With Ao and Chojuro gone, the office naturally contained only Terumi Mei and Yuto.
"To think Yuto-sama could come up with a plan like that. I really underestimated you before."
Terumi Mei wore a brilliant smile. When she said the words "underestimated," her tone noticeably deepened.
"Just a small strategy."
Seeing the radiant smile on Terumi Mei's face, Yuto felt a slight chill in his heart and couldn't help but give an awkward laugh.
"That's no small strategy."
Terumi Mei shook her head with a light laugh, but then her tone suddenly shifted:
"For Yuto-sama to be willing to come back — it seems you had quite a pleasant stay in Hidden Rain Village."
"Cough, cough." Yuto coughed lightly a few times.
Seeing the change in Yuto's expression, the notion Terumi Mei had been uncertain about was instantly confirmed.
Terumi Mei rose from her chair, her long legs carrying her forward. Without the slightest hesitation, she sat directly on Yuto's lap.
The two had already established their relationship as a couple, so there was no need for any pretense.
Terumi Mei's voluptuous body leaned forward, her beautiful curves laid bare before Yuto's eyes.
Terumi Mei raised her arm, her fingers painted with deep blue nail polish, and gently lifted Yuto's chin. A hint of dissatisfaction flickered in her emerald-green pupils:
"I know Konan has feelings for you, and I can let that slide. But I want to know — what's the deal with Shion?"
Hearing Terumi Mei's words, a clearly surprised look appeared on Yuto's face, followed by a flash of bewilderment.
"I'm not the jealous type."
Terumi Mei seemed to guess what Yuto was thinking. She rolled her eyes, her charming expression making Yuto's heart skip a beat.
Terumi Mei knew very well that a man like Yuto couldn't be tied down by just one woman. Better to be generous about it.
Yuto couldn't help but laugh at himself. He'd been overthinking things. But as a man, how could he let a woman tease him like this?
Thinking that.
Yuto reached out and wrapped his arms around Terumi Mei's slender waist, flipping her beneath him. At the same time, mirroring Terumi Mei's earlier gesture, he raised his hand and lifted her chin with his finger.
"I'll tell you about Shion tonight."
A faint smile on his face, Yuto pinched Terumi Mei's nose, then in a flash, he vanished from the office.
"That bastard!"
Seeing Yuto suddenly disappear, Terumi Mei bit her lip and cursed under her breath, a faint blush on her cheeks.
She straightened her clothes and sat back down in her chair.
But thinking about what Yuto had said before leaving, she looked at the various documents on her desk — what mood did she have to work?
"Seriously, it's still hours until nightfall."
Terumi Mei bit her pink lips and muttered softly.
In the blink of an eye.
Yuto had been in the village for about a week. Hidden Mist Second Village's affairs were finally running smoothly, and the expansion plan was proceeding in orderly fashion.
Just as Yuto had said from the start — even though Hidden Mist Second Village was only providing a tiny fraction of the funding, a large number of merchants still took on the construction work.
This completely put Ao and Chojuro's initial worries to rest, while also freeing up most of Hidden Mist Second Village's manpower.
Under these circumstances, the plan to unify the ninja world was once again put on the agenda.
After discussion among Hidden Mist's leadership, the next target was set as Sunagakure of the Land of Wind. Once this decision was made, the leadership carefully leaked it to gauge the attitudes of the village's ninja.
The result surprised everyone — not a single ninja in the entire village opposed it. Each and every one was brimming with fighting spirit, sharpening their blades.
After defeating Konohagakure, Hidden Mist Village's morale was at its peak. Moreover, throughout the process, every ninja who participated in the battle had received substantial rewards.
Even for the ninja who died in battle, the village provided generous financial compensation. Whether civilian ninja or clan ninja, any with children had their schooling at the Ninja Academy fully funded by the village.
This removed all worries from the minds of Hidden Mist Village's ninja!
With everything prepared, Hidden Mist Second Village dispatched a ninja to deliver a letter of surrender to Sunagakure in the Land of Wind.
The main demand: Sunagakure was to announce its surrender!
When this news broke, the ninja world — which had only just settled into calm — was once again thrown into turmoil.
Everyone knew this day would come, but they hadn't expected it so soon. And they realized that Hidden Mist Village's ambition to unify the ninja world was absolutely no idle threat!
Sunagakure was shaken with fury and panic. They quickly recalled the village's ninja to strengthen defenses, while simultaneously reaching out to the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth.
Before Konohagakure was destroyed, Sunagakure and Kirigakure had indeed maintained decent relations. But that was merely a matter of state-to-state diplomacy. Even ordinary people would turn on each other for profit.
Let alone a massive power like a nation. No ninja wanted their village destroyed. Sunagakure certainly didn't want to become the next Konoha.
Given the strength Hidden Mist Second Village had demonstrated, it was far beyond what Sunagakure alone could handle. And there was also the First Mizukage, Yuto.
The only one in the entire ninja world capable of dealing with him was Uchiha Madara.
To withstand Hidden Mist Village's great ninja army, only a united effort from the three great nations would work — with Uchiha Madara handling Yuto. Only then could the situation be stabilized!
Under these circumstances.
Sunagakure did its best to stall the envoy sent by Hidden Mist Village, while rapidly contacting Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
The Fourth Raikage, upon receiving the news, didn't hesitate in the slightest. He immediately agreed to Sunagakure's plea for aid and even stated he could launch an attack on the northern Land of Fire.
This would split Hidden Mist Second Village's forces and ease some of the pressure on Sunagakure. Of course, there was one condition — Uchiha Madara had to step in.
While Kumogakure agreed without hesitation, problems arose on Iwagakure's side.
At first, some of Iwagakure's leadership agreed to aid Sunagakure. But in less than a day, every word those leaders had said was taken back.
No matter what bargaining chips Sunagakure offered, Iwagakure was adamant — they would not intervene.
As for Uchiha Madara, he didn't even show his face, as if he couldn't care less about the matter.
This left Sunagakure's leadership, who had been full of confidence, completely dumbfounded. Each of them wore expressions of disbelief.
In the current ninja world, anyone with eyes could see that the only way to resist Hidden Mist Village was for all sides to join forces.
Yet the result was... Iwagakure had refused!
At this moment, both Sunagakure and Kumogakure couldn't understand what Iwagakure was thinking.
Besides, wasn't Uchiha Madara at odds with Yuto?
Yuto still held several Tailed Beasts that Uchiha Madara wanted. Given the enmity between the two, those two should have been locked in a fight to the death!
Sunagakure.
In a conference room where the village's entire leadership had gathered, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere filled the air.
"Bang!" The sound of a fist slamming a table rang out.
"What the hell are Iwagakure's people thinking?!"
"With our three great villages united, plus Uchiha Madara, we could have held off Hidden Mist Village — and maybe even turned the tide for a counterattack!"
"Such a perfect opportunity! A perfect opportunity! How could Iwagakure refuse? Why did they refuse?!"
An old man leaning on a cane, his face twisted with rage, pounded the table furiously. His chest heaved up and down as he breathed in ragged gasps.
The Sunagakure ninja around the old man watched his state with twitching eyelids, terrified that the slightest provocation would send him fainting from anger.
[
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