Led by the Kiri ninjas into the ference hall, Masashi and Shisui took their seats and waited for the arrival of the Fourth Mizukage.

  As they sat there, alone and bored, the two began chatting.

  "The humidity here is unbearable," Shisui pined, wiping his forehead. "When we go back?"

  "Be patient. This is a meetiween two major ninja vilges," Masashi replied.

  Over the past two days, he had spent half his time with Shisui and the other half in his own room.

  Hikari was a gem; whether this mission would go smoothly depended on her.

  To create the impression that she was already his woman, he had to return to her room at night.

  Thankfully, the bed was big enough.

  Though it was true that she had been wearing less and less. She seemed to have genuinely rexed.

  On the first m, she was curled up like a little cat in a er of the bed.

  And this m, she nearly rolled over onto him. Her sleeping posture was... bold.

  This wouldn't do.

  When it came to delicate iations, Masashi rofessional. Not a siail could be overlooked.

  Putting himself in another's shoes: If one's family had been wiped out, leaving just an older sister, and a beor appeared to rescue them, but oh wait—this beor slept with the sister...

  Suddenly, that beor's image would take on a very different meaning. From a kied samaritan, they would bee someone who lusted after the sister's beauty.

  The debt of gratitude would still exist, but the fvor of it would ge signifitly.

  Fortunately, this was about a younger brother and not a younger sister. Otherwise, wouldn't there be the of the beor one day being the husband?

  A thousand-mile emba be ruined by an ant's . So, details couldn't be ignored.

  Seeing Shisui looking a bit impatient, Masashi decided to act more annoying.

  Mainly because he worried this kid would act recklessly.

  "Shisui."

  "What is it, Masashi-nii?"

  "You know what we're here to do today, right?"

  "Of course," Shisui said, puzzled. "We're here to propose a tract renewal." He's treating me like a child again.

  "Right, right, exactly. And you won't do anythira, right?"

  "Masashi-nii, I won't do anything unnecessary…" Shisui looked at his cousin, speechless. "I know your iions. Fugaku-sama asked me to learn from you."

  "Oh, oh, good. I was just making versation because I was bored," Masashi said awkwardly.

  He shouldn't have doubted Shisui; the kid had made a lot ress. He needed more encement.

  Shisui caught the way Masashi was looking at him.

  "Masashi-nii, do you think I'm an idiot?" he was clearly displeased. He was ae ninja and had his pride.

  He thought his behavior had been fwless tely. He even perfectly tered Kiri's horap. Not only did he protect himself, but he also protected the girl—absolutely perfect.

  "Don't talk about yourself like that," Masashi said, putting on a serious fad encing him. "Be more fident. You're much smarter thasuka."

  Shisui felt as if a lump of air was stu his throat, uo e out. Tetsuka? Is this praise or another subtle insult?

  Tetsuka—the 's universally aowledged simpleton!

  At least Shisui had a reputation. He was definitely not an idiot!

  Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside the room.

  Hearing the sound, both men adjusted their posture and looked toward the door.

  Masashi activated his chakra-sensing ability.

  That's a lot of chakra! It is definitely Yagura.

  Soon, a boy with purple eyes appeared at the door. A scar resembling stitches ran under his left eye, firming his identity. Yagura had a baby fad wasn't tall. His thin build made him look like a teenager.

  But iy, he was far from young—an experienced veteran with children of his own.

  Perhaps due to the formal setting, he wore the Mizukage's hat.

  The hats of the Five Kage were uniform in design, only differing in color.

  The Mizukage's hat was blue and white.

  However, his attire was more practical, designed for bat, with Kiri forehead protector sewn directly into his clothes at the abdomen.

  A ninja's forehead protector was an essential piece of armor, capable of blog shuriken and kunai at cle. Most people wore it properly on their foreheads. Yagura's unventional pt reflected his fidence.

  "Shisui the Teleporter, long time no see," Yagura said. "The st time we met, we were enemies."

  "And now, you are the Fourth Mizukage," Shisui replied, matg the formal tone while keeping his own chakra perfectly steady.

  Yagura turned his gaze to Masashi.

  "The White Ghost of Konoha. I've heard much about you."

  "You ftter me. I am nothing pared to you, Mizukage-sama, the hero of Kiri," Masashi responded politely, smiling.

  No wonder, in the inal timeline, Kiri got pyed for so many years. Obito's genjutsu was top-notch. But what was truly absurd was that after sughteriire ninja s, Kiri bmed Obito.

  As if, while cheerfully butchering after , they had all been ag under Obito's trol. The s annihited by ordinary ninjas carrying out their revehus became evidence of his crimes.

  In that instant, Kiri—and the entire Land of Water—mao erase this history ly.

  Masashi privately disdained such behavior.

