The meeting room was brightly lit.

As soon as Yu gave his concise reply, the room suddenly fell into silence.

The two of them were alone.

The atmosphere turned awkward.

After a long day, Mei Terumi's body, wrapped in a blue dress, carried the scent of sweat and her hair.

Since they were only a fist's distance apart, Uchiha Yu could clearly smell the faint fragrance in the air.

It was a scent different from Mikoto's gentleness, or Tsunade's bold richness.

It was like the refreshing aroma of flowers and grass bathed in sunlight on a tropical island.

Uchiha Yu looked out the window.

Now that the fighting was over, the streets were once again shrouded in mist under the night sky, and visibility dropped sharply.

He thought seriously, then spoke:

"Do something for me."

Since Kirigakure had made a request, Yu figured he could bring up a few of his own while negotiations weren't finalized.

"Go ahead," Mei Terumi replied, her green eyes sparkling slightly and a smile playing at her lips. As long as his request wasn't unreasonable, she and Kirigakure could accept it.

Yu got straight to the point:

"Help me find someone. A descendant of the Sky Ninja Village. His name is Shinno. Middle-aged. Wears a black wool hat. Off-white long hair. Claims to be a doctor."

"Sky Ninja Village… Shinno,"

Mei Terumi's emerald eyes moved slightly, committing the information to memory.

She didn't understand why Yu was looking for this person.

She nodded lightly and replied, "I'll give you an answer tomorrow morning."

"Good."

Yu stood up, ready to leave the meeting room.

"Please… wait a moment."

Mei Terumi's face suddenly flushed red. She stood up, smoothed her dress, and glanced shyly at Yu.

"What is it?"

Yu looked at her sideways and asked.

"The master plans to recommend me as the Fifth Mizukage once things stabilize in the village…"

Mei Terumi's eyes drifted to the floor. She searched for a way to bring up the topic.

"Congratulations," Yu responded calmly. He wasn't surprised.

History had simply begun to roll forward a little early.

Mei Terumi sighed softly. "Thank you. What do you plan to do with the Fourth Mizukage?"

Yagura, after all, was still Kirigakure's Fourth Mizukage. Even if Yu had sealed him away, the village had the right to know.

Yu frowned slightly.

What to do with him?

Naturally, he would keep him sealed in the illusion world forever, as a "battery."

"He needs to pay for the sins he committed. I can only promise not to torture him."

Yu said.

"…Alright."

Mei Terumi's expression was complicated, but she nodded. She didn't really expect Yu to release Yagura.

"You seem like you still have something to say."

Yu sat back down, studying the future Fifth Mizukage.

Mei Terumi wore a strapless blue dress with lace trim. Her thighs were wrapped in mesh armor.

She had a voluptuous figure with long, shapely legs and toned curves.

Her ninja boots hid toes painted with pale red polish.

She exuded the aura of a dignified, mature woman—like a dependable neighbor.

But in front of Yu, Mei Terumi couldn't display the confidence she usually carried as a genius with a kekkei genkai.

"…Yes."

Mei Terumi lowered her gaze, bit her lip, and moved the chair beside her.

She hesitated again and again. Finally, just like the first time they met—when she begged him for help—she adjusted her clothes, lowered herself, and knelt on the floor.

Yu's left eyelid twitched. "…"

Mei Terumi bowed deeply and pleaded:

"Please guide my training!"

"Guide your training?"

"Yes… with my current strength, I can't take on the role of Mizukage. If I don't improve quickly, when Kirigakure is invaded again by another village… I'll still be just like tonight. All I could do was watch."

"And how can you be sure that I have a way to increase your strength in such a short time?"

At that, Mei Terumi fell silent for a moment. She forcibly pushed down her emotions, looked directly into Yu's eyes with her emerald gaze, and said earnestly:

"That night in the Land of Hot Water…"

"Ahem!" Yu cleared his throat and quickly interrupted her, turning his gaze toward the window.

