Unable to place the familiar figure, Chojuro didn't dwell on it. He quickly stepped forward to Terumi Mei and whispered,
"Lady Mizukage, the elders have already sent someone…"
He trailed off, not continuing further.
A glint flashed in Terumi Mei's eyes, her face showing a trace of annoyance. She could already imagine the scene awaiting her with those old geezers.
Turning to Yuto, she spoke with a hint of respect,
"Lord Yuto…"
"You have business to attend to, so go ahead. I'd like to take a look around the Mist Village."
Yuto waved his hand, cutting her off casually. Chojuro's eyes widened, staring at Yuto in shock. This was the second time he'd seen someone interrupt the Mizukage.
The first ninja to do so was still bedridden at home.
Thinking of what might happen next, Chojuro felt a chill, but when he saw the Mizukage's expression, he was stunned.
Even when speaking with the elders, she was never this respectful. Yet now, her face held not only deference but also a trace of reverence.
"Should I assign someone to guide you, Lord? And about your identity…"
Terumi Mei didn't mind being interrupted, her eyes still filled with admiration as she looked at Yuto.
"No need. I want to get familiar with the current Mist Village. As for my identity, inform all the Mist Village's high-ranking officials. They'll have their hands full soon. But don't tell the civilians."
Yuto pondered briefly before speaking calmly.
It wasn't that he didn't want the civilians to know of his revival, but in the current ninja world, even during peacetime, every village likely had its own intelligence networks.
His revival would be an extremely sensitive matter across the ninja world.
With the Mist Village's current strength, facing the other four great ninja villages would lead to only one outcome— annihilation.
As for Orochimaru, Yuto was quite confident. Having witnessed his strength, Orochimaru wouldn't dare offend him without reason.
Unifying the ninja world didn't just require immense strength; it also demanded sufficient manpower. Otherwise, even if Yuto defeated everyone in the ninja world, what then?
Unifying the ninja world was indeed a troublesome task, Yuto thought, inwardly grumbling.
Hearing his words, a spark of joy flashed in Terumi Mei's eyes. She nodded firmly, turned, and prepared to head into the village.
But at that moment, a soft cough interrupted her, causing her to pause.
"Ahem… Could I borrow some money for now?"
Yuto looked at Terumi Mei, slightly embarrassed.
Terumi Mei blinked, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. She thought to herself, Lord Yuto isn't as stern as I imagined.
Though she thought this, her face remained respectful. She quickly pulled a purse from her pocket and placed it in Yuto's hand.
Under Chojuro's stunned gaze, Terumi Mei grabbed him and leaped toward the village, saying,
"Now, tell me exactly what happened."
Seeing Terumi Mei's swift departure, Ao gave Yuto a respectful bow before hurrying after her.
Watching the three leave, Yuto smiled lightly. From Chojuro and Ao's behavior, it was clear Terumi Mei was doing a decent job as Mizukage.
Lowering his head, he looked at the pink purse adorned with a cute cartoon animal. A strange expression crossed his face.
Who would've thought the mature-looking Terumi Mei would use a purse fit for a little girl?
On a street in the Mist Village, Yuto held a skewer of fish balls in one hand and a cup of hot tea in the other, his face beaming with satisfaction.
The street wasn't as bustling as he'd imagined, but there were still plenty of pedestrians and vendors' calls.
Yuto strolled along with the crowd, eyeing his surroundings and buying any tasty-looking food he came across.
Compared to his era, the Mist Village had changed significantly. There were even some tall buildings now.
However, from his observations, the village's population didn't seem to have grown much.
Yuto guessed this was likely due to the policies during the Fourth Mizukage's reign, the so-called "Blood Mist" era.
At the thought, a deep killing intent flashed in his eyes. If he saw Obito Uchiha again, Yuto would make sure to give him special attention! Yuto held a deep attachment to the Mist Village.
Whether it was the comrades who fought alongside him or the civilians who tirelessly supported them during the war, they were all profound bonds to him.
"Haruna, slow down! Don't bump into anyone!"
A helpless voice called from ahead on the street.
With the voice, a little girl, about five or six years old, weaved through the crowd, hopping and skipping toward Yuto's direction.
Every few steps, she turned back and stuck out her tongue playfully.
Suddenly, while running, the little girl tripped over a protruding stone and stumbled forward.
"Haruna!"
A panicked cry came from ahead.
A young girl, about sixteen or seventeen, rushed toward her with a look of alarm.
Though the distance wasn't great, the street was crowded. By the time the older girl reached her, the little girl would likely have fallen.
The little girl closed her eyes in fright, but after a moment, she felt no impact.
Slowly opening her eyes, she found herself cradled in the arms of a big brother.
—