Genji and his group passed through the secret passage and quickly reached the coastline. They boarded a ship, and after Genji presented a token, the crew immediately welcomed them aboard with utmost respect. The ship then set sail toward the shores of the Land of Fire.
When the vessel docked near Konoha, the coastal defense ninjas appeared at once.
"Halt! State your identities and register!"
The fisherman nodded respectfully and pulled aside the curtain.
Mei Terumī stepped forward.
The Konoha garrison ninja froze on the spot.
Mei Terumī was in the prime of her youth—radiant, elegant, and breathtakingly beautiful. Every subtle expression tugged at the heart, making it difficult to look away.
"Young man," Mei Terumī said gently, "please relay a message. Tell Hokage-sama that Mei Terumī of the Hidden Mist Village, accompanied by Genji, requests an audience."
The ninja swallowed hard, then realized how unprofessional he was being. He hurriedly apologized, ordered his subordinates to escort the group for registration, and personally rushed off to report to the Hokage.
Konoha.
Uchiha Ran had just returned from the forest and was about to head home when a shout echoed through the street.
"Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama! Mei Terumī of the Hidden Mist Village requests an audience! She is currently under our supervision!"
"Oh?" Uchiha Ran straightened, his eyes sharpening. "Who else is with her?"
"Reporting to Hokage-sama—Genji, along with several Hidden Mist Village jōnin."
"How many?"
"About fifty."
"Fifty…" Uchiha Ran chuckled softly. "So they really couldn't wait any longer. Either that, or Yagura Karatachi discovered them and forced them out. If that's the case, then the bargaining chips will need to change."
A cold smile crept onto his lips.
The reporting ninja felt his scalp go numb. He stared at the Hokage's boots, not daring to say another word. At the same time, whatever admiration he had felt toward Mei Terumī vanished completely.
What beauty could compare to one's own life? Never let the smaller head control the bigger one.
"Bring them in," Uchiha Ran said casually. "Have them wait in the Hokage Office. I'll be there in an hour."
"Yes!"
The ninja vanished instantly, using the Body Flicker repeatedly. Only after confirming that Uchiha Ran was not following did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"That was terrifying… Hokage-sama's presence alone is chilling. I must never offend him."
Watching him leave, Uchiha Ran shook his head slightly. Was he really that frightening?
He raised a hand. "Kakashi."
Kakashi's figure appeared out of thin air. He knelt on one knee. "Hokage-sama, do you have an order?"
"Relax." Uchiha Ran helped him up and clasped his hands behind his back. "Mei Terumī from the Hidden Mist Village is coming. Based on the situation, there's a high chance she'll become the Fifth Mizukage."
Kakashi's pupils contracted. "You mean—"
He drew a thumb across his throat.
Uchiha Ran's mouth twitched. "That's not necessary. We're Konoha. A great village should be magnanimous. Solving everything with killing isn't healthy."
Kakashi froze, then nodded. "This subordinate was short-sighted. Please instruct me, Hokage-sama."
Uchiha Ran smiled faintly and motioned him closer. He whispered a few sentences into Kakashi's ear.
Kakashi's eyes widened. "Is this… really acceptable? Won't it provoke them?"
"They have no room to hesitate anymore," Uchiha Ran replied calmly. "If they back down, they'll never return to the Hidden Mist Village in this lifetime. As for Mei Terumī—how do you think a so-called future Mizukage would handle that?"
"The ninjas who followed her all have families back home. They came to secure merit by backing a future leader. If this 'dragon' refuses to advance, what do you think will happen?"
Kakashi suddenly understood.
"I see." He cupped his hands. "I'll contact the clan heads and play the bad cop—squeeze the Hidden Mist Village hard."
Uchiha Ran nodded. "Go. And if Mei Terumī still refuses later, spread rumors among her people. Say that after witnessing Konoha's peace, she's lost her fighting spirit and no longer dares to reclaim the Hidden Mist Village."
"Yes!"
Kakashi vanished at once, his heart pounding.
Fortunately, Uchiha Ran was on Konoha's side. If he were an enemy, Kakashi couldn't imagine whether the Third Hokage could have withstood such tactics.
Rumors to shatter morale. Good cop, bad cop. Kindness paired with cruelty. Cutting off retreat and forcing advancement.
All of it deployed in mere moments.
Kakashi felt nothing but awe.
Uchiha Ran stretched lazily. "Alright. Everything's set. Next—bathe and change clothes. After all, she's a great beauty and a future Mizukage. Basic courtesy is necessary."
He grinned.
"Of course, courtesy is courtesy—but the money she owes won't be reduced by a single ryo."
"Hehehe."
System: "Host, you're the most shameless person I've ever seen. How did you get so good at these capitalist tricks?"
Uchiha Ran thought for a moment. "In my previous life, I was a corporate slave. These were all techniques my bosses used on me. How could I not know them?"
System: "…Impressive."
For the first time, it felt a faint unease. This host might truly reshape the Ninja World—but whether that change would be good or bad was something even it could not predict.
Coastal Defense Office.
After the captain returned and relayed the message, Mei Terumī noticed something strange.
The same man who had clearly been captivated by her earlier now looked at her with perfectly calm eyes.
This made her even more curious about Uchiha Ran.
What kind of man was he, to cause such a drastic change simply by ruling Konoha?
There was no doubt—this was Uchiha Ran's influence.
What sort of leader could make his subordinates instantly recognize their position and abandon their desires so completely?
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