Unlike Konoha, Kirigakure was shrouded in a faint mist that lingered in the air.
Hanekawa walked slowly through the streets.
He had used a transformation jutsu to disguise himself with an ordinary face.
After all, his reputation in Kirigakure was significant—though not in a good way. He was known as the murderer of the Third Mizukage.
The ninja of Kirigakure would love to tear him to pieces.
As Hanekawa walked, he discreetly carved Flying Thunder God seals in several hidden corners.
Although the ninja of Kirigakure posed no threat to him, he always believed in being cautious and leaving himself an escape route.
By noon, the warm sunlight had dispersed the lingering mist.
Hanekawa stopped in front of a house.
With a leap, he settled onto a tree by the entrance.
He pulled out a Fire Release jutsu scroll and began reading it leisurely.
After some time, the sound of footsteps approached.
Hanekawa looked up and saw Mei Terumī.
She wore a strapless dress with a white belt cinched tightly around her waist, accentuating her mature and slender figure.
Her auburn hair cascaded over her shoulders, with a few strands falling over her forehead, partially covering her right eye.
The dress split at the thighs, revealing black fishnet stockings and knee-high boots.
"Little maid," Hanekawa called out.
Mei froze at the sound of his voice, looking up in disbelief.
"What? Don't recognize me?" Hanekawa asked, dispelling his transformation jutsu.
"I'd recognize you even if you turned to ash, you pervert!" Mei gritted her teeth.
"Such rudeness from the future Mizukage," Hanekawa remarked, putting away the scroll and jumping down from the tree.
"I don't need to be polite with you!" Mei retorted coldly.
"Is that so?" Hanekawa stepped closer.
"W-what are you doing?" Mei instinctively backed away until her back hit the door.
"Put on your maid outfit, and I'll teach you some manners," Hanekawa said with a smile, his gaze lingering on her.
"Dream on!" Mei refused without hesitation.
"Seems like you're breaking your promise," Hanekawa said, inhaling her faint fragrance.
"Fine, I'll change!" Mei met his gaze and felt a pang of fear.
This pervert wasn't an ordinary ninja—he had even captured the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails.
"Why are you in Kirigakure?" Mei asked, taking a deep breath as she opened the door.
"To see my little maid," Hanekawa replied casually.
"I'm not your little maid!" Mei glared at him. "This was just a deal!"
"During the deal, you are," Hanekawa said, walking into the living room and sitting on the couch. "Go change. I'll wait."
Mei's chest heaved with anger, but she had no choice but to change into the maid outfit.
Hanekawa leaned back lazily on the couch and closed his eyes.
Before long, he heard the soft sound of footsteps—stockings brushing against the floor.
Hanekawa looked up at Mei.
She had changed into the cat-eared maid outfit she'd worn before.
In the daylight, the black stockings looked smooth and delicate.
Her legs were long and straight, her black-stockinged feet delicate and alluring.
"You really are a pervert!" Mei noticed his gaze and felt a strange tingling in her legs.
"What should you call me?" Hanekawa chuckled. "Little maid, pour me some tea."
"Here!" Mei reluctantly handed him a cup of tea.
"And the proper address?" Hanekawa glanced at her.
"You—!" Mei wanted to throw the tea in his face but didn't dare.
Not only had they made a bet, but Hanekawa's strength and status meant she couldn't afford to provoke him.
Doing so would be a direct challenge to Konoha, and she knew the village's ninja army would be in the Land of Water within days.
"Master, please have some tea," Mei said reluctantly.
"Thank you," Hanekawa took the cup and sipped.
"Why are you really in Kirigakure?" Mei asked again.
She didn't believe Hanekawa had come just for her.
As the Hokage's advisor, he didn't need to waste his time like this.
"To help you become the Mizukage," Hanekawa said with a faint smile.
"I don't need your help!" Mei replied confidently. "I can become the Fifth Mizukage on my own!"
She knew Hanekawa's nature.
Any help from him came with a price.
Especially for something as significant as becoming the Mizukage, she didn't want to sell out Kirigakure.
"I have some information about your Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi," Hanekawa said, changing the subject. "Interested?"
"What kind of information?" Mei was startled but curious.
"Information that could determine the survival of Kirigakure," Hanekawa said, setting down the teacup.
"You expect me to believe that?" Mei frowned. "The Fourth Mizukage is in his prime and a jinchūriki. How could he be a threat to Kirigakure?"
"Why would I lie to you?" Hanekawa countered.
Mei opened her mouth but fell silent.
Hanekawa had no reason to lie.
But how could this be true?
"Is Konoha planning to attack Kirigakure?" Mei asked, alarmed.
In her mind, only Konoha could pose an existential threat to Kirigakure.
"Come here," Hanekawa beckoned.
Mei instinctively stepped forward.
"You're such a silly little maid," Hanekawa said, raising his hand and slapping her black-stockinged thigh.
The impact caused her thigh to jiggle, the stockings rippling.
"W-what are you doing?!" Mei exclaimed, stepping back, her face flushed with anger.
"If Konoha wanted to deal with you, we wouldn't have signed a peace treaty with Kirigakure," Hanekawa said seriously. "Don't forget we just signed an alliance. Konoha doesn't break its promises."
"Then what is it?!" Mei rubbed her thigh, glaring at him.
If he didn't give a reasonable answer, she looked ready to pounce and bite him.
"Such important information comes at a price," Hanekawa said, eyeing her. "What can you offer in return?"
"I… I don't know the specifics. How can I judge its value?" Mei trembled, biting her lip.
"Fair point," Hanekawa stroked his chin. "I'll tell you first. After all, you can't run away."
"…"
Mei wanted to retort but didn't know how.
Against Hanekawa's strength, she had no way to resist.
And where could she run? Leave Kirigakure and wander the ninja world?
