Chapter 10: Terumi Mei's Unease
Kirigakure—
Hidden within the Land of Water, nestled deep in the mountains yet near the sea.
Long shrouded in dense fog, and scarred by the cruel reign of the Fourth Mizukage, along with the infamous title "Village of the Bloody Mist," Kirigakure had become the most mysterious of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Now, warm sunlight filtered down from above. A sea breeze swept through, thinning the mist that cloaked the village.
After days of dreary haze, the sudden light brightened the spirits of the villagers.
—
The Mizukage's office.
One of Kirigakure's most iconic buildings.
A pair of turquoise eyes, long chestnut hair falling in wavy strands, crossing to cover her right eye. A striking, mature beauty sat at the Mizukage's desk.
Terumi Mei stretched lazily, arching her back as though trying to shake off her fatigue.
Tap! Tap!
A light knock echoed at the door.
Moments later, a young man with short, ash-blue hair stepped inside, his arms full of documents. His demeanor was shy and reserved.
Seeing him, Terumi Mei rolled her eyes dramatically and slumped forward onto her desk.
"Chōjūrō, where do you even find so many things for me to do!" she groaned weakly.
Chōjūrō carefully set the thick stack of papers on the desk, his face carrying a hint of embarrassment.
"Apologies, Mizukage-sama. Many of the policies from the previous Mizukage's era still require revisions. These decisions cannot be made without your approval."
At the mention of the former Mizukage, Terumi Mei's temper flared. Her teeth clenched as she snapped:
"Yagura… to think a Mizukage could be manipulated like a puppet! He brought disgrace upon the entire village!"
The very title "Village of the Bloody Mist," in her view, was nothing short of an insult to Kirigakure.
"Since you took office, the village has changed greatly. Smiles that once vanished have returned to our people. This is thanks to you, Mizukage-sama," Chōjūrō said earnestly.
Terumi Mei did not answer immediately. Instead, she rose and walked to the window, gazing out at the lively scene of rebuilding and bustle. Her eyes flickered with a touch of longing.
"The glory that the First Mizukage, Lord Yuto, created during his reign… I wish I could have witnessed it."
Chōjūrō's face grew solemn at the name. "Yuto"—within Kirigakure, that name carried a weight even greater than Hashirama's legacy in Konoha.
Konoha had spent years steadily diminishing the influence of Hashirama's memory. But Kirigakure was different. Over time, Yuto's prestige had not waned—it had only grown.
The common folk might not know the truth, but the successive Mizukage and the village's upper council did.
Lord Yuto had not died.
He had only been sealed.
The tale that Konoha spread—that Yuto had perished at the hands of Hashirama and Madara—was a lie.
As long as those two men lived, Kirigakure dared not act rashly.
Only after both their deaths did the village finally begin to move, seeking the place of Yuto's sealing.
Yet by the time the First Shinobi World War erupted, Kirigakure still had found no trace.
From the era of the Second Mizukage—Hōzuki Gengetsu—every Mizukage since had dedicated their strength to one goal: to find the place where Yuto was sealed.
But it seemed as though all of Kirigakure was cursed, targeted by fate itself.
During the First Shinobi World War, Gengetsu fell in battle.
When the Second Shinobi World War erupted, the Third Mizukage survived the conflict, only to die soon afterward from grievous wounds.
By the time the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, took office, his unparalleled talent and perfect control over tailed beasts gave the village hope. Yet not long after his rise, he fell under another's control.
The village was shut away under his tyranny, trapped in the nightmare of the "Village of the Bloody Mist."
If not for Terumi Mei's discovery—that her Mizukage had been enslaved by outside manipulation—Kirigakure would have been destroyed without any enemy ever needing to attack. Yagura alone would have ground it into ruin.
Though past Mizukage had perished or been controlled, they had not accomplished nothing.
At least the Third Mizukage had uncovered one crucial truth:
Yuto's place of sealing was not within the shinobi world at all.
He had been cast into another dimension.
And that dimension could only be summoned forth by Senju Hashirama's summoning techniques.
It was not perfect news, but far better than searching blindly across the ninja world.
Terumi Mei's eyes glimmered as she recalled the intelligence Ao had delivered to her not long ago.
If that report were true, then the task that no Mizukage before her had achieved… might finally be completed by her own hands.
The legendary Yuto-sama… just what kind of man had he truly been?
As she pondered, a sharp whistle cut the air—
Whoosh!
A figure appeared in the office without warning.
Neither Terumi Mei nor Chōjūrō was surprised. In fact, her eyes lit up with excitement.
"Ao! Have you found Orochimaru?" she asked, her gaze piercing.
"It took some effort, but it wasn't wasted. I've already made contact," Ao said, his nod firm, his tone carrying a rare spark of excitement.
Hearing his confirmation, Terumi Mei finally let out a deep breath of relief.
Chōjūrō, meanwhile, stared blankly between them. Were these two hiding something important from him?
(End of Chapter)