Terumi Mei's tactics were already extremely refined. She alternated between Boil Style, Lava Style, and Water Style, moving through the storm of violent Tailed Beast chakra like a highly skilled dancer.
The high-temperature steam continuously eroded the crimson cloak, while the viscous acid attempted to restrain that destructive power, and Water Style was used to block the enemy's vision and provide defense.
She had successfully lured Yagura Karatachi away from the densely populated areas, buying the village some much-needed breathing room.
"Lady Terumi Mei, be careful!"
"..."
From the direction of the village came the worried voices of the Mist-nin.
Terumi Mei did not respond. Her eyes remained fixed on Yagura Karatachi in front of her, with beads of sweat appearing on her forehead as she maintained an intense level of concentration.
The power of Tailed Beast transformation had ultimately exceeded her current limits.
The brutality and instincts of a Tailed Beast were far beyond what an ordinary Kekkei Genkai could completely suppress.
Terumi Mei was taking advantage of the local terrain, which made her Ninjutsu considerably more powerful.
However, she had just released another powerful Lava Style: Melting Apparition Technique.
Her chakra suddenly stalled for an instant.
This was an unavoidable gap caused by repeatedly using her Kekkei Genkai at high intensity, leaving her chakra temporarily unable to keep up.
That tiny opening was keenly caught by Yagura Karatachi, who was being controlled by the Tailed Beast!
"Roar!"
A deafening roar erupted from his mouth.
Crimson chakra surged out like a volcanic eruption, and Yagura Karatachi's speed suddenly increased as he instantly broke through the area obstructed by Boil Style: Clever Mist Technique!
A giant claw made entirely of solidified chakra, carrying enough force to tear everything apart, struck toward Terumi Mei at a speed that was almost impossible to see with the naked eye!
"Not good!"
Terumi Mei's pupils contracted sharply.
Her body instinctively retreated at high speed.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
As she retreated, Terumi Mei immediately formed hand seals.
"Boom!"
The heavy impact sounded like thunder exploding.
The defensive wall formed from water was shattered instantly like paper.
Terumi Mei only felt an indescribable force slam violently into both of her arms.
A piercing pain shot through her body, and she was sent flying like a broken kite.
She spat out a mouthful of blood in midair before crashing heavily into the partially collapsed wall dozens of meters away, sending rubble flying in all directions.
"Lady Terumi Mei!"
"It's over!"
"..."
The Mist-nin watching anxiously from a distance cried out in horror, and their hearts instantly sank.
The hope that had just risen was almost completely crushed by this brutal attack.
Even Lady Terumi Mei, who possessed two Kekkei Genkai and had performed so brilliantly, could not withstand it?
Had the Hidden Mist Village just driven out the Kekkei Genkai-wielding rebels, only to be destroyed by a rampaging Jinchuriki?
"Cough, cough..."
Terumi Mei struggled to stand, but the intense pain in her arms and the chaotic surge of chakra inside her made her stagger, causing her to cough up another mouthful of blood.
She looked at the crimson monster in the distance as it once again locked its bloodthirsty gaze onto her, and a cold despair surged through her heart.
The gap...
It was simply too great!
"Roar!"
The rampaging Yagura Karatachi clearly had no intention of giving her any chance to recover.
Dropping onto all fours, the enormous chakra driving his body forward turned him into a streak of deadly red light as he once again pounced toward Terumi Mei, who had almost completely lost her ability to resist.
Within his opened maw, dark red Tailed Beast chakra began to gather frantically, clearly preparing to deliver a fatal blow!
"Quick, save Lady Terumi Mei!"
A loyal ninja wanted to rush forward, but the terrifying pressure of the Tailed Beast and the impending Tailed Beast Bomb made their legs feel as heavy as lead, while despair enveloped everyone.
'Is it really going to end here...'
As Terumi Mei watched the destructive figure rapidly enlarge in her pupils, her consciousness even became blurred for an instant.
She seemed to see the Hidden Mist Village sinking into blood and flames, and she saw her ideals completely shattered.
At the very moment when death was imminent and everyone believed Terumi Mei was certain to die, the crimson figure rushing toward her had already reached her.
But at that instant, it suddenly froze in midair like a movie that had been paused!
The energy of the Tailed Beast Bomb that was about to erupt suddenly collapsed, and a brief but unmistakable trace of confusion and struggle flashed through Yagura Karatachi's violent beast-like eyes.
