"sigh..."
Kou shook his head helplessly.
The Mist Village was nothing like Konoha. The pay for missions was worlds apart.
Being a ninja was an expensive line of work, too. Eight million ryo was no small sum.
Even for a ninja of Mei Terumi's caliber, that amount would be a serious financial blow.
Regardless of their differences, Mei Terumi was willing to go that far for the future of the Mist Village... She really was someone he admired.
Seeing Kou sigh, Mei Terumi leaned forward anxiously, her bright green eyes full of urgency.
"Kong, let me take this mission.
I know there may be risks, but you once said it yourself: the bigger the waves, the more valuable the fish!!
Haven't we spent all these years taking risks and working hard, one step at a time, to finally put the Mist Village on the right track?"
Her voice grew louder and more urgent, as if she were trying to convince Kou—or maybe just trying to encourage herself.
Her cool, beautiful face was now alight with passion and determination, like a warrior about to march off to battle.
Uh... that was all scripted, actually.
Kou looked at Mei Terumi's impassioned expression with a touch of pity, silently adding the thought to himself.
A complex emotion flickered deep in his dark eyes.
Was it because my presence gave her a reliable companion, sparing her the hardships she faced in the original timeline and preserving the passion she'd had as a young girl?
I wonder if that's a good thing or a bad thing for her...
His thoughts drifted for a moment, then he dismissed them.
No, it must be a bad thing.
After all... I was never on the same side as her, from beginning to end.
But on the surface, Kou still wore a pensive expression. His brow was slightly furrowed, his lips pressed together, as if he were genuinely giving Mei Terumi's words careful consideration.
After a long moment, he slowly nodded.
The movement was slow and solemn, as if he were making an important decision.
Mei Terumi's eyes lit up at once, her bright green gaze filled with excitement and gratitude.
"Thank you for believing in me, Kong!"
Her voice caught in her throat. Her cool, beautiful face was filled with emotion she could no longer hide.
Kou put on a warm smile, radiating the reassuring air of someone who would always have her back.
He played the part of a leader, calm and earnest.
"If anyone should be thanking someone, it's me. As a fellow member of the Reformist Faction, you've always been my role model."
He paused, striking a noble pose, then intoned with deep feeling:
"Where the morning mist gathers, the water flows on without end.
The droplets born of water will one day gather together and fall upon the land of the Mist Village, giving the sprouts beneath the soil the water they need to grow."
"Everyone in the Mist Village is a droplet of water, but not everyone has the courage to dissolve into its soil."
His gaze settled on Mei Terumi's face, and he praised her with heartfelt sincerity.
"But you, my friend—you are the real hero!!"
That was a pretty good adaptation of the old man Third Hokage's pep talk, wasn't it?
He silently gave himself a pat on the back.
He'd come up with the speech on the spur of the moment last night. It drew on the Mist Village's distinctive character and the Land of Water's culture. Sentimental but not contrived, sincere without being too sappy—it was practically perfect!!
"Kong..."
As Mei Terumi listened to Kou's adapted pep talk, tears welled in her bright green eyes.
Her lips trembled, and her cool, beautiful face was filled with emotion she could barely contain. She was on the verge of tears.
During all the time before Kong had appeared, there had been very few people who truly understood her.
It wasn't that she had no companions or supporters, but most of them stood by her for the sake of their own interests.
As for those who truly understood her thoughts and shared her ideals, apart from Ao, who had probably already been killed, there were only Genji, the elder who had always looked after her, and Kou standing before her.
"Thank you, Kong. Truly... thank you."
Kou smiled.
"Don't mention it. We're companions, aren't we?"
"Mm!"
Mei Terumi nodded firmly, resolve filling her bright green eyes.
Kou continued, his tone growing more serious.
"Go back and get some rest, but make sure everything at work is taken care of.
Don't worry about Yagura. I'll find a way to keep them from noticing."
The emotion on Mei Terumi's face had faded, replaced by a ninja's composure and careful attention to detail.
"Don't worry. I've already made preparations."
Kou nodded, then gave her one final reminder.
"If you run into trouble, leave immediately.
Whether it's for everyone or for the Mist Village, your safety always comes first."
Mei Terumi nodded solemnly, earnestness in her bright green eyes.
"Kong, while I'm away, I'm counting on you to look after the Mist Village."
"Sure."
Kou smiled in response.
They discussed the precautions for what lay ahead, making sure everything was arranged in good order.
The moment to part had arrived.
Mei Terumi looked at Kou and spoke softly.
"Well... I'm off."
"All right. Safe travels, and come back soon."
Kou smiled in reply, his expression still warm, as if he were seeing off a friend about to embark on a long journey.
Mei Terumi murmured her assent, then bowed deeply toward Kou before opening the door and walking out.
Her footsteps gradually faded down the corridor.
Now, Kou was alone in the room.
The moment the door closed, the warm smile he'd been faking vanished.
He slumped in his chair, limp as a rag wrung dry, and folded in on himself.
His head rested against the back of the chair. He stared at the ceiling, his dark eyes holding none of the warmth from before, only deep exasperation.
"The two things I needed to do have ended up overlapping. What an unexpected turn of events..."
He murmured softly, his voice tinged with helplessness and a hint of... anticipation he couldn't quite explain.
"But a Warring States-era Uzumaki Clan ruin..."
His thoughts wandered. A contemplative look passed through his dark eyes.
"Would that count as grave robbing?"
He thought it over, then shook his head.
"No, no, no. How could that be grave robbing? It's archaeology—that's what it is!!"
The corner of Kou's mouth lifted slightly, and the laziness in his eyes gradually gave way to anticipation.
He raised a hand and gently brushed his fingertips over his eye socket. The touch was light, as if he were caressing something precious.
"It feels good to be strong."
His voice was so soft it was almost a whisper.
"This sense of security... it's the first time I've felt it since coming to this world."
His gaze passed through the window and the mist-covered sky, settling on a distant place.
That was the direction of Mist Harbor.
"I'm starting to look forward to it..."
The corners of his mouth lifted. His smile held anticipation, ambition, and the exhilaration of finally having room to make his mark.
"This mission."
Before you continue