Mabui, the beautiful woman with shoulder-length white hair, served as the Fourth Raikage A's secretary for a reason.
She was calm, decisive, and sharp-minded—especially skilled at analyzing and judging battlefield situations.
In other words, she was one of Raikage A's most important strategists.
"Killer B-sama," Mabui said coolly, "even if Konoha currently lacks a Hokage, don't forget—there is still that man from the Uchiha Clan in Konoha."
She didn't even need to say his name.
That alone was enough.
Sure enough—
The Killer B who had been waving his arms and getting excited a moment ago fell silent.
A's brows also knotted tightly.
Even though ten years had passed—
That battle from back then was still etched into their memories.
It was a scar of pain for Kumogakure.
A humiliation.
Neither of the brothers could forget the man on that battlefield—
Like a god walking among mortals.
Ten years later, who knew what terrifying level that Uchiha had reached…
...
The Land of Earth.
Iwagakure.
At this moment, Akatsuchi—Ōnoki's trusted subordinate and guard, as well as Kurotsuchi's senior—was reporting Konoha's situation.
"What did you say? The Third Hokage is dead?!"
Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, widened his eyes in disbelief as he hovered in the air using his Weight-Lightening Technique.
"Is the intel confirmed?" he demanded.
Akatsuchi, huge-bodied and thick-nosed, wearing an Iwagakure shinobi cap and a yellow scarf, nodded firmly.
"Absolutely confirmed!"
Ōnoki frowned and fell silent.
Beside him, Kurotsuchi—black hair cut short, dark eyes, and a delicate face—lit up immediately.
"Old man, that's great news!"
Ōnoki looked at his mischievous granddaughter, curiosity mixing with suspicion.
"How so?"
Kurotsuchi grinned.
"Think about it! Konoha's Hokage is gone, so things must be a mess. That's a rare chance to squeeze them for compensation!"
She wore an Iwagakure flak jacket over a tight red outfit with a single sleeve, black mesh leggings below—her long, pale legs especially eye-catching.
Honestly, Kurotsuchi thinking this way wasn't surprising.
Throughout the Shinobi Wars, Iwagakure had always liked playing the opportunist—waiting for others to clash, then swooping in to profit.
Ōnoki's old face twitched.
Squeeze Konoha while they're down?
Did this girl really think that was possible?
Young people…
Still too young.
Did he dare squeeze Konoha?
Of course he didn't.
At that moment, a tall, broad-shouldered man spoke up—Kurotsuchi's father, Kitsuchi.
"Kurotsuchi, don't talk nonsense. Konoha isn't as simple as you think."
Ōnoki nodded.
"That's right. Konoha isn't simple…"
"Even if the Third Hokage has died, Konoha still has Tsunade—and the Uchiha Clan Head—holding the line."
Hearing that, Kurotsuchi's eyes sparkled even more.
"The Uchiha Clan Head… that's Uchiha Yusuke, right?"
"Wah! He's my idol—and my dream man!"
Back during the Third Shinobi War, Kurotsuchi had heard countless stories about Uchiha Yusuke defeating the Fourth Raikage single-handedly and capturing the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki alive.
And when she later learned that the Uchiha Clan Head was also ridiculously handsome…
Her admiration only grew into full-blown infatuation.
Ōnoki: "..."
Kitsuchi: "..."
Both grandfather and father could only feel helpless.
Treating a shinobi from an enemy village as your idol and dream man…
What was this girl thinking?
"Hehe… since my dream man is still in Konoha, I'll take back what I said earlier," Kurotsuchi laughed, finally realizing something.
Ōnoki: "..."
Kitsuchi: "..."
...
The Land of Water.
Kirigakure.
"Mizukage-sama—big news!"
Chōjūrō, one of Mei Terumi's trusted subordinates and a member of the new generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, hurriedly reported. He was the wielder of the twin blades Hiramekarei.
Ao, the veteran Jōnin known as the "Byakugan Killer," frowned.
"Chōjūrō, what could possibly have you this tense?"
"It's big news!"
At the highest seat, Mei Terumi rested her head against her hand, looking utterly uninterested.
Her beautiful face was clouded with worry.
Right now, even if it truly was "big news"…
She couldn't muster the slightest curiosity.
Mei's mind was in chaos.
It's been half a month since I sent that letter… why hasn't Yusuke-kun replied?
Did he… abandon me, this stunning beauty?
…No.
Impossible.
With how pretty she was—gorgeous enough to shame the word itself—how could Yusuke-kun abandon her?
It must be something wrong in the delivery process.
Some idiot must have delayed it.
Damn it.
She would have ANBU investigate later.
Truthfully, the tangled "fate" between Uchiha Yusuke and Mei Terumi could be traced all the way back to the Third Shinobi War.
Back then, Mei hadn't become Mizukage yet—she was still just a girl.
But she was vicious.
On the battlefield, her two Kekkei Genkai had forced Yusuke into a genuinely awkward situation.
In the end, left with no choice, Yusuke had used… some unconventional methods…
To subdue that fierce little brat.
But from that moment on, that girl from Kirigakure latched onto him like a stubborn piece of glue.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake her off.
After the war ended, Yusuke had nearly forgotten about the whole incident.
War over. Everyone returned to their own villages.
Unless something unexpected happened, the two of them shouldn't have crossed paths again.
And then—
The unexpected happened.
Not long after Yusuke returned to Konoha to recover, he received a letter from the Land of Water—Kirigakure.
As for the sender…
Naturally, it was that girl—Mei Terumi.
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