The Fifth?
A flicker of surprise crossed Hozuki Gengetsu's eyes. "Not bad! I never thought a little girl like you could bring the village to such heights and draw a whole pack of wolves to its doorstep!"
Despite the praise, Mei Terumi showed no pleasure. Instead, she looked somewhat embarrassed. "You flatter me, forefather. I wasn't the one who made the village stronger. It was Lord Sixth Mizukage!"
The Sixth?
The Fifth was still in her prime. Where had a Sixth Mizukage come from?
That meant this so-called Sixth had to be an extraordinarily brilliant and formidable figure, someone who could make the proud Mei Terumi willingly step down in his favor.
"Are you here to reminisce or fight? If you want to chat, get the hell out of the way!"
Second Tsuchikage Mu, his entire body wrapped in bandages, snorted without the slightest courtesy.
Hozuki Gengetsu's expression darkened. "Bandage man, you're just jealous that Kirigakure keeps producing talented people! Hmph! What's wrong? Can't stand seeing us produce a genius who surpasses you?"
Ōnoki interrupted from beside him with a frown. "That Sixth Mizukage isn't originally from Kirigakure. He's a Konoha ninja who was transferred to Kirigakure through special means!"
Hozuki Gengetsu froze, as though he had just heard some ridiculous joke.
An exchange student?
What kind of joke was this? Someone from another village had actually climbed to the position of Mizukage? Had this generation of Kirigakure's leaders all gotten their heads caught in a door?
He simply could not understand such an outrageous arrangement.
But this clearly was not the time to discuss personnel appointments. Mei Terumi had already led large numbers of Mist Ninja in to surround them from all directions.
Space in the harbor was limited, and the Main Force was still stuck behind them, unable