The Kirigakure higher-ups stared at the three Otsutsuki Toneri with puzzled expressions. They had never seen them before, and Mei Terumi had brought these three to a meeting of Kirigakure's higher-ups?
What exactly was she trying to do?
"It's getting late, so I won't say too much. I called everyone here mainly to announce three things."
Mei Terumi ignored their puzzled looks, sat down at the head of the conference table, and spoke with a faintly alluring smile.
She could naturally guess what they were thinking, but she didn't care.
Otsutsuki Toneri stood beside Mei Terumi and glanced over the Kirigakure higher-ups present.
Most of them were middle-aged, with a small number of elderly people. There were only a few young ones altogether.
At that moment, they all sat in silence, waiting for Mei Terumi to continue.
"First, the Three-Tails has been captured. Ao will handle the search for a suitable Jinchūriki. All of you will cooperate with Ao, and once a Jinchūriki has been found, the Sealing Squad will perform the sealing."
Mei Terumi glanced at several elderly higher-ups and spoke calmly. The Three-Tails was still sealed by Otsutsuki Toneri's technique.
There was no need to worry about anything else for now, but preparations to find a Jinchūriki had to begin ahead of time.
Sealing the Three-Tails inside a Jinchūriki as soon as possible was the safest option.
Mei Terumi had spoken calmly, but her words stirred quite a commotion among the Kirigakure higher-ups.
She had really captured the Three-Tails? How was that possible?
Several elderly higher-ups exchanged glances, each seeing the other's surprise.
Mei Terumi clearly wouldn't make such a claim without reason. Otherwise, every higher-up would condemn her!
If that was the case, then it must be true. Had Mei Terumi's strength improved again?
But this clearly wasn't the right time for them to discuss it, so they made no objections.
Sealing a Tailed Beast was, in truth, a thankless task. As for controlling a Jinchūriki and thereby controlling a Tailed Beast, they could just forget about that. They weren't foolish enough to try.
Mei Terumi would never allow it! It was the same with the Kage of every village!
"Since no one has any objections, let's move on to the second matter. Today, I found these three outside the village. They're all excellent ninja. Starting today, they'll be listed among Kirigakure's ninja."
Mei Terumi looked around, then continued slowly. As they had agreed earlier, Otsutsuki Toneri and Otsutsuki Quxian would be Genin, while Yugito would be a Jonin.
"Mizukage, the ninja you bring into the village are naturally worthy of trust. What positions do you intend to assign them? These two children seem rather young."
After Mei Terumi finished speaking, an elderly man with a long beard spoke. He glanced at the three Otsutsuki Toneri and spoke calmly.
Mei Terumi had been constantly promoting and supporting her own confidants lately. They had all grown used to it.
But surely this wasn't worth discussing in the conference room?
Mei Terumi could simply make the arrangements herself in private.
"Although these three are being listed among Kirigakure's ninja, they won't be under Kirigakure's jurisdiction. Do you understand what I mean?" Mei Terumi glanced at the long-bearded old man. Her green eyes were as still as a well as she spoke with a faint, knowing smile.
She understood that the real show was about to begin!
"Mizukage, are you making a joke? Then why list the three of them as Kirigakure ninja?" The long-bearded old man frowned at her words and looked at the three Otsutsuki Toneri in confusion.
Not being under Kirigakure's jurisdiction-what kind of privilege was that?
That meant that even Mei Terumi herself wouldn't have the authority to give the three Otsutsuki Toneri orders!
Then why list them as Kirigakure ninja? To give them Kirigakure's protection for nothing?
What was Mei Terumi thinking? Even though she had just succeeded in capturing the Three-Tails, doing this would still affect her authority, wouldn't it?
After all, this kind of privilege was simply too outrageous!
The other higher-ups also wore various expressions. Mei Terumi's decision was truly unexpected.
"Elder Matsushima, do you think I'm someone who likes to joke? Starting today, these three are Kirigakure ninja. When you see them, it will be as if you're seeing me. Understood? You'll understand why in a moment."
Mei Terumi's lips curled in a faint, mocking smile as she spoke calmly.
She had no intention of explaining the three Otsutsuki Toneri's strength. They probably wouldn't believe her even if she told them.
But at the end, she still gave the Kirigakure higher-ups present a meaningful glance.
The long-bearded old man furrowed his brow even more deeply. A sense of unease suddenly rose in his heart, though he didn't understand why.
Then Mei Terumi spoke again, still calmly, but this time her tone was no longer as even as it had been for the first two matters. Instead, it was domineering and left no room for argument!
"Third, effective immediately, the Council of Elders is abolished!"
The announcement sent shock waves through the room!
Everyone among the Kirigakure higher-ups except Ao looked at Mei Terumi in disbelief!
