Mist Village's Reception

Kirigakure, the heart of the Land of Water, is shrouded in damp sea fog and ever-present killing intent. When Jiraiya and Naruto passed through the iconic village gate made of a giant coral reef, they were not greeted by the tense atmosphere they had imagined, but by a ceremonial guard personally led by the Mizukage Mei Terumi.

"Lord Jiraiya, Uzumaki Naruto, welcome to Mist Village." Mei Terumi's voice carried a languid yet authoritative quality unique to mature women. Today, she was dressed in a formal Mizukage robe, the dark blue fabric embroidered with the wave patterns of the Land of Water, her long reddish-brown hair styled in an elegant updo, and her emerald green eyes held just the right amount of a smile.

But Jiraiya's intuition silently warned him: beneath that smile lay unfathomable political calculations.

"It is an honor for Mizukage to receive you in person, Lord Konoha." Jiraiya put on his usual slightly frivolous yet polite smile. He keenly noticed that the Mist Village high-ranking officials behind Mei Terumi —including Ao with his eyes covered by bandages, Chojuro carrying Hiramekarei, and several Mist Village elders he didn't recognize—most of their eyes were focused on Naruto.

No, more accurately, the focus is on the Nine-Tails inside Naruto.

The welcome banquet was held on the top floor of the Water Shadow Tower, the tallest building in Kirigakure. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of Kirigakure: the buildings built against the mountainside appeared and disappeared in the mist, and the sea and sky merged into one in the distance. The dishes on the table were excessively exquisite—the sashimi was as thin as cicada wings, the lobster sashimi was arranged in the shape of an artwork, and even the wine glasses were carved from natural crystal.

"This is 'Mist Brew,' a specialty of Mist Village, fermented with the essence of deep-sea pearl oysters." Mei Terumi Jiraiya poured the sake for Jiraiya with elegant movements. "Lord Jiraiya knowledge and experience; you must have tasted many fine brews, haven't you?"

"Haha, I know a little bit." Jiraiya picked up his wine glass, but didn't drink it immediately. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto —the kid was sitting awkwardly at the huge dining table, staring at the pile of exquisite cutlery in front of him, obviously struggling with which fork to use.

The first half of the banquet proceeded in a superficial harmony. Mei Terumi skillfully avoided all sensitive topics, talking only about romance and anecdotes from the Shinobi World. She even brought up Jiraiya's "Make-Out Paradise," saying in a tone that was half teasing and half admiring, "I never imagined that Lord Jiraiya was not only exceptionally strong, but also so accomplished in literature."

Jiraiya laughed it off, but his heart sank deeper and deeper. This deliberate avoidance often meant that there were even more difficult demands to come.

Sure enough, when the dessert was served, Mei Terumi put down the small silver spoon in her hand.

"Lord Jiraiya," her smile faded slightly, the languor in her eyes replaced by a sharpness, "Mist Village thanks Konoha for returning Samehada. Although Hozuki Mangetsu is gone, this sword still holds special significance for Mist Village."

"Here he comes." Jiraiya sat up straight.

"However," Mei Terumi changed the subject, "Regarding the Akatsuki, the Tailed Beast, and the current situation in the Shinobi World ...shouldn't Konoha give the other ninja villages a clearer explanation?"

The atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly cooled. Chojuro subconsciously gripped the hilt of the Hiramekarei on his back, and Ao's Byakugan shifted slightly, locking onto Jiraiya's Chakra flow.

"What explanation does Lord Mizukage want?" Jiraiya's tone remained relaxed, but his eyes had changed.

"The Akatsuki member, that man Tobi, once manipulated the Fourth Mizukage, dragging Mist Village into the Bloody Mist Era." Mei Terumi's voice was calm, but every word carried weight. "And according to the intelligence we've obtained, among the Akatsuki members are missing-nin from Konoha, rogue missing-nin from Sand Village, and even rogue missing-nin from Mist Village... but notably, no Konoha Jinchuriki have been captured."

She paused, then turned her gaze to Naruto: "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto, is still safe and sound."

