"We'll have results very soon."
"Even if Uchiha Madara moves faster than us, it won't be by much. After all, to Sunagakure, Uchiha Madara is an enemy — but we are not."
Terumi Mei looked at Nagato, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, her alluring expression on full display.
Unfortunately, Nagato didn't seem to notice at all, still sitting there with an expressionless face.
Stoic!
Terumi Mei couldn't help but complain inwardly.
After leaving the Mizukage's office, Ao swiftly made his way toward a barrier area located near the outskirts of Kirigakure.
The closer he got to the barrier, the more desolate the surroundings became. There were almost no villagers living here.
Areas this desolate near the village edges were typically used as training grounds or for other special purposes.
Lord Yuto had specifically designated an area for his own use some time ago and set up a barrier around it. Word was that he was researching something.
As for what exactly, Ao neither knew nor had any intention of looking into.
Swish! Swish!
Just as he approached the barrier, two figures surged from the shadows simultaneously, appearing right in front of Ao.
"Lord Ao."
The two Anbu ninjas saw Ao and spoke respectfully.
Seeing this, Ao showed no surprise on his face. He came to a stop as well. Though the two Anbu ninjas hadn't said a word, their very appearance meant that the area ahead was off-limits — even for someone who served as the Mizukage's bodyguard.
Just as Ao was about to explain his purpose to the two Anbu ninjas, a lazy voice suddenly rang out from ahead.
"Oh, it's Ao. Has something happened?"
Yuto appeared in everyone's line of sight, stretching leisurely, his face bearing a hint of languor and fatigue.
After all, whether it was researching tailed beast Chakra or studying phantoms, both were tasks that consumed a great deal of mental energy.
"Lord Yuto!"
"Lord Yuto!"
"Lord Yuto!"
At Yuto's appearance, three respectful voices rang out simultaneously.
The two Anbu ninjas gave Yuto a slight bow before dissolving into two dark shadows, vanishing from sight and returning to their hidden positions.
"Lord Yuto, this is what the Mizukage wrote."
With a respectful expression, Ao retrieved the paper that Terumi Mei had written on from his chest and handed it over.
Yuto raised an eyebrow. The formal way it was folded struck him as a bit odd, though this particular folding method also proved that no one had opened it in transit.
Taking the paper folded with a special technique, he scanned its contents. A look of interest and mild bewilderment appeared on Yuto's face.
Uchiha Madara had finally made a move, and his very first target was the One-Tail jinchūriki of Sunagakure.
This put Yuto somewhat at ease. After all, Uchiha Madara had been completely inactive lately, so quiet that it had actually made Yuto a bit uneasy.
Sometimes, the quieter the enemy, the worse the omen — because there was no telling what they were secretly plotting.
As for the bewildered look on Yuto's face, it was because besides the intelligence that Nagato had sent, the paper also had a doodle of a funny face at the bottom.
And this funny face bore a seven-or-eight-out-of-ten resemblance to Yuto himself.
This was something only Terumi Mei would dare to do. After all, in all of Kirigakure, she was the only one brazen enough to pull something like this.
No wonder she folded it so carefully — she didn't want anyone else to see it.
Yuto's mouth twitched. Without a change in expression, he tucked the paper away.
"What does Terumi Mei plan to do?"
Yuto glanced at Ao and asked with evident interest.
Ao paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "The Mizukage hasn't made any decision yet. She sent me to ask Lord Yuto."
"However, it seems the Mizukage took into consideration the relationship between our village and Sunagakure, which is why she couldn't decide right away."
Hearing Ao's words, Yuto's previously languid face suddenly broke into a smile.
It seemed Terumi Mei was thinking along the same lines he was.
This was the perfect opportunity to intervene and deal with those stubborn factions within Sunagakure.
When it came to capturing the One-Tail jinchūriki, Uchiha Madara obviously wouldn't show up in person, so Yuto naturally couldn't be bothered to go either.
"Terumi Mei can decide this matter on her own."
Yuto said casually. Then, as if remembering something, a smile crept onto his lips.
"Oh, by the way — include Hyūga Neji among the dispatched personnel. Since Uchiha Madara wants to use Nagato to stimulate Uchiha Sasuke's Sharingan into evolving into the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Then as a fellow genius from Konoha, Hyūga Neji absolutely cannot be absent from this occasion."
Ao gave a slight nod, then turned into a blur and swiftly disappeared from sight.
Watching Ao's retreating figure, Yuto's eyes glimmered with an inscrutable light.
Yuto had never considered Uchiha Madara to be the type to play by the rules. So what had that guy been doing during all that time being so quiet?
Was it what he suspected?
The course of events had already diverged wildly from the original story, yet Yuto felt no tension whatsoever. Wasn't this all the more interesting?
"It's getting more and more interesting."
Yuto smiled faintly, a flash of excitement in his eyes.
Back in the Mizukage's office.
Ao gave Terumi Mei a brief summary of what Yuto had said. Naturally, he didn't hold back in front of Nagato.
Sure enough — Kirigakure had plans to implement something within Sunagakure.
Nagato's eyes flickered slightly as the thought crossed his mind. But this matter had nothing to do with him. His current goal was to use this opportunity to make Sasuke evolve the Mangekyō Sharingan, and then take it for himself.
"Lord Yuto — aside from that, did he say anything else?"
After Ao finished his report, Terumi Mei rested her chin in her hand, her eyes holding a trace of expectation as she asked with evident curiosity.
Ao froze for a moment. He thought back carefully, then shook his head.
Just as he was about to say so, he suddenly noticed the look Terumi Mei was giving him — it seemed to carry a faint hint of displeasure.
Ao quickly swallowed the words that had been on the tip of his tongue and racked his memory once more for everything that had happened during his interaction with Lord Yuto.
It was that paper!
Ao was no fool. Recalling the Mizukage's little stunt, he quickly found the key point, and a look of realization flashed through his eyes.
Come to think of it, the Mizukage was indeed getting to that age where she should find someone to marry. And the only one who could tame the Mizukage was probably Lord Yuto.
Though Ao thought this to himself, he dared not show even a sliver of his inner thoughts on his face — otherwise, he'd die a miserable death.
"Lord Yuto didn't say anything in particular, but he did seem to put the paper away quite carefully."
Ao feigned a thoughtful expression, then spoke softly.
Deep down, however, Ao couldn't help but snark — what "carefully"? The man just casually stuffed it away.
"Is that so!"
Terumi Mei's eyes lit up. She nodded with apparent satisfaction, then waved her hand dismissively at Ao.
Seeing this, Ao didn't hesitate for even a moment. He turned and swiftly left the Mizukage's office.
"Hyūga Neji? That should be the brat who defected from Konoha, right?"
Nagato frowned slightly, his tone carrying a hint of puzzlement.
[
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