Gengetsu Hōzuki

was the of Kirigakure.

Background
During his lifetime, he had a mutual enmity with the Second Tsuchikage: Mū which ended in both men killing each other in what would be their final confrontation. From this rivalry, he also knew Ōnoki when the latter was a child and had constantly picked on him.

Personality
Gengetsu is typically laid back, jovial, and has a somewhat carefree attitude at times. He is also very charismatic and not averse to praising other people while at the same time a bit of a bully, as seen with his unmistakable excitement upon observing the enormity of Gaara's sand attack towering towards him and admitting he often picked on Ōnoki when the latter was young. Complementing this, Gengetsu will take an immediate liking to any shinobi who shows potential regardless of their village of origin or age. Also stemming from this trait, Gengetsu is very forgetful of even major events in his life, such as when he forgot he and Mū killed each other and needed Mū to jump start his memory before remembering their deaths upon being reincarnated. In spite of this carefree attitude, Gengetsu still cares deeply about the fates of the shinobi originating from his own village, lamenting the prospect of having to confront them after his reincarnation. Nevertheless, he tries his best to guide the shinobi in finding the real him once his Demonic Illusion: Steaming Multistoried Building is cast. Gengetsu also had a strong sense of honour, as shown when he immediately reprimanded Mū for thinking of using underhanded tactics after the Fourth Shinobi World War was over.

He also seems to have somewhat of a short-temper at times. In the anime, Gengetsu has shown great sensitivity about his facial hair, seen from his initial threatening to kill shinobi that made mention of how thin it was, though letting bygones be bygones after an apology concerning this subject. However, when brought up again, the death-threats only began anew. His anger was most apparent when concerning Mū and their enmity, which he seemingly places more value upon than even his own life, aptly demonstrated by the manner of his demise, and his neglect to ascertain the nature of his reincarnation, simply because his killing of Mū was brought into dispute. Part of this enmity seems to be due to Gengetsu's dislike of how selfish and underhanded Mū is, as seen when he lashed out at him for telling Ōnoki that he should be sure to take advantage of the eventual disbanding of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Gengetsu has also taken a great liking to Gaara, referring to him as a "golden egg" amongst the current five Kage, and even refused to help him any further in dealing with his Steaming Danger Tyranny clones, in order to have him prove his worth.

Appearance
He was a man of both tall and slender stature. His face was accentuated by his relatively long, blond hair, which was worn in a combed-back style. He also had a triangular goatee, a thin moustache, no eyebrows, and very prominent lines at the sides of his mouth. Due to the effects of the Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation technique, he had black sclerae but retained his blue irides.

His typical attire consisted of a long sleeved, high-collared, grey kimono, which has the pin-striped pattern that is common amongst the shinobi of Kirigakure. This article is worn over a dark-green suit, with a similarly coloured sash wrapped around his waist, and a pair of sandals which reached up to his calves.

Abilities
As the Mizukage, he was undoubtedly an immensely powerful shinobi. Even when informing a considerable portion of the Fourth Division on how to defeat him, none of them were able to grasp the concept behind his techniques, allowing him to kill and injure a significant number of them with relative ease, showing that Gengetsu's combat capabilities are truly fearsome. A true testament of his power is the fact that he was also able to kill the Second Tsuchikage — albeit at the cost of his own life. Among the four Kage that were reincarnated, Gaara acknowledged Gengetsu's skills as the strongest of the four.

Hōzuki Clan Techniques and Nature Transformation
He has identified himself as a Yin Release genjutsu user and displayed the use of these in collaboration with the mist exuded by his summon: the Giant Clam, to create mirages that appear so real, that his opponents have great difficulty in finding his actual location or that of his giant clam summon. He was also proficient in Fire, Lightning, Earth, and Yang Release.

As a member of the Hōzuki clan, Gengetsu's most prominent element was the Water Release, which he could use to transform his body into a liquid state and then back into a solid form at will. He can also use his index fingers to fire bullets of water that were strong enough to easily pierce through a sand clone. In the anime, he can also create water bubbles that can strike down enemies with great speed and force.

Gengetsu also utilises a type of substance that Gaara stated to be more reminiscent of oil than water, as it was able to not only seep into his sand, but destroyed its construct. This was demonstrated when he was restrained by the Sealing Tag, this water caused the sand around the seal to adhere and then crumble, allowing him to escape. It is later revealed that the water in Gengetsu's body is in fact a mixture of oil and water which gives it its unique composition.

Gengetsu was also able to use the substance within his body to perform a very powerful technique with which he creates a chibi-like clone of himself comprised of water surrounded by a thin outer layer of oil. As the clone moves around, the oil heats up, causing the water inside to evaporate and the clone to expand in size with it until the built-up pressure of steam inside causes the clone to violently explode. The water vapour is then blown high into the air where it cools down and creates hail, which in turn cools down and reforms the clone, allowing the process to start all over again. It is known as Gengetsu's for the simple reason that this is an never-ending process and series of explosions unless the clone is somehow immobilised and kept cool at the same time.

