The Avengers of the Uzumaki Family

Master Yuan slowly shook his head.

"whoosh"

"whoosh"

And in less than ten minutes...

It is located on the other side of the courtyard corridor.

Suddenly, two figures flashed by, stepping down from a great distance and slowly approaching.

This was to show respect for Master Yuan, a senior figure and elder of Kirigakure.

The two figures, the one on the right has long, gray-blue hair standing on end, with pale yellow sealing talismans hanging from his ears. Most noticeably, he wears a black eyepatch over his right eye, and the veins near his temple are bulging. He has a solemn expression on his face. He is the only Mist Ninja besides the Hyuga clan to possess the Byakugan—Ao!

The woman on the left, tall and voluptuous, wore a dark blue strapless dress that almost revealed her ample bosom. She had waist-length reddish-brown wavy hair, long, shapely legs, and a mature charm emanating from her emerald green eyes that was captivating.

It was none other than the future Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, who possessed a great reputation for beauty in the original work!

"Master Yuanshi."

Upon arriving near Master Yuan, both of them immediately knelt on one knee and bowed respectfully to him.

At this time, Mei Terumi had not yet become the Fifth Mizukage.

Like Qing, in front of Master Yuan, the difference in status and seniority must be treated with the highest courtesy.

To be even more precise.

Even if Mei Terumi were to ascend to the position of Mizukage as in the original work.

She still treated Master Yuan with the highest level of courtesy.

The Grand Master's qualifications and prestige are no joke.

"Ah, Mei Terumi and Ao are here." (It seems the original work doesn't explicitly state how Mei Terumi's name should be pronounced. I'm not sure if it's just a simple name like Jiraiya or Orochimaru, or if it's her surname Terumi and given name Mei, or her surname Terumi and given name Mei. I'll just use the first one here. If any reader knows which chapter or episode in the original work clearly records it, please let me know and I'll correct it.)

"You should both know why I called you two here, right? Tell me, what do you two think?"

Yuan Shi looked at Terumi Mei and Ao and said.

Like Bi, Qing was also a former subordinate of Yuan Shi. Compared to Bi, Qing had a better overall perspective. Therefore, Qing was generally responsible for external affairs, while Bi was responsible for internal affairs.

Mei Terumi is a genius from a small ninja clan in Kirigakure that Genji accidentally discovered over the past few years.

With the top combatants of Kirigakure either dead or defecting.

Mei Terumi, possessing exceptional talent, especially with her dual bloodline limits, is the most promising young talent among Genji.

If nothing unexpected happens.

Genji intended for Mei Terumi to become the next Mizukage.

However, we still need to wait and see.

This is, after all, Kirigakure. Since the establishment of the Five Great Ninja Villages, only last year did Tsunade become the first female Kage.

She also has the added advantage of being the granddaughter of the First Hokage.

Terumi Meditation will need to undergo more trials to successfully rise to a higher position in Kirigakure.

"Yes, Master Yuan, although our Kirigakure's current situation is not very good, considering Utakata-kun's problem, our Kirigakure must take action. This is in our Kirigakure's interest, and we cannot rule out that this is Konoha's test of our Kirigakure. Even without considering Konoha, just considering Kumogakure's covetousness, our Kirigakure cannot continue to stand by and watch!"

No sooner had Master Yu finished asking his question than Terumi Mei, who was sitting on the left, immediately answered.

It's obvious.

Even before it arrived.

Mei Terumi had already made her decision in her heart.

On the contrary, beneath Qing's seemingly calm exterior, a hint of struggle and hesitation was still faintly revealed in the depths of her pupils.

"Hmm, Qing, what about you?"

Master Yuan nodded slowly and looked at Qing to the side.

"Both taking action and observing have their own advantages and disadvantages. I think it's better to compromise, Master Yuan. Just like when we pressured Konoha before, let's symbolically express our attitude and then see what Konoha and Kumogakure do next. If everything goes smoothly, then we can take action. Even if it's a little later, we can keep the risks to a minimum. This should be the most appropriate approach."

After pondering for a while, Qing slowly spoke.

A very moderate approach.

On the surface.

It is indeed the safest option.

After all, if everything in the intelligence is true, the opposing side has three Jinchuriki of Tailed Beasts, which are not beings that ordinary ninjas can contend with.

A single misstep could result in casualties that would amount to four figures.

This is still a conservative estimate.

Who knows just how much of the Nine-Tails' power Menma, as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, can actually unleash!

What if it's 100%?

Whoever is the first to strike.

That would definitely be a terrible misfortune.

Konoha and Kumogakure are large and powerful, and can withstand such pressure. Kirigakure, on the other hand, is only putting on a brave face and cannot withstand any major shocks.

If there is another large-scale loss of personnel.

They're going to fall directly out of the ranks of the Five Great Ninja Villages.

As for Qing's answer...

Beneath Yuan Shi's seemingly unchanging face, a faint hint of disappointment flickered in his pupils.

Just as Master Yuan was about to say something.