Naruto looked up, a hint of confusion flashing in his azure eyes. He hadn't fully grasped the deeper meaning behind those words, but he instinctively felt uncomfortable—the discomfort of being used as a bargaining chip on the negotiating table.

Jiraiya sighed. He had expected this to happen.

"Is the Mizukage implying that Konoha is colluding with Akatsuki?"

"No," Mei Terumi shook her head, her smile returning, but devoid of warmth, "I'm just stating the facts. The Akatsuki collected the Tailed Beast, but spared Konoha's Nine-Tails. All the Jinchuriki from other villages were captured, but Konoha's Jinchuriki are not only alive but also moving freely."

She leaned forward, placing her hands clasped on the table. "Lord Jiraiya, if you were the Kage of another ninja village, what would you think?"

You'll have doubts. You'll speculate. You'll think that Konoha either has something going on with Akatsuki or holds some hidden trump card. And amidst this suspicion, the most reasonable course of action is either to force Konoha to reveal their trump card or to unite and resolve the most uncertain factor first.

Jiraiya understood this perfectly. This was one of his purposes in coming to Mist Village: to test, explain, and try to secure Mist Village's neutrality as much as possible.

"What if I said that the Akatsuki didn't touch Naruto because they had a bigger plan?" Jiraiya said slowly, "What if I said that they needed to collect all the Tailed Beast, and the last one collected is often the most crucial?"

"Then Konoha should show even more sincerity." Mei Terumi pressed on, "Prove that you have no connection with Akatsuki, prove that you are also fighting that threat with all your might. For example... with Konoha taking the lead, completely wipe out Akatsuki."

Jiraiya fell silent. He glanced at Naruto —the boy was staring down at his hands, his fists clenching and unclenching, clearly trying to process the conversation. Jiraiya suddenly felt a little tired. This kind of political maneuvering, this kind of suspicion and calculation, was never his forte. He would rather fight against powerful enemies on the battlefield than sit here and wage another war with words.

"What is Mist Village's stance?" he asked finally.

Mei Terumi leaned back in her chair and picked up her glass again. The liquid in the crystal glass shimmered with an amber luster under the light.

"Mist Village can remain neutral," she said, her voice soft but each word crystal clear. "The prerequisite is that Konoha proves it has the ability to deal with Akatsuki. Until that is proven, Mist Village will not participate in any actions against Konoha, but it will not side with Konoha either."

She paused, then added, "Of course, if Konoha needs Mist Village to provide some 'limited assistance,' such as intelligence sharing or temporary cooperation in specific situations... that's not out of the question."

Jiraiya understood. This was the most typical diplomatic rhetoric: I give you a seemingly friendly promise, but this promise has countless additional conditions and room for interpretation. Mist Village will not actively become an enemy of Konoha, but it will not risk its life for Konoha either. They will observe, wait, and make the most advantageous choice at the most appropriate time.

The banquet ended in a delicate stalemate. Mei Terumi politely took her leave, leaving Ao and Chojuro to arrange accommodations for Jiraiya and Naruto. By the time the two were taken to the VIP hotel attached to the Water Shadow Tower, it was already completely dark.

"Pervy Sage ..." Naruto closed the door and immediately spoke, "Don't they trust us?"

Jiraiya sat in a chair by the window, gazing at the night view of Kirigakure outside. The lights in the mist were hazy and distant, much like the village's attitude towards them.

"It's not that I don't believe it, it's that I dare not believe it." Jiraiya rubbed his temples. "Naruto, you have to understand, in this world, trust is a luxury. Especially when the shadow of war looms, every village's first priority is its own survival."

Naruto was silent for a moment. He walked to Jiraiya's side and looked out the window as well. "So what should we do?"

"Proceed according to plan." Jiraiya stood up, patted Naruto on the shoulder, and said, "You continue trying to master the Nine-Tails' power, and I'll continue to maneuver. At least, Mist Village has agreed to remain neutral, which is one of the best possible outcomes."

He paused, his tone turning serious. "But Naruto, you must remember. True power isn't a tool for showing off or threatening. It's the ability to protect what's important to you even when everyone doubts and opposes you."