Summoning Technique
Gengetsu is able to summon a Giant Clam to assist him in combat. He has also identified himself as an Yin Release Genjutsu user and displayed the use of these in collaboration with the mist that his clam can exude after opening its shell, which Gengetsu can use to create mirages which effectively hide their actual location. The mirages are so realistic and so baffling that many able shinobi could not figure it out, despite him explaining it to them. The only way to end the mirage is by destroying the real clam.

Shinobi World War Arc
When Mū, despite his camouflage, was detected approaching the Fourth Division, Kabuto Yakushi has the Tsuchikage summon three other Kage to provide support. Amongst them is Gengetsu, who immediately recognised Mū and the Third Raikage, but failed to identify the other individual alongside him. When told that he had been reincarnated, Gengetsu was confused by news of his own death, until Mū reminded him that they killed each other long ago. This explanation was later confirmed when Gengetsu expressed his desire to kill Mū again but his body wouldn't respond to his commands, which Mū indicated was a clear sign of the control their summoner had over them.

Pursuing the retreating division throughout the night alongside the other Kage, he lamented the prospect of confronting shinobi from his own village and cursed the one responsible for reincarnating them under the belief that this individual was Orochimaru — a remark that met with the others' approval. As they continued to converse, he observed a huge wave of sand advancing towards them and, impressed by the considerable amount, ecstatically wondered what village the shinobi was from. Saved by the Fourth Kazekage's Gold Dust, Gengetsu identified that he concocted an effective counter to the attack rather quickly, just before being restrained by an arm made of sand during the former's explanation. Soon after that, Mū clashed with Ōnoki, which resulted in the formation of an enormous crater on the battlefield, Gengetsu recognises the latter as his rival's former bratty disciple.

As the Fourth Kazekage conversed with his son about the latter's reincarnation thanks to his companions after the extraction of the One-Tail, Gengetsu confronted the Kazekage's shock that Gaara had friends, asserting that unless he was really pitiful, it was normal for someone his age. Upon hearing Gaara's appointment as both Kazekage and Regimental Commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces, he boasted that people without eyebrows were very charismatic — including himself of course. However, his jovial temperament changed abruptly after overhearing Mū instructing Ōnoki to take full advantage of the situation after the Alliance's disbandment to ensure Iwagakure's dominance, causing Gengetsu and Third Raikage to chastise his underhandedness. Informing the enemy of their inability to control their bodies, Gengetsu stated that they would each reveal their abilities and weaknesses in order to hasten their defeat. As the battle recommenced, he attempted to encircle Gaara while protected from his Sand Hail, but is instead restrained by the embrace of the latter's sand.

Realising that the sand together with a Sealing Tag would ensure their captivity, he emphatically lauded Gaara's efforts. However, now no longer in control of his body, it reacted involuntarily to the threat of being sealed and instead caused the surrounding sand to crumble, considerably weakening its hold. Freed from their bonds, the two stormed the approaching division, before divulging the particulars of their abilities. Identifying himself as a possessor of Yin Release and thus a capable genjutsu user, he advised the shinobi to maintain their distance, just as a substantial number are struck by his summon.

Passing through the opposition's attacks without injury as the battle waged on, Gengetsu reminded them that it was futile as he was just a mirage, and that they should instead eliminate the clam in order to end the technique. Heeding his advice, the shinobi let loose another barrage but as the smoke clears, they realised that they had again attacked a mirage. An irate Mizukage then told them to target the real clam behind him, yet the ensuing attempt passed through this one as well. Getting nowhere, the shinobi stood confused as to how to deal with the situation. As the battle continued, the majority of this faction is incapacitated causing Gengetsu to state that though he didn't try to win, he was possibly too strong for his own good with an expression of both guilt and embarrassment upon his face. When even Gaara struggled against him upon his arrival, a visibly disappointed Mizukage, asked if that was all he was capable of despite him revealing his weaknesses. Gengetsu then ranted about how going after Mū first, exposed their mistaken belief that the "raggedy mummy" was the stronger of the two, causing Gaara to confess that he knew he shouldn't judge someone by appearances alone, before admitting to Gengetsu's strength.

Reiterating what he had said earlier about the genjutsu with emphasis on the clam's destruction, Gengetsu realised that Gaara's sand had been detecting its real location, while providing Ōnoki — who had taken refuge in the sky — the chance to attack it. After Ōnoki's dwindling chakra reserves prompted him to confront the clam directly, Gengetsu labelled it a pathetic attempt when he only disrupted the genjutsu in the immediate surroundings. Gengetsu then chided him, remarking that there was no way he could defeat the clam if he didn't put his back into it. This prompted Ōnoki to increase the weight behind his prior attack, destroying the clam entirely, thus ending the mirage and revealing the real Mizukage. However, using this technique caused Ōnoki to throw his back out, and taking advantage of this, Gengetsu mocked him before shooting him with a bullet of water. Much to Gengetsu's surprise, Ōnoki's body dispersed into sand, which then struck out at him with a confining embrace. Gengetsu then noticed that Gaara's eye of sand had been observing them the entire time and wondered if the switch had occurred when Ōnoki fought the clam.