Several of them looked especially grim!
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Chapter Seventy-Five: If I Strike, I'll Wipe Them Out! Eighth Update!
"Mizukage? Are you joking?" At her words, the long-bearded old man finally couldn't hold back and stood up. His wrinkled old face was full of barely restrained anger.
How dare Mei Terumi?
Abolishing the Council of Elders meant forcing all of them old men out of office and sending them home to retire!
That would leave the entire Kirigakure under Mei Terumi's sole authority!
The Council of Elders was meant to assist the Mizukage in their duties, and held unimaginable authority in the village.
Killing the goose that laid the golden eggs!
The long-bearded old man glared at Mei Terumi with a sinister look. They were the ones who had put her in that position in the first place!
And now that her wings had grown strong enough to fly alone, she was going to drive them into a corner?
This was going too far!
"Oh? What do you mean by that, Elder Matsushima? I simply think that Kirigakure is at a crucial point in its recovery, and I don't want certain people to obstruct its bright future!"
Mei Terumi's lips curled into a cold smile as she spoke to the long-bearded old man.
Kirigakure was rebuilding itself from the ground up, and the new policies had only just been put into effect, yet these old men, clinging to their stubborn ideas, had obstructed them at every turn.
They cared only about their own interests and couldn't see the future. Their eyes had grown old, and they were blind!
If they stayed, it would take Kirigakure far too long to truly reach its peak.
Hearing the open mockery that had completely torn away all pretenses, some sharp-minded higher-ups silently straightened in their seats.
This was an internal dispute between the Mizukage and the Council of Elders. If they wanted to get involved, they needed to consider their options carefully.
If they chose the wrong side, they'd have one foot in the abyss.
"Very well! As expected of the Mizukage. You've made good use of the move of cutting through the water with a drawn blade. Still, I hope you won't regret it!"
At her words, the long-bearded old man's face darkened as though it might drip with water. He stared fixedly at Mei Terumi for a long while before speaking in a deep voice, laughing in anger.
He had always been a very calculating man, but Mei Terumi's move was simply too ruthless.
Was she really not afraid they'd fight back? Even a cornered dog would jump over a wall!
This was nothing like the Mei Terumi, usually quite the smooth operator.
But none of that mattered now. Mei Terumi was going to abolish the Council of Elders by force, and they couldn't resist. After all, Mei Terumi was the Mizukage!
But they wouldn't let this go!
The long-bearded old man gave a cold snort and prepared to leave, his face gloomy. Since Mei Terumi had already torn away all pretenses, he had no intention of staying.
He would make Mei Terumi understand that they old men weren't pushovers!
"There's no need for Elder Matsushima to worry about me." Mei Terumi's smile grew colder as she watched the long-bearded old man move, a mocking glint flashing in her eyes.
Think you can leave? Not a chance!
How could Mei Terumi let these old men go back to their clans and organize their ninja?
She wasn't stupid. She had intended to settle things swiftly and decisively from the start!
Although losing the clans of these old men would temporarily weaken Kirigakure again, Mei Terumi no longer cared.
Kirigakure was on an island, after all. The other villages would need to think twice before attacking.
What's more, with Otsutsuki Toneri, the little monster who could suppress a Tailed Beast with a single move, she had nothing to fear.
As the long-bearded old man and the other old men following him approached the conference-room door, Yugito stepped in front of them.
The long-bearded old man's face grew even darker at the sight. This was going too far!
"Mizukage? What is this supposed to-" The long-bearded old man turned around and spoke in a cold voice, but halfway through, a sudden, sharp pain shot through his chest.
A tremendous force hurled him into the conference-room wall.
"Damn... you..." The long-bearded old man lowered his head slightly. A thin, long Black Rod had pierced through his body and pinned him to the wall of the conference room!
When had that happened? He hadn't noticed at all!
The long-bearded old man thought in disbelief and unwillingness, then turned his gaze to the other end of the Black Rod.
It was the refined-looking boy who wasn't even ten years old!
He wore a gentle smile that sent chills down the spine, his mysterious blue eyes fixed on him.
The long-bearded old man struggled to say something, but his life force had completely drained away. Before he could finish, his head lolled to the side and he fell silent.
He died with his eyes open!
The entire conference room fell deathly silent!
Almost everyone stared wide-eyed at the sudden turn of events, their expressions frozen.
This child had actually killed Elder Matsushima?
"Goodness~ It seems this way of dying was rather disrespectful to an old man. Mizukage, these are the ones, right?"
Otsutsuki Toneri didn't even look at the long-bearded old man, who was well and truly dead. He slowly pulled out the Black Rod, then looked at the other old men and smiled gently.
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