Chapter 296: Nine Years Old, Targeting the Fifth Mizukage
"Teacher Yamamura, this mission is just for us to perform well in the Chunin Exams in Konoha, right?" Mei Terumi looked ahead at Konoha, now close enough to see clearly, and asked her instructor again to be sure.
"Yes. Just show your full strength like you always do," Yamamura Soki answered with a steady nod.
Before Konoha's invitation arrived, the Hidden Mist had not expected to be called at all. The Land of Water was an island nation, and Kirigakure rarely joined the activities of the other Four Great Shinobi Villages on the mainland.
But since they were invited, the Mist would not shrink back. To them, this was an opportunity, not only to let their name be heard across the continent, but also to observe Konoha's strength firsthand.
Hidden Mist might not be fighting in the Shinobi World War, but they were not blind to it either. They still sent ninja out for intelligence, and they knew the other great villages were locked in chaotic war.
None of that mattered to Yamamura's current squad, though. Their task was simple: crush Konoha's candidates in the Chunin Exams and bring back a strong result.
Yamamura was confident. After all, his team had Mei Terumi, a prodigy who had awakened two Bloodline Limits at only nine years old, and who had already developed her Water Release to an outstanding level.
"By the way," Mei said quietly, glancing at a tall boy with a shark like face, "that guy. Kisame Hoshigaki. I remember he's a Chunin, right? Why is he also taking the Chunin Exams?"
Kisame stood out too much to forget. Mei clearly remembered him earning the Chunin rank last year after passing the Mist's own exams.
"He was demoted after failing a mission," Yamamura replied casually. "Don't dig into it. During the exams, whoever your opponent is, you fight seriously. The better your results, the better the rewards you get from the village."
Survival of the fittest was the Mist's rule, and Yamamura wanted his students to rise as high as possible.
Mei nodded, dropping the subject. Growing up in Kirigakure's high pressure and brutal environment had taught her that there were things she did not need to know.
Still, she quietly marked Kisame as a major obstacle. A fellow Mist ninja entering the exams as a Chunin was not someone to ignore. If she wanted first place, she would have to watch him closely.
As they drew nearer, Konoha's massive wooden gate came into full view.
There were tall buildings back home too, so Mei was not shocked. What she felt instead was excitement. She was here to defeat every Konoha Genin in this exam and take a real step toward her dream.
"If I take first place here, the village will value me more. Even Lord Genshi and the Third Mizukage will look at me differently," Mei thought.
In a Chunin Exams shared by two great villages, if a nine year old Genin stood at the top, she would be called a genius among geniuses.
Even if it was only an exam, Mei believed it was a big stride toward becoming Mizukage.
She loved Kirigakure because it was her home. She loved its mornings, when white mist covered everything and turned the whole village beautiful.
She hated Kirigakure because the air was suffocating. Even students were forced to fight each other to the death.
Mei did not want to hate her own home. If she became Mizukage, she could change the Third Mizukage's harsh policies and make the village peaceful again.
When she saw Konoha's welcoming team waiting at the gate, she studied each ninja carefully, searching for the opponents she would face in the exams.
The moment Mei's eyes landed on Mugetsu, Mugetsu happened to be appraising her. Their gazes met.
Mei did not flinch. She even widened her eyes slightly, trying to push her presence forward despite facing an adult ninja far older than herself.
Mugetsu did not bother with a staring contest. He gave a faint smile and moved his attention on to the next person.
It was late June. Spring had already passed, and summer heat sat heavy in the air.
Under the bright sun, Mugetsu's golden hair looked even more striking, and the gentle smile he wore carried a quiet warmth.
"What's with that guy?" Mei muttered under her breath, still feeling smug like she had won something. "Why is his smile so… hot?"
That was the only word she could find. Warm. Too warm.
Back in the Mist, she rarely saw people smile at all. When she first entered school, kids still played and laughed. But after a single year, laughter faded. Anyone besides yourself could become your enemy at any time.
In that kind of place, friendly smiles disappeared. Cruel sneers were the only thing that survived.
The higher ups did not talk for long. After a few polite exchanges, the Hidden Mist team followed Konoha's escort into the village, heading toward a hotel in the main district.
Mei did not know much about Konoha. Only that it was a village on the same level as hers, and its leader was called the Hokage.
This was her first time in the Land of Fire. She had left the Land of Water before on missions, but only to nearby islands, never to the mainland.
"Hmph. Our Mist buildings are taller," Mei thought proudly while looking at Konoha's mostly two story houses.
Kirigakure, win.
After they reached their assigned hotel, Mei dropped off her things and asked Yamamura if she could go out.
She had not seen any obvious threats among the welcoming team, and she wanted to gather information while she had time.
"Moving around is fine," Yamamura said. "Just don't cause trouble. This is another village, after all. It's best if you go with your teammates."
Mei selectively ignored the last part. Her teammates were the kind of ninja she disliked. Outside missions, she had no desire to move with them.
She started by walking through the nearby streets to memorize the routes, making sure she would not get lost later.
She had been too focused on comparing buildings earlier. Now that she paid attention to the streets and the people, Mei realized something else.
Konoha was more prosperous than the Mist.
"So many shops. It's like they're everywhere…" Her nose caught a sweet scent, and she froze. "Desserts?"
Before she knew it, she was standing in front of a dessert shop.
