Chapter 225: The Contact
Terumi Mei stood by the window.
She neatly folded the secret letter sent from Konoha and tucked it into her sleeve. According to the report, the Konoha messenger, Kitahara Kaede, was expected to arrive at the contact town at ten o’clock this morning.
She turned and walked out of her office. Two ANBU on duty outside immediately bowed their heads in respect. Terumi Mei walked straight between them, her footsteps gradually fading down the corridor.
One of the ANBU leaned toward his companion. "Doesn’t the Chief have a light schedule today?"
The other nudged him with an elbow. "Stop prying into the Chief’s movements."
Terumi Mei returned to her private residence and walked toward the full-length mirror in the corner of her bedroom. The mirror reflected a woman dressed in an ANBU uniform.
Terumi Mei frowned. ’Not flattering.’
She opened her wardrobe, her gaze scanning the rows of clothing. This one was too plain, that one too flashy, this one too formal... Her hand finally stopped on a set of deep blue casual clothes.
She took the outfit, changed, and sat down at her vanity. Now, what to do with her hair?
Updo?
Terumi Mei gathered her long hair behind her head and tilted her face in the mirror. ’Too old-fashioned. I look like a politician heading to a meeting.’
She let go, allowing her reddish-brown hair to cascade over her shoulders. ’Is this too casual?’
She even tried brushing her bangs aside to reveal her clear forehead. ’How about this angle?’
Terumi Mei stared at her reflection, her expression growing increasingly serious. Finally, she settled on a clean, sharp hairstyle and straightened the collar of her clothes.
She curled her lips into a slight smile. ’No need to rush. The prey has only just shown itself.’
She took a cloth bag from the cabinet. Inside was a brand-new Hidden Mist ANBU uniform. Clutching the bag, Terumi Mei opened the door and left the Hidden Mist Village alone, without a single attendant.
***
In a small town on the border of the Land of Water, Kitahara Kaede wore a gray cloak.
The Land of Water remained the same as ever. Only a few scattered civilians walked the streets, a far cry from the bustle of the Land of Fire. Without paying it much mind, he entered a tea house, ordered a cup of sencha, and took a seat by the window.
The owner served the tea and hurried away. Kitahara Kaede picked up his cup and glanced at the clock on the wall.
8:45.
He had over an hour before the scheduled contact. He had arrived early.
As he looked out at the gloomy streets, his mind began to race. Kirigakure had proactively sought an alliance with Konoha—something that never happened in the original story.
Where did the variable come from?
’Terumi Mei.’
But that was merely a guess. If she didn’t have memories of the original plot, then this alliance was simply a matter of political maneuvering.
Kitahara Kaede took a sip of tea, the bitter flavor spreading across his tongue. Regardless of the situation, he needed to observe first. The person coming to meet him would most likely be a confidant of Genji’s faction.
’Gonbe? Or perhaps Midori?’
Suddenly, a shadow fell across the table. Someone was standing beside him. Out of the corner of his eye, Kitahara Kaede caught the silhouette: tall, slender, and standing perfectly straight.
A voice reached his ears. "Hello. I’m just passing through. May I have a cup of tea?"
The contact code.
Kitahara Kaede turned his head. He saw a clean, sharp hairstyle and deep blue casual wear. The collar was slightly open, revealing a pale collarbone.
And then there was that face. The face he had seen evolve from youth to maturity in his simulations.
Kitahara Kaede’s breath hitched for half a second.
’Terumi Mei. Why is she the one meeting me?’
Could she really have memories? Was this alliance a trap she had set?
Kitahara Kaede looked into her eyes. Her expression was perfectly normal, carrying just the right amount of politeness and distance. He suppressed the swirling thoughts in his head, stood up, and gave a slight nod.
"Konoha messenger, Kitahara Kaede. Hello. May I ask who you are?"
The smile on Terumi Mei’s lips didn’t waver, but a flicker of doubt arose in her mind.
’That reaction... He doesn’t have those memories?’
Terumi Mei lifted her chin slightly, a polite smile remaining on her face. "ANBU Chief, Terumi Mei."
Kitahara Kaede acted appropriately surprised. "Chief Terumi Mei, please excuse my rudeness. I didn’t expect Kirigakure to send someone of such high status for the contact."
Terumi Mei pulled out a chair and sat down. "Konoha sent the man who crushed the Seven Ninja Swordsmen; naturally, Kirigakure must show corresponding sincerity."
Kitahara Kaede smiled. "Battlefield matters are separate from political ones. I hope it won’t affect our cooperation."
Terumi Mei looked him in the eye. "Of course not. However, has Jonin Kitahara been to the Land of Water before?"
Kitahara Kaede paused. What did she mean by that? A probe?
He met her gaze. "No, this is my first time."
Terumi Mei nodded. "The Land of Water is prone to fog and the terrain is complex. It’s easy to get lost on a first visit. On the way back, Jonin Kitahara must stay close to me."
"Of course," Kitahara Kaede replied. "I shall follow your lead."
Listening to his flawless response, the doubt in Terumi Mei’s heart grew. Meanwhile, upon hearing the title "ANBU Chief," Kitahara Kaede’s suspicions deepened.
’How did Terumi Mei climb to this position so quickly?’
According to the original timeline, she should be a squad leader at most right now. Unless she had memories and used that foresight to seize power.
Kitahara Kaede looked at her flawless face. She didn’t seem to recognize him at all. ’Perhaps she’s just exceptionally capable.’
She was destined to become the Mizukage in the original story, after all. It wasn’t impossible for her to stand out early in a chaotic era.
Terumi Mei placed the cloth bag on the table and pushed it toward him.
Kitahara Kaede looked down. "What is this?"
Terumi Mei’s tone remained flat. "The situation in the Land of Water is currently unstable. To ensure the safety of the Konoha messenger and to make movement easier..." She paused. "I must ask Jonin Kitahara to change into these clothes and accompany me as my personal guard for the time being."
Kitahara Kaede took the bag. The request was reasonable. Acting as her guard would avoid unnecessary trouble and, more importantly, allow him to observe her up close to see if she truly had memories.
"No problem." Kitahara Kaede stood up. "There’s a restroom in the back. I’ll go change."
Terumi Mei nodded.
As Kitahara Kaede walked away with the bag, the smile slowly vanished from Terumi Mei’s face. She narrowed her eyes, her gaze sliding from his shoulders down to his waist.
A few minutes later, footsteps approached. Kitahara Kaede returned, now dressed in the ANBU uniform. The moment he appeared, Terumi Mei’s expression switched back to a look of indifference.
She stood up and led the way out of the tea house. "Let’s go, Jonin Kitahara."
Kitahara Kaede followed her, maintaining the proper distance of a guard. He couldn’t see her face, but Terumi Mei stared straight ahead, a strange glint shimmering in her emerald eyes.
’Slowly now.’
’The prey has arrived.’