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After finishing Mei's hairstyle, the chime of the Fate's Ring finally arrived—belated as usual.
[Due to your actions, Mei Terumī's fate has shifted. You have earned 100 Fate Points.]
Not bad. Worth the effort.
Sasame yawned and left the room. To be safe, he set up a simple barrier—if triggered, he'd know immediately and could intervene.
The Next Day
Sasame woke up.
Sleeping alone felt… unfamiliar.
Not because he missed having someone to eat or play with, but simply because it was less warm.
After changing clothes, he checked Mei's room. She was still unconscious.
Then he remembered something—a small black pill.
Not some dubious "computer accessory," but a soldier pill, specially formulated to restore chakra.
Sitting by the bed, he gently parted Mei's lips and placed the pill on her tongue.
Tsunade's work—dissolves instantly.
Clearly, she'd considered scenarios where patients couldn't swallow. Otherwise, Sasame might've had to… help more directly.
After settling Mei back down, he wiped his slightly damp fingers and waited.
Awakening
Mei's eyelids fluttered open. Weakness clung to her limbs.
Two seconds of blankness—then yesterday's memories flooded back.
She bolted upright, eyes sharp with vigilance, locking onto Sasame.
A future Mizukage's instincts.
No excessive gratitude for being rescued. No lingering traces of that strange emotion before losing consciousness.
Only cold, hard suspicion.
A shinobi this powerful, masquerading as a merchant? Pushing for five trade routes?
If he were a spy from another village, her aiding him would make her Kirigakure's greatest traitor.
Sasame chuckled, pulling up a chair.
Ah, a woman immune to "romantic delusions" truly has her own charm.
No wonder his past life had so many obsessed with "ice-queen CEOs."
"Who are you?" Mei's voice was steel. "What's your real goal?"
"I was once a Kirigakure shinobi," Sasame spun his tale casually, "driven out by the Mizukage's persecution. Now, I belong to an organization called Destiny."
He leaned in. "Our aim? Simple. We want everyone to prosper."
"…?"
Mei tilted her head, skepticism dripping from her silence.
Is this "Destiny" a charity?
The "missing-nin" part was somewhat believable—his Water Release prowess fit, and Kirigakure's "Bloody Mist" era had indeed exiled countless strong shinobi.
But the latter half? Absurd.
"In recorded history," Sasame's tone turned serious, "the shinobi world has seen three great wars—and countless smaller conflicts. Why? Why does peace remain out of reach?"
Mei straightened instinctively, caught off guard by the shift.
The question was old, yet no shinobi had ever answered it successfully.
"War stems from resources," she finally said. "Konoha's dominance? They hold the richest lands."
"Correct—but incomplete." Sasame pressed further. "Would you say Kirigakure is the poorest of the Five Great Villages?"
Mei nodded.
Until now, Kirigakure's greatest "resource" had been fish—barely enough to fill stomachs. Sasame's shipping routes were the first real innovation.
Why had no previous Mizukage considered a naval fleet?
Too costly? Or too consumed by internal bloodshed?
"Yet in my eyes," Sasame murmured, "Kirigakure's resources rival Konoha's. You just don't use them."
The ocean's wealth was limitless. Fishing alone was shortsighted—though he couldn't blame them.
"Impossible," Mei scoffed.
"Want proof?" Sasame grinned.
A pause. Then a reluctant nod.
"The answer involves a few hundred-million-ryo projects." He slid a contract toward her. "And our Destiny organization believes in fair trade."
Mei scanned the terms—and her brows furrowed.
The contents were simple:
Sign, and she'd become a temporary member of Destiny… owing Sasame 200 million ryō.
"You think I'd agree?" Her voice turned icy.
This was indentured servitude.
Two hundred million? She'd need lifetimes of missions to repay that.
All for words? Unthinkable.
Yet… what if he's right?
"A shame." Sasame retrieved the contract. "If war stems from unequal resources, then shared prosperity ends war. That's Destiny's purpose—and why I helped you."
Bizarre logic.
Yet… strangely compelling.
Mei's mind reeled.
"I can't trust you."
"Naturally." Sasame lounged back, relaxed. "But you know—if I wanted you dead, you'd already be a corpse."
A heavy silence.
"…Thank you," Mei finally said—personal gratitude, not Kirigakure's.
Sasame acknowledged it with a nod. "About the shipping routes—still interested?"
"…"
Mei hesitated. Instinct screamed no.
But Kirigakure's poverty left her no choice.
"My deception warrants compensation," Sasame pressed, sensing her conflict. "So here's a free truth: Your Mizukage has betrayed Kirigakure."
"What?!" Mei's breath hitched.
Even ordered to kill her, she'd never suspected treason.
The Mizukage was Kirigakure's pinnacle—why betray his own?
Preposterous!
"Have Ao use his Byakugan to observe him," Sasame said flatly. "Then you'll know."
Mei's already pale face whitened further.
Byakugan.
Meaning… mind control.
But Yagura was a perfect Jinchūriki—how?
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 140 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 35 power stones I will publish the next chapter.
(Give me all your power stones)