What Happened?

Although this was his second time visiting this courtyard, Kato Osamu could already sense the aura of a prestigious family.

Those who harvest ice do not raise cattle or sheep.

Beneath the carved beams and painted rafters, there is not a single fallen leaf or speck of dust. Simply being there allows one to feel a sense of dignity and respect that would make ordinary people feel ashamed of themselves.

"Kuraisuke, please..."

Without the imperious air of a large family, and with the somber atmosphere of Mist Shinobi, the attendant with a short sword walked gracefully in front of Kato Osamu, his eyes showing little emotion.

"A large family, huh... that's really something..."

As soon as he entered the gate, Kato Osamu raised an eyebrow and looked up at the second-floor attic. The girl's gaze did not waver in the slightest, and she met his eyes with a smile.

"They're really perceptive..."

Mei Terumi looked at Kato Osamu, who was nodding slightly and slowly withdrawing his gaze from the pavilion, and her originally warm face also furrowed slightly.

As the manager of a large family, it's impossible to control people solely through force. Such welcoming and sending off of people is commonplace. She has seen far too many businesswomen like this in the years she has gradually taken over handling family affairs.

Even among the so-called "upper class" in Kyoto she had encountered, only a few possessed such sharp eyes and a dignified yet composed attitude.

Misaka Kurasuke roams Kyoto's business world yet maintains an unusually low profile, is no ordinary person, and she understands this.

However, she trusted her own intuition and even more so, the strength of her family.

Nothing could instill fear in the Terumi Family, who stood at the very top of Mist Shinobi, not even the Mizukage or the Daimyo.

"Let's go, we can't keep our guests waiting..."

"Yes..."

A dignified and elegant young woman is always graceful; composure and calmness are essential lessons for her. However, if an angel falls into the mud, it is always the most exciting thing in the world—something we all enjoy seeing.

The somewhat empty hall was not as lively as last time. Kato Osamu had only taken a sip of tea when footsteps slowly approached.

"The Flower in the Mist is taken from the far east of the Land of Water, the place closest to the sea. It grows for three years in the thickest mist. When its leaves fall into the water, a thick mist still rises. Drinking it is like surging in the blue sea."

"Mr. Misaka, are you aware that this tea is unlike ordinary tea? It is best enjoyed when it has cooled slightly but not completely lost its temperature..."

Once a person is burdened with status, dignity, honor, and family titles, that person gradually becomes unlike a human being, and starts to resemble everyone else.

Mei Terumi is extremely beautiful, but for some reason, this seemingly appropriate and subtle opening left Kato Osamu with a sense of "a beautiful woman, yet she has fallen into vulgarity"—a feeling of utter boredom.

Without giving it any further thought, Kato Osamu slowly withdrew his gaze, chuckled softly, and downed the cup of tea in one gulp.

"I'm just an ordinary person, unworthy of such refined things..."

To Mei Terumi, Kato Osamu's actions were deliberate. Although her face remained impassive, her tone turned cold.

"Mr. Misaka must have come on important business since we made an appointment yesterday. May I ask what it is?"

Without further ado, he spoke directly, revealing that he was only a teenager, pampered and of high status, and not yet capable of remaining calm and composed.

"Oh? Miss Terumi, don't you know?"

"Every day the sea routes are blocked, the major merchant guilds lose money. The three major families and the four major merchant guilds are, in the end, just one family. We've been in Kirigakure for so many days and haven't heard any sign of the blockade being lifted."

"Isn't this a big deal?"

Mei Terumi narrowed her eyes, simply meeting Kato Osamu's gaze silently. Everyone knew about this incident; bringing it up now was probably just an excuse to make trouble.

"The Terumi Family has done its best. Mist Shinobi is facing a formidable enemy, and sealing off the waterway is the Mizukage's order. The Terumi Family is powerless to do anything about it."

At any time, the side possessing force represents absolute authority. Overturning the table is possible, but should only be a last resort. Overturning the table casually can even cause those who were once close, or might become close relatives, to gradually drift away, or even band together in resistance.

Mei Terumi was very unhappy, but she couldn't use that as a reason to attack an ordinary person without Chakra, especially since this person was a representative of a business guild with whom they had close cooperation.

"Is that so..."

Kato Osamu didn't speak again, but simply sipped his tea, as if he were truly savoring the famous 'Flower in the Mist'.

The hall was filled with the soft rustling of Kato Osamu drinking tea. Mei Terumi was very quiet, as were the guards around her.

She probably already Byakugan the man's purpose—whatever the reason, he was simply expressing his dissatisfaction.

However, she possessed the martial prowess she believed she could destroy her opponent, but due to her family and status, she could only endure it for the time being.

"Misaka Kurasuke... that's a very nice name..."

"Thanks..."

