Master Gen, the elder of the Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water, held authority equal to that of the Mizukage.
He was responsible for making decisions on all major village affairs. Any important matter in the Hidden Mist had to be brought before him for counsel.
Compared to the trio of elders in Konoha, the elders of the Hidden Mist were genuine holders of real power.
Though officially, Terumi Mei—as Mizukage—was in control of the entire village, in truth, more than half of the actual authority lay in Elder Gen's hands.
This was precisely why, despite her deep dissatisfaction with Elder Gen, Terumi Mei had no choice but to come and meet him.
Of course, deep down, Terumi Mei still held a degree of respect for the elder. Or rather, everyone in the Hidden Mist—be it villagers or shinobi—held a deep reverence for Elder Gen.
He was an elder who genuinely cared for the entire village.
Inside a spacious conference room—
At the head of an oval-shaped table sat an elderly man, aged but sharp-eyed and spirited.
"Terumi Mei, do you understand how much impact your unauthorized departure could have on the entire village?!"
A deep, commanding voice echoed through the meeting room.
Terumi Mei sat casually on the table, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly, her expression indifferent.
This wasn't the first time. She knew a long lecture was coming, and as long as she didn't interrupt, maybe Elder Gen would finish sooner.
Seeing this, a trace of helplessness flickered in Elder Gen's eyes. In terms of strength and capability, he had no doubts about Terumi Mei.
But in terms of temperament, she still had a long way to go.
If Terumi Mei hadn't been the only one in the entire Hidden Mist Village with enough strength and status to represent it, he would never have let her become Mizukage.
The current Mist Village was simply too weak. The strength of its shinobi was wildly inconsistent, and because of the policies of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, there was a huge gap in the younger generation.
Such a vast village, and yet… not a single strong warrior to represent it!
"Enough. Speak—why did you leave the village so suddenly? You're not the kind of person to act on impulse."
Elder Gen sighed, raised his head, and asked calmly.
Terumi Mei was slightly taken aback. Clearly, she hadn't expected him to get to the point so quickly today.
She hopped down from the table, her expression turning unusually serious.
"This matter—I was going to report to you anyway. I left the village in haste because I received news about Lord Yuto!"
Elder Gen, who had been calm until now, suddenly jolted at her words. He stood up from his chair abruptly.
"This is such a major matter—why are you only telling me now?!"
"It all happened too suddenly, and there were too many uncertainties. To be cautious, Ao and I went in person."
Terumi Mei replied flatly, then continued before Elder Gen could speak again. This time, there was a trace of excitement and reverence in her voice:
"Lord Yuto's exact words: all senior members of the Hidden Mist must be prepared. Once he returns, anyone who has betrayed the village will be judged—no one will be spared."
As her final word fell, Elder Gen's breathing grew rapid. A fiery light burned in his eyes, and he seemed to have suddenly grown several years younger.
Only after a long pause did Elder Gen slowly let out a single word:
"Yes!!"
Even now, his face still bore disbelief. He looked at Terumi Mei and asked:
"Where is Lord Yuto now?"
"I don't know exactly. I just know he's within the Hidden Mist Village. As for what he's doing—don't ask me. His thoughts are not something I can guess at."
Terumi Mei shrugged, her face returning to its usual indifferent look.
Elder Gen stood silently, staring at her. After a long pause, his smile widened:
"Good. Very good."
"For generations, the hope of the Mist Village may finally be realized in your era. I never imagined that before I died, I would get to see Lord Yuto again. My life… has not been wasted."
Tears streamed down Elder Gen's aged cheeks. The Hidden Mist had been in decline for far too long.
Now, with Lord Yuto's return, it was as though the village had been injected with a powerful stimulant.
…
On a bustling street.
Yuto wore an expression of helplessness as he watched Haruna, her mouth stuffed full of food.
This little girl really is treating me like a walking wallet.
He didn't mind spending a little money—but it wasn't like he was her actual relative. He was Yuto, after all.
Fortunately, although Haruna had eaten a lot, it was mostly cheap snacks, so it hadn't cost Yuto much.
Beside them, Ringo Ameyuri's face was flushed. Having a gluttonous little sister like Haruna was something she could only endure in silence.
Holding Haruna's hand, Ringo Ameyuri cast a curious glance at the young man in front of her.
Through her brief observations, she realized that this man didn't seem to have any particular goal—he was genuinely just out for a stroll.
And he wasn't unfamiliar with the Hidden Mist either. In fact, in some places, he seemed even more familiar than she was.
It was almost as if… he had grown up here.
Though she sensed no malice from him, Ringo Ameyuri remained cautious and had already sent a quiet message to the village's jōnin forces.
"Sis, I'm full now."
Haruna said with a contented smile, quietly speaking to Ringo Ameyuri.
Ringo's face flushed red again as she rolled her eyes.
You've eaten so much… if you're still not full, we really can't afford to feed you anymore!
"Big brother, you're so nice! Back home, my sister never lets me eat my fill."
Haruna beamed at Yuto, blinking her eyes.
Yuto was momentarily stunned, then crouched down slightly and chuckled,
"Your sister's a ninja. Missions pay pretty well. Are you telling me she still lets you go hungry?"
Despite the dangers, ninja work paid very well. A jōnin supporting a small family was no problem at all.
Just as Haruna was about to reply, Ringo Ameyuri tugged her sleeve, then looked at Yuto and said softly,
"Thank you for treating Haruna. If you ever get the chance, please come visit the Ringo household."
Seeing her subtle signal, Yuto kept his expression unchanged and replied with a smile,
"Of course."
Whoosh!
Just then, a sudden gust of wind sounded, and Ao's figure appeared before the trio.
Ringo Ameyuri blinked, then a flash of joy passed through her eyes. She quickly bowed and said,
"Lord Ao!"
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