Waving Mei Goodbye

"Is this a joke? Jiraiya actually sent this over?" In the Kumogakure, Raikage stared at the information Jiraiya had sent over at lightning speed, utterly astonished. If it hadn't been Jiraiya who provided this information, he would have eliminated him long ago. Such words were too unbelievable. However, thinking back to the two colossal beams of light that had covered the sky not long ago, his confidence wavered.

"Yes, Lord Raikage," said Karui of the Team Samui, a redhead with black skin similar to a member of the Uzumaki clan. She nodded as she was the one who received the scroll, signifying her confirmation.

"Samui, explain," Raikage sighed heavily, tossing the scroll, which contained records of various information, to Samui, captain of the Team Samui—a team specialized in diplomacy. She possessed an extraordinarily agile mind and a calm demeanor. 

"To my knowledge, the Great Toad Sage of Myoboku Mountain does indeed have numerous legends surrounding him, and rumors suggest that his power of prophecy has never been inaccurate. And as for Konoha's Hokage, Jiraiya, he's not the indecisive person that the Third Hokage was. On the contrary, he's decisive and bold, possessing the courage to make difficult choices. He wouldn't joke about these matters. Moreover, the seal on the scroll can only be used for missions surpassing S-rank. It's quite evident that this isn't a joke."

Samui nodded, analyzing the situation briefly. Considering her firsthand experience witnessing the two extraordinary phenomena in the sky, she had no doubt that Jiraiya was serious.

"Jiraiya says that this person might have merged all of their inherited Bloodline Limits to create a new ability. If that's the case, it's truly troublesome. But who's the one emitting that green light? Their momentum is by no means weak, and it's filled with the radiance of life. This sensation surpasses even the Wood Release that Senju Hashirama wielded back in the day. It's a whirlwind of chaos in this era."

"I'm not sure. However, judging from the direction, it's likely to be Ryoha, accompanied by Tsunade. Barring any surprises, it should be Tsunade."

That was the only explanation. Only Tsunade possessed such a terrifying radiance of life. She was the only one with Wood Release and the last of the Senju bloodline.

"Ah, Konoha has truly lost its mind. With Ryoha and Tsunade around, possessing either of them could enable them to dominate the Ninja World. But now they've chased away both of them, causing such a huge mess. And we can't even refuse."

Raikage was incredibly frustrated. Konoha had caused the trouble, yet all of them had to bear the consequences. And they couldn't even decline.

"Samui, notify the other four villages and nations. Inform them that the Kumogakure has officially initiated a pursuit of Ryoha."

After hesitating for a while, Raikage issued the order. According to what Jiraiya had said, Ryoha's intention was either to destroy or rule over the Ninja World, which Raikage could not accept.

Thus, he swiftly issued the command. Truth be told, he had always ordered his subordinates not to provoke Ryoha before. Unexpectedly, he now found himself personally ordering the pursuit of Ryoha. It was truly ironic.

"Yes!" Samui looked at the photo of Ryoha on the scroll. It was hard to fathom how this sixteen-year-old could possess such vast capabilities that the entire Ninja World had to unite against him. Regardless, the most crucial thing now was to complete the mission. However, a thought crossed Samui's mind: she wanted to meet this person who the Five Great Nations and Five Great Ninja Villages, the mightiest forces of the Ninja World, all feared.

"Never thought it would come to this. How should I make my choice?" Gazing at the information from Jiraiya and the Kumogakure's order to hunt Ryoha, Terumi Mei, the Kirigakure's Mizukage, felt a headache. Honestly, if she weren't the Kage of Kirigakure and had no constraints, she would unquestionably choose to side with Ryoha. But the problem was, if she did so, the other four villages of the Five Great Nations might immediately unite against Kirigakure.

In a single leap, Mei ascended to the top floor of the Mizukage's office building, standing at a high vantage point overlooking the entire Kirigakure. From a dark and bloody past, the village had now begun to prosper. The eerie atmosphere had gradually dissipated, replaced with an aura of peace. Yet, this village was entirely under Mei's control. If she made a wrong decision, even with her strength, the village would undoubtedly face annihilation.

"Hey, Big Sister Mei, you seem troubled. Is there something you'd like to talk about?" Suddenly, a voice reached Mei's ears, and a hand silently rested on her shoulder. She tensed up all over, her pupils slightly contracting. She hadn't sensed anyone approaching her. If this person was here to assassinate her, she might end up heavily injured even if she survived.

"Hmph, do you find it impolite to address a beautiful woman like that?" Mei listened to the detestable voice and immediately recognized the same asshole who used to belittle her, claiming she couldn't compare to Tsunade. She had been racking her brain over him just moments ago, and now he appeared out of nowhere. This instantly prompted her to unleash her frustrations on Ryoha.

"Hey, hey, hey, did I offend you or something? I came over because you looked unhappy. And this is the reception I get?" Ryoha stared at Mei with a slightly bewildered expression. Was the situation really that serious?

"Hmph, don't you know that all five major nations of the Ninja world have united to hunt you down? You have the nerve to come here and ask how I am? Aren't you afraid I'll detain you?" Mei snorted, voicing her displeasure. She truly didn't know how to describe this man. He was the only one who left her at a loss.

"Just them? If they were confident, they wouldn't need to form an alliance. So, are you feeling conflicted about your choice?" Ryoha spoke as if he had a hidden meaning.

"Are you suggesting that if my choice displeases you, you'll detain me right now?" Mei also asked with an underlying tone.

"Heh heh, not that extreme. I'm currently playing a game—a game called the Fourth Great Ninja War. If I were to kill all of you before this game even begins, wouldn't that be quite boring? Of course, whether you're included in 'all of you' depends on how you choose."

Ryoha certainly wouldn't eliminate the Mizukage this quickly, especially since Mei was quite decent. To be honest, Ryoha had always held a favorable impression of her. Moreover, her choices and insights had consistently been accurate.