The Mizukage's attraction to strength: a deal to crush the rebellion

Terumi Mei stood in the doorway, watching the blond boy and the black-haired girl walk away together at the end of the corridor.

Haku leaned against Naruto's chest, looking like a cat that had found its nest, even his breathing became even.

Naruto's arm around her held just the right amount of strength—a possessiveness that couldn't be refused, yet also a tender and careful affection.

Terumi Mei's gaze was fixed on that hand, unable to look away.

It's been three years.

During her three years as the Mizukage, she survived seven assassination attempts and quelled three rebellions.

Every time, she was the only one standing at the front.

There was no one behind him.

Never.

A powerful figure sent her flowers, the commander of the Anbu wrote her a letter, and envoys from various countries fawned over her at banquets.

No one spoke to her in a tone that implied, "If anyone touches a hair on your head, I'll slaughter the entire city."

No one actually has that ability.

Terumi Mei's throat moved slightly.

She looked down at her hands.

Five fingers had somehow clenched tightly around the edge of the door frame, the knuckles tinged with a pale pink.

That image kept replaying in my mind— Naruto's casual gesture of pulling Haku into his arms, as if he were picking up something that belonged to him.

It wasn't about being overly cautious.

It wasn't like finding a priceless treasure.

That's only natural.

It means "You were meant to be here."

Terumi Mei closed her eyes, turned around, and walked back to her desk to sit down.

The teacup was still on the table, but the steam had long since dissipated.

She picked up the cup and took a sip.

It's cold.

Lay down.

"... Genji."

"I'm here."

"Send all the rebel maps to his house."

"Give them all? Including those at Camp Three—"

"Give it all to me."

Terumi Mei interrupted him, her voice as calm as a still lake, "Don't hide even a single piece of paper."

Genji remained silent for three seconds.

"Mizukage, are you really going to give all these trump cards to a little brat from another village—"

Didn't you see it?

Terumi Mei raised her emerald green eyes to meet Genji's gaze. "Blue Byakugan, you'll be useless in three seconds."

Genji closed his mouth.

"That Byakugan blue mark has been used for twenty years, and even Shisui Uchiha's Kotoamatsukami can see through it."

Terumi Mei pushed her teacup aside and placed her hands, folded, on the table. "In that kid's hands, he couldn't even last three seconds."

Her gaze fell on the night outside the window, and her voice softened.

"You think... those old codgers from the Old Bloody Mist Faction are tougher than that Byakugan?"

Genji opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Having lived for over sixty years, this was the first time he didn't know what to say.

"Send it over."

Terumi Mei leaned back in her chair. "Tell him I'll be waiting for him at the East Gate tomorrow morning."

Genji nodded and turned to leave.

"Etc."

The old man stopped in his tracks.

Terumi Mei hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice even further.

"... What kind of expression did that woman have when she was next to him?"

Genji paused for a moment, then thought for two seconds.

"He's all smiles. He seems very reliable."

Terumi Mei remained silent.

After Genji left, only the mournful sound of the sea breeze squeezing in through the cracks in the window remained in the office.

Terumi Mei rested her forehead on the back of her clasped hands, closed her eyes, and remained motionless for a long time.

What does it feel like to be protected like that?

As the thought popped into her head, she bit her tongue hard.

Pain.

But my heart didn't slow down.

The next day.

Early morning.

Mizukage Building, reception room.

Terumi Mei changed her clothes.

She changed from a dark blue long dress into a dark red fitted battle robe, and her hair was tied into a high ponytail, revealing her slender neck.

It's not for aesthetic reasons.

It was so that she could look like Mizukage, not the woman who leaned against the door last night, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

The door opened.

Naruto walked in.

I didn't wear white today.

Only Tayuya followed half a step behind, her head down, her long purple hair covering half her face.

"I've finished reviewing the intelligence."

Naruto sat down on the sofa opposite Terumi Mei, his posture casual, with his right leg resting on his left knee and his arm draped over the back of the sofa.

It feels like sitting in your own living room.

Terumi Mei's brow twitched, but she managed to suppress her rage.

"The rebels are mainly divided into three areas, totaling about four hundred people, led by six old men at the level of Jonin."

Naruto held out his hand, counting on his fingers, "Right?"

