Mist Village.
Since the last time Anbu ninja sent to pursue Foaming returned injured, Yagura Karatachi had made up his mind—he would bring back the Jinchuriki next time no matter what.
So he chose one of his most trusted aides: Ao!
Ao, who possessed the Byakugan, was the perfect candidate for this pursuit.
Though not among the ranks of the strongest, his Byakugan allowed him to avoid danger and locate Foaming with precision.
Once Ao located Foaming, he could call for reinforcements from the village. Yagura could then send enough ninja to retrieve him!
No matter if it took negotiation or force, Yagura Karatachi would never let the Tailed Beast fall into the wrong hands.
Moreover, recently a secret organization had emerged in the Shinobi World, collecting Tailed Beasts—and some beasts had already fallen into their grasp.
Tailed Beasts were the lifeblood of any Hidden Village—I'll never let ours slip away!
Besides, as currently one of the few perfect Jinchuriki in the Shinobi World, he knew its power better than anyone alive.
No matter why that underground organization known as Akatsuki sought to collect the Tailed Beasts, Yagura would never allow such a thing to happen in Kirigakure!
"Bang!"
Yagura was still deep in thought. Just now, he had been considering his upcoming meeting with the Daimyo and how to convince him to increase funding for the Hidden Village this year, when suddenly the door was roughly shoved open!
He lifted his head and saw Terumi Mei hurrying toward him.
A flicker of confusion and unease passed through his heart as he slowly straightened his posture.
"What's wrong? Why are you in such a rush?"
Yagura's violet eyes fell upon Terumi Mei.
"Huff!"
Terumi Mei exhaled sharply, patting her chest as she tried to catch her breath, a look of urgency on her face.
"This is a scroll just sent back by Ao. I think you need to see it."
She handed over a scroll before leaning against the Mizukage's desk, slowly regaining her breath after sprinting all the way here.
"Hmm."
Yagura accepted the scroll. If it's from Ao, it must be about Foaming.
Had he found Foaming already, or something else…?
With speculation and doubt swirling in his mind, he slowly unfurled the scroll and fixed his gaze upon it.
"What... is this?"
Soon, he finished reading the report, and shockwaves surged within him!
Indeed, letting the Jinchuriki run free would surely draw Akatsuki's attention like a magnet.
Yagura slowly clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with a serious expression.
"Terumi Mei, summon Hoshigaki Kisame, Mangetsu Hozuki, Momochi Zabuza, Raiga Kurosuki, and Ameyuri Ringo immediately—I have a mission for them!"
After a pause, Yagura gave his orders.
"I've already informed them before coming here. They should be here any second!"
Mei nodded with a smile forming on her face.
"Good."
Looking at Terumi Mei's expression, Yagura didn't speak but felt inwardly that having an assistant like her helping manage the village really was quite fortunate.
"This situation is a bit tricky," he continued. "I'm going to send them to support Ao. Under no circumstances will I allow the Six-Tails to fall into someone else's hands!"
Yagura's tone was extremely serious and heavy.
"There are times when firm measures must be taken!"
Yagura stared at Terumi Mei, his eyes darkening slightly.
Tailed Beasts were embodiments of chakra—an immortal existence that could never truly die. They could only be sealed away or lulled into slumber.
But immortality didn't mean they couldn't be killed! As long as the Jinchuriki was eliminated, the Tailed Beast would also enter a dissipated state, dispersing once more into scattered chakra across the Shinobi World.
This recovery phase would take a long time before they re-coalesced in some familiar location, reforming as concentrated chakra—their original form as Tailed Beasts.
"If that's the case, then count me in too!"
Seeing how seriously Yagura was taking this mission, Terumi Mei spoke up.
"Fine. With your power, I'll feel much safer."
Yagura nodded thoughtfully. Relying solely on a few members of the Seven Swordsmen might not be enough after all.
Their opponent was the mysterious and formidable Akatsuki Organization. Sure, intelligence reports mentioned just one enemy from Akatsuki, but who knows how many others might be lurking?
