The surviving Kirigakure shinobi gathered around Karatachi Yagura's body, heads bowed in silence.
"Fourth Mizukage... rest in peace."
Mei Terumi looked at Yagura's body, her feelings tangled with grief.
Kirigakure had lost both its Tailed Beasts after all.
The Three-Tails had temporarily vanished when Yagura took his own life, keeping it out of enemy hands, but the Six-Tails had been taken outright.
For an already weakened Kirigakure, it was another devastating blow.
Just then, Genji walked over.
The elder, who had served the First Mizukage, looked utterly exhausted.
"Lord Genji!"
Genji raised his eyes to Mei Terumi, his voice more solemn than ever.
"Mei Terumi."
"Yes."
"The Fourth Mizukage gave his life for the village."
"From today onward, you will attend the upcoming Five Kage Summit as the Fifth Mizukage and represent Kirigakure."
Mei Terumi trembled slightly.
She met Genji's eyes, then gave a firm nod.
"Yes! I won't bring shame upon Kirigakure!"
Konohagakure, Hokage Office.
Bang!
White smoke burst outward, and Aoba appeared again.
The moment he landed, he sensed that the office was more crowded than before.
Besides Tsunade and Dan Katō, Jiraiya and Minato, who had been missing for ages, were there too.
"Well, this is a crowd."
Aoba looked around in surprise, his gaze finally settling on Jiraiya. "Were you all waiting for me?"
"Cut the chatter and get to the point!"
Tsunade shot him an irritated glare. "What happened in Kirigakure?"
Aoba didn't keep them in suspense. "It's not good."
"Toneri took the Six-Tails."
"And to keep the Three-Tails out of enemy hands, the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, took his own life and the Three-Tails with him."
A sharp intake of breath swept through the room.
The office fell silent for a moment.
The Fourth Mizukage was dead?
In the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the