"The envoys sent by the Hidden Mist Village to Konoha have already departed from the Land of Water. Should we intercept them?"
A massive pitcher plant slowly emerged from the ground, its leaves unfurling to reveal a being split perfectly between black and white halves.
The masked man hesitated momentarily before shaking his head. "It would be pointless now. Even if Mei Terumi hadn't proposed an alliance, the Hokage of Konoha would have dispatched someone to contact her personally."
"I never expected the little girl Madara-sama failed to eliminate would rise to such prominence," Black and White Zetsu remarked, genuine surprise evident in his dual-toned voice.
After Kisame's assassination attempt on Mei Terumi had failed, the schemes they had meticulously cultivated in the Hidden Mist Village for years had effectively collapsed.
"No," the masked man replied coldly, his visible eye flashing with icy resolve. "Her actions alone aren't enough to defeat me so thoroughly. Namikaze Minato—he is the root of everything."
Black Zetsu nodded. "Master Madara's initial assessment was correct. This child, who has survived numerous attempts on his life, has finally become a significant obstacle."
He glanced at the masked man. The two chosen disciples of Madara had joined forces and plotted extensively, yet eight years ago, they had nearly fallen into the hands of Minato Namikaze—a man who seemed to have emerged from nowhere.
"Namikaze Minato... he must die," the masked man declared, murderous intent saturating every word.
"Heh heh."
Observing the masked man's current state, Black and White Zetsu smiled inwardly. Madara's words had proven prophetic: once people confront reality, they inevitably descend into darkness. The brighter the light that once burned within them, the more shocking their transformation to darkness becomes.
The man before him was no longer the hesitant figure who had attacked Konoha years ago.
"Orochimaru has been preparing for this moment for many years. Soon, the power we've been accumulating will reach its peak."
News of the dramatic changes in the Hidden Mist Village had spread rapidly, causing tremendous upheaval throughout the ninja world.
In the time of the First Hokage, the nine tailed beasts had been distributed equally among the nations to create a balance of power—each country fearing the destructive potential of the others.
With Kirigakure having lost both its Fourth Mizukage and the Three-Tailed Isobu, the village found itself at its weakest point in history.
The other major ninja nations would not easily relinquish such an opportunity to gain advantage.
Recognizing this, the envoys Mei Terumi had dispatched to propose an alliance with Konoha traveled at maximum speed, allowing themselves no rest.
Minato had already discussed the possibility of an alliance with the Hidden Mist Village with the Third Hokage, who was privy to many of the intimate details. With the Third's support, Konoha's elders had approved Minato's proposal, albeit with some reservations.
Therefore, when the Kirigakure ninja explained their purpose, Minato immediately presented them with the alliance documents he had prepared in advance.
The Kirigakure envoy was visibly stunned, clearly not having anticipated such a smooth negotiation.
"By the time you return to Kirigakure, the Fifth Mizukage's official succession ceremony should be underway. I will formally present this alliance to the daimyo at that time," Minato explained.
An alliance between Kirigakure and Konoha represented a union between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. Such matters necessarily required the daimyo's involvement.
Minato was confident that Mei Terumi understood the precarious position of Kirigakure and the Water Country. Even without Konoha making explicit demands, the Land of Water would need to offer certain concessions to the Land of Fire.
At the Mizukage Building in the Hidden Mist Village, the atmosphere stood in stark contrast to the celebrations that had surrounded Minato's ascension to Hokage. The entire village seemed enveloped in a somber shadow, with villagers appearing dejected and subdued.
This was hardly surprising. Konoha had emerged from three wars with impressive victories, cementing its intimidating presence in the ninja world. In contrast, the Hidden Mist Village had just suffered devastating losses during a period of dramatic upheaval.
Mei Terumi, wearing the Mizukage's hat, stood atop the Mizukage Building, gazing down at her disheartened people. Despite the grim tableau before her, determination burned brightly in her eyes.
She took particular note of the gloomy expressions worn by Kirigakure's ninjas—a direct consequence of the "Blood Mist" policy implemented by the first two generations of Mizukage. That approach had produced ninjas capable only of following orders without question.
Taking a deep breath, Mei Terumi felt her mind suddenly clarify, her vision sharpen. She parted her red lips and spoke:
"From this moment forward, I, Mei Terumi, assume the position of Fifth Mizukage."
"As Mizukage, my first action will be to end the policies implemented since the Third Mizukage's reign."
"From today onward, there will be no more 'Blood Mist' in the Hidden Mist Village!"
Her declaration immediately captured the attention of everyone below, particularly the civilian population. Some villagers' eyes suddenly glistened with emotion.
For years, few parents in the Hidden Mist Village had willingly allowed their children to enter the ninja academy. The graduation rate at Kirigakure's Ninja School had remained at a devastating ratio—five deaths for every successful graduate.
"Henceforth, advancement in ninja rank will be determined solely through evaluation by the village's senior leadership. Harming your comrades is expressly forbidden!"
As Mei Terumi finished speaking, the full weight of her authority descended upon the assembled Kirigakure ninjas below.
Under the previous regime, strength alone had been revered, and the fastest path to promotion had often involved killing one's superiors.
Her announcements instantly provoked intense reactions among the crowd. After all, these practices had persisted for nearly two decades, becoming deeply ingrained in the mindset of many. Such entrenched perspectives would not be easily corrected.
However, Mei Terumi had resolved to transform the village. Now, as Mizukage, she would never permit her comrades to continue murdering one another.
Judging by the reactions below, most villagers clearly maintained some skepticism about her proclamations. Such trust would require time to cultivate, a reality Mei Terumi accepted with equanimity.
She turned slightly, her sharp gaze sweeping over Asato Karatachi and several village elders.
The Blood Mist policy initiated under the Third Mizukage had first been established with these individuals' support. Asato Karatachi, in particular, would never have risen to become the patriarch of the Karatachi clan without the Third Mizukage's backing.
Mei Terumi still vividly remembered that bloody night from her childhood.
Had the Hidden Mist Village not just weathered such profound changes, she would have severely punished these men.
On the evening of the Mizukage succession ceremony, Mei Terumi remained awake through the night. As dawn broke the following day, the ninjas she had dispatched to Konoha returned to the village with urgent news.
After reading the alliance documents, emotion welled in her eyes.
"Minato-senpai, thank you," she whispered.
Without compromising his position, Minato had extended every possible assistance to Kirigakure in its time of need.
In the days that followed, the Land of Water sent envoys to the Land of Fire's daimyo's residence. To secure friendship with the Land of Fire, they paid a considerable price. Nevertheless, compared to the potential demands other nations might have imposed, this cost remained manageable.
Simultaneously, both Konoha and Kirigakure publicly announced their alliance to the entire ninja world.
With Konoha's deterrent power now aligned with Kirigakure, other ninja nations that had intended to exploit the Water Country and Hidden Mist Village were forced to abandon their designs.
Though this development initially generated mild resentment toward Konoha from other nations, Konoha's subsequent diplomatic flexibility succeeded in healing these rifts within a year.
During this year, Konoha also strengthened its friendship with the neighboring Sand Village. In the latter half of the year, the two countries jointly organized a Chunin Examination in Konoha.
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