"Shut up!"
"Shut up, both of you!"
Mufasa was visibly irritated. He raised his voice to put an end to the argument between the two women.
"Suzy, take Terumi Mei to rest," he ordered.
Suzy bowed slightly and gestured for Terumi Mei to leave.
She shot a glare at Tsunade before turning on her heels and exiting the room.
Tsunade let out a frustrated sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you deliberately bringing her around just to piss me off?"
Mufasa groaned, rubbing his temples. "How can you even think that?! This is all because of that bastard, Shimura Danzo."
For once, Tsunade didn't argue. This time, Danzo wasn't just being held responsible for something—they were actually at fault. If it weren't for his reckless actions, none of this would be happening.
Fishing indiscriminately near the Mist Village's waters was just asking for trouble, and now Terumi Mei was demanding answers from Mufasa.
After explaining the situation, Mufasa saw the frustration on Tsunade's face deepen.
"Hmph, Danzo!" Tsunade muttered, clenching her fists.
"I warned him not to provoke the Mist Village, told him to maintain peace. But no—he just had to do things his own way. I'm going to make him answer for this."
Mufasa rolled his eyes.
He had no interest in the internal politics of Konoha, nor did he care about what would happen to Danzo.
Right now, his focus was on something much bigger.
"What are you going to do about the Hiruko situation?" he asked.
Tsunade's expression darkened.
This was personal for her.
Hiruko had once been her friend.
When he defected, it had been during the reign of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Everyone thought he had died, yet now, out of nowhere, he had resurfaced, and he wasn't alone.
According to intelligence reports, he had aligned himself with multiple rogue factions, each declaring their intent to launch the Fourth Great Ninja War in an attempt to unify the ninja world under their rule.
Tsunade exhaled sharply. "Hiruko is Konoha's responsibility. We will handle him."
Despite the firm tone, Mufasa knew she was essentially cleaning up the Third Hokage's mess.
Ever since she had taken up the mantle of Hokage, she had been burdened with the consequences of her predecessors' decisions.
"I sincerely apologize for the trouble Hiruko has caused your village," she added, her voice laced with regret.
Mufasa chuckled. "Heh. Hiruko? He's nothing."
Truthfully, his only impact on Mufasa's village was the sheer eagerness among the ninja forces to take him down.
The second they heard about this so-called threat, they had all but begged for permission to deal with him.
However, Mufasa had denied their requests.
Sand Village was already stretched thin with various ongoing projects.
Every unit had a role to play, from village security to border patrols and internal defenses. There were simply no extra hands to spare.
Tsunade's shoulders relaxed slightly at Mufasa's words. His casual dismissal of Hiruko was the closest thing to reassurance she could hope for at the moment.
"We'll take him out as soon as possible," she promised.
Mufasa arched an eyebrow. "And how do you plan on doing that?"
Tsunade hesitated. "His target is Kakashi. Kakashi has volunteered to act as bait. He plans to sacrifice himself in order to take Hiruko down."
Mufasa blinked. "...You can't be serious."
"It's the best course of action," Tsunade replied, though she didn't sound convinced herself.
Mufasa scoffed. "Seriously? Every damn time, it's some noble sacrifice nonsense. Wouldn't it just be easier to kill him outright?"
Tsunade: "..."
She hated to admit it, but Mufasa had a point.
"Fine. But we don't even know where Hiruko is hiding."
Mufasa smirked. "Then we make him come to us."
He leaned forward, tapping the table with his fingers. "Hiruko wants Kakashi, right? Then Kakashi stays put for now. Once he makes his move, my people will track him. Simple."
Tsunade frowned. "Your people? Can they be trusted with this?"
Mufasa leaned back, arms crossed. "Of course. I wouldn't send just anyone. They'll get the job done."
At this moment, there was only one team Mufasa would trust with such a mission.
The Kamen Riders.
Tsunade nodded. "Alright. I'll tell Kakashi to stay put until your Sixth Division arrives."
The plan was straightforward: let the Puppet Curse guide Kakashi to Hiruko's hideout, then strike when the time was right. If anyone could handle this, it was the Kamen Riders.
And when they moved, there would be no escape.
Kamen Rider Attacks!
...
Hiruko needed to complete his absorption of Kakashi. To achieve his so-called immortal body, he required the alignment of three elements: the heavens, the earth, and the people.
The heavens—an eclipse.
The earth—Mount Shumisen.