"No, Aosang, if we wait until then to make our move, we'll have completely lost the initiative. Indeed, as you said, if we act now, we'll have to bear the corresponding risks, but that's exactly what we should bear. It's not just about the reputation of our Hidden Mist Village, but more importantly, our status in the ninja world and the division of actual interests. The Six-Tails belongs to our Hidden Mist Village, and we absolutely cannot allow other ninja villages to lay a finger on it. Once Konoha and Kumogakure make their progress smoothly, will the Six-Tails still belong to our Hidden Mist Village then? And other ninja villages will definitely think that our Hidden Mist Village has entered an unprecedented period of weakness. That's the most fatal point!"

Mei Terumi, who was sitting on one side, spoke first, looking at Ao with a very serious and stern expression.

This seems to be the same attitude as at the beginning.

However, there are significant differences.

The previous statement was merely an attitude.

And then came the following remarks.

This is enough to prove Mei Terumi's strategic vision and decisive judgment, which are the qualities required of a qualified or even outstanding leader.

Master Yuan was slightly taken aback.

A distinct look of admiration then appeared in those cloudy eyes.

I didn't misjudge him.

Mei Terumi is indeed the one who is capable of shouldering the great responsibility and future of Kirigakure.

“Yes, Mei Terumi is right. This time, Kirigakure should, and must, take the initiative to participate in the joint operation. It’s no longer just about the Six-Tails; it’s about Kirigakure’s future standing in the ninja world. We cannot back down, and we have no room to back down.”

Before Qing could say anything more...

Master Yuan made the final decision.

Hearing his master make such a decisive decision so suddenly...

Qing was taken aback, seemingly quite unaccustomed to it, because her master Yuan was always the type to plan carefully before acting. Over the decades, there had never been a single suggestion or decision made so quickly. He always needed to weigh things multiple times, and the final decision he made was always the kind that seemed very safe.

But today is very different.

Qing naturally finds it difficult to understand.

He didn't know what had caused his Master Yuan to change so drastically.

However, what Qing didn't know was...

Master Yuan has never changed. His decisions have always been clean, efficient, and decisive. The reason he may have seemed to have considered things carefully in the past was simply because, many times, he was just an advisor, and the Mizukage still existed in the village.

Like Chiyo and Ebizo of Sunagakure, Master Yuan was a senior figure who knew how to 'keep to his place' and would not easily interfere in the affairs of the village's higher-ups. These old folks did not want to cause misunderstandings, much less provoke internal conflicts within the village.

It is precisely because they are so aware of their status and prestige in the village.

Therefore, for the past few decades, as long as the village was under the rule of the Mizukage, and unless the Mizukage took the initiative to send someone to inquire,

Master Yuan always remained silent.

The few times he took the initiative to act were only when the Second Mizukage died in battle, the Third Mizukage passed away, or the Fourth Mizukage was revealed to be under the influence of genjutsu and controlled by others. He did so for the benefit of the ninja village and for its survival.

This is in stark contrast to Konoha's F4.

The same applies to this matter.

With no Mizukage in the village and at a critical juncture that would determine the village's survival, Genji naturally wouldn't hesitate.

This was thanks to the high prestige of the Yuan Master.

Although Ao didn't quite understand, a good habit he had developed over the years made him bow and reply at the same time as Terumi Mei, "Yes, Master Yuan!"

"Yes, this time Mei Terumi will lead the team, and Ao will also come along. This operation is of great importance to our Hidden Mist Village. In addition to the troops at the front, the village will also send more than 1,500 people, totaling more than 3,000 people, to accompany you. Ao will be in charge of your logistics. Although it was Konoha that issued the request for a joint operation, it is best for us to take care of the logistics ourselves. Remember, our ultimate goal is to retrieve the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, but this is not the only goal, nor is it the primary goal. Mei Terumi, you should understand what I am saying, right?"

Master Yuan nodded slowly, and a sharp, cold glint flashed in his seemingly cloudy eyes. His hunched body seemed to straighten up at that moment, and he spoke with a slightly sinister air.

"Yes, Master Yuan, please rest assured, I know exactly what to do. I will not tarnish the reputation of our Hidden Mist Village! Nor will I allow other ninja villages to take advantage of the situation."

Mei Terumi nodded emphatically.

A resolute look appeared in those beautiful eyes.

The meaning behind this obviousness is already clear.

Master Yuan nodded in satisfaction.

Only Qing on one side still seemed to only have a vague understanding.

He wanted to ask something, but ultimately swallowed it back. As long as Mei Terumi could understand, that was enough. Although in terms of age and seniority, Ao was undoubtedly Mei Terumi's senior, Ao was also the kind of person who was devoted to the public good. Just like how Master Yuan valued Mei Terumi, at this stage, Ao also felt that Mei Terumi was the most outstanding one in Kirigakure in terms of strength, magnanimity, methods, and overall perspective.

Whether it's leading the team this time or taking the position of Mizukage in the future.

Aoto is willing to accept Mei Terumi.

"Very well, then you can go and prepare. If nothing unexpected happens, Konoha and Kumogakure should also be taking action in the next few days, especially that Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure, he's not a good-tempered person."