Shin Uchiha merely nodded at Kiba's greeting and said nothing more.
Although he and Mei Terumi were very close, she was still the Mizukage of Kirigakure. Naturally, Shin would not interfere with her decisions.
After briefly accepting Kiba's pledge of allegiance, Mei Terumi said nothing more either.
In this world of shinobi, lasting loyalty was hardly a given. Even though Kiba had returned to Kirigakure, they could not trust him completely just yet.
Once she had dealt with Kiba, Mei Terumi turned back to Shin and asked:
"Shin, what are you going to do this time, and when will you be back? If you can't return in time, I'll take them to Konoha first."
Mei Terumi only knew that Shin had something to take care of, not the specifics, which was why she asked.
Given the distance between Kirigakure and Konoha, they would have to leave immediately to make it to the Chunin Ninja Exams if Shin was not taking them. Otherwise, they really would not get there in time.
Hearing Mei Terumi's question, Shin Uchiha reached out and gently pinched her lovely cheek before saying:
"I'm going to take a look around Iwagakure and pick up a few things while I'm there.
I'll be back soon. Once I return, I'll take you, Chinatsu, and the others to Konoha.
That way, you won't have to endure the hardship of traveling."
Mei Terumi nodded, her gaze tender as she listened to Shin, and said:
"Be careful, then, and come back soon."
Knowing Shin's strength, Mei Terumi was not particularly worried about his safety, even though Iwagakure was a powerful ninja village that had already surpassed Kirigakure. She simply offered him a few words of caution.
Shin Uchiha nodded at her words, gave her a smile, and vanished from the spot.
Shin