  In his view, it was the Mizukage's inpetehat led to such a ridiculous situation.

  If you wao talk about plex dynamics, Konoha's situation back then was far more plicated.

  Ahe ever degeed into this inhuman chaos.

  The key was cutting losses promptly. Like eliminating the greedy, uant ones who would jump out first, and the rest would naturally behave.

  Ambition was cultivated, and so was self-awareness.

  Masashi sidered himself an expert in such matters.

  Kiri's downfall y in its failure to act decisively.

  What could have been fixed with a bandage became an excuse to cut flesh and bohey had no oo bme but themselves.

  Yagura sat in the mai, and behind him, a group of ANBU filed in, lining up behind him.

  Masashi sed them all but didn't see Obito. Shy guy, huh? Hiding away.

  "Mizukage-sama, we're here today to renew reement. This matter has been deyed for quite some time," Shisui spoke first, ag in his official capacity. "Could we get a definitive aoday?"

  "Of course. Kiri and Konoha are close neighbors. A renewal is necessary," Yagura said seriously, and everyone listened as if he meant it.

  "But," he added, shifting his tone, "I hope you uand that due to many pressing matters in our vilge, this has been deyed."

  "That's uandable," Shisui nodded. "However, we hope to finalize this as soon as possible to put both sides at ease."

  Yagura nodded, and an ANBU member stepped forward, pg four identical agreements oable.

  "Please review them," he said, pushing the agreements toward the two. "Each vilge keeps a copy, and the other two will be sent to the respective daimyōs. Is that acceptable?"

  "The process itself isn't an issue," Shisui said after carefully reviewing the dots. "But traditionally, we've only signed agreements between vilges. These include matters beyond a ninja vilge's authority, and we haven't received authorization for that."

  Masashi also reviewed one of the agreements.

  Clearly. the dots covered topics exceeding a ninja vilge's jurisdi.

  "Su agreement would he daimyōs' signatures to be valid," Masashi said, putting the dot down. "Otherwise, how we enforce matters involving the citizens of both nations?"

  "That's possible, as these matters rely on the Uchiha 's strength," Yagura said with a smile. "The 'Trade Merts' Association,' which has risen in the Land of Fire i years, is excellent. From what I know, the Uchiha holds actual trol. These matters don't need approval; the feudal lords just o be informed."

  Masashi chuckled lightly. "The Uchiha merely cooperates with the association. We don't iate on their behalf. Besides…"

  He pced the dot ba the table.

  "With all due respect, Konoha is not a defeated party. To ask Konoha to secure resources for Kiri in exge for a ceasefire is unrealistic. May I ask who drafted this agreement?"

  "It seems you're the real iator here, Masashi," Yagura replied nontly. Though Kiri had lost the war and he was the Mizukage, Masashi was sidered "Kage-level" himself.

  There was o show him excessive respect.

  Besides, the agreement was indeed unreasonable. Having opinions on it was normal.

  iations were a process, after all.

  "My apologies. I'm simply familiar with this association, so I had to overstep my role to expin," Masashi said.

  "This is my personal view: Agreements are just agreements. Ninja vilges have ruly achieved peace because of them," Yagura replied, taking the words as serious.

  Empty chatter—it was basic protocol, and both sides uood that.

  What mattered was not to mislead each other on the key points.

  "Still, pared to the Hōzuki , shouldn't I be a better partner, Masashi?"

  The oending the olive branch, Yagura, gazed at the two people in front of him. He noticed that both of them had an expression of surprise.

  As if to say, "Did you stay up all night?"

  "Mizukage-sama, I'm afraid there's been a misuanding," Masashi said. "The guest follows the host's lead. We are guests, and when the host invites, we must attend."

  "The Hōzuki is not the master of Kiri," Yagura replied. "No one is the master of Kiri. This vilge belongs to everyone who lives here."

  "Is that so?" Masashi g the ANBU members behind Yagura. "People who say such things usually mean, 'I am the real master.' Is that what you mean too?"

  "If you want to interpret it that way, so be it. As the Mizukage, I represent Kiri," Yagura said with a faint smile. "While the Hōzuki es from the Seizukage, that is all."

  "That's why we're here to renew reement with you," Masashi said. "Business is business. Sihis is an issue between Konoha and Kiri, let's use the old version of the agreement."

  "o rush to reject me, Masashi. Why not listen to Kiri's terms first?"

  "Mizukage-sama, since you're so insistent, let me be ho based on what I know about the Association," Masashi said, deg to speak didly. "Given Kiri's current situation, the Association won't accept this business. The vilge simply doesn't have the financial capacity."

  "Kiri is a great ninja vilge. Given enough time, we repay it," Yagura persisted. "Merts don't have the right to iate. It's all up to the Uchiha . Kiri would owe the Uchiha a favor."

