"I feel like... I've stumbled onto some juicy gossip."
Mei Terumi looked at Kou, who had fallen silent before her, and murmured to herself.
The expression on her cool, beautiful face shifted from shock to something complicated.
"But this is surprising. Who knew this guy could get so worked up?
He always seemed like such a carefree, thick-skinned guy..."
Her gaze lingered on Kou's back for a moment. A trace of suspicion flashed in her green eyes.
"Could it be that he's... just pretending to be serious? Is he trying to intimidate Jiraiya like this?"
Feeling her suspicious gaze from behind, Kou's emotions—which had surged at the sight of Jiraiya—instantly cooled.
"Oh no! I got carried away and forgot about this girl!"
His body stiffened slightly as he muttered to himself with some chagrin.
"The Uchiha's genes, making emotions take over the brain, really are a curse..."
He glanced back at Mei Terumi from the corner of his eye, his gaze growing wary.
He saw her brows furrow slightly and sensed the scrutiny in her green eyes.
"Could she have figured out that the laid-back act I put on around her is fake? No, she probably just suspects something for now..."
"But if she really sees through me, things will get awkward between us from here on."
At that thought, Kou instantly put on his usual big, carefree grin.
He waved casually at Jiraiya and explained in a lighthearted tone, "Aw, I was just joking. You looked so serious, Lord Jiraiya, it made me feel a little embarrassed."
Putting on a wistful expression, Kou continued theatrically, "It's been seven years since we last saw each other, and I never thought we'd meet again in a remote place like this.
"Maybe that's fate... If you don't mind, how about the two of us go outside and have a private chat?"
Mei Terumi: "???"
Her eyes flew wide, and she instinctively tugged at Kou's sleeve.
She lowered her voice until only the two of them could hear. "Talk? Just the two of you? What are you planning?!"
Kou didn't turn around. His gaze remained fixed on Jiraiya, watching for every subtle reaction.
As he studied Jiraiya, he quietly spoke to Mei Terumi, low enough for only them to hear. "Isn't it obvious? I'll keep this old lecher occupied. You go wait for me at the port."
He spoke quickly, with unquestionable certainty. "If I've settled things in half an hour, I'll come find you.
"If I'm not there after half an hour, it means I might be delayed. Take a boat to the Land of Whirlpools first, but don't do anything until I get there. Then we can act together."
"Oh, right. The ticket and other expenses count as mission costs, so please reimburse me after the mission. Thanks."
Mei Terumi looked at Kou's confident face, at a loss for words. All she could do was silently think to herself, "...This guy's entire plan assumes he'll win.
"That's one of the legendary Konoha Sannin! He's gotten way too cocky, hasn't he?"
Her brows knitted together. The shock in her eyes gave way to thought, then to cool calculation.
Mei Terumi rapidly assessed the situation: Jiraiya's strength, Kou's strength, her own strength, and the invisible diplomatic line running between them all.
She considered whether she and Uchiha Kou could team up against Jiraiya, but the idea was dismissed in a heartbeat.
First, the two of them knew almost nothing about each other's current intelligence or fighting styles, and they had no rapport.
If they teamed up, the result might well be "one plus one is far less than two."
Two strangers working together would most likely only get in each other's way.
Second, and most importantly, unlike Uchiha Kou, who was a missing-nin, she had an official position.
With two Kekkei Genkai, she stood out far too much. If they fought, Jiraiya could easily identify her through her bloodline abilities.
Mei Terumi, Mist Village elder and advisor, teaming up with Uchiha Kou, a Konoha missing-nin, to fight Jiraiya, one of the Konoha Sannin—and in the Land of Water, no less?!
No matter how you looked at it, this was the kind of news that could set the entire Ninja World ablaze.
That was the last thing she wanted.
Frowning, Mei Terumi softly tried to reason with Kou. "This is the Land of Water, territory under Mist Village's jurisdiction.
"Jiraiya is a senior figure in Konoha, which makes him a sensitive person. For someone of his stature to enter the Land of Water without verifying his identity is a serious diplomatic breach. He could be treated as an enemy agent from a hostile power, a threat to Mist Village."
She paused, then continued with certainty. "Mist Village has no agreement with Konoha permitting the two sides to operate freely across each other's borders. Konoha shinobi have no right to cross into another country to capture missing-nin.
"I can reveal my identity and negotiate with him. As long as he still cares about the diplomatic relationship between Konoha and Mist Village, he won't attack us. This should resolve the problem quickly."
"But if you do that, our mission will be ruined, won't it?"
Kou shifted his gaze from Jiraiya and glanced at the people around them, who were watching cautiously.
"If I'm not mistaken, most people in Mist Village don't know you're out here right now.
"If your identity is exposed, there's no way we can continue this mission.
"And once you go back, trying to carry out an operation like this again will be a lot more troublesome, won't it?"
Mei Terumi was momentarily speechless.
Her lips parted as if to argue, but she realized she had nothing to refute.
Kou was right. Her trip was a secret mission. Aside from Genji and Sora, the two people she trusted absolutely, no one knew she had left Mist Village.
If her identity was exposed here, not only would this mission be ruined, but a whole series of plans afterward would be affected as well.
Watching Mei Terumi's reaction, Kou smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'm confident I can keep him in check without causing a huge disturbance. After all..."
"I'm very strong."
Hearing the confidence in Kou's voice, Mei Terumi froze for a moment.
She seemed to recall the young man from four years ago, the one who had boldly declared in front of everyone that he would "change Mist Village."
No one had believed him then. Everyone thought he was crazy.
But later, he really did it.
"Sora..."
Looking at Kou, Mei Terumi couldn't help thinking of the young man she admired from the bottom of her heart.
No, no, no! How could she possibly compare someone like Uchiha Kou to Sora?!
"That's an insult to Sora!!"
She shook her head furiously in her mind, a flicker of panic in her eyes.
Kou paid no attention to Mei Terumi, who was caught up in an inner struggle. His gaze remained fixed on Jiraiya.
Jiraiya gradually recovered from his dejected mood.
At last, he shifted his attention from Kou to the girl who had been hidden behind him until now.
His gaze settled on Mei Terumi's face—coolly beautiful, with a hint of familiarity.
"This girl looks familiar... I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."
He furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, then gave up with a sigh.
"Ah... I really can't remember."
"Damn it, I should never forget a beauty with a figure like that!!"
He mentally pounded his chest in frustration, then began to wonder.
"Given her age, did she only develop like this in the last few years?
"Could a miracle like Tsunade's really have happened a second time in this world?"
As Jiraiya marveled to himself, he shifted his gaze back to Kou.
Looking at Kou's familiar smile—which now seemed a little forced—he felt an indescribably complicated emotion well up inside him.
"This boy really has changed..."
After a moment of thought, a hearty smile spread across his face.
"Hahaha, it really has been a long time. But... a private chat?"
He turned his gaze from Kou to Mei Terumi and asked tentatively in a warm, kindly tone, "I don't mind, but the young lady beside you came with you, didn't she?
"I wonder... what does she think?"
Mei Terumi looked at Kou, who seemed utterly confident, and a trace of helplessness flashed in her green eyes.
Her gaze moved between Kou and Jiraiya as she quickly weighed the pros and cons.
Should she risk revealing her identity here, or trust Kou's judgment and let him handle this unexpected problem alone...
After a moment, Mei Terumi made up her mind.
"I have no objection."
Her voice was quiet, but unmistakably clear.
Before you continue