Chapter 63

The corners of Terumi Mei's mouth twitched in frustration, and she snapped, "Do you think you're Madara Uchiha or Senju Hashirama?"

"You may lead the Uchiha, but even at their strongest, they couldn't conquer the Mist at its peak," she added, her eyes flashing with defiance. "And Mist, even at its prime, still lags behind Konoha and the strength of Yunyin. Thinking you can dominate the entire ninja world is nothing but a fool's dream."

Kaito remained calm, his tone unyielding as he responded, "What if I had their strength?"

Terumi Mei's lips curled into a faint smirk as she shot back, "If you were truly as powerful as Uchiha Madara, would you have fled Konoha with your clan in the first place?"

Kaito's smile was faint, and he chose not to dignify the question with a direct answer. He knew Terumi Mei wouldn't believe the extent of his power—not when it had grown exponentially in such a short time.

"True," he admitted, his voice measured. "I'm not on their level. Madara and Hashirama could face the world alone. As of now, I can take on one or two ninja villages by myself, but beyond that, the burden is too great."

He paused, letting the weight of his words linger before continuing, "But in three years..."

Kaito stopped mid-sentence, letting silence build between them. Finally, with a casual wave of his hand, he added, "Forget it. You wouldn't believe what's coming."

He shifted the conversation as he stood up slowly, casting aside the discussion about his future power. "Since you've agreed to this 'alliance,' I expect you to fulfill your end of the bargain in three days."

Terumi Mei, now on her feet, noticed the sheets slipping from her body. She shot Kaito a sharp glare before hastily covering herself. Kaito merely shook his head in amusement, a twinge of regret flickering across his face.

"What exactly do you need from me in three days?" Terumi Mei asked coldly, her eyes narrowing.

Kaito's response was indifferent, "Just have your forces stand aside and watch. I'd rather not injure any of your men by accident."

"Are you planning to use Yagura, or perhaps the Three Tails, against them?" Her frustration flared again as she probed his intentions.

"Calm yourself," Kaito replied, his tone dismissive. "It's only three thousand ordinary Mist ninjas. I won't need the Three Tails for something so trivial."

He studied her expression for a moment, then added, "I understand you agreed to this cooperation out of concern for the Three Tails. You feared I'd use it to massacre the village. To ease your worries, I'm willing to show you a mere glimpse of my power before I leave."

Before she could react, Kaito appeared at her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. Terumi Mei gasped, her eyes wide with shock as she exclaimed, "What are you—?"

But before she could finish, Kaito had whisked her out of the room and into the sky above the Mist Ninja Village.

"What are you doing?" Terumi Mei demanded, her voice filled with both anger and fear at the sudden shift in events.

"I'm showing you a taste of my ninjutsu," Kaito said, a faint smile playing on his lips.

He raised his right hand, and in an instant, a small black sphere of compressed chakra formed in his palm. Terumi Mei's heart raced as she sensed the immense power radiating from it.

"I've already agreed to cooperate! What more do you want from the Mist Village?" she demanded, her voice frantic.

Kaito's expression remained calm, but his eyes glinted with amusement. "Don't worry. This isn't about destroying your village. Just observe."

Before she could react, Terumi Mei found herself paralyzed, her body frozen in place as Kaito's jutsu held her in a vice-like grip. She could move nothing but her eyes and mouth.

The black sphere in Kaito's hand pulsed with energy, and without another word, he released it.

"No!" Terumi Mei screamed, powerless to stop the descent of the chakra ball.

The black sphere plummeted toward the ground, and a moment of eerie silence followed before a massive explosion shook the air. A deafening roar echoed across the village as a white, semi-circular shockwave expanded outward, obliterating everything in its path. Buildings crumbled to dust, and the once-thriving Mist Ninja Village was reduced to a desolate wasteland.

When the energy finally dissipated, Terumi Mei stared down in disbelief at the ruins below. The prosperous village she had fought so hard to protect was gone, wiped out in an instant.

Her heart sank, overwhelmed by the magnitude of Kaito's power. All her years of struggle, all the bloodshed, and now this...

Kaito, still hovering beside her, asked with a faint smile, "How do you like my ninjutsu?"

He glanced down at the destruction he had caused, seemingly unconcerned. The immense reserves of chakra he now possessed, thanks to his connection with the Nine Tails and Asura, allowed him to unleash such devastating power without a second thought.

Terumi Mei was speechless, her mind reeling as she realized just how dangerous Kaito truly was.