The people—those with powerful Kekkei Genkai.
Now, as the time of the eclipse approached, Hiruko set his plan into motion.
Tsunade crossed her arms, her expression grim.
"Kakashi insists on using his life to take Hiruko down. He wants me to plant a self-destruction seal inside him."
Mufasa scoffed. "Yeah, no. Don't do it. That'd be a total waste."
Tsunade's eye twitched. "Excuse me?"
Mufasa leaned back lazily, arms behind his head.
"Just don't do it. I've got a better idea."
"You trust me, right? Just leave this to me and my Kamen Riders."
Tsunade eyed him warily.
Over the past few encounters, she had come to realize that, despite his eccentricity, Mufasa was reliable when it truly mattered.
After a moment of hesitation, she exhaled. "Fine. I'll leave it to you."
Mufasa grinned. "Good choice."
Without wasting time, he activated the communication line in the command room.
His voice echoed through the comms.
"Yusuke, Michiki, Jin, Miyuki, Katsuragi—sorry to crash your celebration party."
The room went silent.
The Riders immediately snapped to attention, setting down their drinks and turning on their belt communicators.
Mufasa's voice continued, "I assume you've all heard by now—Hiruko is getting cocky. He's challenging us, claiming he'll bring an end to our village. I need you all to track him down and bring him to justice."
He didn't need to say anything more.
The Kamen Riders understood their mission.
"His target is Kakashi. I've already coordinated with Konoha. Head there immediately, follow Kakashi's movements, and locate Hiruko."
"Sasori's fighter jet is ready at the Sand Military Base. He'll get you to Konoha in record time."
The Riders exchanged glances before nodding in unison.
"Understood."
"It's our first mission as Kamen Riders," Jin muttered, tightening his belt. "Time to make it count."
With that, they each mounted their motorcycles and sped toward the Sand Military Airbase.
Meanwhile, back in Mufasa's chamber, Suzy re-entered, leading Terumi Mei inside. The moment the Mist Village leader noticed that Tsunade was gone, she scoffed.
"Hmph. What's so great about her, anyway?"
Mufasa raised an eyebrow, barely suppressing a smirk. "Are you referring to her strength… or her assets?"
Terumi Mei shot him a glare, but her slight blush gave her away.
"Kazekage Mufasa," she began, clearing her throat. "Can you help the Mist Village?"
Mufasa tilted his head. "Help you? With what?"
"Not just fishing boats," Terumi Mei clarified.
"After discussing things with Tsunade, we've decided that our village also needs advanced defense facilities like Konoha."
Mufasa's gaze briefly scanned her, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Didn't expect you to be so forward-thinking."
Terumi Mei blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Mufasa leaned forward. "Our steel warships aren't just boats. They have command centers, navigation systems, and require specialized docks for maintenance. If you want them, you'll need more than just a fleet—you'll need infrastructure."
Terumi Mei's expression brightened.
She hadn't thought of that, but if Mufasa said so, then she had just unknowingly made the right decision. "Then that's even better! Thank you for your guidance. I'll be counting on you to help us modernize our village!"
"No."
Terumi Mei's excitement screeched to a halt. "…What?"
Mufasa shook his head. "I can't agree to that."
Her eye twitched. "You were just condemning Danzo for his recklessness, but now you're refusing to help me? Are you messing with me?!"
Mufasa sighed, holding up a hand.
"Relax. I'm not playing games here. This is about long-term stability. Large-scale technological cooperation requires trust and reliable leadership.
If we supply Mist Village with our advancements and they end up under corrupt rule, that's a huge problem for us."
Terumi Mei narrowed her eyes. "Are you saying you don't trust our village?"
Mufasa met her gaze evenly. "I don't trust the Fourth Mizukage. Yagura's 'Blood Mist' policies are disastrous. If we strengthen your village under policy, it'll only make things worse."
Terumi Mei clenched her fists. She hated that he had a point.
Mufasa leaned in, lowering his voice. "But you, on the other hand… I have a feeling that I can trust you."
Terumi Mei blinked in surprise.
"At least, I believe in your vision," Mufasa continued. "If you truly want your village to prosper, you need to overthrow Yagura and take his place as Mizukage."
Terumi Mei's breath hitched. "You… want me to lead the Mist?"
Mufasa grinned. "I'll personally support your coup. Sand Village will provide whatever assistance you need."
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Word count: 1525
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