Gekkō Raito cut him off coldly. "I'll assign someone to assess whether you meet the requirements when the time comes! If you do, it won't be too late to join the Shadow Palace then!"
At those words, the other man's face instantly darkened. He gritted his teeth and said, "Lord Mizukage, isn't this blatant interference in Takigakure's internal affairs?"
"I distinctly remember you solemnly promising that you would never meddle in the internal affairs of any shinobi village!"
Interference?
As though he had heard a joke, a teasing smile curled Raito's lips. "When did we ever say anything like that?"
"Are you going back on your word, Lord Mizukage?" the envoy demanded anxiously. "Wasn't that what Kirigakure itself publicized? That you would respect every shinobi village's autonomy and wouldn't interfere!"
"Yes! That's right. Kirigakure did indeed say that."
Raito leaned forward slightly, radiating an oppressive presence. "But what we said was 'respect,' on the condition that others respect us too."
"But if someone mistakes our respect for weakness and doesn't know how to respect us, then those words become worthless scraps of paper!"
Listening to Raito's utterly overbearing "sophistry," the Takigakure envoy's face alternated between livid and pale. He was clearly furious beyond measure!
But as the unchallenged overlord of the Shinobi World today, Raito's words were ironclad law. If anyone dared break the rules, Raito could turn on them faster than they could turn a page!
Did he not even possess that most basic survival sense?
The representatives of the other shinobi villages watched Raito silently, holding their breath as they awaited his final verdict.
His next words would directly determine Takigakure's future, while also indicating his attitude toward disobedient villages.
"It seems Takigakure really does treasure that so-called Kage of yours!"
"Since you're so insistent, there's no need