She could only hope the information was false and that Kirigakure was safe.
"Do you know about Madara Uchiha?" Hanekawa asked after a moment.
"The ninja who, alongside the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, ended the Warring States period," Mei replied, puzzled. "But what does he have to do with this? He's been dead for years."
"He's not dead," Hanekawa shook his head.
He couldn't directly mention Obito Uchiha.
Since Obito was posing as Madara, Hanekawa decided to play along.
"Impossible!" Mei refused to believe it.
Every knowledgeable ninja knew about the Battle at the Valley of the End, where Hashirama Senju killed Madara Uchiha.
The God of Shinobi was invincible. How could he have failed?
"It sounds unbelievable, but I have proof," Hanekawa said, pulling out a scroll. "This is an ANBU investigation."
Mei opened the scroll and read it immediately.
It detailed Kirigakure's unusual financial expenditures and resource movements.
"What does this prove?" Mei frowned. "At most, it shows the Mizukage has special plans."
"Not Mizukage's plans—it's Madara Uchiha's," Hanekawa stated bluntly. "Madara Uchiha is controlling Yagura Karatachi."
"What?!" Mei stepped back in shock, her maid dress swaying enticingly.
If Hanekawa's words were true, this was indeed a matter of life and death for Kirigakure.
"The Mizukage is a jinchūriki. How could he be controlled by the Sharingan?" Mei took several deep breaths, trying to stay calm.
"Madara Uchiha's Sharingan isn't ordinary," Hanekawa explained. "Above the three-tomoe Sharingan is a more powerful version, capable of controlling even the Nine-Tails."
"Y-you're serious?" Mei's face paled, her sense of foreboding growing stronger.
"During the Battle at the Valley of the End, Madara Uchiha controlled the Nine-Tails to fight Hashirama Senju," Hanekawa said with a light laugh. "Your Mizukage is only the Three-Tails' jinchūriki. He can't resist."
Mei stood frozen, her expression shifting between disbelief and fear.
She suddenly realized something and looked at Hanekawa.
Madara Uchiha was a rogue ninja from Konoha.
If he had returned, his ultimate goal was likely Konoha.
No wonder Hanekawa had come to Kirigakure himself.
"How can we confirm the Mizukage is under genjutsu?" Mei was already half-convinced.
Most importantly, even the slightest possibility demanded investigation.
"Genjutsu control, at its core, is still genjutsu," Hanekawa smiled. "And you know how to break genjutsu."
In the original story, Ao of Kirigakure used his Byakugan to discover Yagura was under genjutsu and broke it.
Though Ao didn't have the Byakugan now, Hanekawa's presence was equivalent.
There were two ways to break genjutsu.
One was for ordinary genjutsu, which could be dispelled on one's own.
The other was for Sharingan genjutsu, which required a teammate to disrupt the chakra flow.
In other words, any Kirigakure ninja who could get close to Yagura could break it.
"I'll go find Elder Genji!" Mei turned to leave.
"Little maid," Hanekawa reminded her. "Do you want all of Kirigakure to know you're wearing a maid outfit?"
Mei immediately stopped.
In her concern for Kirigakure, she'd forgotten she was still in her maid outfit.
"I'll go with you," Hanekawa stood up.
"…?"
Mei looked confused.
"Without me, how will you explain where you got this information?" Hanekawa raised an eyebrow. "Maybe I shouldn't call you 'little maid' but 'silly maid.'"
He glanced at Mei again.
"What did you say?" Mei crossed her arms, blocking his view, clearly annoyed.
"Is that any way for a maid to act?" Hanekawa raised his hand.
Mei immediately remembered him slapping her thigh earlier and lost her nerve.
She averted her gaze. "I'll go change."
Without waiting for Hanekawa's reply, she hurried back to her room.
The sound of her black-stockinged feet echoed softly on the floor.
"Wait until we're at Elder Genji's place before you show yourself," Mei said after changing.
She was worried Hanekawa's presence would cause unnecessary panic.
"Fine," Hanekawa had planned to do that anyway.
Of course, it wasn't out of concern for Kirigakure's ninja but to avoid alerting Obito Uchiha.
Mei closed the door and headed to Genji's residence.
Genji held a position in Kirigakure equivalent to the Hokage's advisor or elder, a respected figure.
In the original story, after Yagura's death, it was Genji who passed the Mizukage title to Mei.
"Mei Terumī," Genji greeted her. "What brings you to see an old man like me today?"
"It's not her. It's me," Hanekawa appeared beside Mei, smiling. "Elder Genji, nice to meet you. I'm Hanekawa."
"Hanekawa of Konoha?" Genji gripped his snake-shaped cane, immediately on guard.
Though he hadn't left Kirigakure, Hanekawa's name was well-known across the ninja world.
"Correct," Hanekawa said calmly. "I'm here to discuss cooperation."
"What kind of cooperation?" Genji glanced at Mei, confirming she wasn't being coerced.
"Little—" Hanekawa coughed. "Mei, you explain."
Mei shot him a glare.
If he'd said "little maid," her life would've been over.
"Here's the situation," Mei relayed the conversation she'd had with Hanekawa.
"Impossible!" Genji's eyes widened.
"Whether it's true or not, we can test it," Hanekawa said lightly. "If it's true, this is truly…"
"Thank you for the warning," Genji interrupted. "We must act immediately."
"Once the genjutsu is broken, Madara Uchiha will know," Hanekawa said casually. "I'll handle him when the time comes."
"No need for your help," Genji shook his head. "Kirigakure will deal with this."
Mei hesitated.
If it really was Madara Uchiha, could they handle him?
But she understood Genji's stance—he didn't want to owe Hanekawa or pay his price.
"Fine," Hanekawa smiled. "If you kill him, I'll buy his corpse."
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