. Kirigakure will bear all debts fully," Takagi Shōban said after gritting his teeth.
"Let's talk about that after Mr. Takagi has seen the conditions your Fourth Mizukage set out," Uchiha Douhuan said, taking out a list sealed with Yagura Karatachi's Mizukage seal from a sealing scroll he carried and handing it to Takagi Shōban.
Takagi Shōban took the list and was startled upon seeing it. The various military expenses listed on it were all in units of billions, and furthermore, the Six-Tails from the rebel army was also listed as part of it.
"This... this is too much," Takagi Shōban, although he had never been involved in Kirigakure's high-level affairs, also knew that this amount of debt was definitely not something the current Kirigakure could easily repay.
"That's why I told you to look at the conditions your Fourth Mizukage set before making a decision," Uchiha Douhuan said. "It's clear these rebels put immense pressure on your Mizukage, even using a Tailed Beast as capital for requesting aid."
Takagi Shōban looked at this list, falling into hesitation. He kept looking at the list from time to time, then looking up at Uchiha Douhuan.
Takagi Shōban knew very well that this was likely the condition for Konoha and Uchiha Douhuan to support him in becoming the Fifth Mizukage.
Uchiha Douhuan noticed Takagi Shōban's gaze. Without saying much, he just wore a warm smile, took out a spare tea set from a sealing scroll, and began brewing tea right there on the Mizukage's desk.
Uchiha Douhuan wasn't worried Takagi Shōban would refuse this list. After all, according to the personality described in the intelligence, this fellow was an out-and-out refined egoist. If this debt were for him to repay personally, he probably wouldn't agree to this condition. But this debt was now counted on Kirigakure's entire head, and wouldn't affect him in any way once he became Mizukage.
Sure enough, before long, Takagi Shōban nodded and accepted this list.
"Kirigakure will repay Konoha's remuneration for its assistance this time, on schedule and as agreed," Takagi Shōban said.
"I knew I wouldn't misjudge someone. Mr. Takagi is indeed a man of his word," Uchiha Douhuan chuckled. "Come, come."
Uchiha Douhuan chuckled, stood up from the Mizukage's desk, and pulled Takagi Shōban towards the Mizukage's office chair.
"Mr. Takagi is about to take office as the Fifth Mizukage soon. Why not experience the feeling of sitting in this position in advance?" Uchiha Douhuan said with a pleasant chuckle.
"No, no, no, I mustn't, I mustn't," Takagi Shōban repeatedly waved his hands, but how could he resist Uchiha Douhuan? It could be said he was almost forcibly dragged to the Mizukage's office chair.
"Eh, what's there to 'mustn't'? It's just a matter of a day sooner or later," After speaking, Uchiha Douhuan pressed Takagi Shōban down onto the Mizukage's office chair.
Ah~~~
The moment Takagi Shōban's buttocks touched this office chair, he let out a long, comfortable moan.
"How is it? Mr. Takagi, how does it feel?" Uchiha Douhuan asked with a pleasant chuckle.
Takagi Shōban didn't reply, an unusual flush on his face, savoring the touch of the Mizukage's office chair.
"Mr. Takagi will be a Kage of my equal rank from now on. In the future, I must ask for your kind consideration," Uchiha Douhuan said unhurriedly only after Takagi Shōban seemed to have finished his enjoyment.
"Lord Hokage, what are you saying! In the matter of how to be a good village Kage, you are my senior! I still need to learn much from you," Takagi Shōban, having recovered somewhat, looked at Uchiha Douhuan and said somewhat fawningly. He knew very well that once he acknowledged this list, their Kirigakure would likely have to live under the shadow of the Land of Fire for a very long time. But, he truly couldn't bear to part with the chair currently under his buttocks.
"Eh, well said. Mutual progress, mutual progress," Uchiha Douhuan said. "However, Mr. Takagi, have you thought about how to deal with the rebel army currently roaming in the north of the Land of Water?"
Takagi Shōban was stunned upon hearing this. That's right, even if he really became Mizukage, with Kirigakure's current strength, they absolutely couldn't stop those rebels. Any leader from the rebel army was stronger than him.
"Does Lord Hokage have any guidance?" Takagi Shōban, knowing he couldn't deal with those rebels, thus placed his hopes on Uchiha Douhuan.
"The strength of those rebels indeed cannot be underestimated," Uchiha Douhuan said. "Otherwise, your Fourth Mizukage wouldn't have put down his pride to request aid from our Konoha. And now that your Kirigakure has suffered heavy losses from this battle, it's even more difficult to resist the spearhead of those rebels."
"However," Uchiha Douhuan changed the subject, "I wonder if Mr. Takagi has heard of the Konoha Pact Plan that our Konoha previously promoted?"
"This... What is this?" Kirigakure had been in a state of self-imposed isolation for many years, so Takagi Shōban was unaware of this pact that had indirectly caused the war between the Land of Waterfall and the Land of Earth.
Seeing this, Uchiha Douhuan lifted the freshly boiled kettle from the stove, then brewed a cup of tea and handed it to Takagi Shōban, after which he meticulously explained the contents of this pact to him.
"You mean, Konoha will garrison troops to help us resist those rebels?" Takagi Shōban said in pleasant surprise upon hearing this.
