The power of this particular sealing technique was indeed something to be coveted by those who understood its potential, but the cost and consumption required to use it were absolutely terrifying. The resources, time, and risk involved made it impractical for regular use.
For these reasons, this sealing technique had been gradually shelved and forgotten by Kirigakure's leadership over the years. Terumi Mei had rarely encountered this specific jutsu during her career precisely because of its limited application and dangerous nature.
However, as the Fifth Mizukage, she possessed considerable authority and access to classified information. After taking office and learning about various past events and historical techniques, she had studied detailed reports about this sealing method and others like it.
That knowledge was exactly why she could recognize it now.
The timing of the attempted sealing technique had been completely wrong for a legitimate Kirigakure operation, and now she understood the full scope of what had nearly happened. The implications were chilling.
From the actions of the impostor Mist shinobi, it was clear that he hadn't cared about her position as Mizukage at all. His true intention had been to kill both the Fifth Mizukage and the Fifth Hokage together in a single devastating attack.
"Heh heh heh..." Terumi Mei let out a bitter laugh.
"They're all coming out of the woodwork one after another. It seems there are still many people who secretly despise my leadership," she thought to herself. "No, perhaps those radical factions simply don't want Kirigakure and Konohagakure to reach any kind of peace treaty at all."
Terumi Mei pondered the situation carefully, and soon the complete picture began to emerge in her mind.
Under the insidious control of Uchiha Obito, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura had issued a series of brutal and bloody policies that had not only severely damaged Kirigakure's stability and reputation, but had also cultivated a dangerous group of extreme-minded shinobi who believed that force was the only solution to any problem.
In the eyes of these radical ninjas, there was absolutely no reason for Kirigakure to humble itself before other ninja villages, especially not before Konohagakure—the very place where Shihouin Naraku, the man who had killed their previous Mizukage Yagura, currently resided.
The peace treaty that Terumi Mei advocated for was seen as nothing short of complete humiliation in the eyes of these extremist shinobi. They viewed any form of diplomacy as weakness and betrayal.
So if they could successfully disrupt the negotiations between Konoha and Kirigakure, that would serve their purposes perfectly. Chaos and conflict were what they wanted, not peace and cooperation.
The dead impostor Mist shinobi lying before them had most likely been exactly such a tool—a willing sacrifice sent specifically to target both the Hokage and the Mizukage in order to create lasting hostility and distrust between the two villages.
Once both Tsunade and Terumi Mei had been killed, it was obvious that devastating wars would break out involving both Konohagakure and Kirigakure. The resulting conflict would destroy any possibility of peace for generations to come.
Fortunately, Shihouin Naraku had detected something suspicious before the plan could be executed. His quick thinking and decisive action had prevented a catastrophe.
"Thank you, Naraku-san, for your assistance," Terumi Mei said formally, bowing slightly. "I will ensure that Konoha receives a proper explanation for this incident."
Although Terumi Mei appeared to be an elegant beauty on the surface, as a shinobi who had risen to become the Fifth Mizukage, she was not lacking in decisiveness when critical moments demanded action.
Tsunade and Naraku exchanged meaningful glances, the understanding in their eyes making their thoughts obvious to each other.
It seemed that even though the immediate trouble with Uchiha Obito had been resolved, Kirigakure would continue to face internal strife and political instability.
Terumi Mei's position as Mizukage was far from secure, and these attacks proved that point dramatically.
This situation was only natural, of course. Kirigakure had been trapped in chaos and bloodshed for so long that any attempt to restore the village to its original glory would inevitably face numerous obstacles and setbacks.
"Mizukage-sama, should the peace negotiations continue as planned?" one of Terumi Mei's trusted advisors asked as he approached.
The man took a careful look at the dead impostor, then asked his question as the full implications of the situation became clear to him.
Terumi Mei looked up and assessed the current atmosphere. The shinobi from both villages, who had originally possessed little trust in each other to begin with, were now completely on edge and suspicious of every movement.
Even though they had figured out what had actually happened, the underlying conflict and tension could not be resolved quite so easily. The damage to diplomatic relations had already been done.
Terumi Mei took a deep breath and was about to respond when a flash of unforgettable light suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision. A pitch-black blade passed dangerously close to her face, blood splattered across her cheek, and a severed arm fell to the ground with a wet thud.
Naraku's calm face appeared beside her, and as he reached out to pull Terumi Mei to safety, his sword Kurikara's tip twisted elegantly, caught a scroll that was falling from the air, and instantly hurled it high into the sky.
"Get down!" Naraku shouted.
BOOM! BOOM!
Dazzling flames suddenly erupted in the sky above them, violent explosions sent fire and smoke spreading in all directions, and deafening sounds filled the air around the gates.
