Chapter 62

"Speak plainly—what is your real ambition behind these power moves?"

Terumi Mei remained cautious but realized there was little choice. Kirigakure, the once formidable Mist Village, was at a breaking point. She knew its history and the weight of its decline all too well.

Kaito's mood brightened slightly, not out of triumph, but because he had secured a pivotal opportunity. Being able to work alongside the Fifth Mizukage would be a critical step in his broader plan.

As for the turmoil within Kirigakure, the distrust, the double-dealing? Kaito had no time for politics. The only thing that mattered was strength—and Kaito knew the time was coming to show what that truly meant.

Yagura had been dealt with, leaving Terumi Mei as the strongest shinobi in the village. That alone was significant. With her cooperation, the psychological resistance of the other ninjas would crumble. They would follow her lead, not because they feared her, but because they needed a direction amidst the chaos.

This was the path Kaito had prepared for the Mist Village—not through force, but through carefully orchestrated steps. He had no desire to destroy Kirigakure unless there was no other option.

With a deep breath, Kaito spoke calmly, his demeanour now more relaxed. "Since the birth of mankind, war has been driven by greed. It's no different for Shinobi. After the fall of the samurai, warfare only became more brutal. But there was a time—just over sixty years ago—when the chaos was briefly halted."

Terumi Mei listened intently, though her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara," Kaito continued. "Their strength, their vision, forced a temporary peace. Out of fear of their power, the villages formed, and for a time, things settled. But when they were gone, the villages began moving toward conflict again."

Terumi Mei frowned, sensing where this conversation was heading. "And now you want to do what? Revive that peace? Is that your goal?"

Kaito nodded, his expression thoughtful rather than boastful. "It's not about repeating the past, but about reshaping the future. The villages are at each other's throats, and while peace may seem impossible, it isn't. Not if the right moves are made."

Terumi Mei's breath hitched, her skepticism now laced with a hint of shock. "You talk about peace, yet moments ago you were ready to threaten Mist Village. It feels... contradictory."

Kaito's gaze hardened, but his voice remained level. "I'm not here to destroy the Mist. But you can't pretend peace will come without consequences. To fix a fractured system, you have to be willing to confront it head-on. There will be resistance, and yes, there will be blood. But the end goal remains the same."

She fell silent, considering his words. He wasn't wrong—each village, locked in its own ambitions, would not easily yield. It would take more than diplomacy to forge a lasting peace.

"What's your plan?" she asked finally, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Kaito leaned back slightly, his calm demeanour masking the gravity of his response. "I won't tear down everything at once. We take things one step at a time, focusing on rebuilding what's broken—village by village."

Terumi Mei blinked, her eyes widening in disbelief. The implications of his words were immense, more than anything she had anticipated. "Village by village...?"

Kaito's calm tone contrasted with the storm brewing in her mind. His vision, though unsettling, was clear. He wasn't just another power-hungry individual looking to conquer—his goal was something far greater, a reshaping of the world order. And for Terumi Mei, the weight of his ambition was almost too much to bear.