"Yes."

Terumi Mei picked up her teacup. "What do you want to do? Fight them wave after wave, or—"

"Let's slaughter them all tonight."

The teacup is suspended in mid-air.

Terumi Mei looked at him. "Four hundred people. Six Jonin. And you're going alone?"

"Too much?"

Naruto tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Having more people just means taking a few more breaths."

Terumi Mei put down her teacup.

The porcelain piece clattered on the table with a crisp sound.

"Naruto Uzumaki"

She spoke slowly and deliberately, "I'm the Mizukage, not some idiot. You're helping me fight, you can't just do it for nothing."

"Just tell me, what do you want?"

Naruto's smile remained unchanged.

But his body leaned forward.

She straightened up from her relaxed posture on the sofa, rested her elbows on her knees, interlaced her fingers, and looked at Terumi Mei from above her knuckles with her blue eyes.

That angle, that distance, that look in his eyes—like a hunter assessing the value of his prey in a trap.

"A document exonerating the Yuki Clan."

He held up one finger. "Remove the warrant for Shiro's arrest, and stop hunting Mizunotsuki Clan."

Terumi Mei raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"Second."

Naruto raised his second finger, "We need to open a special shipping route for the Uzumaki Clan to facilitate trade between the Water Country and the Land of Fire."

Terumi Mei's eyes changed.

This is not a condition a twelve-year-old would make.

This is something only someone who wants to build power would want.

"Third."

The third finger is held upright.

Naruto stood up, walked around the coffee table, and stood in front of Terumi Mei.

Terumi Mei didn't retreat.

She sat in the chair, looking up at the blond boy standing in front of her.

Naruto leaned down, resting his left hand on the back of her chair, and gently lifted her chin with the index finger of his right hand.

The distance was compressed to within a fist's width.

His warm breath brushed against the tip of her nose.

"Third—" Her voice was extremely low, as if it were a secret told only to her.

"--If I do this job well all by myself tonight, shouldn't Mizukage consider making me his fiancé?"

Terumi Mei's breath hitched for a second.

Her chin was being supported by his fingers, making it impossible for her to lower her head.

The emerald green eyes stared straight into the azure blue, with nowhere to hide.

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat striking my ribs.

She opened her mouth.

My first reaction was to swear.

My second reaction was—his fingers were so hot.

Terumi Mei took a deep breath, forcefully turned her face away, and freed her chin from his grasp.

"Finish your work first!"

Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were looking away, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Four hundred people, six Jonin. If you can really take them all down in one night—"

She paused for a moment.

A defiant smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"--In private, you can call me whatever you want."

The moment the words left her mouth, Terumi Mei regretted them.

Naruto's smile bloomed before her eyes, carrying a certain smug satisfaction.

He withdrew his hand, straightened up, and turned to walk towards the door.

His steps were as light as if he had won a bet.

"Make a deal."

The door opened.

Naruto's figure disappeared down the corridor.

Terumi Mei sat in the chair, staring at the closed door, her ears burning red from root to tip.

--Did I just... promise something incredible?

Across from the sofa, Qing, wrapped in bandages, was being helped to lean against the wall.

His left eye closed in despair.

It's over.

The Mizukage was completely led by the nose by that brat.

In the corridor.

Naruto stood with his hands in his pockets, walking with a leisurely gait.

The system notification sounded in my mind right on time.

[Detected a change in the target [Terumi Mei]'s affection level: +30. Current affection level: 90 (Willingly succumbing to admiration for strength - Instinct awakened).]

[Hint: The target's core psychological defenses have completely collapsed. The desire to be chosen and protected by an absolute powerhouse has utterly overwhelmed the rationality of Mizukage. It is recommended that the host fulfill the promise tonight with absolute force to trigger the ultimate bond.]

Naruto's smile deepened.

Ninety.

Tonight, we'll close the net.

He twisted his neck, and his cervical spine made a crisp cracking sound.

"Tayuya."

"I'm here."

"Go tell Bai that he doesn't need to wait for me for dinner tonight."

He looked up at the morning light streaming in from the end of the corridor.

A mixture of amusement and bloodlust swirled in his blue eyes.

"--I need to kill a few hundred people first, as a gift for my future wife."