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The woman sitting across from them was none other than the leader of the allied forces—a former elite jonin of Kirigakure, known as Mei Terumi. Though she was a female shinobi, underestimating her would be a grave mistake.
When Miao first laid eyes on her, he felt a subtle jolt—not just because of her alluring beauty, but also because of the inexplicable sense of danger she exuded.
"Strong… This woman is formidable," Miao thought to himself. It wasn't that he underestimated female shinobi; it was simply a fact. In their world, most kunoichi specialized in medical or sensory roles, with only a handful possessing exceptional combat prowess. Tsunade of the Sannin came to mind as one example, and now here stood another.
As Miao and his group stepped into the cavern, all eyes immediately locked onto them—more specifically, onto Miao and Deidara. The gazes they received were filled with suspicion and distrust.
At that moment, Mei Terumi smiled faintly, her mature and enchanting voice breaking the silence. "Ao has already informed me of the situation. Truly, heroes emerge young. To think that mere teenagers could effortlessly take down elite shinobi of Kirigakure... Impressive indeed. You'll grow up to become fine men."
"Hmph!" Deidara snorted, turning his head away. His brash personality made him uneasy in such tense situations. Meanwhile, Miao remained calm and spoke evenly. "Since you're aware of the situation, then you must know why I'm here."
"Hehe, of course," Mei replied with a light laugh. "Go ahead, tell me—what are your demands?"
Miao's tone remained composed as he stated plainly, "We know you're planning a decisive battle against the Fourth Mizukage. My request is simple: we want to join the alliance's campaign to overthrow him and contribute our strength. However, the condition is this—the Fourth Mizukage must die. That is my demand."
Upon hearing Miao's words, murmurs erupted among the high-ranking members of the alliance seated around them. The buzzing of voices filled the room. Mei furrowed her brows slightly, sinking into deep thought.
After a brief pause, she relaxed her expression and spoke slowly. "Your request puts me in a difficult position. While the Fourth Mizukage has committed many wrongs, he remains the leader of Kirigakure. He cannot simply be killed without consequence. Moreover, both you and the boy named Deidara are technically missing-nin—one from Konoha, the other from Iwagakure. If we ally ourselves with rogue shinobi, how will we explain ourselves to Konoha and Iwa? Our reputation would suffer greatly."
"Precisely," several of the senior officers nodded in agreement. Aligning with foreign missing-nin would tarnish Kiri's already fragile image. After all, Kirigakure had long been branded as the "Village of the Bloody Mist." Collaborating with additional rogues would only worsen matters.
"Hmph," Miao chuckled softly, causing everyone's brows to furrow further. Mei frowned slightly and asked, "What's so amusing?"
"You still don't understand the situation, Lady Mei," Miao retorted coldly. "You accuse us of being missing-nin, but what about yourselves? As you said earlier, despite the Fourth Mizukage's crimes, he is still the current leader of Kirigakure. So, aren't you rebels too? Regardless of your reasons for opposing him, while he remains in power, your actions classify you as traitors. Isn't cooperation between traitorous shinobi perfectly normal?"
"Furthermore," Miao continued, his voice sharp, "I am not a missing-nin of Konoha. Technically, I have no ties to them whatsoever. My father may have been a deserter from Konoha, but I was born after my parents fled the village. Konoha knows of my existence, yes—but they do not know who I am. Does that clarify things?" As he spoke, his dark pupils shifted, revealing the crimson three-tomoe Sharingan.
Mei fell silent once more, lost in contemplation. The other high-ranking shinobi present exchanged glances but said nothing. Mei was indeed a capable leader, weighing not only the immediate concerns of the rebellion but also considering the potential backlash from Konoha and Iwa if alliances with missing-nin came to light.
"If the coup succeeds, this Mei Terumi might very well become the Fifth Mizukage," Miao mused inwardly. "Her strength, clear thinking, and strategic vision make her an ideal candidate for the position."
Just then, an elderly man leaning on a cane nearby caught Miao's eye. Beneath his clouded gaze, a flicker of clarity shone momentarily. His wrinkled face tightened slightly as he observed Miao's untamed black hair and blood-red eyes. A name escaped his lips almost involuntarily—"Uchiha Madara!"
The elder was frail, his pale skin marked by wrinkles and age spots. His emaciated frame trembled as he raised his quivering voice. "Accept their offer, Leader."
"Hmm?" Mei turned toward the sound, startled. Recognizing the speaker, her eyes widened. "Elder-sama!" She hesitated before asking, "Are you suggesting I accept their proposal?"
"Leader," the elder began, his voice steady despite its frailty, "you mustn't overthink this now. The priority is capturing Kirigakure and securing control over Water Country. Without victory, there can be no future. Right now, our chances of success stand at fifty-fifty. We cannot afford to reject any potential reinforcements. Should we succeed, the reproaches of Konoha and Iwa will mean little. Neither village would risk war over such trivialities. Besides, this youth possesses the Uchiha clan's Sharingan. Perhaps he can assist us in dealing with the Tailed Beast within the Fourth Mizukage—and whoever controls him from behind the scenes. Remember, that person likely wields powerful ocular abilities themselves."
Mei listened intently, her expression unreadable.