Uchiha Justice # Chapter 264: Intelligence
They were either unwilling to take a side or had no intention of participating in a fight. However, according to long-standing tradition, once the first two groups decided on a winner, this "silent majority" would quietly obey the victor's commands.
"Are you insane?! Kukurīn!" Even though he had gained support from many, Ao had no desire to start a battle. Instead, he shouted at Kukurīn with a mix of shock and fury, "At this critical moment of life and death for the village, how much longer are you going to mess around!"
Despite Kukurīn only having a few dozen people behind him, they were almost entirely the backbone combat strength of the village...those who weren't Jōnin were at least seasoned elite Chūnin.
Before last night, with the Hidden Mist's sheer size, it could have barely endured such a loss. But to lose this portion of combat power now would leave the Land of Water's status as one of the Five Great Nations hanging by a thread.
Worse yet, to eliminate Kukurīn's group, the people behind Ao would also suffer heavy casualties. At that point, let alone maintaining the Mist's status, they might fall to a level lower than the Hidden Grass or Hidden Rain villages!
Accused by Ao, Kukurīn's expression faltered slightly. If Ao didn't want to fight, he was equally hesitant to truly tear faces apart at a time like this. If the situation was truly as dire as Ao claimed, he might very well become the great sinner of the Hidden Mist!
While Kukurīn was caught in a dilemma and Ao was held back by the fear of collateral damage, Mei Terumī had braved the rain and reached the temple where Genji resided.
Just as she had anticipated, Genji had already returned to the temple. To her surprise, however, the temple currently housed not only Genji and his guards, but also over ten shinobi undergoing treatment for injuries.
"Elder Genji, I would like to ask you to..." Mei Terumī bowed respectfully toward Genji, intending to ask for his support in becoming the Fifth Mizukage.
But before she could finish, Genji waved his hand at her. He made a gesture to his guards, who promptly escorted the wounded...whom Genji had just finished questioning...out of the room, leaving Mei Terumī and Genji alone.
"Look at this, Mei Terumī." Once everyone had left, Genji tremulously reached into a niche behind him, fumbled for a scroll, and handed it to her. "Talk to me after you've read it."
Mei Terumī frowned but accepted the scroll and opened it. With just one glance, her complexion changed; the contents of the scroll were clearly various pieces of intelligence regarding Uchiha Ikeizumi.
The personnel who recorded this information was likely a Mist spy undercover in Konoha. However, the spy's status was probably low and their information-gathering capability limited, so the records regarding Uchiha Ikeizumi were mostly based on hearsay.
Yet, for the current Hidden Mist Village, such a report on Uchiha Ikeizumi was more precious than any secret or forbidden technique. It possessed the potential to influence the very survival of the village's future.
As she read, the tight frown on Mei Terumī's face slowly began to ease. The good news was that Uchiha Ikeizumi's conduct in Konoha was no different from his behavior in the Mist...even the son of the Third Hokage had died at his hands for committing a grave error. This meant that her biggest worry...the possibility that Uchiha Ikeizumi was specifically targeting the Mist...could basically be ignored.
Furthermore, since Uchiha Ikeizumi's style was so blunt and unrestrained, the plan she had fabricated to persuade...or rather, fool...the other Mist shinobi didn't seem entirely without hope of success!
Of course, it wasn't all good news. The intelligence's description of Uchiha Ikeizumi's strength was exaggerated to a certain degree, but Mei Terumī had truly witnessed his power. Thinking that the monster might have even more trump cards made her feel a sense of weakness throughout her body.
Fortunately, her initial expectations weren't high. While Ao was still fantasizing about settling scores with Konoha or even Uchiha Ikeizumi, Mei Terumī only hoped to preserve the future of the Hidden Mist. No matter how strong Uchiha Ikeizumi was, facing the pressure of the four other Great Nations, he would surely have to let the Land of Water go, right?
"...Keep reading." Seeing the look in Mei Terumī's eyes soften, Genji knew she hadn't reached the critical part of the report yet. He tapped his cane against the floor to remind her, "The part regarding the abilities of Uchiha Ikeizumi's Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"Yes! So Uchiha Ikeizumi really has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan... wait, what is this?" Mei Terumī responded respectfully, then quickly skipped over various analyses of Ikeizumi's personality to find the specific intel on the Mangekyō.
It had only been a few years since the end of the Third Shinobi World War. The major hidden villages, especially a closed-off one like the Mist, were not unfamiliar with the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan...one of the two founding families of Konoha.
At Mei Terumī's level, she was clearly aware that the Mangekyō Sharingan existed above the standard Sharingan. Considering Uchiha Ikeizumi's strength, it was only logical that he had awakened it. Perhaps that monster's endless stream of Kekkei Genkai was his Mangekyō ability...
However, as Mei Terumī finished reading about Uchiha Ikeizumi's Sharingan abilities, the expression on her beautiful, rain-drenched face gradually contorted. She looked up at Genji in disbelief, hoping to hear a denial from his mouth.
"...This old man will support you in becoming the Fifth Mizukage..." Unfortunately, Genji only sighed and looked up with a bitter smile. "Currently, besides you, there is no other shinobi in the village capable of shouldering the name of Mizukage..."
"I told Ao to tell the others to endure for now, that once Uchiha Ikeizumi becomes the public enemy of the shinobi world, we can unite to drive him out of the Mist..." Even though she had gained Genji's support as planned, Mei Terumī's mood appeared incredibly low.
"A decent plan," Genji consoled her. "Uchiha Ikeizumi... perhaps like Uchiha Madara of the past, is something that can be viewed as a natural disaster. It is already quite good that the Mist can survive under him. You will be a competent Mizukage; there is no need for self-reproach."
"How can such an unreasonable ability exist! Judging past and even future crimes...doesn't that mean that regardless of past or future, all schemes are useless against him?!" Mei Terumī's emotions were highly agitated, and even her chest heaved violently. "Even if we manage to persuade the others to temporarily obey, with Uchiha Ikeizumi's character and style, there is no way he will let them go!"
Thinking of the fellow villagers who disregarded human life, Mei Terumī felt like her head was going to explode. To let those villains, who had committed countless crimes, appear before Uchiha Ikeizumi...how was that any different from sending them to their deaths?!