The painted sweets on the signboard and the warm aroma tugged at her instinctively. She took half a step forward before forcing herself to stop.
"Mei Terumi, you're here to gather information, not to buy desserts," she scolded herself silently.
Desserts were delicious, far better than the endless seafood back home. But becoming Mizukage and changing Kirigakure mattered more.
She turned her attention away from the shop and toward the people around her. And a new difference hit her.
Not everyone smiled warmly, but the whole village felt relaxed. Light. It did not feel heavy at all, nothing like a village currently at war.
Mei had to admit it. In prosperity and atmosphere, Konoha felt more comfortable.
Kirigakure, a small loss for now.
"Konoha… what kind of village are you really?" Mei decided to keep observing.
"Why are you standing in front of the dessert shop?" a voice asked. "Do you need help?"
Mei snapped back. A black haired boy had walked up, looking around her age.
"If you want to eat but forgot money, I can lend you some."
Still thinking about Konoha, Mei instinctively recoiled and gathered chakra, ready to spit out a stream of water the moment she heard a strange voice.
Only after actually processing what he said did she realize she had been caught staring at the dessert shop.
"I'm not here to buy desserts," she said firmly, making it clear she knew her priorities.
"Then why are you standing here like a statue?" the boy scratched his head in confusion.
His eyes dropped to her forehead protector.
"Huh… you're not from our village."
He leaned back a step, taking her in again.
"Wait. Are you a spy?" He jumped farther back, suddenly on guard. "Did you infiltrate Konoha?"
Mei stared at him like he had grown a second head.
"What kind of spy walks around wearing their own village forehead protector?" she shot back. His idea was too ridiculous.
Even if she was gathering information, that did not mean she was sneaking in like a thief.
"Maybe a spy would use that exact thinking to hide," the boy declared with the confidence of someone who thought he had cracked the world.
Mei went silent.
"I mean," she said flatly, "is it possible I'm a Hidden Mist ninja invited here for your Chunin Exams?"
She figured if she did not explain herself, this idiot would really attack.
And while she doubted he could threaten her, this was Konoha. Starting a fight outside the exam hall was a stupid move.
"Huh? Other villages are taking the Chunin Exams too?" He looked genuinely shocked.
Mei could not help thinking Kirigakure would have killed off someone this slow in the graduation exam.
"Then that means you're my opponent," the boy said, excitement rising again. "You're taking the exams too, right?"
Mei measured him quickly. She had not expected to stumble into useful information this fast.
"You too?"
"Of course," he said, giving himself a thumbs up. "Not only am I taking it, I'm becoming Chunin right away!"
Mei stared at his grin and stayed skeptical. Becoming Chunin at this age meant real talent.
She had never focused on people her own age anyway. The opponents she compared herself to were older ninja.
That was the confidence two Bloodline Limits gave her. Among her age group, she believed she was unmatched.
"My name is Uchiha Obito," the boy said, waving. "Since you're fine, goodbye!"
He turned and started walking off as if this was completely normal.
Obito had bragged about becoming Chunin, but the moment he thought of the written test in round one, his heart began to tremble.
"The all knowing Sage Mugetsu will solve this," he clasped his hands and prayed while hurrying away.
When it came to Sage Mugetsu, Obito believed first, then believed again.
"What a strange ninja…" Mei murmured, watching him go. "Are all Konoha ninja like that?"
He said goodbye the second he knew she did not need help. Would he really help someone from a rival village he had just met?
…
Since he did not know if Mugetsu was home, Obito headed straight for the southern border forest. Even if Mugetsu was not there in person, there was a good chance a shadow clone would be.
His guess was right.
After scanning the area, he spotted Mugetsu instructing Shisui in Fire Release. Obito could not tell whether it was the main body or a clone.
"Teacher Mugetsu!" Obito jogged up, then clasped his hands and bowed hard.
"Please help me raise my theory grades!" His face looked like a believer pleading at a shrine.
Smack.
Mugetsu's finger landed neatly on Obito's forehead.
"What's wrong?" Shadow Clone Mugetsu chuckled. "Don't you always say theory is useless?"
"I wish. But the written test still exists," Obito groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"I already told Rin I'll definitely become Chunin this time. If I flunk because of the written test, Kakashi will laugh me to death, and Rin will be disappointed."
In front of others, he was loud and fearless. In front of Mugetsu, he was practically begging.
"Come to my house tonight," Shadow Clone Mugetsu said, pulling him upright with a smile. "There's something there that'll solve your problem."
Mugetsu had written this year's exam, and he had expected this exact emergency from Obito. After finishing the questions, he prepared several practice tests with similar problems for Obito to grind through.
If Obito absorbed it smoothly, he would walk into the exam on his own strength. Even if he did not, it would still reduce the burden on Kakashi and Rin.
"A Sage artifact that lets me master knowledge instantly?" Obito's eyes sparkled.
He had dreamed for years about some magical bread that imprinted knowledge just by eating it. If that existed, he might finally beat Kakashi in theory. Obito never believed Kakashi could out eat him.
Shadow Clone Mugetsu only smiled. If something that convenient existed, he would have used it on medical study long ago.
"Wait…" Obito began sweating coldly despite the blazing sun. "It's not practice tests, is it?"
The shadow clone nodded gently.
Obito's shoulders sagged. He had flashbacks to that nightmare day when he once lost track of time doing problems until his soul almost left his body.
Even now, remembering it made him shiver.
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