Genji, the elder of Kirigakure in the Land of Water, held authority equal to that of the Mizukage.
He was responsible for deciding all the major affairs of the village, and every important matter had to be discussed with him.
Compared to the trio of Konoha's elder council, the elder of Kirigakure was truly a figure with real power.
Though on the surface Mei, as Mizukage, possessed full control over the village, in reality more than half of that power lay in Genji's hands.
That was why, even though Mei felt great dissatisfaction toward him, she had no choice but to come before him.
Of course, deep down Mei still carried a shred of respect for Genji. In fact, all the villagers and shinobi of Kirigakure respected him.
He was a man who truly thought about the village above all else.
In a spacious meeting hall, at the head of an oval table, sat an aged man whose eyes still gleamed with vigor.
"Mei, do you know how great an impact your leaving the village without permission could have caused?"
A deep, commanding voice reverberated throughout the chamber.
Mei sat on the meeting table, curling her lip in indifference.
This wasn't the first time, and she knew the lecture would be long and relentless. If she kept quiet, maybe Genji would finish faster.
Genji sighed at the sight, his eyes carrying helplessness. He had no complaints about her strength, but her temperament still had a long way to go.
If Kirigakure had anyone else worthy, he wouldn't have allowed her to become Mizukage.
Right now, the village was simply too weak. Its shinobi were inconsistent in skill, and due to the policies of the Fourth Mizukage Yagura, an entire generation of young talent had been cut off.
A great village like Kirigakure now had no one truly strong to show for it.
"Enough. Tell me, why did you leave? You aren't the type to act on whim."
Genji exhaled and looked at her calmly.
Mei blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected him to be so reasonable today.
She slid off the table, her expression suddenly serious.
"This was something I intended to tell you. The reason I left was because of news regarding Yuto-sama!"
Genji, who had appeared calm a moment ago, jolted at her words. He sprang from his chair.
"Why are you only telling me this now?!"
"This matter happened suddenly, and there were too many uncertainties. For the sake of caution, Ao and I went personally."
Mei's tone was flat, but before Genji could respond, she spoke again, this time with excitement and reverence in her voice:
"Yuto-sama's words: all the high-ranking members of Kirigakure must prepare themselves—busy times are coming. And for now, his resurrection must not reach the civilians."
At her final words, Genji's breathing quickened. His eyes burned with fervor, and in that instant he looked years younger.
Only after a long pause did he finally whisper, "Yes!!"
Even then, disbelief lingered on his face. Looking at Mei, he asked:
"Where is Yuto-sama now?"
"I don't know the exact location, only that he's in Kirigakure. Don't ask me what he's doing either. The thoughts of a man like him aren't something I can guess."
Mei shrugged with indifference.
Genji let out a long breath, staring at her intently. At length, under her uneasy gaze, he suddenly burst into laughter.
"Mei! You've done well, very well!"
"The hope of Kirigakure through the generations has finally arrived in yours. I never thought I would live to see Yuto-sama again. My life is complete!"
Tears streaked down Genji's wrinkled cheeks. Kirigakure had been in decline for far too long.
Now, Yuto's return was nothing short of a miracle, a stimulant that could revive the village's spirit.
———
On a bustling street, Yuto sighed as he watched Haruna eating with her mouth full. The little girl clearly thought of him as a pushover.
The money didn't matter to him, but it wasn't his—it was Mei's.
Still, Haruna wasn't eating anything expensive, so it hadn't cost him much.
Beside them, Ringo Ameyuri's cheeks burned red. Dealing with her gluttonous little sister was always troublesome.
She held Haruna's hand, her eyes flicking curiously to Yuto.
From her observations so far, the young man seemed to have no hidden motive; he really was just out shopping.
And yet, he wasn't unfamiliar with Kirigakure. In fact, he seemed to know it better than she did.
It was almost as if he had once lived here.
Although she felt no hostility from him, Ringo Ameyuri stayed cautious and had already alerted the jonin.
"Big sis, Haruna's full."
Haruna whispered happily, looking at her sister with satisfaction.
Ringo blushed again and rolled her eyes. With how much she'd eaten, if she still wasn't full, no family could afford her.
"Big brother, you're so nice. At home, sis never lets me eat until I'm full."
Haruna beamed at Yuto.
He froze, then crouched slightly, chuckling.
"Your sister's a shinobi. Missions pay well. You mean she doesn't let you eat enough?"
Shinobi was a dangerous job, but it was one of the best-paid. A jonin supporting a family was hardly an issue.
Haruna opened her mouth, but Ringo quickly tugged her hand and cut in softly:
"Thank you for treating Haruna to so much food. If there's a chance, please come visit our home."
Yuto smiled without change. "Of course."
Whoosh!
A sharp gust cut through the street, and Ao appeared before them.
Seeing him, Ringo blinked, then her eyes lit with relief as she bowed.
"Ao-sama!"
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