The Land of Water was no longer what it used to be.
From the very first day Shigure assumed the position of Acting Mizukage, he established a new rule.
Any ninja—regardless of village affiliation—who entered the waters of the Land of Water or set foot within its territory, whether for missions or tourism…
Must report to Kirigakure.
Anyone discovered operating without registration would be detained by the Hidden Mist.
They would not be harmed without cause, but even if no crime had been committed, Kirigakure would still demand a certain amount of compensation from the individual's village or country before releasing them.
At first, ninja from various lands did not take this regulation seriously.
Many believed Shigure was merely using unscrupulous means to extort money.
However, it would not take long for them to realize how wrong they were.
As long as one was even slightly at odds with Kirigakure, this rule would become a nightmare.
Temari arrived at the port.
Before she could even disembark, two Kirigakure ninja were already waiting on the shore.
"You are…?" one of them asked calmly.
Temari did not foolishly assume they were there to welcome her.
Sunagakure had sent her without prior notice, so Kirigakure could not possibly have advance information regarding her arrival.
In truth, the moment she entered the territorial waters of the Land of Water, she had already been detected by Kirigakure's barrier surveillance team.
Ordinary ninja would not receive such treatment.
They would usually be allowed to wander for a short while before being captured and used as leverage for compensation.
But Temari was different.
Once her identity was confirmed, they immediately realized she was the daughter of Sunagakure's Fourth Kazekage.
She was not someone they could casually detain.
"Miss Temari," one of them said politely, "May we ask the purpose of your visit to Kirigakure? Are you on a mission, or have you come to deliver a message?"
As she looked at the two Mist ninja, Temari felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
Then—
Their chakra fluctuated.
It was released only for an instant, almost as if by accident, yet Temari's expression changed dramatically.
The pressure made it difficult for her to breathe.
Impossible…
They're only Chūnin—how can their chakra be this vast?!
"We neglected to introduce ourselves," the other ninja said.
"We are members of the Yuki Clan of the Hidden Mist."
The Yuki Clan?
Temari recalled the intelligence Sunagakure had gathered.
Although the clan no longer openly displayed an Ice Release kekkei genkai, every known member possessed an abnormally large chakra reserve.
In its own way, that alone was terrifying.
"On behalf of Sunagakure," Temari said after steadying herself,
"I request an audience with the Mizukage."
The smiles on their faces vanished instantly.
Temari frowned.
She did not understand what she had said wrong.
Sunagakure was one of the Five Great Ninja Villages—was she truly unqualified to request an audience?
The two Yuki clan ninja exchanged glances, then carefully studied her.
Did Sunagakure not know?
The Mizukage was gravely injured.
Under such circumstances, anyone requesting an audience could only meet Lord Shigure, the Acting Mizukage.
Were they deliberately stirring trouble—or simply unaware?
"We will inform the Mizukage's office," one of them finally said.
"Miss Temari, please come with us."
"Since you are here as an envoy of Sunagakure," the other added, "Kirigakure will naturally not neglect you."
They led Temari into the village.
Along the way, her gaze swept across the bustling streets.
Construction was happening everywhere.
Kirigakure was expanding.
With this single regulation alone, Shigure had brought immense wealth into the Hidden Mist.
At the same time, he had reclaimed control over Kirigakure's former maritime trade routes—routes that had once been dominated by Kumogakure.
He had even seized several crucial sea trade hubs that originally belonged to the Hidden Cloud.
In an instant, the Hidden Mist Village's long-strained finances had become abundant.
Temari silently observed everything.
Only now did she truly understand—
The Land of Water had already changed.
Although it was not a massive sum like hundreds of billions all at once, in a system with steady daily income, as long as capital continued to circulate smoothly, even a single million could generate the effect of tens of millions.
Of course, the risks were equally obvious.
Once the capital chain broke, the consequences would be disastrous.
At this moment, Temari was genuinely shocked.
Before coming here, she had heard that the Hidden Mist Village had been isolated for many years. Logically speaking, it should have fallen behind—perhaps not even comparable to Sunagakure.
Yet what she saw before her was a completely different scene.
Kirigakure was thriving.
At this pace of development, it would not take long before the Hidden Mist surpassed Sunagakure in nearly every aspect.
The gap between the two villages was already alarmingly clear.
Temari's gaze swept across the streets.
Almost every Kirigakure ninja carried a sword, their expressions firm and resolute.
"Water Release—Sword Form!"
"Second Stance!"
"Water Wheel!"
Boom!
Boom!
In the distance, two Mist ninja were sparring. Their blades swung in precise arcs, and with each strike, surging Water Release chakra followed the path of their swords.
Temari halted in her tracks.
This style…
Wasn't this the sword technique pioneered by that Konoha ninja—Shigure?
He taught it to the Hidden Mist?
Judging by what she had seen so far, it was clear this wasn't limited to a select few.
Nearly the entire village seemed to be training in this powerful sword-based Water Release style.
No wonder Kirigakure's overall combat strength had risen so dramatically.
"We've arrived," one of the escorts said.
They had reached the Mizukage Building.
It, too, had been renovated.
The building now stood at the center of a vast lake, isolated from the surrounding land.
There were no conventional roads leading to it.
Ordinary civilians who wished to enter had to be escorted by a member of the Yuki Clan, who would freeze the surface of the lake to form a temporary path.
As for ninja—
They simply walked across the water.
After entering the Mizukage's office, Temari saw Ringo Minazuki organizing documents. The woman glanced at her briefly before speaking.
"Miss Temari, please wait a moment. Lord Mizukage is on his way."
On his way?
Temari was momentarily stunned.
The Mizukage wasn't even in the building? He had gone elsewhere instead of handling affairs here?
For a moment, she was at a loss for words.
Still, she said nothing, merely nodding before sitting down on the sofa.
Time passed quietly, minute by minute.
Then—
Footsteps sounded outside the door.
The door was pushed open without hesitation.
"A ninja from Sunagakure wants to see me?"
Shigure's voice carried a hint of amusement.
"Interesting. Who might it be?"
As he spoke, Shigure walked toward the Mizukage's seat and sat down.
Only then did he notice Temari sitting nearby.
She held a cup of water in her hands, staring at him with visible surprise.
"Y-you are…" Temari hesitated, then asked, "…the Mizukage?"
Compared to the other Great Ninja Villages, Sunagakure's intelligence network was clearly lagging—largely due to the recent internal turmoil within the village.
Shigure glanced at her and smiled faintly.
"Temari."
"I truly didn't expect Sunagakure to send you to the Hidden Mist."
As he spoke, he was about to stand when Ringo suddenly handed him a document.
Shigure paused.
Normally, Ringo wouldn't interrupt him at a moment like this.
He took the document and skimmed through it.
In the next instant, his expression changed.
Shigure froze.
"…Has something happened to Gaara?"
Temari's pupils shrank.
She immediately stood up.
"When did you find out?"
This information was classified at the highest level. Sunagakure had gone to great lengths to suppress the news.
Shigure raised the document in his hand calmly.
"Just now."
...
TN:
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