With a flash of light in Master Genji's eyes, he asked Ao, who was beside him.
"Ao, who do you think is more suitable for Mizukage, Hōzuki Mugetsu or Terumi Mei?"
"This..."
That question really stumped him.
Holding back his frustration, Ao thought, Master Genji, you old man, do you want me to take the blame for the choices you can't make?
Despite his inner complaints, he knew better than to voice them. Genji was his superior and highly respected.
Hōzuki Mugetsu and Terumi Mei each had their own strengths.
"Master Genji, I personally prefer Lady Terumi Mei as the Fifth Mizukage."
"Ah, so you think so too!"
In Ao's opinion, Hōzuki Mugetsu was stern and ruthless, giving off a gloomy aura.
Ao had once performed a mission with Mugetsu.
With him around, the mission's success was guaranteed.
However, working alongside Mugetsu was exhausting; one had to be constantly on edge.
If Mugetsu became the Fifth Mizukage, Ao knew his work as a subordinate would become much more stressful.
On the other hand, Terumi Mei was a strong-willed leader, but working for her felt less tense.
Genji's deep eyes gazed into the distance, his thoughts aligning with Ao's.
"Ao, to be honest, I would prefer to hand control of Kirigakure to Terumi Mei, but this isn't something that can be settled overnight."
In terms of reputation among the mission operatives, Terumi Mei and Hōzuki Mugetsu were equally matched.
However, when it came to achievements, Mugetsu had a stronger track record.
Mugetsu and the Kirigakure Anbu had completed numerous high-level missions and were deeply respected by the Anbu forces.
Genji feared that directly appointing Terumi Mei as the Fifth Mizukage would cause unrest within the Anbu and Mugetsu's faction.
A single misstep could lead to internal conflict, bringing Kirigakure to the brink of war.
That was something Genji could not afford—he would become a sinner in the eyes of Kirigakure, unworthy of the high expectations placed upon him by previous Mizukages.
Hah...
Ao sighed, finding the situation increasingly complex.
"Master Genji, in that case, we can only wait and see how things unfold. Let's see if either Lady Terumi Mei or Lord Mugetsu can completely outshine the other."
"Indeed, that's all we can do."
Genji let out a long sigh. Something about Mugetsu cast a dark shadow in his heart.
He couldn't explain it, but it was an ominous feeling.
One misstep could bring a disaster upon Kirigakure.
He murmured to himself, "I hope this is just an illusion..."
Land of Fire, Konohagakure, Hokage's Office
Shizune stood with a pile of documents in her arms, while Ton-ton squealed beside her.
Tsunade frowned, looking slightly anxious.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Nanaya lay sprawled lazily on the sofa, looking utterly relaxed.
"Lord Nanaya," Shizune said, "the Akatsuki has made their move. They've captured the Four-Tails Jinchūriki from Iwagakure. Should we take action?"
"Akatsuki? No need to worry. They won't cause any real trouble."
Nanaya replied casually. Right now, he had the confidence to say such things.
"Nine-Tails Jinchūriki is about to graduate soon. We should send someone to monitor him. What do you think, Nanaya?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, smiling as she posed the question.
See? Now that's influence.
A Hokage asking for his opinion.
Nanaya smirked.
"Lady Hokage, you can handle this yourself. Don't drag me into it. My sleep is far more important."
Tsunade's brow twitched, and her fists clenched.
She was both amused and exasperated.
What was funny was how Nanaya spoke like a complete slacker.
Of course, she knew he was only teasing her.
As expected, Nanaya suddenly put on a serious face.
"It's fine to have some Anbu keep an eye on Naruto. With his current abilities, they won't be able to detect him. It's up to you, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade's lips curled into a slight smirk as she flexed her fingers, making a series of cracking sounds.
"That brat, Naruto... he's interesting."
With Nanaya in Konoha, Tsunade had no fear.
It didn't matter if the enemy was a known rogue ninja or an S-class criminal.
If they dared to come, they weren't leaving alive.
From Jiraiya's intel, Tsunade knew that Akatsuki always operated in pairs.
Just two people daring to invade a shinobi village?
Tsunade found that hard to believe.
With her, Uchiha Nanaya, and Konoha's elite Jōnin around, she doubted anyone could take on the entire village alone.
But this was just her personal perception.
Just because she didn't believe it, didn't mean it wasn't possible.
After all, two formidable Akatsuki members were already making their move.
Southern Land of Fire, A Withered Forest
Two men in black robes adorned with red clouds walked slowly through the dried forest.
They were none other than Akatsuki's undead duo—Hidan and Kakuzu.
Since the Four-Tails Jinchūriki had already died, it would take time for the beast to reincarnate.
Tracking down scattered remnants of the Two-Tails' chakra would take even longer.
So, they changed their approach.
Instead of searching for traces of the Two-Tails' chakra, they decided to go after another Jinchūriki.
And not just any Jinchūriki—
The strongest of them all.
Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
Zetsu had gathered plenty of intel on all the Jinchūriki.
Hidan and Kakuzu knew that the Nine-Tails' host was still a mere kid in Konoha's shinobi academy.
If we act now...
If they captured him and delivered him to Akatsuki's base,
The leader would likely overlook their failure to retrieve the Two-Tails.
Think about it—
If they brought in the strongest Tailed Beast, why should they waste time chasing the Two-Tails?
Hidan found this reasoning flawless.
What surprised him was that Kakuzu, who was usually calm and pragmatic, actually agreed with the plan.
Normally, Kakuzu prioritized money above all else.
Capturing a Jinchūriki without a bounty wasn't like him.
But this time, Kakuzu didn't object.
"Oh, Kakuzu, let's take a break. Aren't you tired after all this walking? Konoha's still far away."
Kakuzu glanced at Hidan with his dark blue pupils.
"What? Are you scared? We're talking about the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, inside Konoha, one of the Five Great Nations. This isn't your usual easy job, Hidan."
Hidan clicked his tongue and looked away, annoyed.
"Tch, you're really not cute, Kakuzu. I believe in Lord Jashin. Fear doesn't exist for me."
"Let me guess—you're going to perform that long, tedious ritual again? That so-called god of yours... what a joke."
Hidan snapped.
"Damn you, Kakuzu! That's Lord Jashin! Watch your mouth, or I'll curse you!"
Kakuzu's sharp gaze met Hidan's. His tone remained indifferent.
"Watch your mouth, or I'll kill you.
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