As the sand continued to wrap around him, Gengetsu attempted to nullify it with his Hydrification Technique, but Gaara uses more sand to stop him. As he is being sealed, he states that the battle had become far too fun, by which time Gaara's Desert Layered Imperial Funeral was completed and application of numerous sealing tags to its exterior by the Sealing Team had gotten under-way seemingly assuring Gengetsu's sealing. However, any rejoicing was proven premature as a large explosion occurred, and Gengetsu's smiling face appears ominously in the sky above them. While most of the shinobi stand in horror, Ōnoki stated that it was not just another genjutsu but rather Gengetsu's : Steaming Danger Tyranny.

After the clone condensed and began assaulting the advancing shinobi, growing in size all the while, the weakened Mizukage sought refuge while he cursed Ōnoki for exposing the details of his technique which he suspected Mū revealed to him before dying. However, with his location uncovered by a sensor, Gaara resolved to imprison Gengetsu before the clone could detonate but just as this attempt neared its conclusion, the seals were removed by the rapidly expanding clone. As the sand pyramid began to crumble, Gengetsu revealed just his head and greets everyone serenely, but comically retreated inside when bombarded by shuriken leading him to remark that he had found a convenient place to hide. Questioning how the shinobi propose to defeat him, he refused to discuss the technique when asked for assistance, but when Gaara inquired if he had decided to now help the enemy, he remained adamant that this method would help them, but in another way. He then told them that if they couldn't defeat him with their power, then they were weaker than a dead man and a such, would be unable to defeat the opposition's leader. As the clone prepared to explode again, Gengetsu lamented that he thought he had found the "golden egg" amongst the current Kage but wonders if he was mistaken.

Commending Gaara for protecting himself and everyone else from the blast, Gengetsu reminded him that the situation would continually repeat itself if the clone wasn't stopped. Observing the ensuing clash, he states that despite Gaara's efforts and with his position exposed, it was now too late as another explosion was imminent and his sand would still be unable to restrain the clone. However, Gengetsu was visibly shocked when the clone was captured and furthermore doesn't explode, yet after seeing it covered in a layer of gold, he suspected that the Gold Dust left behind by Gaara's father was responsible. This was confirmed by Gaara's explanation of how he incorporated the gold onto the clone, which melted and slowed it down, before covering it in sand saturated by hail to prevent the clone from heating up again. Upon hearing this, Gengetsu beamed at Gaara, stating that he was indeed a "golden egg".

When Naruto Uzumaki's shadow clone arrived at Gaara's location, he asked him if everything was all-right before mistaking Gengetsu's body to be the pyramid which imprisoned him. This caused Gengetsu to remark that in contrast to Gaara, Naruto was a bit idiotic — making the two a nice duo in his opinion. As Gaara completed the seal, Gengetsu reflected upon how this was the most fun he had in a while.

Later, with the release of the Impure World Reincarnation technique, a light of sorts encased Gengetsu's sealed body as the technique was dispelled, and his soul was returned to the afterlife.

Final Arc
Subsequent to Kaguya Ōtsutsuki being sealed by Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, he and the other deceased Kage were summoned from the Pure Land by Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki to aid him and the Hokage in summoning Team 7, the tailed beasts and Madara Uchiha from Kaguya's dimension. Later, his and the other Kage's souls were returned to the Pure Land.

Quotes

 * (About his summoner) "Fighting shinobi from other countries is one thing, but fighting people from my own village leaves a bad taste in my mouth. We're going to have to teach this "Orochimaru" punk who summoned us here a lesson afterwards!"
 * (About Gaara's attack) "Whoo-hoo, that's a butt-load of sand! Whose village do you think's behind that one?"
 * (About Gaara and himself) "Charisma oozes out of people without eyebrows, you know! Hot-damn! I don't have eyebrows either!"
 * (To the Fourth Division about Mū) "Hey, if you lot are going to kill somebody, kill that bandage-wrapped bastard first! I'll even cheer you on!"
 * (About Mū) "You all went after Mū earlier… Clearly in battle you want to take out your strongest opponents first! That's why you did that. But no matter how you look at it, I'm the stronger one!! Right?! Looking at him, he was just some raggedy mummy left out to die!! Am I wrong?!"
 * (About his battle) "Oh man…!! This fight has gotten way too fun!!"
 * (To Gaara)
 * (To Gaara)
 * (About his battle) "It's been such a long time… That was an entertaining fight!!"

Trivia

 * Gengetsu is the only second generation Kage to not have been in attendance with his predecessor at the first gathering of the five Kage. His place was taken by the one who would become his successor.
 * is a relatively rare atmospheric phenomena, where the moon shines so brightly that it appears to have two bright spots at its sides. The kanji is also used in the term, problably making an allusion to Gengetsu's skill in this field.
 * In the fourth databook, kekkei genkai is listed among Gengetsu's special characteristics.