Looking up at the newly repaired gates of Kirigakure, Kiyosuke rubbed his nose and shouted loudly from the entrance:
"I'm from Konoha, here to deliver an invitation for the Chūnin Exams! Someone come and meet me!"
A few guard-nin peeked their heads out from the wall. At first, they didn't recognize Kiyosuke's face, but the longer they looked, the more wrong it felt. Suddenly, their expressions shifted drastically, and they shouted as if they'd gone mad:
"Quick! Go get Mizukage-sama!!! Asakawa Kiyosuke from Konoha has come to attack!!!"
"..." Kiyosuke.
After all these years, was his reputation in Kirigakure still this bad?
Headache!
"Hey! I'm not here to fight. I came to deliver the Chūnin Exam invitation!" Kiyosuke yelled back.
"Who'd believe that?! Stand right there and don't move! When Mizukage-sama arrives, you'll regret it! You won't get away unscathed!!" the guard shot back, his voice loud though his courage wavered.
"Do you Kirigakure shinobi not understand human speech? How has Mei Terumī been teaching you?" Kiyosuke said irritably.
"Mizukage-sama is very busy. She taught us to welcome guests from afar—but you don't count!"
This was a middle-aged ninja, one who had fought in the Third Shinobi World War and had seen Kiyosuke's terrifying power firsthand. But as a shinobi of Kirigakure, he could not allow himself to falter in presence!
Even though his legs were trembling like mad, he still forced himself to hold the line against Kiyosuke.
"Forget it, forget it. Talking to you is pointless. I'll just wait for Mei Terumī to arrive."
Kiyosuke plopped himself down on the ground, waiting.
"You should address her as Mizukage-sama!!"
"Why would I? I've known her for more than ten years!"
"You still have to call her Mizukage-sama!!!"
"You're so annoying!"
The two of them shouted back and forth across the distance.
The guard's comrades quickly pulled him aside.
"This isn't good, Captain! That's the man who killed the Third Mizukage! If he goes berserk, we're finished!"
"Bah! You kids have no backbone. I've seen worse in my time! What's there to be afraid of? If he wanted to kill me, I wouldn't even have the time to react. I'm not afraid!"
Since he couldn't win anyway, he might as well get some satisfaction by mouthing off.
That… kind of made sense.
The others felt something about this logic was off, but couldn't put their finger on it.
Before long, Mei Terumī arrived at the gates, leading a group. Dressed in her signature blue strapless dress, she saw Kiyosuke sitting at the entrance and couldn't help but laugh.
"Honestly, you… waiting at the gates like this."
In the past, he would always sneak into the village instead…
Seeing his old acquaintance, Kiyosuke stood up with a grin.
"Mei, long time no see. So, are you married yet?"
"..." Mei Terumī.
"..." Ao.
"..." Zabuza.
"..." Chōjūrō.
"..." The Kirigakure shinobi entourage.
A smile bloomed on Mei's beautiful face. She leaned in close, her fragrance brushing against him, and whispered softly in his ear:
"Shut up, or I'll kill you."
"..." Kiyosuke.
Perfect. The lady wasn't married.
Straightening back into her official demeanor, Mei cleared her throat and said briskly:
"Asakawa Kiyosuke, come with me."
She turned and led the group inside, Kiyosuke following behind.
"I say, Ao," Kiyosuke leaned over to whisper, "hasn't she been a little more irritable than usual lately?"
Ao hadn't intended to answer, but then recalled how Mei often whispered at him out of nowhere:
"Shut up, or I'll kill you."
He had no idea why she did it, but still replied:
"She's been like this the past few years. Probably just stress. But it doesn't happen often."
Normally, Mizukage-sama was quite gentle.
"I think it might just be age. Our Fifth Hokage is in her fifties, and her temper is horrendous."
Kiyosuke murmured.
Suddenly, both men froze, struck by an intense killing intent.
Mei turned back with a graceful smile.
"What are you two whispering about? Care to share it with me too?"
"S-sorry!"
They both bowed their heads nervously, terrified of retaliation.
"Pathetic." Zabuza snorted coldly, hefting the Executioner's Blade on his shoulder as he left.
Because Yagura Karatachi had awakened early, Zabuza had never attempted to assassinate the Mizukage, and thus had not defected. He remained in Kirigakure, still one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Kiyosuke's eyes drifted to a shy, blue-haired boy with glasses, carrying the massive twin swords Hiramekarei. Curious, he asked:
"Huh? Isn't that the Hiramekarei? So it's found its wielder?"
Flustered under the attention of such a famous man, Chōjūrō stammered:
"Y-yes! I'm Chōjūrō! I've heard of your great name, Kiyosuke-sama!"
"Great name? More like infamous," Kiyosuke waved him off, not caring, and continued to look around.
He hadn't been to Kirigakure in years, and though the village looked the same, the spirit of its people was completely different.
Under the Third Mizukage and later Yagura, the villagers had always lived in fear, weighed down by despair. But now? Smiles lit their faces, their eyes filled with hope for the future.
"One order of fish balls, thanks!"
Passing a stall, Kiyosuke bought a skewer of fish balls, munching as he followed Mei to the Mizukage's office.
Inside, Mei sat at the Mizukage's desk. On a sofa nearby rested an elderly man, clutching a serpent-shaped staff. His body trembled so violently it seemed he might pass away at any moment.
"S-so, th-this is… that… Asakawa Kiyosuke?"
The elder's name was Genshi, one of Kirigakure's surviving elders—a living fossil from the time of the First Mizukage, even older than the Third Hokage. After Yagura's death, he had overseen Kirigakure's affairs.
Even now, Mei still sought his counsel for many matters. It was thanks to his support that Kirigakure had adopted its policies of peace and openness, allowing the village to flourish as it did today.
"Yes. Hello, Genshi-sama."
Faced with this living relic, Kiyosuke dropped any arrogance, greeting him politely.
"I-I know you… The Third died at your hands." Genshi's hand shook like he had Parkinson's, gripping Kiyosuke.
"A g-good seedling… If only, if only you had been born of Kirigakure."
Please, can we stop digging up the corpse of the Third Mizukage already?
Mei coughed lightly.
"Genshi-sama, Asakawa has come to Kirigakure on important business. What exactly brings you here?"
Kiyosuke produced the Chūnin Exam invitation and handed it to Mei.
"Sunagakure and Konoha will be hosting the Chūnin Exams together. We hope Kirigakure will send participants."
He had crossed the sea, all the way into the Land of Water's domain, for this.