"We will send you off here, Third, Fourth."
At the exit outside Kirigakure, the white-haired Elder Genji held the blue-white hat symbolizing the position of Mizukage and slowly walked before the three who were already fully prepared to depart.
With trembling hands, he handed the hat to the Third Mizukage and spoke in an aged, emotional voice.
"Kirigakure's future will depend on these peace talks to lay its foundation."
Looking at the Mizukage hat being handed to him, the Third Mizukage let out a sigh filled with emotion. Then he turned and placed the hat in front of Rei Kaguya.
"No. I am no longer worthy of the title of Mizukage. I am merely a sinner going to bear the consequences of the mistakes I made…
"Rather than giving it to an old man like me, whose verdict is already all but settled, it is better to hand it to a young person who can bear the fate of the village."
"Even if you say that, I still don't have the matching ceremonial robe to wear, Third."
Rei Kaguya took the hat and casually played with the simple material headpiece that symbolized the highest leader of a shinobi village.
"Are you someone who would be restricted by something like that?" the Third Mizukage asked back.
"No."
Rei Kaguya smiled and shook his head.
Then he steadily placed the Mizukage hat on his own head.
[Special Mission: The Name of Mizukage]
[Mission Description: Become the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure. Obtain the recognition of Elder Genji and the Land of Water Daimyo, and gain the approval of more than 50% of the village's members.]
[Mission Reward: Keystone Rune — Glacial Augment. Secondary Rune — Time Warp Tonic.]
[Time Warp Tonic — Secondary Rune: The medicine you create and the medical ninjutsu you use will immediately produce an additional healing effect equal to 30% of the total healing amount when they begin taking effect, and you will gain an additional 10% bonus to all speed.
When you use medical ninjutsu on other targets, or when they consume medicine personally made by you, they may enjoy the same effect.]
[Please note: After this special mission is completed, a brand-new mission series will begin. None of the missions in this series can be abandoned.]
[Complete mission?]
"A mission series drawn out from obtaining the identity of Mizukage… Heh, then it's easy to guess what kind of content it will be."
After silently mocking the system for starting to run out of ideas, Rei Kaguya chose to complete the mission without much hesitation and pocketed the Keystone Rune Glacial Augment, which could bring him another step closer to a perfect life-form.
Wind, light and sharp beneath its nimble nature.
Water, gentle on the surface while hiding surging currents beneath.
Under the influence of some special existence, two chakras with completely different properties began to merge in nature and form.
When the ratio between the two chakras reached a perfect balance, a brand-new chakra, sharp and freezing cold, appeared inside Rei Kaguya's body.
"Haah… So this is Ice Release. So this is the original way a Kekkei Genkai is born."
Gently exhaling a white breath mixed with specks of ice, Rei Kaguya came back to himself and focused on the latest mission series released by the system.
[Mission Series One: Raise your support rate among Kirigakure shinobi to above 95%, and make Kirigakure possess more than 10,000 active shinobi. Current progress: 53/95, 1557/10000.]
[Mission Reward: All minor runes ×20.]
[Mission Series Two: Incorporate at least five independent small countries into the Land of Water's territory and make the Land of Water's order receive recognition from more than 50% of the residents. Current progress: 0/5.]
[Mission Reward: Secondary Rune — Gathering Storm.]
[Gathering Storm — Secondary Rune: The holder gains a 5% bonus to ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu strength. Every two years, this bonus doubles.]
[Mission Series Three: Incorporate the Land of Lightning into Kirigakure's sphere of rule and obtain the support of more than 50% of the local residents.]
[Mission Reward: Keystone Rune — Conqueror.]
[Mission Series Four: Incorporate the Land of Earth into Kirigakure's sphere of rule and obtain the support of more than 50% of the local residents.]
[Mission Reward: Keystone Rune — Aftershock.]
[Mission Series Five: Incorporate the Land of Fire into Kirigakure's sphere of rule and obtain the support of more than 50% of the local residents.]
[Mission Reward: Keystone Rune — Arcane Comet.]
[Mission Series Six: Unify the shinobi world. Ensure the order you establish is used in every country and obtain the support of more than 50% of the population.]
[Mission Reward: Keystone Rune — Omnistone.]
[Omnistone — Keystone Rune: Strengthens the traits of all obtained Keystone Runes, and based on the number of stacks of Keystone Rune — Dark Harvest, strengthens the numerical values of all Keystone Runes.]
