"Bang!"
After she entered, the palace doors automatically locked shut.
Mei Terumi took a quick look around the unfamiliar surroundings and saw a burly, yellow-haired middle-aged man sitting on the throne at the far end of the hall, looking at her with disdain.
Their eyes met, and Mei Terumi spoke first:
"Are you the head of the Funato Clan?"
"Hmph..." The middle-aged man snorted.
"I am the fourth head of the Funato Clan, Funato Daika. Not a day goes by that I forget the harm Kirigakure did to my father. I had planned to go to Kirigakure for revenge one day, but to think you would come to me instead. That saves me some unnecessary trouble."
Hearing this, Mei Terumi immediately shot back, "Your people have been pirates for generations. As the Land of Water's military force, Kirigakure has a duty to wipe you out, and we must do so!"
"You little brat, you certainly talk big. Come to think of it, who are you?"
"I am Kirigakure's acting village leader, Mei Terumi."
"Oh? Acting village leader?" Funato Daika's gaze grew even more contemptuous as he looked at Mei Terumi.
"Making a little girl the Mizukage? Hmph! Kirigakure really has fallen. Each generation is worse than the last... What abilities do you have? Don't tell me you seduced your way to the top? Let me make this clear: that won't work on me."
"You'll find out what I can do soon enough!"
Mei Terumi wasted no more words. She stepped sideways into a fighting stance, held her delicate hand to her red lips, puffed out her cheeks, and instantly spat out a huge mass of sticky orange-red liquid.
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"
Watching the orange-red liquid sweep toward him, Funato Daika felt a flicker of alarm.
"What is this...?