Chapter 87 – Yujiro's Move: Mei Terumi Defects, Yagura Revolts!
"I see."
After a brief conversation, Yujiro fully understood what was weighing on Nagato's mind.
"Perfect timing. I'm about to lead the Akatsuki into action.
You should come along. Once you see it for yourself, you'll understand."
Nagato wanted to participate—of course he did—but he still needed clarity.
"By 'action'… what exactly do you mean?"
He didn't want to walk blindly into something he couldn't control.
Yujiro smiled.
"Simple. We're going after the Daimyo of the Land of Rain."
Then he casually added:
"I've got a buddy in Kirigakure who turned the Fourth Mizukage into a plush toy via brainwashing.
I think we can pull off the same trick.
What do you think?"
Nagato: "…"
He stared in silence for several seconds—
then could not stop himself:
"The hell did you just say?"
Yujiro shook his head with the attitude of a parent disappointed in a slow child.
"Nagato, Nagato… you really don't get it."
He sighed dramatically.
"If you don't understand, then don't ask. Just watch—and learn."
Nagato still wanted to complain, but eventually he swallowed it, nodded obediently, and shut up.
This was his first time doing something as stimulating as regicide and regime decapitation.
He was treating it like a field trip:
Learn first. Speak later. Follow Yujiro and don't get in the way.
Yujiro then suddenly asked:
"Right, Nagato—your place is hooked up to electricity now, right?"
Nagato blinked.
"Yes. Do you need to use an appliance?"
Yujiro's eyes lit up.
"Exactly—your TV. A TV!
Oh, over there? Great.
Judging by the time… it should be starting soon.
Let's go watch."
At that moment, Nagato noticed something strange:
Mei Terumi's face instantly drained of color.
He had no idea why.
But honestly?
Not his business.
If Yujiro wanted to watch television at this moment of all times…
then they would watch television.
After all, just as Yujiro had said before, the ninja world was now at the crossroads between the Second Industrial Revolution and the One-Hundredth Industrial Revolution.
If laptops already existed,
of course televisions were nothing surprising.
Of course, thanks to the quirks of productivity and manufacturing efficiency in the ninja world, Amegakure treats televisions the way people did in the 1980s—there aren't many of them, and everyone gathers after work to watch together.
Right now it wasn't time for the evening news, and since the ninja world didn't have anything remotely close to satellite broadcasting, Amegakure could only receive a few channels.
Fortunately, the Ninja Cats worked with terrifying efficiency—when they said something would spread worldwide, it spread worldwide.
After flipping through two channels, everyone finally saw Mei Terumi on screen, shouting into the camera at full volume:
"Yagura! Do you hear me?!
You're a damn golden egg!
Get over here so I can slap your face clean off!
I'll yank your tailed beast out too!"
Uchiha Yujiro: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA—!"
Yujiro laughed like it was the best comedy he'd ever seen.
Everyone else turned to stare at Mei Terumi.
Her face was burning red—so red it could cook ramen.
She was curling her toes so hard it looked like she could excavate a three-bedroom apartment with them.
Internally, she wanted to kill Yujiro, then kill herself.
Outwardly, she forced an awkward smile.
Inside, she was screaming:
"Uchiha Yujiroooooo!!
I'm going to fry you, then kill you,
then fry you again and kill you again
until not a single cell survives!!"
---
Meanwhile, in Kirigakure…
Inside the Mizukage's office, the entire Mist leadership watched the same broadcast.
On-screen Mei Terumi was a walking natural disaster—
saying every sensitive truth she shouldn't say.
Obito: "The actual hell???"
While he was still stunned, the elders exploded:
"Outrageous!"
The head of the Hōzuki Clan slammed the table.
"What is wrong with that girl?! How could she say the truth out loud?!"
Everyone: "…Huh?" ×10
The room slowly turned toward him.
The clan head panicked and waved his hands:
"I—I meant that information is classified! She's leaking state secrets!"
Everyone: "Hmm." ×10
They accepted the explanation.
Then the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura—the world's angriest fake shota—slammed the table:
"Enough!
As of today, Mei Terumi is declared a rogue ninja!
Full mobilization! Kill on sight!"
Obito leaned over and whispered into his ear.
Yagura cleared his throat:
"…Also place a bounty.
S-rank. Make sure the reward is substantial."
All the other high-ranking Mist ninja looked at this scene and silently frowned.
This Mizukage… was just a puppet for the masked man.
Several hot-headed elders almost stood up to start cursing him out—but were held back at the last moment.
They exchanged glances, their resolve hardening.
Enough is enough.
Yagura, you damn donkey.
You promised to reform the Blood Mist policies.
You promised change.
Instead you delivered nothing.
A normal politician lying would be fine—
but this is a hidden village.
Everyone here is armed to the teeth.
You're a perfect Jinchūriki?
A Kage-level fighter?
So what?
If we all rush you at once, what are you going to do, kill everyone?
Just you wait.
Once preparations are complete, we're staging a coup.
We'll break your third leg and ship you off to a monastery!
Kekekeke!
And so, the hunt for Mei Terumi began.
S-rank rogue ninja.
10 million ryō bounty.
1 million because she defected.
The remaining 9 million because she embarrassed Kirigakure in front of the entire world.
---
Back in Amegakure…
Yujiro clapped his hands.
"Alright, let's go."
After watching Mei Terumi's rant three or four times on loop, he was finally satisfied.
"Next destination: the Daimyō's palace."
He then casually wrapped an arm around Mei Terumi's shoulder:
"I'll be relying on you for this mission, little Mei."
Mei Terumi: "…Mm."
She nodded quietly.
But inside?
She came to a conclusion:
Since I can't kill Uchiha Yujiro yet…
I'll vent my rage on the Rain Daimyō's guards instead.
"Understood."
Her smile twisted slightly.
"I shall personally annihilate all enemies of the Akatsuki."
She let out a small, unhinged chuckle—
sending shivers down everyone's spine.
And at the same time,
everyone silently prayed for the poor fools who would have to face her next.