Wok Shadow Ninja

Chapter 86: Hidden Mist Village's Chosen Participants

Mei Terumi picked up the files of Haku and Ranmaru, flipping through them while grimacing. They were just too feminine. How much she wished these were two tall and imposing men! Bringing them to the Five Kage Summit would have been so much more dignified. But now… this? They were even more feminine than she was. If she brought them to the summit, the other villages would think the Hidden Mist was just a village of female ninjas.

Being Mizukage was frustrating. Not only was she unable to marry herself, but she was also saddled with a bunch of weird subordinates. She leaned back in her chair, languidly flipping through the Leaf Village delegation's files.

Girls were ignored, boys were ignored, she stared intently at the photos of two elite Jonin.

Kakashi… he didn't look like someone reliable at all, perfect for being a backup option.

Asuma?! Mei Terumi's eyes sparkled with interest. That beard was very masculine!

Ao understood the Fifth Mizukage's quirks. He knew that her way of thinking was rather unconventional due to the Blood Mist Policy in her youth, and becoming Mizukage had only amplified this quirk due to the immense pressure.

Ao immediately shook his head at her and whispered a few words.

The gist was: you can find any man you want, but you absolutely cannot choose Asuma.

He was the Third Hokage's biological son! If you two got together, how would you greet the Hokage at the Five Kage Summit? Call him 'Dad' right off the bat? Hidden Mist Village couldn't afford to lose face like that!

Mei Terumi casually waved her hand, slumping softly to the side, "I know, I know, so boring, not a single decent man..."

Knowing her tendencies, the others didn't take it to heart.

Kwon Beom-wi picked up the files beside him, examining them closely. He was in charge of ninja training in the village, essentially holding the position of principal of the Hidden Mist Ninja Academy. The Hidden Mist Village's population was far smaller than the Leaf Village's, and the enrollment rate had always been low. In Zabuza's generation, all the graduating students were killed, which had terrified the village's ninjas. For many years afterwards, the ninja academy struggled to recruit students.

After years of hard work, he had only trained one Chojuro. Kwon Beom-wi was deeply concerned about young ninjas.

"Ice Release… Red Eyes… sigh, these are all children from Hidden Mist Village's Kekkei Genkai clans." He sighed heavily. The Fourth Mizukage had been secretly manipulated, acting against the natural order, and too many elite clans in the village had perished in the internal strife. One major reason why the Hidden Mist Village was closed off was its lack of confidence. Relying solely on the older generation without the rise of the younger generation was utterly useless!

Even seventy-year-old Granny Chiyo knew to retire and fish, didn't ninety-year-old Elder know to enjoy his twilight years? He had no choice.

Elder coughed, he was truly ancient and spoke very slowly. Everyone focused their attention on him, waiting for several minutes before he slowly began to speak, "Mitokado Homura from the Leaf Village came to discuss with me, hoping we would participate in the Chunin Exams that the Leaf Village will be hosting in the latter half of the year. I refused."

Everyone, including Mei Terumi, nodded in agreement. The ninjas from various villages summoned by the Leaf Village for the Chunin Exams were, to put it nicely, allies, but in reality, they were vassals. The Sand Village was willing to go because they were the weakest. The Hidden Mist Village, isolated overseas and easily defended, was stronger than the Sand Village even with its talent dwindling, and hadn't reached the point of kneeling before the Leaf Village.

Elder paused for a moment, then spoke again, "However, the young people the Leaf Village sent this time are indeed valuable, and the Hidden Mist Village cannot fail to reciprocate."

Mei Terumi frowned deeply. What was most important these days? Ninjas! Talented ninjas, especially those with Kekkei Genkai.

Both sides were well aware that Mitokado Homura was afraid they would play dumb, and had specifically pointed out that Zabuza and Raiga Kurosuki were just extras, while the focus was on the two youngsters, Haku and Ranmaru.

Both of them possessed Kekkei Genkai and were relatively simple-minded. By using the bonds Zabuza and Raiga had with them, controlling the two wouldn't be difficult. Once they were completely loyal to the Hidden Mist Village, the Hidden Mist would surely have two more Kekkei Genkai clans in the future.

"Teacher, what do you mean?" Mei Terumi was a little reluctant. Simply paying money or casually giving two low-level ninjutsu techniques was definitely not enough; they weren't lacking in those things. The Hidden Mist Village had to offer something of equivalent value in exchange.

Elder tremblingly pulled out a crystal-clear gem from his robes, "The Hidden Mist Village is also one of the Five Great Villages, we cannot be laughed at by the Leaf… cough cough… open the Illusionary Maze left behind by the Second Mizukage. I heard the Leaf Village also sent some children? Let them and the Hidden Mist Village's children enter together, to undergo the Second Mizukage's trial."

Mei Terumi immediately wanted to refuse, "Lord Elder, in that case, there's a high chance the Hozuki clan's Hydrification Technique will fall into foreign hands. Among the six Genin the Leaf Village sent this time, three are from secret technique clans. Once…"

Elder closed his eyes to rest, and Mei Terumi couldn't continue speaking.

She couldn't oppose decisions made by Elder in her position as Mizukage. Thinking carefully, she understood the old man's plan.

What could compare to two Kekkei Genkai clans were the Second Mizukage's secret techniques. This exchange was essentially trading secret techniques for Kekkei Genkai, it wasn't really a loss or gain for either side. Moreover, the old man was very cunning. You enter the maze to undergo the trial, if you can obtain the Second Mizukage's secret techniques and ninjutsu, then you are impressive, we admire you. If you can't, then it's because you are incompetent, I gave you the opportunity, but you lacked the ability.

This was very much in line with the ninja's values, everything had to be fought for and snatched.

Mei Terumi pondered for a moment, then looked at Kwon Beom-wi, "Have Chojuro prepare to enter the maze for the trial. Make that kid more confident, his strength isn't bad, don't let the village lose face!"

"Yes, Mizukage-sama."

She then looked at Jōnin Ao, who had been silent the whole time, "Where has Suigetsu Hozuki gone?"

"He said he went out of the village to search for the Kubikiribocho…"

Mei Terumi was annoyed, "I remember he's been gone for a long time? He wouldn't have been killed, would he?"

Going through the few young people at hand, she realized that even assembling a three-person team was difficult.

The participants represented the face of the Hidden Mist Village's younger generation. If they were defeated in one move, it would be too embarrassing.

"Besides Chojuro…" Mei Terumi frowned, racking her brains. There were truly too few suitable people in the village. The Leaf Village could casually send out six, while they only had two candidates, and one was even missing.

In terms of talent, they were quite lacking.

She finally looked at Ao, "I remember Ice Release users generally have decent combat abilities. How old is that child named Haku this year?"

"Fifteen years old."

"Tell him, the village will pardon Zabuza's death sentence, issue official documents. As a condition, he must represent the village in the competition. Isn't Ranmaru a sensor ninja? Call him to participate as well."

Elder coughed again, and everyone quickly looked at him.

"Ao, bring those two children here, I will speak with them personally."

"Yes, Lord Elder."

With Elder personally taking action, it was effortless for such an experienced schemer to persuade a simple and beautiful boy like Haku.

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