Revelation

Boom!

Mei jolted awoke from her sleep due to a booming noise, but she wasn't surprised, this was her routine for the past three days and nights.

* Huff *

Letting out a breath, she sat up and looked out of her temporary shelter's window.

" Ora! "

" Roaaar! "

These voices were a regular occurrence for a while now, but the sight that could be seen with these voices, was not something you could simply see if you wanted to.

" Anata.. "

There was Mizuki, fighting against the three tails, just outside the mist village, this was the third night of his continued bout against the beast.

" Haaaah. It's time, let's go Mei..! "

Mei patted her cheeks to force the sleep away, she was a regular Ninja, she couldn't stay awake continuously for these three days and three nights, even if she wanted to support Mizuki, she had to rest or she would collapse.

* Thud *

Getting up from the bed, Mei dropped her full weight directly on her feet, making a loud sound against the wood floor.

She was pissed, she and the rest of the rebel army could only wait and watch as a man of unknown origin fought for their village.

* Knock knock *

Mei looked up as she pursed her lips.

" Come in. "

As her voice fell, the door opened with a light sound.

* Screech *

And Ao's figure came into view, as he stepped inside the temporary shelter.

" Mei sama, it's time for our shift. "

Mei nodded, even during a situation this dire, the rebel army didn't just stand back because they couldn't fight continuously like those two, they were a ninja village, they had fought wars before, sure, even wars had breaks and none were so close to the village, but they knew time management.

But the problem was, that didn't matter in the least against a perfect jinchuriki, they just don't tire out, and Mist currently had no high end combat ability to fight off a monster of that calibre for a long duration.

' Che, if only the seven swordsman of the mist were still active.. damn that Kisame and Zabuza.. '

Even just the two of those seven could provide a significant fighting potential to the mist, but years of coup, kekkei genkai cleansing, betrayal and blood mist policy had left mist hollowed out.

" Who's shift is it now? "

Asked Mei as she began tying up her orange hair in a bun.

Ao replied with absolute professional attitude.

" Currently chojuro is supporting ' Spectre ', him and a few elite have been at it for about five hours now, they should be at their limit. "

Pursing his lips Ao further continued.

" I don't know if I should say this Mei san, but this is not a good sign.. Spectre isn't of our village and the movement is too big, a fight of these proportions has been fought only once. "

Letting out a sigh, Mei spoke instead of Ao.

" Yes, only once, by the Third Raikage against the Eight Tails.. Even Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were said to have fought for just a day.. But now, there is one more person. "

Thinning her lips, Mei spoke again, with a tired voice.

" Spectre has thankfully transferred the beast outside the village using that weird space time technique, but this also let the scope of the war expand, we can't control the news any longer.. "

Ao nodded, that was their concern.

" Yes, we kept the risk of spies within the mist to nonexistent levels due to our recent cleanup, but outside the village, we have no way to stop the spread of the news, the other nations will know, like bloodhounds they will commence attacks..! "

Ao clenched his fist, their plan was to keep it in the village, they had Yagura transform inside mist for many reasons, this was one of them.

To keep the coup news and subsequent leadership change in wraps until it was all done.

" Any news of a coup of this intensity, and we risk starting a ninja war again. We cannot take a Ninja war in our position. "

Ao once again emphasized his point. He couldn't stress this enough, this was a very bad news.

Sure if Mizuki was their village's man, this wouldn't be a problem, they could infact twist this as a token of glory, but the problem was, he wasn't a mist Shinobi.

That puts Mist in a very, very unfavorable position.

Mei didn't speak, she was thinking what to do, so Ao put forth an opinion.

" Mei san.. we must take a hard step. "

Mei turned towards Ao, and frowned at his words.

Ao still continued, this was for the mist.

" Mei san, we have to do this for the Mist.. we need to take down the Spectre. "

* Haaaa *

Mei had started exhaling, her lips began leaking corrosive white mist, as her frown turned into a scowl.

But Ao didn't get flustered, he was expecting a reaction this strong, he was essentially telling Mei to kill the one who had helped them in their time of need, and this person also happened to be her chosen one.

But Mei wasn't a random Ninja, she was to be Kage, she has to make a choice.

Saving the Mist or keeping Mizuki alive.

And so, Ao kept talking, even as his skin was beginning to burn.

" We need to show the world Mist is not weak, if we can't kill Yagura, we will take down the one who could, that will show everyone we are not to be trifled with, that we are not weak. "

* Sizzle *

Ao's skin was truly beginning to peel as Mei's anger rose.

But he kept speaking, his need to protect the Mist was above pain.

" The Spectre is fighting non stop for three days and three nights, we have been reducing support slowly, he will tire out soon, and when he does- "

Getting cut in the middle of his sentence from a particularly gruesome burn, Ao gritted his teeth as he tried hard to go on.

" When the fight begins to die down, doesn't matter who wins, we will take down the winner as they lie incapacitated.. "

Clenching his fist as his nerves began to pop from the immense pain, Ao managed to finally conclude.

" If Yagura wins, we take him down and win the coup ourselves, if Spectre wins, we kill him while he is weakened, Mei sama, you are his most trusted, so you must be the one to put a kunai in his back..! "

* Bam *

Ao collapsed as he finally couldn't take the pain, but as he lost consciousness, he managed to mutter one last thing.

" .. this is.. for the mist.. "

Mei sat alone, as she watched Ao's fallen form, she stopped exhaling mist, as she curled herself up, hugging her knees.

* Boom *

Hearing the booming noises from afar, she was frustrated from the irony of this situation.

" I wanted to end the blood mist era, an era of deception and backstabbing.. "

Giving a self depreciating smile, Mei whispered.

" And how am I ending the era of betrayal? With another betrayal..? Hahaha.. "

Mei tightened her fist, as she turned towards the window again, watching a huffing an puffing Mizuki try his best to fight against their oppressor.

" The village or the spectre.. "

And after she asked the question to herself, she had already received the answer from her heart.

Deepening her eyes, Mei spoke, having consciously taken her final decision.

" The village. "