It was as if an invisible and absolutely overwhelming force had forcibly restrained his movements and was even interfering with his will!
The strange change happened in the blink of an eye, so quickly that most people failed to react.
Only Terumi Mei, who was close enough to almost feel the breath of death, clearly saw the abnormality that flashed through Yagura Karatachi's eyes!
A chance!
Although she did not understand what had happened, her instinct for survival and her sharp battle instincts drove Terumi Mei to squeeze out the last bit of strength in her body!
She endured the pain and formed hand seals at the fastest speed of her life, unleashing all of her remaining chakra without holding anything back!
"Boil Style: Clever Mist Technique!"
"Lava Style: Melting Apparition Technique!"
This time, she did not use them separately, but released them simultaneously!
Under her precise control, the highly concentrated boiling acidic mist and the highly corrosive Lava Style liquid intertwined together, forming a combination.
A mass of liquid with terrifying heat, extremely strong adhesion, and powerful corrosive properties instantly engulfed the frozen Yagura Karatachi!
"Sizzle!"
The sound of corrosion rang out, mixed with the painful and furious roar of the Tailed Beast.
Under the combined attack of the two Kekkei Genkai, the crimson chakra cloak melted and evaporated at a speed never seen before!
Without the protection of the chakra cloak, Yagura Karatachi's original body could be vaguely seen inside.
Terumi Mei seized this fleeting opportunity and forced herself to draw on the last of her strength.
The liquid rapidly contracted inward, creating a violent energy impact!
"Boom!"
After a dull explosion that was not particularly loud, the crimson chakra completely collapsed.
A small, unconscious figure fell from the air and crashed heavily onto the ground.
It was none other than Yagura Karatachi, who had returned to his original appearance.
His face was deathly pale and his breathing was weak, clearly indicating that he had suffered extremely severe injuries.
The crisis of his Tailed Beast transformation had actually been resolved as a result!
The battlefield fell into complete silence.
Everyone stared at the scene in disbelief, their minds almost unable to process what had happened.
What had just happened?
The rampaging Three-Tails Jinchuriki who had been so overwhelming and had almost destroyed everything...
Had actually been defeated by Lady Terumi Mei...
Just like that?
After the brief silence came an eruption like a mountain torrent and a tsunami!
"We... We won?"
"Lady Terumi Mei defeated the Tailed Beast!"
"My god! What did I just see? Are two Kekkei Genkai really this powerful? She can even suppress a Tailed Beast?"
"Lady Terumi Mei saved us! She saved the village!"
"..."
The joy of surviving the disaster, awe toward absolute power, and boundless gratitude toward their savior became intertwined, causing the surviving Mist-nin to erupt completely!
Their gazes rushed toward Terumi Mei, who had collapsed to her knees from exhaustion and was constantly panting and coughing blood, their eyes filled with fervor and admiration.
The Hidden Mist Village itself was a village that placed great importance on individual strength and revered powerful individuals.
What Terumi Mei had done made them sincerely submit to her.
"Lady Terumi Mei! Are you all right?"
"Medical Corps! Hurry! Come and treat Lady Terumi Mei!"
"From today onward, my life belongs to Lady Terumi Mei!"
"Only Lady Terumi Mei has the ability to lead the Hidden Mist Village out of its predicament!"
"..."
The cries rose and fell, merging into one unified voice.
Through this battle, Terumi Mei had not only proven that she possessed the overwhelming strength needed to protect the village, but had also demonstrated the courage and responsibility to step forward and turn the tide in the face of despair.
At this moment, her prestige among these survivors reached its peak!
The will of the people had become clear.
With everyone's support, Terumi Mei barely managed to stand with their help. Looking at the excited and respectful faces around her and listening to the deafening cheers, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
She knew better than anyone that the decisive reversal just now had not been entirely her doing.
At that critical moment between life and death, some kind of power she could not understand must have intervened...
Was it Uchiha Chiya?
Who else besides him could possess such mysterious and unfathomable methods?
She subconsciously raised her head and swept her gaze across the shadows of the distant buildings, but she found nothing.
Yet she was already certain in her heart.
He really had intervened, and he had done so in a way that went unnoticed by everyone while perfectly giving her the greatest credit.
"Everyone..."
Terumi Mei suppressed the surging blood and her complicated thoughts. Although her voice was weak, it carried an unprecedented firmness.
"The rebellion has not been completely quelled yet, and the village urgently needs to restore order.