Fortunately, Naraku had reacted with incredible speed and had thrown the explosive scroll far enough away that most of the people present remained unharmed, though several were knocked over by the powerful shock waves that followed.
"Really? Is this ever going to end?" Tsunade muttered as she dusted herself off.
She signaled to the ANBU members who had immediately formed a protective formation around her that she was uninjured and capable of continuing.
Tsunade was now seriously questioning whether it had been wise to accept the olive branch offered by Terumi Mei. A Mizukage who couldn't even control her own shinobi—even if she made a binding contract with Konoha, would such an agreement really hold any meaning?
However, when Tsunade turned around to check on the others, a mischievous smile suddenly appeared on her face despite the serious situation.
Because of Naraku's quick action in pulling her to safety, combined with the sudden explosion and need to take cover, Fifth Mizukage Terumi Mei was now lying securely in Naraku's protective embrace.
Her curvaceous figure was held by Naraku in what could easily be considered a very intimate position—one that could definitely be misunderstood by anyone observing the scene.
"Ahem..." Naraku cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Are you unharmed, Mizukage-sama?" he asked professionally.
"I'm fine!" Terumi Mei replied quickly.
Both of them were experienced and skilled shinobi, so they immediately understood the situation and reacted appropriately to separate themselves.
Terumi Mei forced herself to suppress the unexpected flutter in her heart. Although the man before her would indeed make an excellent marriage candidate, this was certainly not the time or place to be thinking about such personal matters.
"Cang! Even you have betrayed me!" Terumi Mei exclaimed as she stood up and walked forward.
She looked with cold fury at the Mist shinobi who was now covering his severed arm and sweating profusely from pain and blood loss.
This man had been one of her trusted confidants, someone she had recruited and promoted years ago. Although he wasn't as deeply trusted as Ao, Terumi Mei had never had any reason to doubt his loyalty or dedication to her leadership.
But now it seemed that her trust had been misplaced.
"Ah... ahh..."
"Mizukage-sama, what you are doing is completely wrong!" the wounded traitor gasped.
"Konoha has never been our ally! They are our enemies!"
"Especially Shihouin Naraku—he killed our previous Mizukage-sama! He is Kirigakure's mortal enemy!"
The injured Mist shinobi roared these words with wild desperation, bloodshot veins appearing in his eyes and making him look like a rabid animal. His fanaticism was disturbing to witness.
Blood continued to pour from his severed arm, and the intense pain was spreading deep into his very soul. The spiritual damage caused by Kurikara was beginning to take its toll, causing his vision to darken and his consciousness to waver.
"Gahh!" A spray of blood erupted from his mouth as he began rolling on the ground in agony.
The soul trauma inflicted by Kurikara was not something that an ordinary jōnin like him could possibly withstand or resist.
Even powerful shinobi like Orochimaru and Killer Bee had once been reduced to states worse than death because of Kurikara's terrible power. An ordinary Mist shinobi had no chance of surviving such spiritual damage.
"Your answer shows sincerity in your beliefs, but I am deeply dissatisfied with your actions!" Terumi Mei declared coldly.
The warm smile had completely disappeared from her face. Two successive assassination attempts had thoroughly angered the new Mizukage, and her patience had reached its limit.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
Boiling hot vapor erupted from Terumi Mei's mouth, covering the writhing traitor in a cloud of superheated steam. The man's body began dissolving rapidly, melting like chocolate under intense heat.
In the span of just a few seconds, a living person completely disappeared before everyone's eyes.
His flesh, bones, clothing—everything was corroded and dissolved by the intensely acidic mist until nothing remained but empty ground.
Such a brutal scene and such ruthless efficiency shocked many of the people present. The casual display of lethal power was a stark reminder of why Terumi Mei had become Mizukage.
Up until this point, because of the repeated sneak attacks by rogue Mist shinobi, much of the respect and fear that should have been directed toward the Fifth Mizukage had been diminished.
After all, a Mizukage who could be repeatedly targeted and attacked by her own subordinates appeared to lack even the basic ability to control her forces. How could others respect such apparent weakness?
But now, Terumi Mei's swift and decisive response had dramatically changed people's perceptions. The demonstration of both power and resolve had restored much of her authority.
"Hokage-sama, please accept my sincere apologies for these incidents," Terumi Mei said as a diplomatic smile returned to her face.
She turned to address Tsunade directly, her tone formal but genuine.
"There are certain internal matters within Kirigakure that must be dealt with immediately, so I must ask to borrow Konoha's facilities and hospitality for a short time."
"Please be assured, Hokage-sama, that the negotiations for our peace treaty will continue as planned. These disruptions will not derail our diplomatic efforts."
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion