Huh... I'm supposed to fight Uzumaki Shixia?

Mei Terumi was still shaken by what might have happened.

She was clever and immediately understood what Uzumaki Shixia meant: he only took responsibility for missions he accepted personally.

For Kakuzu's missions, he would do the killing but leave the cleanup to someone else.

It seemed that from now on, she would have to give any missions directly to Sixia himself.

Mei Terumi silently counted herself lucky that she had not posted her mission on the black market.

Although Uzumaki Shixia's sudden appearance had caught Karatachi Takiichi and Hozuki Mugetsu off guard.

That was fine. This was the Blood Mist's main base!

Whoever Uzumaki Shixia was, now that he was here, he would not be leaving!

Karatachi Takiichi shouted and gave the order!

"Kill them!"

Hozuki Mugetsu pointed straight at Uzumaki Shixia and told Kondo Takashi,

"Kondo Takashi, go deal with this fellow!"

Kondo Takashi said, "Huh? I'm supposed to fight Uzumaki Shixia?"

A string of question marks popped into Kondo Takashi's head at Elder Hozuki Mugetsu's order.

True, Uzumaki Shixia had sent him flying with a sudden surprise attack earlier.

But as an elite jonin of Kirigakure, he had been unable to react effectively at all when Uzumaki Shixia struck.

That alone should have told Elder Hozuki Mugetsu just how formidable this absurdly young ninja was!

That single exchange had already made the gap between their abilities crystal clear!

If he could deal with Uzumaki Shixia, surely Elder Hozuki Mugetsu would have to address him as Lord Fifth Mizukage, at the very least?

"Kondo Takashi, why are you standing there in a daze?"

"I told you to deal with this fellow calling himself Uzumaki Shixia!"

Kondo Takashi froze briefly, then forced himself to answer, "Yes!"

Whoosh-

The moment he finished speaking, Kondo Takashi charged at Uzumaki Shixia with the Body Flicker Technique.

Then everyone watched Kondo Takashi charge in-and get taken down instantly!

"Lightning Release: Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop!"

The instant Kondo Takashi flickered into range, Sixia's knife-hand, wrapped in lightning release chakra, slammed into him.

Kondo Takashi flew backward even faster, landing beside Elder Hozuki Mugetsu, his fate unknown.

The other Kirigakure ninja who had rushed forward to attack Uzumaki Shixia.

Were likewise getting thrashed by him.

Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

Azure lightning flashed back and forth throughout Hozuki Mugetsu's office in an instant.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

"Aah-"

Every ninja present here was one of the Blood Mist's elite.

Yet facing these elite ninja, Sixia was like a tiger tearing into a flock of sheep.

He rampaged through them, sending the Blood Mist's elite ninja sprawling.

Almost effortlessly, Sixia defeated every elite Kirigakure ninja serving the Blood Mist!

Mei Terumi and the others stared blankly at it all.

They had not even had a chance to act before the battle ended.

Karatachi Takiichi, Hozuki Mugetsu, and the rest of the Blood Mist were equally stunned!

He was unquestionably a powerful Kage-level ninja. Where had Genji and the others found enough money to hire someone of that caliber?

After finishing all of that, Sixia looked at Hozuki Mugetsu and Karatachi Takiichi with a cheerful smile.

"Well, you two old geezers, what do you say now?"

"Still planning to turn this place into the Bloody Mist Village?"

"You keep saying it's all for the village, but in the end, you just can't bear to give up your power, can you?"

Karatachi Takiichi, Hozuki Mugetsu, and every jonin and elite jonin in the room were utterly dumbfounded.

Uzumaki Shixia had been able to capture Mei Terumi and the others, so his strength was beyond question.

But wasn't his strength a little too unbelievable?

Their clans had so many jonin and elite jonin.

Yet before Uzumaki Shixia, they all seemed to be nothing more than decorations.

Even Kondo Takashi, in whom Hozuki Mugetsu had placed such high hopes, had been cleanly dispatched in a single exchange!

For a moment, the entire room fell deathly silent!

Everyone in the spacious office stared at Uzumaki Shixia in shock.

Hozuki Mugetsu's and Karatachi Takiichi's eyes were filled with terror.

After a long silence, Hozuki Mugetsu hurriedly spoke.

He addressed not Uzumaki Shixia, but Mei Terumi.

"Mei Terumi!"

"I've shed blood for Kirigakure, earned merit for Kirigakure, and risked my life for Kirigakure!"

"You can't kill me!"

Hozuki Mugetsu was not making things up. He truly had rendered services to Kirigakure.

Hearing this, Karatachi Takiichi hurriedly added, "So have I!"

They were afraid!

At this moment, facing a monster like Uzumaki Shixia, a veritable humanoid tailed beast, they were deeply afraid!

Uzumaki Shixia's strength was simply beyond anything conventional methods could handle.

Even the exceptionally powerful First Mizukage and Second Mizukage from Kirigakure's history would have been no match for him.

Sixia did not continue attacking.

The long-term commission mission Mei Terumi and the others had given him only required him to suppress destabilizing elements.

There was no need to kill them.

Besides, he knew that the Blood Mist lot never gave up on their ambitions and were remarkably tenacious.

Even after the Fourth Shinobi World War ended, the Blood Mist Remnants still wanted to return Kirigakure to its days as the Bloody Mist Village.

What did that tell him?

This was a sustainable mission!

If he left them alive, they would surely look for opportunities to stir up trouble again.

And whenever they caused trouble, wouldn't he get to come back to Kirigakure and reap another harvest?