Naruto nodded heavily. A familiar flame ignited in his eyes—the kind of flame that would never be extinguished no matter what difficulties he encountered.

For the next two days, Naruto followed Konan's instructions and tried to communicate with the Nine-Tails inside him. But progress was frustratingly slow.

The Kirigakure prepared a training ground for them, far away from the residential area, and set up soundproof and protective barriers around it. Naruto sat cross-legged in the center of the ground, his consciousness sinking into the sealed space.

It was still that cold, damp lake, still that huge iron gate covered in talismans. From the shadows behind the gate, a pair of scarlet eyes slowly opened.

"Here we go again, brat." Nine-Tails' voice rolled like muffled thunder. "What ridiculous argument will you come up with to convince me this time?"

"I'm not here to persuade you," Naruto said, standing in the doorway and looking up into those eyes. "I'm here to understand you."

"Understand?" Nine-Tails scoffed. "Understand what? Understand the anger of being imprisoned for decades? Understand the hatred of being constantly used and betrayed by humans? Kid, don't be so arrogant."

Naruto didn't back down. He thought of Konan; Konan must want him to fail. "The Nine-Tails' hatred isn't without reason. It's been sealed, exploited, and feared by humans for far too long. What I need to do isn't deny its hatred, but acknowledge it, and then tell it that I want to create a world where humans and Tailed Beast can understand each other."

"I know you're angry." Naruto took a deep breath. "I know you hate humans. If I had been imprisoned here for so many years, I would hate them too. But Nine-Tails, hatred won't change anything. It will only make things worse."

The Nine-Tails behind the iron gate remained silent. After a few seconds, it let out a low growl, "Anyone can say nice things. The problem is I'm still locked up here."

"So you want to stay locked up forever?" Naruto suddenly asked. "To stay in this dark place forever, to hate forever, to never trust anyone? Even if someone is willing to give you a chance?"

"An opportunity?" Nine-Tails's Chakra suddenly surged, and the talismans on the iron gate shook violently. "Opportunities offered by humans are always traps!"

The conversation reached another impasse. Naruto felt a sense of powerlessness. He knew Nine-Tails was right—the history between Tailed Beast and humans was full of betrayal and exploitation. Breaking decades of hatred couldn't be done with just a few nice words.

But he wouldn't give up. Konan had once told him that some things, even if the hope was slim, had to be done.

On the morning of the third day, something unexpected happened.

Chojuro hurriedly found Jiraiya, his face grim. "Lord Jiraiya, please come with me for a moment."

In the Mist Village's Ninja Blade storage room, Jiraiya saw Samehada, which had been returned. But Samehada was in an abnormal state—the blade was expanding and contracting irregularly, the scales on its surface were opening and closing erratically, and it was making a painful "gurgling" sound. Even more strangely, several small wooden splinters had grown from the hilt.

"What's going on?" Jiraiya frowned. He sensed two completely different Chakra clashing within Samehada: one was Samehada's own predatory Chakra, and the other was... Natural Energy?

Chojuro pushed up his glasses, his tone tinged with suppressed anger. "Our tests revealed a high concentration of Sage Senjutsu Chakra remaining within Samehada. It cannot digest this energy and is currently suffering from severe 'indigestion.' Lord Jiraiya, Mist Village cannot help but suspect that Konoha deliberately returned a damaged Ninja Blade?"

"Intentional damage?" Jiraiya's face darkened. "Chojuro, if Konoha truly wants to be enemies with Mist Village, why resort to such clumsy methods?"

"Then please explain the source of these Senjutsu Chakra!"

Jiraiya suddenly realized something. He turned to look at Naruto —the boy was standing helplessly at the door. Right, before returning Samehada and Kisame Hoshigaki combined and absorbed a large amount of Naruto's Senjutsu Chakra. He hadn't noticed at the time, but clearly, Samehada wasn't used to Senjutsu Chakra either.

"It's my fault," Naruto suddenly spoke. He walked up to Samehada, held out his hand, and said, "Let me try to suck it out."