Our top priority is to treat the wounded, eliminate the remaining rebels, and stabilize the situation!"
"Yes, Lady Terumi Mei!"
Everyone responded in unison, their voices filled with trust and strength.
Under Terumi Mei's command, these newly united and highly motivated ninjas began acting efficiently.
Some escorted the unconscious Yagura Karatachi to a relatively safe location for strict supervision and treatment, while others began clearing the battlefield and rescuing the wounded.
Another group followed Terumi Mei and began advancing toward other areas where the remaining rebels were still resisting.
With the glorious achievement of defeating a Tailed Beast as proof of her strength, Terumi Mei's reputation soared.
Wherever they went, the rogue ninjas were terrified.
Meanwhile, loyalist ninjas continued to join her, and her forces grew like a snowball, greatly accelerating the suppression of the rebellion.
In the shadows, Uchiha Chiya quietly watched everything.
Terumi Mei had indeed not disappointed him. She had seized the opportunity he created and displayed excellent abilities in handling the aftermath and leading others.
The script of the Hidden Mist internal rebellion was developing exactly as he had expected.
Chiya's gaze shifted toward several hidden corners of the Hidden Mist Village, where several presences had been lurking and observing the turmoil all along.
It was time to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the Third Mizukage.
His figure slowly merged into the darkness, as though he had never appeared.
The night grew deep, covering the Hidden Mist Village after a day of blood and fire.
The air was still filled with the mixed smell of smoke and blood.
But compared with the noise and chaos during the day, there was now more of the silence that followed survival, along with the tension of hidden currents stirring beneath the surface.
Terumi Mei had temporarily established a command post in a ninja dormitory that had not been completely destroyed.
Her injuries had been treated urgently and were no longer serious, but the exhaustion of both her mind and body was difficult to dispel.
However, she could not rest, as a mountain of affairs still needed to be handled.
Casualty statistics, the final cleanup of the rebellion, the redeployment of the defensive system, and...
Most importantly, the power vacuum caused by the vacant position of Mizukage.
Just as she was rubbing her swollen temples and reviewing a report about the remnants of the Kaguya Clan continuing to resist, a calm voice suddenly sounded inside the room without warning.
"Looks like you've adapted quickly."
Terumi Mei was startled and immediately raised her head.
Uchiha Chiya had appeared silently in the shadowy corner of the room at some unknown point, as though he had been standing there from the very beginning.
He was still wearing that inconspicuous dark traveling outfit. Not a speck of dust could be seen on him, making him completely out of place in the ruined surroundings.
"It's you..."
Terumi Mei breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately became tense again.
"The guards outside..."
"They are doing their job well. I just needed some private space to talk."
Chiya calmly interrupted her and walked to the desk, his eyes sweeping over the documents on it.
"The rebellion has basically been quelled. Next comes the game of power."
Terumi Mei put down her pen, her expression serious.
"I know. The Elder Council has already sent people to 'ask' me about things several times, and their tone wasn't exactly friendly."
She paused and looked at Chiya.
"About earlier today... Thank you."
She was referring to the crucial assistance he had provided when she fought Yagura Karatachi.
Although no one else knew about it, she knew the truth clearly.
Chiya did not comment on it and went straight to the main subject.
"I walked around the village and looked into the disappearance of the Third Mizukage."
Terumi Mei immediately straightened, her eyes becoming sharp.
"Any leads?"
"Yes."
Chiya nodded, his tone as calm as if he were talking about something completely insignificant.
"In an abandoned underground waterway near the sealing shrine in the western part of the village, I found a corpse.
Although it was somewhat... moldy, judging from the remaining clothing and traces of chakra, it should be your missing Third Mizukage."
"What?!"
Terumi Mei abruptly stood up, the color draining from her face.
"A corpse?! Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Chiya looked at her.
"He has been dead for quite some time, at least more than a month. It seems that the so-called 'disappearance' was actually 'death' from the very beginning."
Terumi Mei staggered and grabbed the edge of the desk to steady herself.
Although she had already expected this, hearing the definite news still filled her with suffocating grief and anger, especially when the truth had ended so miserably.
The Third Mizukage might have had many problems during his rule.
But he had ultimately been the village's Kage, yet he had ended up in such a tragic state, his body left exposed in a dark underground waterway...
"Who... Who did this?"
Her voice was hoarse as she asked.
"The scene was cleaned up very thoroughly, and almost no valuable clues were left behind."