  "Mizukage-sama, that's no way to talk." Masashi said coldly, "Do you take the Uchiha for fools?"

  "No, I see you as reliable partners," Yagura said with a smile.

  He waved his hand.

  The ANBU members behind him turned a.

  Ohey were gone, Yagura stood up.

  "Shall we take a walk, the three of us?"

  Masashi and Shisui exged a gnce of fusion, but as he was the Mizukage, they couldn't deny him this courtesy.

  "As you wish."

  The two stood up as well.

  Yagura led the way out of the ference hall.

  The Mizukage's building was much rger than the Hokage's and far more byrinthine. He walked silently in front, leading them up a staircase.

  When they reached the top, he opened a door.

  What y before them was an expansive wide rooftop that offered a panoramic view of Kiri. The area was vast, and the view was magnifit.

  This was the rooftop of the Mizukage's building.

  Yagura walked to the edge of the ptform and silently admired the sery.

  "Good retioween two vilges is a major matter. There's o rush," he said suddenly. "Given Kiri's current difficulties, we wait until we've dealt with the more troublesome matters before resumiiations."

  Masashi and Shisui exged gnces, fusion flickering in their eyes.

  Is this really someone under genjutsu trol?

  Both were very familiar with genjutsu. No matter how intricately applied, it always affected a person's sciousness.

  At the very least, it would reduce their mental agility—an unavoidable side effect. Yet from start to finish, Yagura showed no such signs.

  Masashi gave Shisui a look, and Shisui immediately uood.

  With the flow of chakra, his pupils transformed into Sharingan. The moment, the utern of the Mangekyō Sharingan took form.

  Uhose eyes, Yagura's chakra was id bare.

  A flicker of surprise crossed Shisui's face.

  "Did you see it clearly?"

  The voice rang out—not from Masashi, but from Yagura.

  He turned around.

  "So this is the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan? Last time we fought, you didn't have those eyes."

  To Shisui's surprise, Yagura's chakra was surging at an astonishing speed.

  "It seems the rumors were false," Masashi activated his Sharingan as well. "You have not been pced under genjutsu. I thought your unrealistic proposal meant someone ulling strings behind the ses."

  "Masashi, your reflexes are quio wonder you were able to rebuild the Uchiha ," Yagura said as his chakra calmed. "Stirring chaos in Kiri alone 't be yoal. You're not that shallow."

  "Mizukage-sama, speaking like this here will cause misuandings."

  "Don't worry. Unless your smen appear here personally, the barrier prevents anyone from hearing our versation," Yagura said fidently.

  "I don't know what you're talking about, but you seem very fident in your barrier."

  "Pying the role of 'the trolled one' is tiring," Yagura sighed. "After so much effort, I 't walk away empty-handed, I? But Masashi, you still haven't answered my question. Are you not sincere about renewing our alliance?"

  "I'm very sincere," Masashi said, finding this situation utterly absurd.

  Obito, what a ridiculous genius! Even someone who read the manga finds this hirious!

  Danzō's scapegoating skills didn't even pare to this!

  "If you're sincere, why bother with these little tricks?" Yagura asked. "Kiri has no iion of antagonizing Konoha."

  "Mizukage-sama, you're saying too much."

  "Let me rephrase: as long as I'm Mizukage, there will be no war between Kiri and Konoha," Yagura said seriously. "There's no reason for the new Kiri to flict with Konoha."

  Masashi and Shisui stared bnkly at the Mizukage before them, unsure how to process this.

  What's with this tone?

  Now they started to think maybe the Mizukage was under genjutsu.

  "Many people have already died in Kiri. There's no need for more meaningless war. Of course, if the Land of Water's daimyō has ambitions for the Land of Fire, that's a different matter," Yagura said, returning to his earlier point. "But strengthening cooperatioween our vilges will reduce that possibility."

  "Mizukage-sama, do you think that's achievable?" Masashi scratched his head. Yagura seemed serious now, quite different from their earlier versation in the hall. "To stop the Land of Water from eyeing mainories is a bit much. Given your retionship with the daimyō, it seems impossible."

  "There are many nations in this world," Yagura said with a faint smile. "We don't have to focus solely on the Land of Fire. If Kiri allies with Konoha, Kumo bees less of a problem, doesn't it?"

  "Alright then, Mizukage-sama. What exactly do you want?"

  "I help you lure out your sman and assist you in capturing him. Iurn, when I go to war with the Hōzuki , I hope you'll join my forces."

  "Mizukage-sama, I want to take someoh me. Her younger brother is in the hands of the Hōzuki ."

  "No, Masashi, you've been deceived. Hikari's younger brother is not isuki's hands. The persohought was him was actually someone I arranged," Yagura said with a calm smile. "Her younger brother has been here with me all along."