Naruto: The Nine-Tails' Legacy

At the border of the Land of Water.

"Who goes there?!"

Not long after disembarking from their ship and continuing on foot, Naruto's group sensed hidden eyes watching them from the forest the moment they crossed into the Land of Water.

Several Kirigakure shinobi immediately appeared, blocking their path.

"It's me."

"You are... Mei Terumī-sama!"

The leader of the Mist ninja froze in surprise.

However, he didn't lower his guard.

Instead, he maintained a cautious distance while speaking.

"These are shinobi from our ally, Konoha," Mei explained. "They're currently carrying out a mission within the Land of Water."

Normally, that should have been enough.

Yet the Mist shinobi remained where they were.

None of them relaxed their stance.

None of them lowered their weapons.

"...What's going on?"

Mei frowned.

"Isn't Big Sister Mei supposed to be someone important in Kirigakure?" Naruto quietly asked Kakashi from the front of the group. "Aren't these her comrades? Something feels off."

"There definitely seems to be something going on," Kakashi replied quietly. "But I don't sense any hostility."

"Neither do I."

Naruto nodded confidently.

"Then let Mei handle it. Let Sasuke and Hinata know to stay alert, but for now we'll observe."

"Understood."

Before long, the leader of the Mist shinobi stepped forward.

"Ao?"

Mei's expression changed immediately.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be—"

"Mei-sama, it's a long story."

Ao's expression was grave.

After glancing at Kakashi and the others, he looked back at Mei.

"Please. A private word."

Mei nodded toward Kakashi.

"I'll be right back."

Then she followed Ao to a location out of earshot.

"What happened?" Mei asked immediately. "Shouldn't you be in the village protecting Elder Genji? Why are you stationed here?"

Ao fell silent for a moment.

Then he sighed.

"Mei-sama... Elder Genji is dead."

"What?!"

Shock flashed across Mei's face.

A familiar figure immediately appeared in her mind.

"The Mizukage?"

"After the Mizukage returned to the village, many senior officials—including Elder Genji—were placed under investigation and confined."

Ao's voice grew heavier.

"According to the Mizukage, the attack by the Akatsuki years ago involved cooperation from certain members of the village leadership."

"As the investigation continued, more and more elders became suspects."

"Unable to prove their innocence in a short period of time, the Mizukage ordered them all executed."

Mei's eyes narrowed.

"Suspects?"

She let out a cold laugh.

"I know those old men too well."

"The moment they were confined, they were probably already plotting against the Fourth Mizukage again."

"Their own actions likely became the evidence that sealed their fate."

Ao lowered his head.

"You're correct."

"Who carried it out?"

"Zabuza."

Ao's expression darkened.

"But he escaped afterward."

Mei fell silent.

"Everyone else is one thing," she finally said. "But Elder Genji would never have participated in a conspiracy against the Mizukage."

"He cared about Kirigakure as much as anyone."

"He was already serving the village when Kirigakure was first established."

Ao looked at her quietly.

"Mei-sama... after everything you've seen, do you really think the current Mizukage would care about such distinctions?"

Mei's expression stiffened.

Ao continued.

"After you left, Elder Genji spoke to me."

"He said the reason the Mizukage sent you away was to protect your life."

"By then, he had already accepted his fate."

"All he wanted was for Kirigakure to regain peace."

"And for the Bloody Mist era to never return."

Ao lowered his gaze.

"Elder Genji chose death willingly."

Mei remained silent.

"Before he died, he left a message for you."

Ao looked directly at her.

"...Tell me."

Ao slowly repeated the old man's final words.

"Never return to the village again."

"Otherwise, you will never know peace."

Mei closed her eyes.

She understood immediately.

As Elder Genji's chosen successor and closest supporter, if he was gone...

Then she might become the next target.

After a long silence, she finally spoke.

"I understand."

Ao watched her walk away.

Inwardly, he let out a long sigh.

There was still half of Elder Genji's message that he hadn't delivered.

Unless she was willing to return and seize the position of Fifth Mizukage.

Soon, Mei and Ao returned to the group.

"Big Sister Mei, you're back!"

"Mm."

Mei smiled as though nothing had happened.

"Sorry. Just some village business."

"Everything's fine now."

"Let's continue according to the original plan. There's no need to visit Kirigakure."

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed slightly.

He seemed to understand something.

Meanwhile, the Mist shinobi stepped aside and opened the road.

As they passed through the checkpoint, Kakashi noticed something.

The Mist shinobi blocking the road toward Kirigakure remained exactly where they were.

They hadn't moved at all.

Naruto and the others paid little attention since they didn't know the village's exact location.

But Kakashi understood perfectly.

The road wasn't open.

It was closed.

"Where are we heading next?" Mei asked.

"Originally, we planned to split into two teams."

Kakashi withdrew his gaze from the Mist shinobi.

"You would investigate the capital while the rest of us gathered information elsewhere."

"But given the current situation, we'll stay together."

He paused.

"First, we'll locate a nearby bounty station."

"A bounty station?"

Naruto tilted his head.

"An underground organization that places rewards on important targets throughout the shinobi world."

Kakashi explained.

"They have branches in many countries."

"If you want information unavailable through official channels, that's usually the place to start."

Then he turned toward Mei.

"Know any leads?"

Mei nodded.

"I've raided several of their branches before."

"I know a few locations."

Meanwhile, far away in Konoha Prison—

"Danzō."

"Hm?"

The one-eyed elder slowly raised his head.

Upon seeing the visitors, he sneered.

"You two certainly took your time."

Standing outside the cell were Konoha's two advisors.

Homura Mitokado.

And Koharu Utatane.

Neither had brought any guards.

"Danzō."

Homura spoke first.

"You know why we're here."

Danzō laughed.

"Of course I do."

"You're worried Hiruzen will put me on trial publicly."

"And that I might accidentally reveal a few things from the past."

He looked at them mockingly.

"What happened?"

"You've finally learned fear?"

"When Hiruzen dragged me here, the two of you seemed very eager to stand at his side."

"At that time, the evidence was overwhelming."

Koharu answered coldly.

"Even we couldn't oppose Hiruzen."

She stepped closer.

"Time is short."

"Tell us honestly."

"Where did you hide Uchiha Shisui's body?"

"Shisui's body?"

Danzō burst out laughing.

"You actually believed Hiruzen's story?"

"The coffin was empty."

"It was all fabricated."

"A convenient charge designed to ensure I couldn't escape punishment."

The two advisors exchanged glances.

They were evaluating whether Danzō was telling the truth.

More importantly—

They were calculating how much damage he could still inflict upon Konoha if cornered.

After a long silence, Homura finally made a decision.

"No matter what happened, we'll arrange for you to leave Konoha."

"After that..."

"Never return to the village again."

"That won't be necessary."

A familiar elderly voice suddenly echoed from behind them.

The expressions of both advisors changed instantly.

That voice was one they knew all too well.

The Third Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> [email protected]/AiraTales7 (replace @ with a)