Naruto: Mizuki The Savior

Chapter 227: Tradition

Konoha's team had brought a total of nine people—an unusually large group for a diplomatic mission primarily focused on dialogue. There had been speculation about a possible ambush by Orochimaru, but so far, nothing of the sort had occurred. If all of Konoha's missions were this easy, they'd be living quite comfortably.

Before long, the Fifth Mizukage, Terumī Mei, arrived. She wasn't wearing the formal cloak symbolizing her position. Instead, she wore a form-fitting dark dress that accentuated her graceful curves.

Mizuki glanced at her. The first impression she gave was somewhat ambiguous. On the surface, she looked to be in her early thirties, but in truth, she was around Mizuki's age—slightly older than Hatake Kakashi. Her mature appearance and severe expression made her seem older. Long chestnut hair draped over most of her forehead and her right eye, revealing only a piercing turquoise left eye that seemed to warn others to keep their distance. She wore a quiet yet commanding aura, one befitting a powerful woman with strong control instincts.

Terumī Mei brought only two unfamiliar ANBU guards. Chōjūrō, Ao, and the ANBU captain "Sword" were notably absent.

Jiraiya wasn't fond of such formal occasions. He preferred traveling freely and gathering inspiration for his writing. If this matter hadn't been important—and if Naruto weren't here—he likely would've slipped away long ago. Even though the Akatsuki were supposed to be dormant, caution was still necessary, especially with Naruto's current lack of self-defense capability.

Once everyone was seated, Terumī Mei got straight to the point with her poised and confident demeanor.

"Honored guests, our Hidden Mist Village is rather humble. Please forgive any lack in hospitality."

"You're too kind," Jiraiya replied with a hearty laugh. "We've experienced the warmth of your village firsthand."

Indeed, Kirigakure had gone out of its way to accommodate Jiraiya. As one of the legendary Sannin, his presence was treated with high regard—even beyond what equal alliance talks would typically demand. The Mist Village was clearly desperate for a favorable agreement.

While Mizuki and Kakashi's team hadn't been in the village long enough to feel the full weight of the hospitality, Jiraiya had practically been pampered, nearly forgetting his responsibilities.

"Good to hear." Seeing Jiraiya satisfied, Terumī Mei stopped being indirect and got straight to the matter. "Regarding the alliance between our villages—does Konoha agree?"

"Well…" Jiraiya answered, "We have no objection to forming an alliance. Peace is everyone's shared desire. Moreover, I'm sure your village is well aware of the threat the Akatsuki poses to the ninja world. With such a common enemy, joining forces is the wisest course. However…"

"However what?" Terumī Mei pressed.

Jiraiya's meaning was clear. Forming an alliance was inevitable due to mutual needs and shared enemies. However, the details—those would require careful negotiation.

That was where Hatake Kakashi came in, carrying Tsunade's detailed instructions.

"Mizukage-sama," Kakashi said calmly, producing a sealed scroll and pushing it forward, "This is Hokage-sama's formal response. Please review it."

One of the ANBU behind Terumī Mei stepped forward to inspect the scroll. After verifying its authenticity, they handed it to her.

Terumī Mei opened the scroll and began reading, her brows knitting as she studied the contents. After a long silence, she finally said, "We can accept the situation in the Land of Waves. Konoha's influence there has far surpassed ours, and since you've already intervened, we won't try to reclaim it. As for the long-abandoned Land of Whirlpools, we acknowledge your historical ties and won't pursue expansion in that direction either. But…"

Her tone sharpened. "The task commission ratio is insultingly low. Is this how Konoha shows respect to an ally?"

Territorial loss could be tolerated. But for a ninja village, the number of mission commissions it receives is a critical source of income—essential to sustaining and training its ninja. Konoha, despite being stretched thin, was clearly pushing for greater economic and political advantage.

Facing her icy demeanor, Kakashi responded with unwavering calm:

"The reasons were clearly explained by Hokage-sama. Your village's location already imposes serious logistical limitations, and frankly, your current condition is... not ideal."

Everyone understood that. Jiraiya had been here long enough to confirm the village's situation personally. There was no hiding the truth. In fact, Konoha's terms were already fairly generous.

"You're not wrong," Terumī Mei admitted. Even with more commissions, without capable ninjas to fulfill them, what good would they do? As Mizukage, she understood that better than anyone.

"Very well. We'll proceed as you propose," she said, decisively.

However, her tone quickly shifted. "Still, things may change. If we sign this alliance, then proper exchanges between allied villages will be essential. I suggest we honor tradition—otherwise, I can't justify this agreement to my people…"

"Tradition?" Mizuki and Kakashi exchanged glances and turned toward Jiraiya. This kind of decision could only be made by someone of his stature.

After a moment of thought, Jiraiya nodded. "Alright."

"Then it's settled," Terumī Mei said, allowing a faint smile to appear.

…

While they had reached a preliminary agreement, countless fine details remained. The real negotiations—those would require time, patience, and clever maneuvering.

By the time the group left the building, night had fallen. After a satisfying dinner arranged by their hosts, the Konoha team walked through the misty streets back toward their lodgings.

"Hey, Mizuki-sensei," Naruto asked, "That 'tradition' the Mizukage mentioned—what did she mean?"

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