Mei Terumī picked up the files for Haku and Ranmaru and flipped through them, pouting as she read. They were far too effeminate. How she wished they were two tall, imposing men!
It would be much more respectable to bring them to the Five Kage Summit in the future. But now… these two? They were even more feminine than her. If she brought them to a meeting, the other Shinobi Villages would think Hidden Mist Village was full of Female Ninja.
Being the Mizukage was frustrating. Not only couldn't she get married, but she was also saddled with a bunch of strange subordinates. She reclined in her armchair, lazily flipping through the Konoha Village envoy's material.
Girls, ignore; boys, ignore. She focused intently on the photos of two elite Jonin.
Kakashi… He didn't look like a serious person. Reserve him as a backup.
Asuma?! Mei Terumī's eyes lit up. This bearded man was very masculine!
Ao understood the Fifth Mizukage's quirks well. He knew that in her youth, due to the Blood Mist policy, her way of thinking was rather unconventional, and after becoming Mizukage, the immense pressure only exacerbated this trait.
At this moment, Ao shook his head at her repeatedly and whispered a few words.
The gist was that she could find any man she wanted, but she absolutely could not choose Asuma.
This was the Third Hokage's biological son! If they got together, how would she greet the Hokage at future Five Kage Summits? Call him 'Dad' right away? Our Hidden Mist Village can't afford such a loss of face!
Mei Terumī waved her hand dismissively, slumping softly to the side: "I know, I know, it's so boring. Not a single decent man…"
Knowing this was her usual complaint, the others didn't mind.
Gonbei picked up the documents beside him and examined them carefully. He was responsible for the Village's Ninja training, essentially serving as the principal of the Hidden Mist Village Ninja Academy. Hidden Mist Village's population was far smaller than Konoha's, and enrollment rates had always been low. In Zabuza's year, all the graduating students were killed, a move that terrified the Ninja in the Village. For many years afterward, the Ninja Academy couldn't recruit any students.
After many years of hard work, he had only managed to cultivate one Chōjūrō. Gonbei was very concerned about young Ninja.
"Ice Release… Red Eye… These are all children from Hidden Mist Village's Bloodline Limit families." He sighed heavily. The Fourth Mizukage was secretly manipulated, acting perversely, and too many elite families in the Village perished in internal strife. Now, a large reason why Hidden Mist Village kept to itself was a lack of confidence. Without the rise of a younger generation, what good was it to rely solely on the elders to lead?
Even Granny Chiyo, at seventy, knew to retire and fish. Didn't the ninety-year-old Gengetsu know to enjoy his twilight years? He had no choice.
Gengetsu coughed. He was truly too old, and spoke very slowly. The others' gazes were fixed on him, and after several minutes, he slowly began: "Homura Mitokado from Konoha Village came to talk to me. He hoped we would participate in the Chunin Exams Konoha Village is hosting in the latter half of the year, but I refused."
Everyone, including Mei Terumī, nodded. The Ninja from various Villages gathered for the Konoha Chunin Exams were, to put it nicely, 'allies,' but in reality, they were all vassals. Sunagakure was willing to go because they were the weakest. Hidden Mist Village, being independent overseas and easy to defend but hard to attack, was still stronger than Sunagakure, no matter how much its talent withered. It hadn't reached the point of groveling to Konoha.
Gengetsu waited a moment, then spoke again: "But the young people Konoha sent this time are indeed very valuable. Hidden Mist Village cannot fail to reciprocate."
Mei Terumī frowned deeply. What was most important these days? Ninja! Talented Ninja, especially Ninja with Bloodline Limits.
Both sides were well aware. Homura Mitokado, fearing they might feign ignorance, specifically pointed out that Zabuza and Raiga Kurosuki were extras, and the focus was on the two youths, Haku and Ranmaru.
Both had Bloodline Limits and were relatively innocent. By manipulating them through their bonds with Zabuza and Raiga, controlling the two wouldn't be difficult. Once they were completely loyal to Hidden Mist Village, Hidden Mist Village would surely gain two more Bloodline Limit families in the future.
"Teacher, what do you mean?" Mei Terumī felt a pang of regret. Simply paying money and casually giving two low-level Ninjutsu wouldn't work; they didn't lack such things. Hidden Mist Village had to offer something of equal value in exchange.
Gengetsu tremblingly pulled a translucent gem from his embrace: "Hidden Mist Village is also one of the Five Great Ninja Villages; we cannot be laughed at by Konoha. *cough cough* Let's open the Genjutsu Labyrinth left by the Second Mizukage back then. I heard Konoha Village also sent a few children? Let them enter with the children of Hidden Mist Village and accept the Second Mizukage's trial."
Mei Terumī immediately wanted to refuse: "Sir, if that happens, there's a high probability that the Hozuki clan's Hydrification Secret Technique will fall into external hands. Among the six Genin Konoha Village sent this time, three are from Secret Technique families. Once…"
Gengetsu closed his eyes to rest, and Mei Terumī couldn't continue.
She, as Mizukage, couldn't oppose Gengetsu's decision. Thinking it over carefully, she understood the old man's plan.
Only the Second Mizukage's Secret Technique could rival two Bloodline Limit families. This exchange was essentially trading Secret Technique for Bloodline Limits. It was hard to say who gained or lost. Moreover, the old man was cunning: 'You enter the labyrinth to be tested. If you can obtain the Second Mizukage's Secret Technique or Ninjutsu, then you are skilled, and we admire you. If you can't, then you lack ability. I gave you the opportunity; you just weren't capable.'
This aligned perfectly with Ninja values: everything must be fought for and seized.
Mei Terumī thought for a moment, then looked at Gonbei: "Have Chōjūrō prepare to enter the labyrinth for the trial. Tell that boy to be more confident; his strength is not bad. Don't embarrass the Village!"
"Yes, Mizukage-sama."
She then looked at the usually silent Jonin, Ao: "Where did that Hozuki Suigetsu boy go?"
"He said he went out of the Village to search for Ninja Blade."
Mei Terumī was annoyed: "I remember he's been gone for a long time? He wasn't killed, was he?"
She tallied up the few young people at hand and realized it was difficult to even assemble a three-person squad.
The participants represented the face of Hidden Mist Village's younger generation. It would be too embarrassing if they were instantly defeated.
"Besides Chōjūrō…" Mei Terumī frowned in thought. There were truly too few suitable people in the Village. Konoha Village could easily send six, while they only had two candidates, and one was actually missing.
In terms of talent, they were quite lacking.
She finally looked at Ao: "I remember Ice Release combat abilities are generally good. How old is that child named Haku this year?"
"Fifteen years old."
"Tell him that the Village will pardon Zabuza's death sentence and issue official documents. As a condition, he must fight for the Village. Isn't that child named Ranmaru a scout Ninja? Tell him to participate in the battle as well."
Gengetsu coughed, and everyone quickly looked at him.
"Ao, call those two children over. I will speak with them personally."
"Yes, sir."
With Gengetsu personally intervening, it would be no challenge for such a wily veteran to persuade an innocent young man like Haku.
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