"As expected, it's exactly the path of unifying the shinobi world… Tch. I probably won't be able to accumulate enough population in Kirigakure and gradually complete the later missions until the original plot begins."
Closing the system panel that only he could see, Rei Kaguya walked to Yagura Karatachi, who was being held by Elder Genji while the old man rambled and explained something to him.
In a relaxed tone, Rei asked, "Ready to depart, Yagura?"
"Mm. Almost."
After replying, Yagura held Elder Genji's aged hand and said to the old man with a serious expression.
"I will take good care of Lord Third and make sure he returns to the village healthy and safe. While we are away, you only need to preside over the village's basic operations and ensure the food supplies for our shinobi on the front lines, Elder Genji."
"This old man will handle those affairs properly. But Yagura, this old man also has some words for you."
Looking at Yagura Karatachi's eyes, which had much less confusion than before, Elder Genji spoke with a faint sense of relief.
"In this old man's eyes, you are also an excellent shinobi with the capacity to become Mizukage. This old man was originally worried that you, who had almost been raised by the Third as his successor, would experience unnecessary conflict with the Fourth, who rose to power so forcefully, and then suffer unnecessary setbacks…
"But looking at you now, such a thing should no longer happen."
"Then this old man's expectations for you are now only that you properly assist the Fourth in reviving Kirigakure from now on. No matter how powerful the Fourth's personal strength may be, he cannot handle all of Kirigakure's affairs alone. In this aspect, he will need outstanding children like you to help him more."
"I will, Elder Genji."
Yagura Karatachi nodded and waved farewell to the people of Kirigakure.
Then he quickly walked to the side of the new and old Mizukage and joined them in stepping onto this journey that would open a new era.
…
The Land of Iron.
This was a small country where the first Five Kage Summit had been held.
It had witnessed the First Hokage and the other four First Kage forming an alliance between their nations, the distribution of the Tailed Beasts among the countries, and other major historical events. Because of that, it had retained its right to permanent neutrality.
Since the Land of Iron had no shinobi village of its own, was located in a somewhat remote position, and did not produce any particularly rare resources, even after so many Shinobi World Wars had erupted across the shinobi world, the people of the Land of Iron still lived relatively peaceful lives.
They could not be called wealthy, but at least they did not have to worry about the chaos of war outside.
Recently, the Land of Iron Daimyo received a commission that made him smell the scent of history.
"What!? Kirigakure of the Land of Water and Konoha of the Land of Fire are going to hold ceasefire and peace negotiations!? And the Mizukage personally designated our Land of Iron as the location of the talks!?"
The extremely excited Land of Iron Daimyo immediately made the decision to accept Kirigakure's commission.
Then, full of enthusiasm, he began arranging the meeting venue and the ceremony to welcome the Hokage and Mizukage.
However, very soon, the Land of Iron Daimyo began to worry over the security for this meeting, which only involved the Land of Water and the Land of Fire.
Kirigakure and Konoha might indeed be planning to negotiate peace, but would villages like Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure really be willing to see that happen?
The Land of Iron did have its own samurai as national defense forces.
But since most samurai insisted on neither using nor training chakra, relying on them alone would probably make it very difficult to stop all the assassins from the other three great shinobi villages.
But if the goal was to fight against assassins sent by the other three great shinobi villages, where was he supposed to find a group of mercenaries who were both strong and maintained a neutral attitude?
Just as the Land of Iron Daimyo was losing sleep over this matter, a group of young shinobi, all dressed in black cloaks and looking extremely difficult to provoke, took the initiative to come knocking.
"The Akatsuki…? I've never heard that name before."
Listening to Yahiko, the Akatsuki leader, introduce himself, the Land of Iron Daimyo looked troubled as he stared at this group of well-equipped and excited uninvited guests. Then he muttered quietly.
"This is a high-level commission that requires facing the Kage of two great shinobi villages directly and personally participating in a major historical event. Can young people like you, whom I've never even heard of, really be relied on?"
"Of course, Daimyo."
Hearing the Land of Iron Daimyo's self-talk, which was basically no different from speaking out loud, Nagato stepped forward from behind Yahiko and showed the Land of Iron Daimyo a confident smile.
"Please believe in the Akatsuki's strength. After these peace talks, we will make the entire shinobi world know the Akatsuki's name and hear our ideas and goals."
"Ah? Oh? Oh…"
The Land of Iron Daimyo nodded blankly, his tone wooden.
"Then the security work for the meeting venue will be entrusted to you, everyone of the Akatsuki."
"Thank you for understanding and cooperating with our work, Daimyo."