Yuto's faint voice echoed through the forest. Though only four words, they carried an unparalleled sense of dominance and confidence!
"Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei, pays respects to the First Mizukage, Lord Yuto!"
Terumi Mei knelt on one knee, her voice brimming with uncontainable excitement and reverence.
"Mist Village Assassination Team Captain, Ao, pays respects to the First Mizukage, Lord Yuto."
Ao also knelt on one knee. As the captain of the assassination team and a ninja, he couldn't hide the excitement on his face or the fervor in his eyes.
Hearing their voices, Yuto lowered his head expressionlessly, sizing up the people before him.
Terumi Mei, Ao, Orochimaru, and the Sound Four! What a mix of familiar yet unfamiliar figures.
To think he had been sealed for so many years?
Oh? That's Hashirama Senju, reincarnated through the Impure World Reincarnation!
Seeing Hashirama, Yuto was momentarily stunned but quickly understood what had happened.
Thinking of this, Yuto's eyebrow twitched slightly. In that case, Tobirama Senju had inadvertently done him a great favor.
"So, it's already the era of the Fifth Mizukage? I thought I'd revive during the Second or Third Mizukage's time. Things have really gotten worse."
Yuto spoke calmly, his voice tinged with dissatisfaction.
He wasn't trying to intimidate Terumi Mei; his discontent was genuine.
Yuto's main goal was to unify the entire ninja world, but achieving that required more than just strength.
Timing, geography, and human factors—all were indispensable. In the world of Naruto, there were two periods where unifying the ninja world was nearly impossible.
The first was the Warring States era. Attempting to unify the ninja world then would inevitably pit him against Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju.
Facing those two overpowered monsters, no matter how strong he was, they could potentially overpower him with a sudden burst of power.
The second period was after the main storyline began. This era seemed to lack prominent figures, but it was the most stable and prosperous time for the ninja world, with all villages amassing their strength.
Attempting to unify the ninja world then would mean facing a collective assault from all other villages!
Moreover, during this period, new prodigies like Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha emerged, while old powerhouses like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha could potentially reappear.
Add to that Black Zetsu, scheming in the shadows for a millennium.
Thus, in Yuto's view, this era was the most troublesome, though he wasn't sure of the exact timeline.
But with the Fifth Mizukage being Terumi Mei and the Sound Four standing obediently behind Orochimaru, Yuto had a rough idea of the time period he was in.
The easiest times to unify the ninja world were during the Second and Third Ninja World Wars.
Those were the only two periods when the Leaf Village's dominance could be challenged. Outside of those times, it was the Leaf Village's era.
This was why Yuto was dissatisfied. Having lived through the Warring States era, where life was as cheap as grass, Yuto's mindset was no longer that of the shy, innocent boy from his previous life.
Even though these people were familiar figures from the anime of his past life—Terumi Mei even being one of his favorite female characters—when he saw them in person as living, breathing beings, Yuto found his heart unmoved, as if facing something utterly ordinary.
It was simply a matter of strength, status, and mentality that had changed beyond comparison.
The so-called familiarity was merely a lingering attachment to his past life.
If anyone else had said the Mist Village was getting worse, Terumi Mei and Ao would have attacked without hesitation.
But facing the First Mizukage, Lord Yuto, both of them wore expressions of shame, their heads bowing even lower.
Compared to the era of Lord Yuto, the Mist Village's current strength could indeed be described as pathetic.
Among the five great ninja villages, the Mist Village and the Sand Village were now neck-and-neck, vying for the bottom two spots.
While the Sand Village was so poor it only had sand, the Mist Village, backed by mountains and seas, had abundant resources.
Yet, despite this, the Mist Village was still languishing in the bottom ranks, a testament to its abysmal overall strength.
Seeing their ashamed expressions, the corner of Yuto's mouth twitched. It seemed he had hit the nail on the head.
"Stand up. As the Mizukage, you may feel shame for the village's state, but you don't need to kneel to anyone."
Yuto looked at Terumi Mei, his tone carrying an undeniable authority.
Terumi Mei's face flushed, and she hurriedly stood up, her posture rigid, like a little girl who had done something wrong.
Ao, still kneeling nearby, couldn't help but find her demeanor amusing. It was the first time he had seen Terumi Mei act so girlish.
As Terumi Mei stood, Yuto carefully observed the Fifth Mizukage. She was tall, only half a head shorter than him, and far more beautiful than her anime depiction.
Noticing her slight nervousness, Yuto suddenly smiled:
"Thank you for your trouble."
Without looking at her reaction, he gestured for Ao, still kneeling, to rise.
At the same time, Yuto took a step forward, his body vanishing instantly. When he reappeared, he was standing in front of Orochimaru.
Such incredible speed!
No chakra fluctuations—pure physical technique?
Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply as he looked at Yuto, who had appeared before him without warning.
Looking at "Uncle Snake," Yuto's face broke into a charming smile:
"What's your name?"
—