Mei Terumi's lips slowly curved into a smile as she gently picked up the seemingly perfect cup of tea beside her and drank it all in one gulp. Kato Osamu's lips also slowly turned up, and she spoke softly as well.

"It's getting late, so I won't disturb you any longer..."

"See a visitor out..."

Kato Osamu walked slowly and unhurriedly out of the reception hall, without glancing at Mei Terumi's expression again. He only vaguely heard the sound of a teacup shattering behind him, and thought that the woman must have tasted the true essence of tea.

After Kato Osamu left, only Mei Terumi and her faceless guard remained in the hall. After a long while, the guard finally spoke softly.

"My lord, Misaka Kurasuke today seems rather inexplicable..."

"Let Keita and Kurato come back..."

Mei Terumi glared hatefully at the direction of the main entrance before slowly speaking and giving her orders.

"Our actions were too obvious; how could they not see through us? This is just an excuse to express their dissatisfaction..."

"These guys from Kyoto are all incredibly difficult to deal with..."

"Yes..."

"However, sir, there have been quite a few unfamiliar faces in the village lately. Perhaps we should withdraw our forces..."

"It's alright, they're just a few ordinary people..."

"I almost hope this Misaka Kurasuke is a spy..."

The teacup in Mei Terumi's hand gradually began to twist, and in a moment it turned into a pool of liquid, slowly dripping onto the ground...

The slight annoyance in her heart seemed to no longer affect her mood, Mei Terumi regained her composed demeanor.

Perhaps in her eyes, it was nothing more than being disgusted by a fly; once the fly lost its support, all she needed to do was swat it gently.

This is the confidence and ability that comes with being from a top-tier family.

As the sun set, the few pedestrians in Kirigakure gradually thinned out. It was fortunate that this was the case; if it were a bustling place like Konoha, Iruka running through the streets would probably have caused chaos.

"Yugao... where is Teacher Xu? I have important information!"

Iruka, panting heavily, had disappeared; his face was covered in patches of black, white, blue, and purple.

He had barely entered the room when he prepared to head straight for the attic, his face beaming with excitement as if he had truly made a major discovery.

"Iruka? You fell into a ditch?"

Uzuki Yugao came out of the kitchen carrying some specialty fruits from the Land of Water, and glanced at Iruka with surprise.

"Important intelligence?"

Itachi Uchiha leaned quietly against the wall, his closed eyes suddenly opening. Upon seeing Iruka's appearance, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Where's Teacher Xu? Is she still sleeping?"

"I've been back from Terumi House for a while now, but I've been in my room the whole time. I told them not to disturb me..."

Uzuki Yugao shrugged, seemingly unconcerned about the important information Iruka was offering. After all, this happened every day, and Uzuki Yugao didn't even know why Itachi still trusted him.

Iruka tried to step forward again, but Uzuki Yugao threw a piece of fruit at him.

"If you don't go wash up soon, I bet the first thing Teacher Xu will do when she sees you is to Water Dragon Bullet..."

"No... it can't be that bad, can it?"

Iruka seemed unsure, hesitated for a moment, then turned and went into the bathroom.

The second-floor attic was pitch black, Kato Osamu sat on the floor, seemingly disappearing into the darkness.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and a faint blue light flashed abruptly in the darkness.

He seemed to still be savoring some kind of large-scale, immersive remote movie-watching experience, a slow smile playing on his lips.

"The Terumi Family, they're really interesting..."

Seemingly hearing the commotion downstairs, Kato Osamu slowly got up and went downstairs, while Iruka, still wet, looked at her with a familiar expectant gaze.

However, Kato Osamu seemed to have become immune to it. She picked up the fruit from Uzuki Yugao's arms and slowly nestled into the sofa.

"Iruka... do you think I spend all my time sleeping in the attic?"

"Ah? Teacher Xu, I didn't..."

"No! I have important information!"

"Oh..."

Kato Osamu responded expressionlessly without saying a word. Iruka's scratching his head made Uzuki Yugao burst out laughing.

"This time it must be for real!"

"Why don't you tell me about the time someone slapped you in the face?"

"Teacher Xu... this time it's for real!"

"All right..."

Seeing that Iruka seemed to be in a panic and his face was flushed, Kato Osamu temporarily put aside the idea of asking questions. After all, he was still alive and kicking, so there shouldn't be any major problems.

Iruka leaned close to Kato Osamu's ear mysteriously, and his voice gradually drifted out.

Kato Osamu's initially indifferent gaze slowly hardened, and she gently placed the fruit in her hand on the table. A peculiar atmosphere of silence seemed to fill the air.

The sudden silence of the two drew the attention of Uzuki Yugao and Itachi Uchiha, who looked at Iruka with a mixture of curiosity and surprise.

"What happened?"