Chiya shook his head.
"However, being able to quietly eliminate the Mizukage inside the Hidden Mist Village and conceal it for so long would have been impossible without cooperation from someone within the upper ranks.
The Elder Council, or certain members among them, are highly suspicious."
Terumi Mei remained silent for a moment, worry filling her eyes.
"Even if we find the Mizukage's remains and confirm his death...
Things won't be that simple. The Elder Council has controlled the village's power for many years, and their influence runs deep.
They will never willingly let me become Mizukage.
Even if I accomplished something today, in their eyes, it will probably be nothing more than good luck, or... they may be even more wary of my Kekkei Genkai."
She sighed, her voice carrying a trace of helplessness.
"Becoming Mizukage is far more difficult than defeating an enemy."
Chiya looked at her troubled expression, but the corner of his mouth curved into a faint, knowing smile.
He raised his hand and pointed toward his own eyes, those eyes still deep enough to seem capable of swallowing everything even in the dim light.
"Do you really think that for those old men who are used to manipulating political power from behind the scenes, yet may not possess much personal strength, 'evidence' and 'reason' are really that important?"
Terumi Mei was stunned at first, then suddenly understood, her pupils shrinking.
"You mean... Genjutsu?"
"Power struggles do not always need to be that complicated."
Chiya's tone was calm, but carried an icy certainty.
"Who was the one who truly quelled the rebellion and saved the village from disaster?
The elders hiding in a safe place, or you, Terumi Mei?
Who has the support of the people now?
If they are sensible, they should cooperate willingly and support you as Mizukage, while still preserving some dignity.
If they insist on stepping forward..."
He paused, and a trace of unquestionable coldness entered his voice.
"Then we will use our own methods to make them 'understand.'
Once everything settles, you will already be the legitimate Mizukage.
At that point, if they still want to cause trouble, you will have the authority of justice on your side and the support of the people.
Do you really think you will be unable to deal with a few old men who have lost the people's support and may even have their reputations ruined?
When that time comes, eliminate those who need to be eliminated, and promote new people to fill the vacancies where necessary.
Power is only power when it is used."
These words were like an awakening, instantly dispelling the fog and hesitation in Terumi Mei's heart.
She looked at Chiya, at the absolute strength and confidence in his eyes, and the worry and helplessness that had filled her heart strangely faded by more than half.
Yes, she had the strongest backing, the support of the people of the Hidden Mist Village, and...
The methods of using power that he had taught her.
Regardless of what goal Uchiha Chiya had behind all this, at least at this moment, he was sincerely helping her and clearing the path ahead for her.
That realization was like a warm current, quietly seeping into her heart, which had become somewhat cold from the struggle for power.
"I understand."
Terumi Mei took a deep breath, and her eyes became firm and bright again.
"I know what I need to do."
She no longer hesitated and immediately summoned her trusted ninja outside the door, beginning to issue orders.
Her voice had returned to the calmness she had displayed during the day.
"Immediately send more people to search the abandoned underground waterways near the sealing shrine in the western part of the village!
Be thorough. Do not miss a single corner!
The Mizukage's whereabouts may very well be there!"
"Yes, Lady Terumi Mei!"
Although the trusted ninja did not understand why she suddenly wanted that area searched, he had no doubts about Terumi Mei's orders and immediately accepted the command before leaving.
After watching her subordinate leave, Terumi Mei turned toward Chiya and solemnly nodded.
"Next, we proceed according to the plan."
Chiya nodded slightly, and his figure once again silently merged into the shadows as though he had never appeared.
Terumi Mei stood alone in the room, looking at the night sky outside that was still filled with faint smoke, and clenched her fists.
The road to power had already been laid out, and it might be filled with schemes and unavoidable compromises.
But to change the Hidden Mist Village, she had to keep moving forward.
With Chiya's help and guidance, she believed she could walk this path more steadily and more quickly.
Not long afterward.
As expected, the search team discovered the Third Mizukage's remains at the designated location. The body was already highly decomposed and difficult to identify, but its identity was initially confirmed through special methods.
Terumi Mei did not suppress the news, and word spread like the wind.
The news of the Third Mizukage's death caused an uproar throughout the entire village.
Grief and anger once again spread through the village.
Terumi Mei secretly had people fan the flames.
The people's emotions were instantly directed toward the members of the Elder Council.
"What? The Mizukage's death is connected to the elders?!"
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