If he weren't about to start funding negotiations with the Daimyo for next year's budget, he'd personally lead the team himself to prevent any mishaps at all.
But if Terumi Mei were to replace him on this mission, he felt it would be nearly just as good.
After all, her strength had tremendous potential, and in certain aspects, she wasn't inferior to himself at all. If anything, her weakness lay in her chakra reserves—not quite reaching the endurance level of his own as a Jinchuriki.
"Then I'm entrusting this to you. The Tailed Beasts absolutely mustn't fall into others' hands. And if recovery proves impossible, deal with them on-site! There's also Ao with a unit of [Sealing Specialists]. You'll need to adapt as necessary!"
Looking at Terumi Mei's uniquely charming face and her well-defined figure, Yagura gave these instructions, his gaze complex.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't want to give Mei such orders.
"I understand!"
Terumi Mei nodded in agreement—she would unquestionably follow Yagura's command.
"Knock! Knock!"
Someone rapped at the door. Terumi Mei turned around just in time to glance toward it and immediately called for the person outside to come in.
Both Yagura and she sensed that the visitors were members of the Seven Swordsmen, so there was no need for unnecessary words.
"Clack! Clack! Clack!"
Five people walked inside.
Each carried uniquely-shaped weapons—some strapped to their backs, others hung at their waists.
They all wore cold expressions, unlike Raiga Kurosuki. Though young like the rest, they still looked utterly unapproachable.
Though they arrived together, each kept their distance—clearly wary, if not outright distrustful, of each other.
This was a peculiar trait of Kiri.
Even though the current Mist Village hadn't descended into the bloodthirsty "Bloody Mist" era found in Saitama's memories,
due to their defeat in the war against Konoha, the Daimyo had drastically cut annual military spending, forcing Kiri ninja to wander constantly, accepting low-paying mercenary jobs from minor nations.
Years of constant killing had dulled their senses, making them cold and detached.
Yagura wasn't surprised by their behavior at all, saying nothing as he simply observed the five entering the room and lining up neatly.
"The reason I've summoned you here is to assign a mission. This will be a team effort requiring all of you to cooperate. The enemy might be somewhat powerful."
Yagura stepped down from his seat and took his place in front of the table beside Terumi Mei.
"The target is our village's Jinchuriki, Ephemeral. Your task is to bring him back—alive. Or..."
"Right now, Ephemeral is fighting with members of the Akatsuki Organization in River Country."
"Therefore, your targets include Akatsuki as well since they're collecting Tailed Beasts to make them their own!"
"Terumi will accompany you on this mission. She'll lead your team. Her strength is something you're all familiar with. I expect no complaints?"
Yagura looked at the group before him. Though his tone sounded like a question, it carried the authority and firmness of a superior.
"If there are no further questions, you should depart immediately! Every moment counts. Delay could cost us everything."
Seeing that none of them raised concerns, Yagura continued speaking to Terumi.
Nearby, Kisame Hoshigaki glared with wide eyes, his grayish skin making him appear somewhat frightening.
He didn't really care who the target was—just as long as there was blood to spill. Perhaps this would always be how his life went—caught between missions, between life and death.
Zabuza simply curled his lips into a faint smirk, glancing across the others without uttering a word.
He lived for missions like this—battling strong foes and sharpening his blade every time!
Mangetsu Hozuki grinned, pulling a soda can from his belt and taking a swig from it. His sharp teeth pressed against the straw as his throat kept swallowing.
The Seven Swordsmen's duty was clear—to stand up when the village called. And he'd never turn his back on that!
"Understood!"
Raiga Kurosuki nodded. Having served in an earlier Ninja Squad, he carried himself with more maturity than most.
The sheer number of operatives sent meant only one thing—the enemy wasn't just strong; they were dangerous!
Standing at the far end, Ameyuri Ringo remained silent, watching Yagura and Terumi with admiration gleaming in her eyes.
She'd already decided—this mission would succeed, no matter what, or she'd let down Mizukage and everyone else.
Finally, her gaze flicked to the weapon jutting from Raiga's back, a sharp glint of resolve flashing in her eyes.
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