Kagura Karatachi

**Kagura Karatachi** (枸橘かぐら, *Karatachi Kagura*) is a shinobi from Kirigakure, who worked as an aide to the Sixth Mizukage, and a special advisor of the village. Striving to turn Kiri into a village that rivals Konohagakure, he became a prison warden so he could nurture people more.

## Background

Being the grandson of Yagura, people kept their distance from him and his older brother, Yagura Karatachi. As his safety couldn't be guaranteed, he was relocated to a small village outside of Kirigakure. There, he initially spent his time practising his kenjutsu on a tree, or pulling pranks about the village, often being spanked as a punishment. Eventually, the children began warming up to him and let him play with them.

Rather than struggle with becoming poor, he enrolled into the Kirigakure Academy to become a shinobi. In the Academy, Tsurushi Hachiya alongside a few other students viewed him as a human being. During their first combat training, Kagura killed many of his classmates after falling into a trance, resulting in him becoming afraid of wielding a sword again, as well as accepting he was truly the grandson of the Fourth Mizukage. During this time, Shizuma Hoshigaki took a great interest in him. Despite being attacked by Kagura and receiving a lasting scar on his chest, Shizuma applauded him, encouraging him to stay true to this nature for the coming era. Since then, Shizuma began watching over Kagura with earnest, working diligently to keep him safe.

Thirteen years after the Fourth Shinobi World War, Kagura was promoted to Chūnin. At some point, he became Chōjūrō's aide, and offered the chance at succeeding him as Mizukage, which Kagura declined. Chōjūrō also chose Kagura to become one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and inherit his sword Hiramekarei.

## Personality

Kagura's goal was to make Kiri into a peaceful village. He was very selfless, willing to risk his life for the sake of others. As a child, to cope with is constant ostracising, he became mischievous, constantly pulling pranks. He was shown to be very friendly to others, even if they're from another village. He also acknowledged his village's questionable history and strove to make up for it. He was happy to meet the visiting class from Konoha. Kagura was also a fan of Kagemasa, evidenced by his ownership of extremely rare Kagemasa merchandise. Due to spending most of his early life as a ninja, he was relatively new to playing games, but was open to trying new activities nonetheless.

Friendly and cheerful as he was, he had many insecurities. Despite Chōjūrō's praise, Kagura felt that he didn't deserve to be the next shinobi to wield Hiramekarei, or eventually, becoming Mizukage. This stemmed mainly from his family ties to the Fourth Mizukage. Struggling to make friends because of that fact, he became very lonely and eager to break free from his grandfather's history. Kagura apparently had a subconscious bloodlust side to him, as once worked up too much in combat, he would go on a blind rampage. Because of this and the lives he unintentionally took, Kagura developed a strong PTSD, fearing to draw a blade of any kind. Even while using a wooden sword against Boruto Uzumaki in a sparring match, he was left visibly distressed from the brief exchange.

After meeting Boruto and his friends, Kagura was glad to be treated as friends with them. Gradually, the group helped him to regain faith in himself. As Boruto, who desired to walk a path void of his Hokage heritage, insisted that Kagura can't live in the past, Kagura finally decided to accept the opportunity to join the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

However, upon meeting up with Shizuma, who disputed everything that Kagura had come to believe, including the nobleness of the Fifth and Sixth Mizukage, Kagura reluctantly agreed to join Shizuma in his coup d'état, solemnly accepting his identity as the Fourth Mizukage's grandson. Once learning however that Shizuma's words were all lies, Kagura sought to make things right, regaining his self-worth and appreciation of Boruto's friendship. After which, determined to rediscover himself, he began training under Chōjūrō in the goal of overcoming his fear of drawing a sword. As Kagura continued to train himself, overcoming his fear of using blades, he came to believe that the economic development of his village, while also important, was being focused on too much. He felt that more care should be taken into aiding the individuals that make up the village, a belief stemming from Boruto's willingness to believe in his reformation since Shizuma influenced him. He was forgiving of betrayal when it stemmed from misunderstanding.

## Glad you Came

A mysterious force revived Kagura much to Boruto's happiness