Even fleecing people required a strategy.

Would Kirigakure's future Mizukage pass down a saying?

"When the village has nowhere left to turn, seek out Lord Uzumaki Shixia!"

Or perhaps this one.

"Quick, summon Uzumaki Shixia!"

While Sixia amused himself with these thoughts, Mei Terumi fixed her beautiful eyes coldly on Hozuki Mugetsu and Karatachi Takiichi and spoke.

"If you can keep your subordinates in line and prevent the Blood Mist Remnants from damaging the village or interfering with Lord Genji's plans."

"Then, in recognition of your past contributions to the village, and the use you can still be to us, I can spare you this once!"

Mei Terumi actually wanted to cut down these two rotten old men with one slash apiece-or one slash for both.

But she could not!

If the Blood Mist Remnants slipped out of control and lost their leaders, they would surely cause even greater harm to the village.

Without Hozuki Mugetsu and Karatachi Takiichi to restrain them, who knew what irrational things those lunatics would do?

Besides, Kirigakure had been weak for a long time.

The Blood Mist's people were also an important force in protecting the village.

As long as they could be controlled and put to use, there was really no need to kill Hozuki Mugetsu and Karatachi Takiichi.

In fact, for the sake of the village's development and security, killing these two was simply not an option.

Mei Terumi herself did not realize that she was a born Mizukage.

Although she was not yet the Mizukage, she had already begun considering problems from a Mizukage's perspective.

Whether it was her earlier quick thinking that had saved the four of them from Uzumaki Shixia.

Or the way she was now handling Hozuki Mugetsu and Karatachi Takiichi.

She had undoubtedly done an excellent job in both cases.

Once Gonbei, Ao, and Chojuro realized this, they looked at Mei Terumi with surprise and delight.

There was hope for Kirigakure. This woman, blessed with beauty, intelligence, and strength, truly was well suited to becoming Mizukage.

In fact, even Hozuki Mugetsu and Karatachi Takiichi were slightly moved.

If Mei Terumi supported the Blood Mist's approach, they would absolutely rally behind her just as they had supported the Fourth Mizukage.

Unfortunately, that rotten old man Genji had brainwashed Mei Terumi into pursuing some new policies. How ridiculous!

Of course, neither Hozuki Mugetsu nor Karatachi Takiichi dared say that aloud.

Facing Uzumaki Shixia, this Humanoid Ten-Tails, they had been thoroughly cowed.

After briefly weighing their options, Hozuki Mugetsu and Karatachi Takiichi chose to nod.

"From now on, we will restrain our subordinates and protect the village."

"But that does not mean we have betrayed Lord Fourth Mizukage's will!"

"If the village fails to improve under Genji's rule, or anyone else's."

"Then restoring Kirigakure to the Bloody Mist Village will remain our eternal pursuit."

"For that cause, we and every Blood Mist ninja are willing to sacrifice our precious lives!"

Hozuki Mugetsu's words rang out with conviction!

Strictly speaking, they could defend their plan to impose the Bloody Mist Village's ways on both public and personal grounds.

The Shinobi World might look peaceful now.

But hadn't it looked that way on the eve of each of the previous three shinobi world wars?

Only by closing its doors, developing, and growing stronger could Kirigakure stay out of things and avoid the devastation of war!

Mei Terumi, of course, could not be bothered to keep arguing about this with these two stubborn old men.

She talked reason, and they talked about the will of water. What was there left to discuss?

Besides, why should the will of water be limited to Lord Fourth Mizukage's will?

After confirming that Hozuki Mugetsu and Karatachi Takiichi were both willing to restrain their subordinates and protect the village from now on.

Mei Terumi and the others did not linger.

Sixia's strategic deterrence mission was naturally complete as well.

When the Blood Mist's people had nightmares in the future, they might well see Uzumaki Shixia's grinning face.

After completing the mission, Sixia and his group returned to Kirigakure.

By now, Sixia had become an honored guest of Kirigakure.

Through Mei Terumi's mediation, he had helped Kirigakure resolve an incredibly troublesome problem.

Although he had only visited the Blood Mist Stronghold and gone through the motions.

The Blood Mist's people would probably behave themselves for a long time to come.

Mei Terumi looked at Sixia and extended a very courteous invitation.

"Mr. Sixia, on behalf of Kirigakure, I would like to host a banquet for you and your friends."

"A feast?"

Sixia perked up at that. Anyone who wasn't eager for a feast had something wrong with their priorities!

Still, feasting mattered, but so did carrying out missions!

Should he really delay his mission for a feast?

While Sixia wrestled with this question, Kisame could not help speaking up.

"Uzumaki Shixia, have you forgotten we still have business to attend to?"

"Business?"

At Kisame's words, Mei Terumi and the others could not help growing nervous.

Uzumaki Shixia and his companions certainly had not come to Kirigakure to go sightseeing.

Uzumaki Shixia, Kisame, and Kakuzu were all extremely dangerous ninja.

Kakuzu and Kisame were both S-Rank rogue ninja, and Uzumaki Shixia was even more dangerous than the two combined!

Under the circumstances, Mei Terumi and her three companions were naturally very nervous. Just what had this group come to Kirigakure to do?

Hearing this, Sixia replied casually.

"Business? Oh, right, got it!"

"Relax, it's just a little thing."

"I've had everything ready for ages."

Of course, Sixia had not forgotten that both the mission the Akatsuki had given him and Mui's long-term commission mission involved tailed beasts.