"Naturally," Uchiha Douhuan nodded with a smile. He could see it now. After Takagi Shōban sat in this chair, his already limited rationality had been completely consumed. After all he had said just now, this fellow only heard that Konoha would garrison troops to help them resist the rebels. As for the conditions for help, the other party hadn't listened to a single bit.
However, his current state actually matched Uchiha Douhuan's intentions.
"Lord Hokage, I wonder when our Kirigakure can join this pact?" Takagi Shōban asked.
"Eh, we'll have to wait until Mr. Takagi becomes Mizukage to discuss this," Uchiha Douhuan said after waving his hand.
"Understood, understood. It was I who was too abrupt," Takagi Shōban said with a sheepish smile.
...
The next day, Kirigakure Village's Mizukage selection vote was formally held. Because Kirigakure currently had too few Jounin eligible to vote, this time the vote was changed to include all Kirigakure ninjas.
The voting was conducted anonymously. Takagi Shōban, with a 51% approval rate, was successfully elected as Kirigakure Village's Fifth Mizukage.
Hearing this result, all the Kirigakure ninjas who participated in the vote looked at each other, their faces full of disbelief.
One must know, among the three Elite Jounin candidates, Takagi Shōban had arguably the worst popularity and reputation. Yet, he was the one elected as this Fifth Mizukage.
"I object!" Just then, another Kirigakure Elite Jounin, a Mizukage candidate, stood up and declared. "He, a deserter who abandoned his teammates in wartime and fled alone, by what right does he become Mizukage!"
Hearing this, Uchiha Douhuan on the high platform stepped forward and said coldly, "This vote was personally supervised by me for fairness. Are you questioning my integrity?"
As Uchiha Douhuan's voice fell, the eyes of the Konoha ninjas present turned unfriendly, staring at the Elite Jounin who had just spoken.
"No... no," The person who had just spoken had an extremely unsightly expression, but looking at Uchiha Douhuan's hand already resting on Jirai at his waist, he could only suppress his temper and say obediently.
"Then please, Mr. Takagi, come up to the stage."
Although the Kirigakure ninjas below had doubts about this election result, with Konoha ninjas eyeing them covetously all around, they could only watch helplessly as Takagi Shōban swaggered onto the platform and delivered his inaugural address.
In Takagi Shōban's inaugural address, he spent a great deal of time thanking Konoha and Uchiha Douhuan, then stated that after becoming Fifth Mizukage, he would lead Kirigakure Village to sweep away its past chronic ailments and march towards new glory.
After Takagi Shōban finished speaking, Uchiha Douhuan led the enthusiastic applause. Subsequently, Uchiha Douhuan walked onto the stage and placed the Mizukage's hat on Takagi Shōban's head.
This scene made some Kirigakure ninjas in the audience wide-eyed with rage. Since when did their Kirigakure Mizukage need Konoha's Hokage to bestow honors? Uchiha Douhuan's action, wasn't it clearly stating that their Kirigakure was completely suppressed beneath them?
But looking at Takagi Shōban, he seemed not to feel this was a disgrace at all, shamelessly accepting the hat handed over by Uchiha Douhuan, placing it on his own head with a pleasant chuckle, and then waving to the crowd below.
Most Kirigakure ninjas below watched this scene with cold eyes, but at this moment, Takagi Shōban taking office as Fifth Mizukage had become a foregone conclusion.
Takagi Shōban's first act after taking office was to sign the treaty with Uchiha Douhuan to join the Konoha Pact.
The next day, Uchiha Fugaku, temporarily appointed as Commander of the Fire Army Stationed in the Land of Water, was teleported over by Shiranui Genma's team and immediately assumed his post.
And the news of Takagi Shōban becoming the Fifth Mizukage also spread throughout the entire Land of Water.
At this moment, Terumi Mei and Zabuza, who were recuperating, were utterly incredulous upon hearing this news. They had heard of Takagi Shōban's name back in Kirigakure Village. That he could become Fifth Mizukage completely exceeded their expectations.
However, after hearing that Takagi Shōban had signed an unequal treaty with Uchiha Douhuan, they also understood that all of this was likely Uchiha Douhuan's conspiracy.
"That fellow Takagi Shōban! He's selling out the country!" Zabuza, who had just regained his ability to move, gritted his teeth continuously upon hearing this news. He just didn't understand why their country had become like this, with traitors emerging endlessly, one falling only for another to appear.
"No, we absolutely cannot recognize this fellow's Mizukage status!" Terumi Mei said after pondering for a moment.
"Then what should we do?" Kisame sighed.
"We, here, will establish our own Kirigakure! We absolutely cannot recognize their traitorous regime as the legitimate government of our Land of Water!" Terumi Mei gritted her teeth. "I hope everyone will support me in becoming the Fifth Mizukage."
"Alright!" Hoshigaki Kisame nodded.
"This is the only way now," Zabuza nodded.
The next day, the news of the Kirigakure rebel army establishing itself independently in the north of the Land of Water also spread throughout the entire Land of Water.
For a time, the Land of Water unprecedentedly found itself in a situation with two Mizukage.
(End of Chapter)
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