Chapter 028 – Onoki Is Scared Out of His Wits, You Young People Have No Respect for Martial Virtue! (Asking for Stats)
Outside the small group chat.
"Fifth… Mizukage!"
Sasuke and Naruto were still in the small boat, but suddenly they felt… like their little boat of friendship was about to capsize.
Because originally, they were classmates with Kitahara Kaede, and now they were assigned to Kakashi's team.
But then…
In the blink of an eye, Kakashi-sensei was trapped, and… Kitahara Kaede was invited to become the Mizukage of the Hidden Mist.
What's a Mizukage?
It's hard to define, but everyone in Konoha wants to become Hokage.
A ninja who doesn't want to become Hokage isn't a good ninja.
And the Hidden Mist, like Konoha, is one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, and the value of a Mizukage… is the same as the current Third Hokage.
"…" Sasuke.
"…" Naruto.
Though they weren't exactly jealous, both Sasuke and Naruto felt like the dream they were striving for had already been achieved—by someone else.
"Fifth Mizukage?" Kitahara Kaede said.
"That's right," Terumi Mei replied. "I'm currently the Mizukage candidate, and I can choose to step down."
"So, if you come to the Hidden Mist, I can pave the way for you."
Terumi Mei said, "I do have that much power."
She clearly hinted at something with her words. After all, she had shown her strength earlier.
Even the Water Dragon Bullet of the Second Hokage Tobirama required hand seals, but her combo attack didn't.
So, her strength was unquestionable.
But—
"Is that so…" Kitahara Kaede simply responded.
Because—
In the original story, the Hidden Mist truly made its appearance during the Five Kage Summit, and by that time, Terumi Mei was incredibly formidable.
As a female Mizukage, she had a commanding presence.
But the Hidden Mist… didn't have any real foundation.
If someone was completely clueless, they might get swayed just because she was a beautiful female Mizukage inviting them over.
But…
Wasn't the Hidden Mist basically a poor and failing trap?
In the original, the only one they could pick as the Sixth Mizukage was Chojuro. That alone showed how dire things were.
"No thanks," Kitahara Kaede said.
"..." Terumi Mei.
[Descendant Chat Group (^_-)]
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: Why was I rejected?
[Minato Namikaze]: Well… it's reasonable.
[Minato Namikaze]: After all, you joined a bit late.
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: ??
Terumi Mei didn't quite catch on.
[Minato Namikaze]: Before running into Zabuza, Kitahara and the others had already captured two Chūnin. You saw them. They… leaked intel on Zabuza.
[Minato Namikaze]: And they also spilled the beans on the state of the Hidden Mist.
[Minato Namikaze]: So to Kitahara, the Hidden Mist… offers no appeal—or rather, it's just trouble.
[Minato Namikaze]: Isn't his rejection totally reasonable?
Minato, ever the calm one, explained things to Terumi Mei.
Because…
Things weren't going well on that side.
Kakashi's soul was being yelled at by the Second Hokage while practicing the Water Trumpet technique, and the First Hokage was in a depressive slump.
Lord Izuna was spectating.
It was like a kindergarten in Konoha—totally chaotic.
So Minato decided to respond to Terumi Mei.
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: I see. So, in the end, our hand was revealed.
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: Makes sense…
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: Looks like the Hidden Mist's ambitions were just pipe dreams after all.
At that moment…
Tobirama finally stopped instructing Kakashi.
[Tobirama Senju]: Hah, Mizukage, so you finally showed up.
[Tobirama Senju]: I really underestimated you.
[Tobirama Senju]: I thought you were just a woman and didn't take it seriously.
[Tobirama Senju]: But then you turn around and try to poach Konoha's genius ninja!
[Tobirama Senju]: You've got some nerve!
[Tobirama Senju]: Are you looking down on Konoha!??
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: Calm down, Second Hokage. Think about it. I offered the terms, and Kitahara still resisted the temptation. Doesn't that show how loyal he is to Konoha?
[Tobirama Senju]: …
[Tobirama Senju]: Hm…
Tobirama folded his arms and stared at Terumi Mei's soul.
[Tobirama Senju]: Alright then, go on—I'm listening.
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: …
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: Fine. I admit it—the situation in the Hidden Mist is terrible, and relying on just myself, I can't turn things around.
[Tobirama Senju]: Tell me the current state of all five great shinobi villages!
Tobirama's tone turned sharp.
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: …
[Future Mizukage – Terumi Mei]: Understood.
So, Terumi Mei explained the current landscape to Tobirama.
She also revealed the Hidden Mist's situation—after the Bloody Mist era, her village had over 6,000 ninjas, but only around 2,000 were actually usable. It was miserable.
Ever since she assassinated the Fourth Mizukage Yagura and discovered he had been under mind control, she didn't immediately ascend as the Fifth Mizukage.
Still, even without taking over, she knew—Hidden Mist was on the verge of collapse.
There was no way she could carry the weight on her own.
[Tobirama Senju]: I see…
Tobirama actually felt… somewhat relieved.
Unlike his older brother who always wanted to compromise, Tobirama deeply mistrusted people's hearts.
According to Kakashi, Konoha currently had fewer than 3,000 usable ninjas.
Not great.
But… the Hidden Mist was also in decline, so Konoha still had a slight advantage.
Wait a second…
???
Tobirama felt like he had just stumbled upon a blind spot.
Konoha doesn't even have 3,000 ninjas?
That doesn't make sense.
Even after the Second and Third Ninja Wars… Oh, right—Minato said there was also the Nine-Tails attack in his era, which caused a lot of casualties.
But still…
Less than 3,000?
That number feels off.
Because…
Just the Uchiha clan alone…
They should have had around 1,000 to 2,000 people, right?
So…
Has Konoha's general ninja population shrunk that badly? Only about 1,000 regular ninja?
Or did something happen to the Uchiha?
Otherwise, why would Kakashi—who was assigned to protect someone as important as Naruto—end up with a seemingly low-potential Uchiha like Sasuke?
???
???
???
The more Tobirama thought, the more off it seemed.
But then—
[???]: Uh… can I say something now?
A voice interrupted Tobirama's thoughts.
[???]: I don't know anything right now.
[Tobirama Senju]: You're calling yourself "old man"? You bastard?
[???]: Hm? Hold on… give me a moment… My eyesight's not great, but…
[???]: Lord Hashirama Senju? Lord Tobirama Senju?
[???]: Minato Namikaze!???
[Minato Namikaze]: …
[???]: Am I caught in a genjutsu?
[Minato Namikaze]: Is that you, Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage?
[Third Tsuchikage – Ōnoki]: Yeah… Minato Namikaze… Konoha's Fourth Hokage—you're supposed to be dead, aren't you?
[Tobirama Senju]: Welcome to the afterlife, Ōnoki. What took you so long to get down here?
Tobirama greeted him politely.
But—
[Third Tsuchikage – Ōnoki]: !!! Eh!
[Third Tsuchikage – Ōnoki]: My heart!
Ōnoki suddenly felt his breathing seize up.