Kirigakure—
Hidden deep in the mountains, close to the sea, forever shrouded in mist.
Known as the "Village of the Bloody Mist" under the Fourth Mizukage's cruel reign, it had become the most mysterious of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
But on this day, sunlight pierced the fog, pushed aside by the sea breeze. After days of gloom, the sudden light lifted spirits throughout the village.
Inside the Mizukage's office—
A woman with emerald eyes and long chestnut curls draped across her right eye stretched lazily in her chair. Terumi Mei, the current Mizukage, yawned as she arched her back.
Tap, tap.
A polite knock at the door.
In came a shy-looking young man with short gray-blue hair, carrying a heavy stack of documents.
Seeing him, Mei dropped her head onto the desk with a groan.
"Chōjūrō, where on earth do you dig up so much work?!"
He set the papers down, sheepish.
"Forgive me, Mizukage-sama. So many of the policies from the previous era still need revising… only you can make those calls."
At the mention of her predecessor, Mei's teeth clenched.
"Yagura. To think a Mizukage could be controlled like a puppet—he shamed this entire village!"
To her, "Village of the Bloody Mist" wasn't a title. It was an insult carved into their history.
Chōjūrō straightened, his voice earnest.
"Since you took office, Kirigakure has changed. Smiles are returning to the people's faces. That's your doing, Mei-sama."
She didn't reply. Rising, she gazed out the window at the bustle of her village, her eyes distant.
"I wish I could've seen the glory of the First Mizukage—Yuto."
Chōjūrō's face grew solemn. The name carried a weight in Kirigakure that rivaled Hashirama's in Konoha—perhaps heavier still.
Konoha had worked to diminish Hashirama's influence over the years. Kirigakure had done the opposite. Yuto's legend only grew.
The people didn't know the truth. But every Mizukage and elder did: Yuto hadn't died. He'd been sealed.
While Madara and Hashirama lived, Kirigakure dared not act. But once both had passed, the village began searching.
Decades slipped away.
Second Mizukage Hōzuki Gengetsu died in the First Shinobi War.
The Third Mizukage followed, slain by his wounds after the Second.
The Fourth, Yagura, though brilliant and a perfect jinchūriki, had been controlled and nearly destroyed the village from within.
And yet, not all their efforts were wasted. The Third had confirmed a crucial truth—Yuto was not sealed anywhere in the shinobi world, but in another dimension.
And only Hashirama could summon that space.
Not the best of news—but better than searching blindly.
Mei's eyes glittered as she recalled the intelligence Ao had delivered.
If it was true, then what countless Mizukage had failed to do… she might accomplish.
*What kind of man was Yuto, truly?* she wondered.
Whoosh.
A figure appeared in her office without warning. Neither Mei nor Chōjūrō flinched. Mei's eyes burned with excitement.
"Ao. Did you find Orochimaru?"
Her voice was sharp, expectant.
"It took effort," Ao said, nodding heavily, his tone uncharacteristically excited. "But yes. I've made contact."
Mei let out a long breath, relief and anticipation mingling.
Chōjūrō blinked at them both, dumbfounded.
Just what were they hiding from him?
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