Seeing Anya's awkward expression, Terumi Mei felt a pang in her heart but playfully giggled, "Just kidding. This necklace doesn't match my blue outfit at all."
Anya exhaled in relief and stepped forward to gently embrace her. "It's my fault. After knowing each other for so long, I've never actually given you anything. Let me prepare something. Next time we meet, I want to give you a truly unique gift."
Terumi Mei hugged him tightly, savoring his scent and warmth, touched as she spoke, "Okay, I'll remember."
After they parted, Anya vanished in a puff of smoke.
Soon after, Master Gen arrived with the remaining ninjas still in the village. Chojuro and Ao, serving as guards, stepped forward to stand on either side of Terumi Mei.
Master Gen shakily handed the Mizukage hat to Terumi Mei, officially completing the handover and entrusting her with the entire Kiri village.
Terumi Mei solemnly accepted it, saying, "Thank you, Elder. I swear on my honor as the Mizukage—I will successfully complete this Five Kage Summit."
Master Gen nodded with a smile, feeling how much this girl had truly grown.
One of the Mist ninja behind her voiced concern to Chojuro, "As one of the Seven Swords of the Bloody Mist, you must protect the Mizukage well."
"Y-yes..." Chojuro's eyes showed unease, and his natural shyness only deepened after his humiliating defeat at Anya's hands.
Terumi Mei encouraged him, "You need to have more confidence. You're very strong—you wouldn't have been chosen as the Summit's personal guard otherwise, Chojuro."
Seeing Terumi Mei smile at him, Chojuro clenched his fist, gathering courage. "Yes, I'll definitely try my best."
Yet even as he said this, his thoughts drifted back to his previous failure, wondering why that man looked so familiar—he was sure he had seen him somewhere before.
Ao, standing nearby, muttered in frustration, "Just answer 'yes' and that's it. What kind of careless attitude is that? These kids these days—no perseverance at all."
"Enough," Terumi Mei raised the Mizukage hat high with full resolve. "Alright, let's go."
Meanwhile, the departing Anya pulled out the map provided by Sasori. He first focused on the three lakes closest to the Land of Fire. If his guess was correct, if she had truly survived, given her feelings toward Konoha and her longing for the one she loved, she wouldn't have gone far from there.
After boosting his flight speed to its limit, Anya shot across the sky like a streak of lightning, quickly reaching the vicinity of the first lake.
[Division Technique], he separated from his physical body. A surge of spiritual energy poured into the lake. After fifteen minutes, he headed toward the next lake.
The second lake turned up nothing. Time to move on to the third...
As soon as he arrived, a slight smirk curled his lips, and he dove headfirst into the lake.
He had finally found it—just as he'd suspected.
This lake appeared small but harbored hidden surges and underground rivers filled with countless dark currents. If not for Anya's perfected Sage Art combined with Spirit Transformation Technique, he might never have detected the Three-Tails hiding here.
Just as Anya was about to approach the Three-Tails, it suddenly sensed something and broke from its dormant state. Its entire body began thrashing at the water before swimming toward a dark current.
Anya had gone through great lengths to find it, so naturally she wouldn't let it escape so easily. She activated her Hanno Sage Art, forming hand seals with both hands centered around her own body. A spear of ice shot straight down in a straight line, targeting the creature below.
The Three-Tails never expected an iceberg to appear at such depths, and was struck directly on its body.
At the moment of impact, the ice pillar started spreading rapidly. In just a few seconds, more than half the beast's massive frame was frozen solid, severely restricting its mobility—it couldn't move even an inch forward.
Letting out a meaningless roar, the enormous three tails thrashed violently behind it while chakra began surging within. Dark violet chakra flowed through its giant form, transforming its chakra to its ultimate state. The energy then compressed into an ultra-dense [Tailed Beast Ball], aimed straight at the direction of the ice pillar, locking onto the approaching Anya.
Unfazed by the Tailed Beast Ball, Anya's soul power emerged. Her pitch-black soul—an image seen in detail by very few before—rippled outward as an invisible spiritual force spread through the water: "Little girl, we meet again."
The Three-Tails, covered in spikes and looking like a clumsy turtle, abruptly stopped resisting. The Tailed Beast Ball forming in its mouth dissipated instantly as a pure, flawless soul drifted out from its body.
"Big brother?"
All meetings are reunions long delayed. Despite her deep certainty, when she saw Rin Nohara, Anya couldn't hide the surprise and joy in her eyes. This angelic girl had truly survived—even if it was only in soul form.
Anya absorbed the soul back into her body, then leapt forward and landed beside the Three-Tails. Gazing at this girl who looked almost exactly as she did before, she couldn't help but express her feelings: "It's really me. I'm so happy to see you again. Thank the stars you're here."
Rin Nohara also grew excited: "I never thought it was you. I thought someone else had come to bother Xiao Gua again."
"Xiao Gua?" Anya gave a puzzled look.
"Haha." Rin laughed joyfully, gently reaching out to pat the head of the Three-Tails. "This one! Isn't it super cute?"
Anya's eyes narrowed in amazement upon witnessing this scene: "That's strange—you're a soul now, right? How can you touch the Three... uh, Xiao Gua?"
Proudly, Rin replied, "Pretty amazing, huh? All thanks to Big Brother teaching me the [Spirit Transformation Technique]. I developed this technique further based on that jutsu—I can make my spirit behave as if it has physical substance. I call this new technique the [Soul Body Technique]."
On impulse, Anya reached out and patted Rin's head; the sensation felt nearly identical to real flesh.
Incredible. Anya had never imagined that the [Spirit Transformation Technique] could be advanced to this level. Teaching Rin this jutsu must've been the best decision she ever made.
Noticing the gleam in Anya's eyes, Rin beamed proudly, "So, what do you think, Big Brother? Want to learn? I can teach you. With your spiritual strength, you'll master it quickly."
"This can wait," Anya said, her gaze returning to the Three-Tails as a Vessel materialized in her hand.
Rin Nohara's eyes filled with sorrow even though she already suspected what was coming. Her soul form spread its arms wide, blocking Anya's path. "Big brother, please don't take Xiaogua away. It's really pitiful and has never done anything bad. It won't cause you any harm at all."
Anya let out a sigh, her expression clouding with conflicting emotions.
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