"It's useless." A hoarse voice rang out. Qing appeared in the doorway at some point, his Byakugan locked onto Samehada. "Samehada is a biological sword with the 'Pixiu' attribute; it never spits out what it eats. Forcibly extracting it will only damage its fundamental structure."

The atmosphere in the room tensed up again. If Samehada were to be damaged as a result, the already fragile trust between Mist Village and Konoha would be completely shattered.

Naruto stared at Samehada, which was writhing in pain, and gritted his teeth. He remembered Samehada's tendency to devour Chakra, especially... powerful Chakra.

"Then give it more," Naruto suddenly said. "Give it what it truly wants."

Before anyone could react, Naruto placed his hands on Samehada. This time, instead of channeling Senjutsu Chakra, he drew upon his own Chakra —and the power of the Nine-Tails sealed deep within.

Golden Chakra surged from Naruto's palm and flowed into Samehada. At first, Samehada struggled even more, but soon, as if it had discovered something delicious, it began to absorb it actively. The expansion of the blade gradually subsided, the scales resumed their regular opening and closing, and the wooden spikes began to disappear.

But Naruto's condition was deteriorating rapidly. His face turned pale at a visible speed, his body began to sway, and his Chakra was draining at a rate far exceeding expectations. Samehada's devouring was too greedy—it not only absorbed the Chakra that Naruto had willingly given, but also instinctively extracted power from deeper within Naruto's body.

"Naruto, that's enough!" Jiraiya tried to step forward to stop him, but Ao blocked him.

"If we interrupt it now, Samehada will backfire." Ao's Byakugan was fixed on the flow of Chakra. "We can only wait for it to satisfy itself."

Ten minutes passed. When Samehada finally stopped absorbing and made a satisfied "gurgling" sound, Naruto collapsed to the ground, breathing weakly, his Chakra almost completely drained.

Samehada, however, was completely transformed. The blade gleamed with a healthy bluish-black luster, its scales were tight and elastic, even better than before. Ao's tests confirmed that Senjutsu Chakra and Nine-Tails Chakra had formed a delicate balance within Samehada, which in turn strengthened its structure.

"Incredible..." Chojuro stroked Samehada, his tone complex, "Two kinds of Chakra have actually achieved symbiosis."

Jiraiya picked up the unconscious Naruto, his face ashen. He looked at the Mist Village ninjas, at the lingering suspicion and the rising surprise in their eyes, and a complex emotion welled up inside him.

Just then, a messenger frog hopped onto his shoulder. It was a message from Konoha: Tsunade had woken up and was telling him to act according to his own will.

Jiraiya closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, he had made his decision.

"Get ready," he said to the Mist Village staff. "We're returning to Konoha today."

On the way back, Naruto remained weak. He leaned against the carriage wall, his face pale, but his eyes were unusually bright.

"Pervy Sage," he said softly, "I think... I understand Nine-Tails's feelings a little better now."

"How does it feel?"

"The feeling of being taken from, devoured, and powerless." Naruto gazed at the scenery rushing past the window. "If this is the situation the Tailed Beast have always been in... then it's only natural that they hate humans."

Jiraiya looked at his disciple, a complex sense of pride welling up inside him. This boy, who once only knew how to charge around recklessly, was growing up in his own unique way, understanding the complexities and weight of this world.

The carriage headed towards Konoha. Behind them, Kirigakure gradually disappeared into the sea fog.

Mei Terumi stood atop the Water Shadow Tower, watching the departing convoy. Ao stood behind her, reporting in a low voice, "The people from Konoha have left the territory."

What do you think, Qing?

"Uzumaki Naruto ..." Ao paused, "The power hidden within him is more terrifying than we anticipated. But what's even more terrifying is that he seems to be learning to control it."

Mei Terumi nodded. She turned and walked back to her office, sat down at her desk, and began to write a letter.

"Inform Cloud Village and Iwagakure," she said without looking up, "Konoha has left Mist Village. As for our previous agreement... tell them Mist Village needs more time to consider it."

"Is the Mizukage changing his stance?"

"No," Mei Terumi put down her pen, looking at the still-wet ink, "It just suddenly occurred to me that there might be players in this game whom we haven't yet understood."

Outside the window, sea fog churned.