Chapter 024: Jonin Ao: Ah, Mizukage-sama, What Are You Doing?! (Seeking Data)
"..."
Terumi Mei felt utterly humiliated. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was a prestigious title, but in essence, they served as the Future Mizukage's personal ANBU unit.
So... if the Executioner's Blade was being disgraced right now, it meant she was being disgraced. After all, the current wielder of the blade belonged to the second generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—
Wait a minute!
!!!
Terumi Mei suddenly realized something.
Right now, Kirigakure's missing-nin were gathering.
And the wielder of the Executioner's Blade was none other than one of their most notorious missing-nin—Momochi Zabuza!
As the Future Mizukage, she had two missions:
1. Revitalize Kirigakure.
2. Deal with the missing-nin.
But "dealing with them" didn't mean simply eliminating them.
After the horrors of the Bloody Mist era, many capable shinobi had defected. These missing-nin were not only powerful, but often morally intact.
With Kirigakure currently weakened, bringing them back would significantly boost the village's strength.
But tracking down someone like Zabuza was practically impossible...
Wait. Zabuza...?
Isn't he right here?!
Holy—was she seriously this lucky?
"You search far and wide, only to find what you seek right under your nose!"
---
[Beep!]
[Future Mizukage - Terumi Mei has gone offline.]
---
[Descendants' Chat Group (^_-)]
[Minato Namikaze]: ??
[Future Mizukage - Terumi Mei has reconnected.]
[Terumi Mei]: My apologies. I'm still getting used to this chat group. Please ignore me, seniors.
[Minato Namikaze]: Oh...
Minato nodded slightly.
The existence of this strange group still surprised him. But being able to speak with former Hokage and watch his son grow up?
That was more than enough.
---
Meanwhile, in Kirigakure...
Mizukage's Office
As the Future Mizukage and strongest shinobi in Kirigakure, Terumi Mei lifted her face from her paperwork.
She had tested it—multitasking was difficult at first. But after several attempts, she found that as long as she wasn't in direct combat, she could manage it.
One part of her mind could linger in the chat group—while the other managed her real-world duties.
She slammed her hand down.
"Ao! Come in—and bring Chōjūrō. We're heading out for a mission."
"Eh?!"
Jonin Ao entered quickly, brow furrowed.
"With all due respect, Mizukage-sama... you have a mountain of documents—"
"You can handle it!"
"I've found intel on Zabuza. I'm going to apprehend him personally."
"I see... then allow me to—"
"No, not you." Terumi Mei shook her head. "Actually, go assist the elders. They're getting old—they need someone they can trust."
"Eh?!"
Ao blinked, stunned.
A veteran jonin, participant in the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, Ao had always been considered one of the elders of the village.
He expected to be Terumi Mei's trusted right hand.
And now? Not only was he being left behind—he was being banished to the outskirts?!
(That's where the elders lived.)
"This is a very important task." Terumi Mei said gravely. "The elders are vital to Kirigakure."
"I trust you, Ao."
"...Understood."
Then she added:
"Try not to return to the Mizukage's office unless absolutely necessary."
"???"
Was he being sidelined?
Why?!
He didn't know it yet, but the truth was simple: his right eye was a stolen Byakugan, taken from Konoha's Hyūga Clan.
And now, with Terumi Mei showing goodwill in a chat group full of Konoha's former Hokage?
A shinobi wielding a stolen kekkei genkai from Konoha was... a problem.
Or rather, a diplomatic disaster waiting to happen.
Because Terumi Mei had made up her mind.
Finding Zabuza was sheer luck—but what about Kirigakure's future?
Yes, she was just a minor figure in the group. The First and Second Hokage were far above her.
But would she give up?
Never.
What Kirigakure needed most was time—time to recover from the Bloody Mist era and rebuild.
And for that... the other villages needed to leave them alone.
But how?
She saw the answer.
The entire group—their attention, their hopes—was centered on Kitahara Kaede.
The group's alternate name?
"Kitahara Kaede Live-Streaming Group."
That said it all.
Even if he never became the Fifth Hokage, Kaede would undoubtedly become a key force in the shinobi world.
So—
While he's young, cling to him!
She didn't need to flatter the dead Hokage.
She needed Kaede himself.
That was Kirigakure's only path forward.
Konoha had fewer than 3,000 active shinobi. Kirigakure wasn't in much better shape.
So—
Time to gamble.
Terumi Mei steeled herself.
Her life had been filled with training, assassinating the Fourth Mizukage, and being buried under administrative work. A pure workaholic.
But.
Let's not forget—she was also a woman.
Kirigakure's culture left no room for romance, but she was undeniably beautiful.
From her drawer, she pulled out a hairclip, finally tucking away the locks that always hid one side of her face.
Then, she tied her hair into a sleek high ponytail.
She touched it softly.
"F-Future Mizukage-sama?!"
Ao was horrified.
This unshakable workaholic... was actually dressing up?!
"I'm stealing a man!"
"Winning his favor!" Terumi Mei declared. "If I'm lucky, I'll capture him. If not, I'll still leave an impression."
"And that'll be enough to save Kirigakure."
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