Genshi had already heard about Terumi Mei's defeat at the hands of a Konoha ninja.
He was a bit curious.
His proud female disciple, the future successor of the Mizukage, actually suffered a setback against an ordinary Konoha youth.
Even though Terumi Mei repeatedly claimed that the opponent had used despicable means, a ninja capable of doing such a thing and leaving a lasting impression on her was certainly not ordinary.
"Yes."
Looking at the elders smiling at her, Terumi Mei only felt embarrassed.
Good news never spreads, but bad news travels far and wide.
"Then you should go. Remember not to make too much noise. Kirigakure and Konoha still need to form an alliance."
"Understood!"
After receiving affirmation, Terumi Mei nodded with a relaxed expression, then vanished from the spot in an instant.
———
[On the Streets of Kirigakure]
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Uchiha Kage looked at the back of his hand. It had been a long time since he last got goosebumps like this.
It seemed that even if he didn't interfere, Kirigakure wouldn't be peaceful anytime soon.
"My insects feel the same way."
Shino was also staring at the bugs on his finger.
"Compared to Konoha's prosperity, this place feels like it's struggling to recover."
Kurenai Yuhi wasn't as sensitive as her two students.
She originally wanted to explore Kirigakure's streets to find something new and interesting to take back to the village, but there was hardly anything special.
And there weren't many people doing business either.
"Hinata, let's check over there."
Grabbing her female disciple's hand, Kurenai Yuhi finally spotted a somewhat unique shop.
"Ah, Sensei, that place is..."
'A women's lingerie store?'
The moment she saw the sign, Hinata's cheeks instantly turned red.
"Wearing fishnet underwear all the time isn't good. We may be ninjas, but we're also women. Let's pick a few. I'll pay," Kurenai Yuhi dragged her shy and reluctant student into the store, then turned to the two male students.
"Do you guys want to take a look? It's a rare opportunity!"
Seeing that there was no sign prohibiting men from entering, Kurenai Yuhi wanted to tease her two students.
They had been tense on the journey here. Now that they had arrived, they deserved to relax a bit.
"I'll check out other places."
Shino, like Hinata, was obviously shy.
"Sensei...", Uchiha Kage, on the other hand, was slightly interested.
The Samui in his space was currently wearing the new clothes he gave her, but she still lacked suitable underwear.
Before he let her out, it would be best to give her more armor to wear.
After all, she was his personal property.
However, just as Uchiha Kage was about to find an excuse to go in, the shopkeeper suddenly kicked Kurenai Yuhi and Hinata out.
"Konoha ninja? We don't do business with Konoha ninja. Get out!"
After stepping out, the shopkeeper shot a fierce glare at Uchiha Kage, who wore the Uchiha clan emblem on his clothes.
"Especially Uchiha!"
"How could this..."
'Is Kirigakure's hatred for Konoha this deep?'
"Are Uchiha really that unwelcome?"
'Why does everyone seem to hate me?'
Uchiha Kage recalled that Samui had also said something similar before.
"They are guests from Konoha, not enemies. Sell to them," Just as Kurenai Yuhi was about to argue with the shopkeeper, the kunoichi who let them into the village appeared again.
And she helped persuade the lingerie shop owner.
"Yes, Lady Terumi Mei."
The shopkeeper recognized Terumi Mei's identity and no longer stopped Kurenai Yuhi from entering, though their attitude toward Konoha's ninja remained cold.
"Thank you, you've helped us again," For the second time, this kunoichi had come to their aid, leaving Kurenai Yuhi with a good impression of her.
So there were reasonable people in Kirigakure after all.
Kurenai Yuhi looked the kunoichi up and down.
Emerald-green eyes, reddish-brown long wavy hair covering her right eye, giving her a mysterious charm. A well-proportioned figure, fair and delicate skin, and alluringly moist lips.
Moreover, her blue strapless dress and the eye-catching white belt around her waist further enhanced her charm.
This kunoichi was not only beautiful but also kind-hearted.
"You're welcome," Terumi Mei nodded lightly.
However, her gaze wasn't on Kurenai Yuhi, the Konoha jonin, but instead locked onto a certain boy's figure.
"Hey, what's your name?"
"Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking someone else's name?"
So she came looking for trouble.
Uchiha Kage felt like his earlier bad premonition was about to come true.
"You guys..."
'What is going on?'
'Why is this woman staring at my student the moment she arrived?'
Kurenai Yuhi's impression of the Kirigakure kunoichi dropped sharply.
"I am Terumi Mei," Terumi Mei brushed her hair away from her ear.
"Little brother, the humiliation you gave me last time—I haven't forgotten it!"
"That was your own fault."
Just like a certain kunoichi from Kumogakure.
Uchiha Kage thought to himself that if it had been now, when his strength and abilities had recovered, the space where Samui was imprisoned would have gained a new inmate.
"You Konoha ninja are so despicable, not even sparing our Kirigakure ninjas' corpses."
Terumi Mei would never admit she was at fault.
"Aren't we returning them now?"
Uchiha Kage sighed. He had been expecting this but couldn't escape it after all.
"That's a separate issue! You humiliated me! As long as I refuse, Konoha can forget about forming an alliance with Kirigakure!"
"H-Humiliated..."
So Kage and this kunoichi had known each other for a while?
Not only was Kurenai Yuhi eyeing Uchiha Kage and Terumi Mei back and forth, but even Hinata was getting flustered.
"A-Anyway... unless you have a fair fight with me right now, I will absolutely obstruct your mission."
Accidentally blurting it out, Terumi Mei felt a little embarrassed.
But she still forced herself to maintain a serious expression and stated her challenge.
"If you're scared, your teacher and teammates can join in too."
Just so they wouldn't accuse her, an elite jonin, of bullying him.
"Fine, but what if you lose?"
With things at this point, Uchiha Kage knew he couldn't avoid it, so he agreed.
"Me, lose?"
Possessing two Kekkei Genkai, Terumi Mei couldn't imagine losing to a mere genin.
Even if he was from the Uchiha clan.
"You should be worrying about how to survive under me, little brother."
However, after thinking for a moment, Terumi Mei "generously" walked up to Uchiha Kage.
"But if, by some million-to-one chance, I do lose to you, then I'll give you this as a return gift for the clothes you gave me last time."
Terumi Mei licked her lips with her tongue, then whispered in his ear.
"What?"
Uchiha Kage looked at Terumi Mei, whose face was clearly blushing with embarrassment yet still trying to tempt him.
"My worn underwear. You were staring at the shop earlier, so you must be interested, right?"
Terumi Mei playfully tugged at the neckline of her dress with her blue-painted fingernails, revealing a glimpse of pink fabric beneath.
———
This was the silent prison of Kirigakure.
Having lost his authority as Mizukage and been imprisoned by the village elders, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, was contemplating why Konoha and Kirigakure would form an alliance.
Even though no matter how much he thought about it, the elders likely wouldn't listen to him.
However...
At least the village was getting back on track, and as long as that girl Terumi Mei matured a little more, Kirigakure's future was promising.
Thinking this, Yagura felt both lonely and hopeful.
Until—
"A Mizukage, yet imprisoned."
A familiar yet unfamiliar figure suddenly appeared in his cell.
"I don't know what you're expecting, but this is reality."
"It's you?"
Looking at the masked figure with a single exposed, blood-red Sharingan, Yagura recalled many unpleasant memories.
It was him—the one who had been manipulating him all along, the true mastermind.
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