Sixteen years old, the Fourth Mizukage

Facts proved that something as absurdly conspicuous as the moon deviating from its orbit and falling toward Earth could not possibly be noticed by only a handful of people or forces.

Early the next morning after Kirigakure's intelligence observation unit passed information about the moon's abnormal trajectory to Rei Kaguya through Orochimaru's channel, Mei Terumi, acting as Rei's secretary, received contact requests from Konoha, Sunagakure, the Land of Demons, and other countries and ninja villages whose positions leaned toward Kirigakure's allies.

And without exception, those requests were all for the same purpose.

To discuss, together with Rei Kaguya, the strongest person in the shinobi world, how to respond to this "natural disaster" of the moon approaching and falling toward Earth—something beyond human resistance.

"To be honest, if not for the intelligence observation unit submitting the same information, I would definitely think I was dreaming."

When reporting this matter to Rei, who had come to work as if nothing were wrong, Mei Terumi pressed her temples and could not help making that complaint.

"Unfortunately, this is not some nightmare that we can escape by closing our eyes and opening them again. It is a real, difficult problem that we must resolve with all our strength if we want any hope of success."

Rei gently pinched Mei Terumi's soft, boneless hand and sighed.

"Then this reality really is terrible."

Mei Terumi sighed. With regret and confusion in her eyes, she murmured, "First, the Root organization attempted to provoke discord between the Wind, Water, and Fire countries through a large-scale terrorist attack inside the Land of Wind. Then immediately afterward, Root joined forces with Iwagakure and Kumogakure to launch a surprise attack on Konoha, almost razing Konoha to the ground. And now, the moon has left its orbit and is falling toward the shinobi world in a terrifying natural disaster…"

"Even with an absolute powerhouse like you, whose strength is enough to rival the First Hokage, suppressing the shinobi world's situation, all kinds of difficult and troublesome incidents still continue happening one after another.

"Clearly, when the First Hokage was alive, he alone was already enough to make all ambitious people obediently hide away…

"Could it be that conflict is a fate the shinobi world can never escape, Rei?"

"Conflict is not the fate of the shinobi world. It is the fate of humanity. No matter how the era develops, no matter how civilization changes, conflict will never completely vanish from humanity's side."

Rei released Mei Terumi's hand and calmly gave that answer.

"Then what are we fighting for, Rei?" Mei Terumi gazed at Rei's white eyes and asked somewhat helplessly.

"To control conflict under the order of civilization, making it a positive force that pushes human civilization forward, rather than a malignant vortex that drags humanity into meaningless internal consumption and self-destruction."

Rei raised his hand and lightly tapped Mei Terumi's smooth forehead. Only then did he give Mei Terumi a reassuring smile and say, "Wait for me a little. I will first go communicate with Nagato and have him teach me the method of converting chakra into thought waves. After that, when you reply to the various forces, teach them this method as well."

"Why do that?"

Mei Terumi's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she asked in confusion, "They came to ask Kirigakure—or rather, you personally—for help. Even if you want to hold a meeting with all contacts at once, we can completely do it inside Kirigakure's main village through wireless image transmission, right? Why is there any need to share part of the favor we can collect from other villages with Akatsuki, who are not completely on the same side as us?"

"Because the people who want to investigate the truth behind the moonfall incident and find a way to resolve this crisis are far more than the villages and countries that have already contacted us, Mei."

Rei gently stroked Mei Terumi's long reddish-brown hair and spoke lightly, in a tone that seemed to hold everything in hand.

"Those who seal themselves off from the world, those who remain neutral and help neither side, those who bend whichever way the wind blows, those who chose to oppose us due to benefits and temptation, those who sincerely or falsely attached themselves to us…

"Not asking us for help does not mean they stand apart from the shinobi world, unaffected by the threat and influence of this moonfall crisis."

"If we only hold a meeting in Kirigakure with our allies, close the doors, and discuss how to resolve the moonfall incident, then even if we resolve this world-ending disaster, what change will there be in our position within the shinobi world?"

"There will be none. Those who are hostile toward us will only become even more wary of us. Those who remain neutral can continue remaining neutral with clear consciences. Those who seal themselves off may not even know that we were the ones who resolved this disaster…

"I am not the kind of person who, after doing a good deed, will feel fully satisfied as long as I receive gratitude from the small number of people saved."

Having heard this much, Mei Terumi realized the reason Rei wanted to seek help from Nagato, this "neutral" figure.

She sighed softly and quietly pressed her head against Rei's chest. While listening to his reassuring and powerful heartbeat, she murmured with mixed emotions, "Even though I have always been by your side, I still cannot truly understand you, Rei."

"Is it not fine if you cannot understand me? At the very least, you do not have to worry that there will come a day when I cannot bring you the unknown and the novel."

Rei held the slender waist of the girl in his arms and answered calmly and gently.

"Then does that mean I cannot even confirm whether I have truly entered your heart?"

"Do I walk this closely with anyone else?"

Rei laughed somewhat helplessly. While gently combing through Mei Terumi's waist-length hair and tracing the curve of her enchanting waist, he asked casually.

"Not women. But among men, there absolutely are."

Mei Terumi lifted her head, pouted, and said angrily.

"…Are there?"

Rei's face stiffened, and he began looking left and right while changing the subject.

"Are there not?"

Mei Terumi narrowed her eyes and pressed relentlessly.

"…I absolutely refuse to acknowledge such a vile personal attack! Mei Terumi, properly touch your own conscience and reflect on yourself! Are such huge things merely decorations!?"

Rei somewhat awkwardly stepped back two steps. Pretending to be furious from embarrassment, he pointed at the large, round conscience on Mei Terumi's left side.

Then, amid his beautiful secretary's cry of surprise that did not contain much real anger, he swiftly vanished from the Mizukage's office.

After he disappeared, Mei Terumi finally came back to herself.

Immediately, both angry and embarrassed, she stomped her foot in place and gnashed her teeth as she muttered to herself.

"You… Could you not at least show your determination with a little more sincerity!? Would holding me tighter and longer have been so difficult!? Or maybe holding… holding that a little tighter and longer would also have been fine…

"Did I really look like I would actually get angry over something like that just now!?"

"Rei Kaguya! You man who does not understand the human heart!!!"

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