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Midorima gave a slight nod.
According to the records in Naruto, during the reign of the Fourth Mizukage over Kirigakure, the damage inflicted by the "Village of the Bloody Mist" reached its peak. The persecution of those with "Kekkei Genkai" was beyond imagination—even obedient children like Haku couldn't escape it.
"If it were just like back then, maybe I wouldn't have taken such a risky action…" Zabuza's voice suddenly trailed off, as if reconsidering. "Then again, maybe not… I didn't want Kirigakure to become so wretched that it would resort to fratricide."
"Yeah. The village must still be struggling now, right?" Midorima remarked.
"Many ninja with 'Kekkei Genkai' have become targets of persecution. You have to understand, not every person with a 'Kekkei Genkai' wants to go to war. Some just want to live ordinary lives. But because of the Mizukage's policies, they've been dragged into this and marked for elimination." Zabuza's brow furrowed.
"Does it hurt?" Midorima glanced at Zabuza's expression. "I'll go easier, then."
"You looking to die?!" Zabuza glared at him angrily. "Your healing feels like a kitten's scratch. I'm not afraid of death—you think I'd fear a little pain? Ow ow ow ow! Take it easy!"
Zabuza's face flushed red, tears nearly welling up in his eyes.
"And here I thought you were a real 'warrior,'" Midorima teased.
"Tch. You caught me off guard… We'll settle this after I recover." Zabuza took a couple of deep breaths. Midorima had suddenly intensified the treatment, and he hadn't been prepared for it.
Still, the brief exchange lightened the mood. Once Zabuza had composed himself, he continued, "Before this, I didn't understand why the Mizukage was doing this. But after hearing you mention Igawa, I finally see why those with 'Kekkei Genkai' were doomed. By the way, was it you who increased Igawa's bounty?"
Midorima chuckled but didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Do you know the reason?"
Zabuza smirked. "Of course. Igawa was afraid of those with 'Kekkei Genkai' rebelling. One or two might not be a problem, but if they all rose up together, even he wouldn't be able to handle it."
After saying this, he shot Midorima a meaningful glance.
"There's another reason, actually…"
"Go on."
"Ordinary people are also afraid of those with 'Kekkei Genkai.' If a conflict breaks out, regular folks stand no chance against them. You must have seen it yourself in Kirigakure—these people were always ostracized. If the village had truly accepted them from the start, Igawa wouldn't have been able to suppress 'Kekkei Genkai' on such a large scale in just two or three years."
Zabuza thought about it and realized it was true.
Even before Igawa began targeting "Kekkei Genkai," tensions had already existed within the village. Those who were already marginalized had grown accustomed to their situation, so when Igawa's persecution began, they couldn't unite effectively.
Of course, this was also tied to the repeated failures of rebellions within Kirigakure.
Each defeat had chipped away at their will to resist.
"By the way, how's Mei doing?"
"You still thinking about her?" Zabuza laughed.
"Obviously. I'm way closer to her than you are. At best, you're just a familiar stranger."
"That's underselling it," Zabuza grumbled.
"Fine. An unfamiliar acquaintance, then."
"…" Zabuza rolled his eyes. "Her situation… well, it's not great, but it's not terrible either."
"Cut the vague talk. Just say it."
"Let me put it this way—which clan is known for their 'Kekkei Genkai' and holds significant influence in the village?"
"The Hōzuki clan, right?" Midorima mused.
After all, the Hōzuki had produced a Mizukage before, and Hōzuki Mangetsu was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. A major clan like that would command respect in any hidden village.
"They've fallen," Zabuza sighed. "Or, more accurately, Hōzuki Mangetsu has."
"Why?"
"Illness. The year after you left Kirigakure, he fell sick. Originally… if Shimomura had still been around, maybe his condition could've been delayed…"
"Master—what happened to him?" Midorima asked urgently, even forgetting to continue treating Zabuza.
"The day after you were branded a 'rogue ninja,' Shimomura was captured. After that… he never came back."
Midorima clenched his fists. "Igawa…"
"Though we can't say for sure he's dead. He just… never reappeared." Zabuza offered some consolation.
Midorima took a deep breath. "I'll settle the score with Igawa sooner or later… What about Mangetsu now?"
"Still alive. But he hasn't left his home in two months."
Midorima clicked his tongue, feeling a sense of helplessness.
Perhaps it was heaven's punishment—those gifted with "Kekkei Genkai" sometimes suffered from incurable diseases. Kimimaro was one example. Itachi, another.
And once these people fell ill, their conditions were often severe.
"Could be natural causes. Or poisoning," Zabuza added. "After all, based on what you've said, Kirigakure now belongs to Igawa. He wouldn't tolerate any threats to his rule. As for Mei, not long after you left, she was taken under Elder Geni's wing. She can't move freely, but thanks to the elder's protection, Igawa can't touch her easily."
Midorima nodded slightly. While Mei's situation was within his expectations, the fates of Mangetsu and Shimura had caught him off guard.
"What about Akimoto Ruri?" Midorima recalled the kunoichi he had once briefly met.
"Her? She's doing just fine." Zabuza sneered as he sat up, gingerly touching his wounds. Though they still ached, he could move without issue now. "She was among the first to side with Igawa. Not that it did her any good—he doesn't trust her at all."
"She has family." Midorima understood Ruri's choice.
A sickly mother and a younger brother—they were hostages in all but name. She hadn't had a choice.
After getting a general sense of Kirigakure's current state, Midorima turned back to Zabuza and Haku. "So, what's your plan now? Keep running with him?"
Zabuza spat in rare frustration, cursing under his breath.
"Tell me this—Kisame killed Fuguki and became a rogue ninja, and the Mizukage only put a 5-million-ryō bounty on him. Yet I somehow warrant 10 million? With this price on my head, every mercenary and bounty hunter is after me."
Midorima rolled his eyes. "Kisame only killed one of the Seven Swordsmen. You tried to assassinate the Mizukage. Of course the bounties are different."
"But he succeeded. I didn't." Zabuza scowled. "If I'd actually killed the Mizukage, I wouldn't complain about the 10-million bounty. But now? Those black-cloaked bastards won't stop chasing me. It's exhausting."
"If you had killed the Mizukage, 10 million would've been the least of your worries." Midorima couldn't help but laugh. "By the way, do you know who's after you?"
"Who?"
"The Akatsuki."
"Never heard of them." Zabuza shook his head.
"Then I suppose you also don't know that the outside ninja colluding with Igawa—the ones controlling the Third and Fourth Mizukage—are the Akatsuki?" Midorima added.
Zabuza's expression shifted from confusion to shock, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.