"Huh?"
Sensing an unfamiliar presence, Kamizuki Hikari instinctively tensed up.
Emerald-green eyes, auburn-red hair, and most notably—the Kirigakure forehead protector on her head—all identified her at a glance.
"Mist shinobi? What are you doing in Konoha?" Hikari asked, rubbing his eyes. Still groggy, he could barely make sense of the situation.
"We're here as guests, of course. Are we not welcome?" Terumi Mei, at this point in her life, was in that transition between youthful charm and mature allure, exuding an almost irresistible magnetism.
But to Hikari, in his current state, she was just a passing sight.
Even with his Sage Body, he couldn't endure this kind of prolonged 'battle'!
"Welcome, of course you're welcome. It's been a long time since Kirigakure visited Konoha, hasn't it?" Hikari sighed, then gestured for them to follow. "Where's Kakashi? Wasn't he the one escorting you?"
"Kakashi-san had to attend to other duties. Now, you're our guide. Happy?" Mei grinned, giving him a playful wink.
Hikari remained unfazed.
"Konoha warmly welcomes visitors from Kirigakure. However..." His tone shifted slightly. "I'd advise you not to cause any trouble while in the village. That way, we can coexist harmoniously and foster friendly relations. Sound good?"
"You're absolutely right!"
Mei couldn't help but admire his resistance to her charms.
'What a remarkable man. I should ask if he's married—if not, I'm dragging him back to Kirigakure!'
Acting on impulse, Mei enthusiastically grabbed his arm. "Hikari, someone as handsome as you must have a beautiful and dedicated wife, right?"
"Not really."
Gently pulling his arm back, Hikari smiled wryly. "I'm not married yet. If rumors like that spread, my reputation would suffer, and I'd have an even harder time finding a partner."
"Seriously? A man as distinguished as you isn't popular in Konoha?" Mei teased. If not for the fact that they barely knew each other, she might've already tried recruiting him then and there.
Once in Kirigakure's territory, she doubted he'd be able to escape!
"That's not the case. I'm quite well-liked in the village, but..." Hikari paused. "I'm not ready to take on the responsibilities of a husband and a family, so marriage isn't on my mind right now."
He didn't want Mei thinking he was unwanted—though she was indeed beautiful, foreign flowers from another village weren't his preference.
"I see." Mei murmured.
"Hikari truly is a gentle soul."
Under Mei's relentless flattery, even someone with Hikari's thick skin couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed.
"I'm really not that great. Just average."
"That humility makes you even kinder!"
Listening to the two flirt shamelessly, Ao and Chōjūrō exchanged exasperated glances.
Dealing with a Mizukage like Terumi Mei was... exhausting.
Chōjūrō couldn't help but glance at his reflection in a nearby window.
'I may not be devastatingly handsome, but I'm at least decent-looking. Why doesn't Mei-sama ever notice me?'
---
Hokage Building – Conference Room
Hatake Kakashi, Nara Shikaku, Hyūga Hiashi, and Kato Shizune—the four Hokage advisors—had gathered.
With Kirigakure's sudden arrival, analyzing the current situation was crucial.
Fortunately, only three Mist shinobi had come, and Konoha's ANBU were more than capable of keeping an eye on them.
"What are your thoughts about these three?" Kakashi placed three sketches on the table.
"According to their documents, Terumi Mei is their representative." Shikaku began, studying the images. "As for Ao, he reminds me of an enemy shinobi from the Third Shinobi War. And that Chōjūrō—he may look young, but the sword on his back is likely one of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swords. His strength shouldn't be underestimated."
He glanced at Hiashi meaningfully.
Ao's covered left eye... Shikaku suspected it concealed a Byakugan—the same one the Hyūga had lost during the war.
"Rest assured, the Hyūga will not act against him." Hiashi declared. "Kirigakure's delegation is here as envoys."
The clan had never relaxed its vigilance regarding the Byakugan's security. The moment Ao entered Konoha, they sensed the anomaly. Though it pained them, the Hyūga would prioritize the village's stability.
"Good. Moving on—" Kakashi pointed to Mei's portrait. "From intelligence, Kirigakure's Fifth Mizukage is a woman. And the chakra levels she possesses far exceed those of an ordinary shinobi. Therefore, I suspect..."
"She is the Fifth Mizukage?" Shizune finished.
Kakashi nodded. "Yes. She may be hiding her identity for some purpose, but we should determine what that is."
"I'd argue that isn't the most pressing issue." Shikaku interjected.
"Whether she's the Mizukage or not, Kirigakure sent her as an envoy. We must treat her accordingly—ensuring her safety within the village."
'And monitoring her to ensure she doesn't threaten Konoha's interests.'
"True, but identifying their motive is still important." Kakashi countered. "Tracing their journey from Kirigakure, they likely left around a week ago—right when news of Tsunade-sama defeating the Fourth Raikage and Third Tsuchikage spread."
"Kirigakure must've learned about Tsunade-sama's Wood Release and formidable strength. Now, they're assessing Konoha's stance."
That was Shikaku's theory. Then he fell silent, waiting for Kakashi's response.
Leadership meant weighing decisions from different perspectives.
"It's possible," Kakashi said. "For now, we'll pretend we don't know their true identities. If they want to act as regular envoys, we'll treat them as such. However, we should increase the ANBU's surveillance level."
"I agree," Shizune said. "The Kiri envoy group is small, and there aren't many outsiders in the village right now. We can assign an extra squad to 'protect' them."
"Then it's settled," Shikaku concluded. "They'll receive the necessary 'protection', and we'll continue probing their motives. I hear Terumi Mei requested Kamizuki Hikari as her guide—let him handle the investigation."
Kakashi: "Approved."
Shizune: "Agreed."
Hiashi: "In favor."
-----
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