The Hidden Mist Village's Dark History Unveiled in Naruto

Kirigakure, also known as the Hidden Mist Village, is considered one of the top five powerful ninja villages in the Naruto world, specifically in the Land of Water. The village is known for its expertise in Water Release ninjutsu and related abilities, including the unique Boil Release kekkei genkai. Throughout history, Kirigakure has produced highly skilled shinobi, such as Yagura Karatachi (the Fourth Mizukage), Mei Terumi (the Sixth Mizukage), and notable figures like Ao and Zabuza Momochi. Zabuza, in particular, was a member of the renowned group called the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, who possessed seven extraordinary blades that bestowed immense power upon their wielders.

However, Kirigakure's past is marked by a disturbing history characterized by violence, tyranny, and political instability. Prior to the series' timeline, it was infamously known as the "Village of the Bloody Mist" due to its volatile and perilous atmosphere. The village had an unusually high number of missing-nin, indicating that many shinobi had defected out of fear for their safety or were expelled due to their extremist ideologies and violent behavior. Despite these challenges, Kirigakure remained renowned as one of the strongest shinobi villages in the Naruto world. Over time, the village managed to overcome its dark past and establish a new identity free from the horrors it had endured.

Village Of The Bloody Mist

From its inception, Kirigakure's societal hierarchy followed a three-fold structure, as depicted in Kakashi Hiden: Lightning in the Icy Sky. The top tier consisted of clans originally from the village's founding, while the middle tier included clans from allied villages. At the bottom sat clans from defeated and annexed villages, often kept isolated and given the most challenging missions to prevent rebellion. The village also faced invasion from the Kaguya clan, resulting in suspicion and violence towards kekkei genkai users from certain clans.

The infamous title "Village of the Bloody Mist" was earned through the graduation exam held at Kirigakure's ninja academy. This exam required students to engage in lethal combat with each other, and only the survivors were allowed to advance. While this approach produced highly skilled and battle-hardened shinobi, it drew criticism and scorn from other ninja villages. Zabuza Momochi, who was not even a student, infamously massacred an entire graduating class, leading to the discontinuation of the village's gruesome graduation exam.

The Horrors Of Yagura's Reign

During the Third Shinobi World War, it seemed like the elderly Madara Uchiha had gained significant influence over the village. This can be inferred from his manipulation of events, such as having the Three Tails sealed into Rin Nohara, who was unintentionally killed by Kakashi in front of Obito Uchiha. Ultimately, this was all orchestrated by Madara Uchiha to bring Obito to his side and further his Eye of the Moon Plan. Subsequently, the Three Tails was sealed into Yagura Karatachi, who eventually became the Fourth Mizukage.

After Madara's death, Obito assumed his identity and used genjutsu to control Yagura. This led to a dark period in Kirigakure's history during the reign of the Fourth Mizukage, marked by corruption, internal power struggles, and numerous defections. These defections resulted in a high number of rogue ninja who abandoned their allegiance to the Land of Water. To address this issue, the village established a special division of their Anbu called the Hunter-nin or the Corpse Processing Team. It was their responsibility to eliminate any traces of the rogue ninja they pursued, utilizing their advanced ninjutsu and medicinal skills.

Following the massacre led by Zabuza, the graduation ceremony was halted under Yagura's rulership to prevent any further violence among the students of the Academy. Zabuza himself held contrasting views with the village's prevailing ideology at that time and aimed to distance himself from it. He even attempted a coup d'etat to assassinate Yagura, yet his plan was foiled by one of his own subordinates. The Hunter-nin Ao gradually deduced that someone was manipulating the Mizukage, but within the village, nobody was able to identify the culprit.

The End Of The Seven Ninja Swordsmen

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, renowned as Kirigakure's most formidable shinobi, faced a significant challenge due to defection. Originally in possession of all seven swords, these weapons gradually slipped into the hands of their enemies or were acquired by rogue ninjas like Zabuza, who claimed Kubikiribocho, and Kisame Hoshigaki, who took Samehada. For generations, these blades symbolized the esteemed legacy of Hidden Mist Village, cherished as precious relics. Consequently, their loss dealt a heavy blow to the village's sense of pride.

During the Fourth Shinobi World War, Kirigakure only had one sword left in their possession, which was Hiramekarei wielded by Chojuro. Eventually, Chojuro became the Sixth Mizukage after Mei. The downfall of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was a major setback for the village, and it took a significant amount of time for Kirigakure's reputation and military strength to recover after Yagura's reign ended and Mei became the Fifth Mizukage.