Only after Natsume finished the hairstyle did the Ring of Fate finally chime.
[Because of your actions, Mei Terumi's fate has changed. You have gained 100 Fate Points.]
Nice—this wave was worth it.
Natsume yawned and left the room.
To be safe, he set up a simple barrier.
If anyone triggered it, he'd know at once and could rush to the rescue.
…
The next day.
Natsume opened his eyes.
He wasn't quite used to sleeping alone.
Mostly because it wasn't warm enough—not that he needed constant food, drink, and entertainment.
He changed clothes and went to Mei's room.
She still hadn't woken.
He suddenly remembered something and took out a black pill.
A soldier pill.
A special pill to restore chakra.
Natsume sat by the bed, gently pried open Mei's soft lips with a finger, and placed the pill in her mouth.
Tsunade-made—melts in your mouth.
She had clearly considered the possibility of an unconscious patient.
Otherwise, Natsume would have had to sip some water and push the pill in.
After laying her down again, he wiped his slightly warm, damp fingers and waited.
Before long, Mei woke.
Her body still felt weak.
She stared blankly for two seconds. Remembering yesterday, she sat up at once, eyes full of vigilance, and looked at Natsume.
As the future Mizukage, she showed the composure she should have.
She didn't get overly grateful because he'd saved her, nor let the vague emotions from before she fainted affect her.
On the contrary, what Natsume had hidden was alarming.
A shinobi this powerful, disguised as a merchant, planning to open five sea lanes—
If he belonged to another village, by helping him, Mei would be committing a crime against Kirigakure.
Natsume smiled, pulled a stool over, and sat in front of her.
Women without love-brain really had their own flavor.
No wonder so many people in his previous life liked the cold, aloof CEO type.
"Who are you?"
Mei's eyes swept over him. "What's your real aim?"
"I was once a shinobi of Kirigakure. I fled because of the Mizukage's persecution and joined an organization called Heaven's Mandate."
Natsume spun the tale smoothly. "Our organization's purpose is simple: we want everyone to become prosperous."
"…?"
Mei tilted her head, puzzled.
Was he saying they were philanthropists?
As for him being a Kirigakure missing-nin—that had a sliver of plausibility.
One, his Water Release was indeed strong.
Two, the Village of the Bloody Mist had driven out many powerful shinobi.
She didn't really buy it, though—mostly the second half sounded too ridiculous.
"Since recorded history, the shinobi world has had three large-scale wars and countless small ones. Why do you think wars happen? Why is peace always out of reach?"
Natsume looked at her seriously.
Sensing his shift in mood, Mei unconsciously straightened up.
But it was a hard question.
Many shinobi had pondered it and even put ideas into practice to bring peace—without exception, they failed.
"War is about resources."
Mei thought for a moment.
"Why is Konoha the strongest village? Because it occupies the best resources."
"Right—and yet not the whole picture."
Natsume asked, "In your view, does Kirigakure have the worst resources of the Five Great Villages?"
Mei nodded.
Up to now, Kirigakure's biggest resource had been various fish.
Good for filling bellies, and that's about it.
Natsume had at least put maritime shipping to use.
Come to think of it, why had Kirigakure never thought to build warships and establish a naval shinobi force?
No money? Or were the Mizukage too mired in bloody infighting?
"But in my eyes, Kirigakure has resources no less than Konoha's."
Natsume spoke softly. "You just don't know how to use them."
Ocean resources are no less abundant than those on land.
If all you think of is fishing, your vision is too short.
Though you can't blame them entirely.
"That's impossible."
Mei rejected it instinctively.
"Want to know?"
Natsume smiled.
Mei hesitated two seconds, then nodded.
"The answer ties into several projects worth hundreds of millions."
Natsume took out a contract. "And our Heaven's Mandate organization values fair trade above all."
Mei blinked, skimmed the contract, and frowned.
It was simple.
Signing would make her a temporary member of Heaven's Mandate—and put her two hundred million ryō in debt to Natsume.
"You think I'll sign that?"
Mei's expression grew icier.
A slave contract.
She definitely wouldn't sign.
Two hundred million ryō—how many missions would it take to pay off?
While Natsume just ran his mouth.
Far too unfair.
Though she really did want to know what resources could make Kirigakure rival Konoha.
"That's too bad."
Natsume tucked the contract away. "If wars stem from unequal resources, then if everyone becomes wealthy, wouldn't war vanish? That's Heaven's Mandate's purpose—and why I helped you."
Weird.
But it sort of made sense.
Mei couldn't digest it all at once.
"I can't trust you."
"Understandable."
Natsume adjusted his posture, leaning back into a comfortable position. "But you should also know—if I meant you harm, you'd already be a corpse."
Mei was silent for a few seconds. "Thank you."
This was thanks as an individual, not on behalf of Kirigakure.
Natsume understood. He asked, "About our cooperation on opening sea lanes—are you continuing?"
"…"
Mei faltered, unsure what to say.
Her instincts told her to cut ties.
But Kirigakure's current state didn't allow refusal.
Too poor.
"I hid things from you first—that's on me. As compensation, I'll give you one intel for free."
Seeing her hesitate, Natsume laid his cards on the table. "Your Mizukage has betrayed Kirigakure."
"What nonsense is that?!"
Mei's steady breathing grew ragged.
Though Yagura had ordered her execution, she had never imagined he would betray the village.
He already held the highest power in Kirigakure—why betray it?
Absurd!
"Have Ao use his Byakugan on the Mizukage. You'll know if I'm lying."
Natsume waved a hand.
Mei's pale face turned paler.
Use Byakugan—
That meant Yagura was under someone's control.
But he was the perfect Three-Tails jinchuriki—how could he be controlled?
As for that question—Natsume had considered it too.
Either Uchiha Madara helped, or the control was split into stages.
For example, control the Three-Tails first; once Yagura sealed it into himself, control him.