"You… Hmph!" Mei Terumi opened her mouth, but when she thought of Kai's strength, she couldn't bring herself to voice any threats. All she could do was shoot him a resentful glare before giving up.
"Follow me," Mei beckoned to Kai as she walked ahead. Kai rubbed his nose and followed closely behind her.
"Mei, you've finally found yourself a boyfriend, huh?"
"Not bad, Mei."
Throughout the streets of Kirigakure, Mei's popularity was evident. Many villagers greeted her warmly, and upon noticing Kai trailing behind her, they couldn't help but tease her. The first couple of times, Mei explained herself, but as the teasing continued, she grew tired of correcting them. Meanwhile, Kai wore a bright smile, which only fueled the villagers' praise of Mei's "good taste."
This left Mei grinding her teeth in frustration, yet she had no outlet to vent her anger.
In front of a traditional Japanese-style courtyard.
"We're here. Follow me inside," Mei said irritably, casting a sharp glance at Kai before stepping through the gate.
Inside the courtyard, Mei immediately called out, "Ao, come out. There's something we need to discuss."
Tap, tap, tap…
A man in his thirties emerged. His right eye was covered by a black eyepatch. He looked at Mei and asked, "Mei, what's going on?"
It was only then that Ao noticed the man standing behind Mei. His expression turned wary as he asked, "And who might you be?"
"Mitarashi Kai," Kai replied coolly.
To Ao, however, hearing that name was like a thunderclap on a clear day. His body instantly tensed, and he raised a kunai, pointing it at Kai. But after a moment's hesitation, remembering that Kai had come with Mei, Ao turned to her with a puzzled look. "Mei, what's going on?"
Mei sighed, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. "Ao, put the kunai away. There's something important we need to discuss."
Though deeply confused about why Kai was here, Ao trusted Mei. Besides, this wasn't the time of the Great Ninja War, so the vigilance against shinobi from other villages wasn't as strict as it once was.
"Come inside," Ao said after a glance at Kai. He turned and led them into the house.
"You're saying… the Fourth Mizukage is being controlled? That's impossible!" Ao exclaimed, visibly shaken by Mei's revelation.
Mei shook her head and replied, "It's just a hypothesis for now. But Ao, haven't you noticed how strange Yagura's emotions and behavior have been ever since he became Mizukage?"
"This… I can't believe it," Ao frowned, deep in thought. His tone, however, betrayed a hint of doubt.
"Why not test it and find out?" Kai suggested nonchalantly.
Indeed, there wasn't anyone in Kirigakure—or even the entire shinobi world—who could truly intimidate Kai at this point.
Kai's gaze lingered on Ao, and he suddenly spoke. "Your right eye… it's a Byakugan, isn't it?"
Even without his knowledge of the original storyline, the intense aura emanating from beneath Ao's eyepatch was unmistakable. It was clearly a Byakugan, and at least one that had reached the third stage of activation.
Hearing Kai's words, both Ao and Mei tensed up, their gazes toward Kai growing wary. They feared that any conflict with him at this critical juncture could escalate. After all, the Byakugan was a kekkei genkai of Konohagakure's Hyūga clan. To protect it from falling into enemy hands, the Hyūga had even developed the Caged Bird Seal technique.
"I'm wearing an eyepatch that blocks chakra detection. How did you notice?" Ao asked, puzzled.
Kai shrugged indifferently. "Relax, I'm not interested in your Byakugan. I'm just curious how you managed to obtain a kekkei genkai like that. The Caged Bird Seal should destroy the eyes of a Hyūga upon death, shouldn't it?"
After a long silence, Ao finally replied, "It came from the Hyūga's main family."
"A main family member? To think one would die on the battlefield. How interesting," Kai remarked, his tone calm and indifferent, as if he didn't care in the slightest.
"Alright, let's act tonight and test the Fourth Mizukage," Mei finally decided. She glanced at Kai and asked, "No objections, right?"
Kai sighed helplessly, shrugging in agreement.
'Damn it, you've already set the time. Why even bother asking me?' Kai thought to himself, inwardly lamenting his situation. 'Strong-willed women like her… whoever marries her is doomed.'
As night fell, the already mist-shrouded Kirigakure grew even more silent and foreboding, exuding a chilling and oppressive atmosphere.
In front of the Mizukage's Office.
"Kai Mitarashi, you'll attack the Fourth Mizukage with me," Mei instructed, casting a glance at Kai. She had fully assumed the role of a leader, a fitting precursor to becoming the first female Kage in the ninja world.
Turning to Ao, Mei continued, "Ao, keep an eye on the surroundings and check whether the Fourth Mizukage is under the influence of genjutsu during the fight."
Kai froze for a moment, suddenly recalling that during the Five Kage Summit in the original storyline, Ao had been able to detect even Danzo's use of Kotoamatsukami—a genjutsu of the highest caliber—on Mifune. He later served as the head of the Allied Shinobi Forces' Sensory Division, making him one of the most skilled sensory ninjas in the ninja world, especially in the realm of genjutsu detection.
"Understood!" Ao nodded solemnly, his expression serious.
"Alright, let's move!" Mei commanded. Without hesitation, she leapt onto the Mizukage's Office building, with Kai following closely behind.
Inside the Mizukage's office, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, sat motionless at his desk.
When Mei and Kai suddenly burst in, Yagura appeared momentarily dazed before shouting, "Mei Terumi! You've joined forces with an outsider to storm the Mizukage's office? Are you planning to betray the village?!"
"Forgive me, Mizukage-sama," Mei said softly. Despite her words, her actions showed no hesitation.
Lava Release: Lava Monster Technique!
A mass of yellowish-brown molten substance surged toward Yagura.
Water Release: Great Waterfall of the Coral Abyss!
In an instant, the immense chakra of the Three-Tails erupted from Yagura's body. A massive wave of water radiated outward from him, centered on his position. The entire Mizukage's Office was destroyed under the force of the surging waters.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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