The next day in the Land of Hot Water—was Terumi Mei's morning comment, "The wind was a bit noisy last night," because she had heard something?

Seeing Yu's expression, Terumi Mei was confused. She said seriously, "Since the night we stayed in the Land of Hot Water, Tsunade and Uchiha Mikoto's mental energy has increased significantly…"

Yu withdrew his gaze.

He looked at her in surprise.

"On the way here, Ao kept using his Byakugan to observe everyone except you, monitoring for changes. This was to ensure no one infiltrated our group."

"Ao told me about the growth in Tsunade and Uchiha Mikoto's spiritual power. After that, you were often alone with Mikoto, and her spiritual strength steadily increased."

"So I guessed… you have a way to make people stronger. If you're willing, I'd like you to be my teacher."

"Forgive my boldness… but this way, your bond with Kirigakure would deepen too…"

Terumi Mei quickly explained, saying everything in one breath.

"So Ao's use of the Byakugan is already refined enough to detect others' mental strength…"

Yu sighed in relief. From the looks of it, Terumi Mei wasn't aware of what had happened that night.

He looked at her, still kneeling beside him, and began to think.

It was well known—

You can be a teacher anywhere, except in the ninja world, where it's a high-risk occupation.

"I do have a way to increase someone's spiritual power."

Yu sat in his chair and spoke calmly.

He turned to look at the kneeling Terumi Mei.

Hearing this, she raised her head with joy, bowed even lower, and earnestly said:

"Teacher Yu!"

"Stop. Let me finish first." Yu sighed. "This method only works… on the opposite sex."

Terumi Mei looked down at herself and thought with some relief—it was fortunate she was a woman, and already an adult.

She immediately understood why only Tsunade and Mikoto had improved their spiritual power within the Uchiha group.

Then, Yu calmly and precisely explained this method—something most people would be too embarrassed to speak of.

"This…" Terumi Mei's pretty face froze, and her whole body trembled slightly.

She immediately realized why only Tsunade and Mikoto could grow stronger.

"To do… that kind of thing…"

Her eyes widened.

She didn't know how to face Yu, especially since she had just called him "teacher."

"All power comes at a cost."

Yu said calmly.

He reached out and pulled Mei Terumi up from the cold floor.

As his hand touched her arm, he could clearly feel her body tense and shiver with resistance.

Once she stood, Mei instinctively stepped back half a pace, breathing heavily, her gaze locked on the ground.

Uchiha Yu didn't mind.

This was a normal reaction.

Between strangers, with no emotional connection—aside from transactions—most people would naturally reject such contact.

Even with Tsunade, there were no real feelings.

What happened back then had been nothing but an accident.

As for Mikoto, she had her own motives.

"Get some rest. I've promised Kirigakure I'll intervene if the village is invaded. There's no need to rush…"

Yu stood, about to go find Mikoto for training, but before he could finish his sentence, Mei suddenly stepped closer.

The two of them stood face to face.

"If it's you, Yu… I think I can…"

Mei's voice trailed off. Her eyes flicked toward his chest, her head slightly dizzy.

First, Uchiha Yu fit her ideal type. No other clan in the shinobi world produced men as physically flawless as the Uchiha.

Second, Yu could bring tangible benefits to Kirigakure. For the sake of her village, she was willing to give something up. But the more she compared them, the less it felt like a sacrifice at all.

She couldn't keep thinking—

Hesitation leads to regret!

Regret leads to missed chances!

Taking a deep breath, Mei made a decision. She stepped forward and hugged Yu tightly, burying her face in his chest as she whispered:

"Would you… like to clean up first?"

"You smell nice."

"It's perfume made from Water Country's native cherry blossoms… Do you like it?"

"It's not bad."

They sat on the edge of the conference table. His fingers brushed over the mesh armor at her waist.

When they traced from her calf to her thigh, her breathing grew uneven, clearly flustered.

"You're sure about this?"

"Mhm—"

°°°

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