Five days later, in a quiet town in the southern reaches of the Land of Fire, a veiled woman in simple traveler's garb wandered aimlessly through the market streets. Her bearing was graceful, but her eyes, half-hidden beneath her hood, carried a faint weariness.
It was Mei Terumī.
After landing on the southeastern coast of the Land of Whirlpools, she had rested for a single day before setting out again. Disguised and cautious, she joined a merchant caravan and crossed into the Land of Fire.
Whirlpool Country had been too chaotic, agents from every great nation lurked there, and it was far too close to the Land of Water. If she stayed long, she would be discovered sooner or later.
The Land of Fire, by contrast, was vast and prosperous. With Konohagakure maintaining a strong presence, it was far safer, and the Hidden Mist's spies were few and far between.
After several days of rest and self-treatment, Mei's wounds had healed, her chakra had fully recovered, and her strength had returned to its peak.
Yet, now that her sense of safety had returned, a different kind of unease began to grow.
She was free but she had no direction.
She had vowed revenge, had sworn to save the Hidden Mist Village from its corruption, but at this moment, she did not even know where to begin. The path ahead was obscured, and confusion clouded her mind.
As she walked along the cobblestone road, lost in thought, a shadow suddenly fell across her path.
Mei stopped and looked up.
A pair of tall figures stood before her, blocking the way.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Probably just thugs drawn by her appearance. Her mood soured, and she was ready to teach them a lesson...
Then her expression froze.
"Ms. Terumi Mei, don't you recognize us?"
The one on the left grinned, rows of sharp teeth glinting.
"Hidden Mist S-rank rogue ninja, Hoshigaki Kisame—the man who stole the great sword Samehada."
Beside him, the other figure stood silently, his expression cold but dignified.
"Hidden Mist S-rank rogue ninja, Biwa Jūzō, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."
Mei's voice cooled instantly. "Why are you two here?"
Outwardly calm, her mind had already shifted into high alert.
"You're one of us now, aren't you?" Jūzō said flatly. "An S-rank rogue ninja yourself. That wretched Mist Village… it's no place worth clinging to anymore. Dark, oppressive, soaked in blood."
Kisame crossed his arms, his grin fading into something serious. "We came specifically to find you, Ms. Terumi Mei. There are important matters to discuss."
Mei's gaze softened slightly. She hadn't imagined she would one day be mentioned in the same breath as these two infamous names.
Still, she asked coldly, "How did you know about me? How did you find my trail?"
Kisame's grin returned. "Do you wish to talk about this in the middle of town? Don't worry—we've got no hostile intent. If we wanted to ambush you, we'd have done so already."
He tilted his head slightly. "We're all fellow S-rank rogues now, and from the same Village at that. You could at least give us a little trust, don't you think?"
After a pause, Mei turned away and said, "Follow me."
With her choosing the location, she could ensure the terrain gave her the upper hand if anything went wrong.
The three of them left the town and walked until they reached a wide, open riverbank. The land was flat, empty, and exposed—no place for anyone to hide.
Mei turned to face them, her expression indifferent, arms crossed over her chest. "Speak."
Kisame nodded. "We came for two reasons. The first is to invite you to join the organization we belong to."
Mei raised an eyebrow. "Your clothing already gives it away. You two are from the same group. What's this organization called? What's its purpose? And what do I gain from joining?"
Kisame chuckled. "Straight to the point, as expected."
"The organization's name is Akatsuki."
He paused before continuing, voice dropping slightly. "As for its purpose, that can't be easily revealed. If you learn too much without joining, we'd be obliged to silence you."
"As for the benefits," Jūzō added, "they may not rival a Great Village, but you'll want for nothing. Equipment, supplies, medicine—all covered. As long as you complete a set number of missions each month, your time is your own."
Mei's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "The Akatsuki… I've never heard of it. But since the two of you joined, it must be impressive."
"It is," Kisame said with a faint grin. "Every peripheral member is at least jōnin-level. As for the official members—they're monsters. Stronger, more mysterious, more terrifying than you can imagine."
Mei's brow arched with interest. "Oh? Who are these members? Can you tell me?"
"That much we can share," Jūzō said. "You've heard of Sasori of the Red Sand, haven't you?"
"The puppet master prodigy who vanished from Sunagakure?"
"And Kakuzu?" Kisame added.
"The infamous bounty hunter of the underground world?"
"Exactly," Kisame said, nodding.
Mei's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Interesting. Anyone else?"
Kisame's grin widened. "The organization also counts among its members a descendant of Uchiha Madara, the very man who attacked Konoha, released the Nine-Tails, and caused the Fourth Hokage's death."
Mei stiffened, eyes widening slightly.
"And the leader," Kisame continued, lowering his voice in reverence, "possesses the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths—the Rinnegan."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Mei fell silent, her mind racing.
This organization was no simple gathering of criminals—it was a nexus of terrifying power. Its members were legends, its purpose unknown.
Fascinating… and dangerous.
A slow, knowing smile curved across her lips. Perhaps joining this "Akatsuki" was worth considering. She could learn more from within—study their power, their motives and when the time was right, use that power for her own ends.
To avenge herself on the Fourth Mizukage.
To cut down the corrupt elders.
To one day return and claim the title of Fifth Mizukage.
Then, and only then, could she reshape the Bloody Mist into the village she envisioned.
Her voice softened into confidence. "An organization this intriguing? Of course I'm interested. I'll be in your care."
Kisame chuckled. "Not in our care—by our side."
"There are factions within Akatsuki," Jūzō added. "The two we mentioned last, the ones we truly follow, form one of them. Only by standing together and advancing as one can we thrive within the organization."
"That's also why we sought you out," Kisame said. "Your strength is on par with ours. Together, we can stand tall even among monsters."
Mei's eyes curved into a smile, her voice lightly teasing. "Mr. Kisame Hoshigaki, you have quite the gentlemanly air—something your appearance doesn't suggest."
Kisame blinked, then burst into laughter. "Hah! Did you hear that, Jūzō? A beautiful woman just called me a gentleman!"
Jūzō's lips twitched upward slightly. "Gentleman or not, you're certainly a good man."
Kisame laughed again. "I'll take that as praise!"
"Alright, Ms. Terumi Mei," he said finally, his tone turning serious. "Time for the second matter."
"Go on," she said.
"This time," Kisame said slowly, "we ask that you come with us to meet someone."
His expression had turned solemn, his tone respectful.
Mei's eyes flickered. "And who might that be?"
"The one we truly serve," Kisame and Jūzō said in unison, voices steady and reverent.
Mei's pupils contracted slightly.
That sentence carried immense weight.
So, these two weren't truly loyal to Akatsuki's leader, or to any of its internal factions, but to someone else entirely. They'd joined the organization for another purpose… and now, that someone wanted to see her.
Having heard so many secrets, Mei immediately understood what that meant. Refusal wasn't an option—if she declined, they would turn on her without hesitation.
In the silence that followed, she smiled gracefully and said, "Very well. Lead the way."
Kisame grinned. "A wise decision. Please, follow us."
In the next instant, the two men leapt lightly onto the river's surface, darting upstream like shadows gliding over the water.
Mei Terumī gathered her chakra beneath her feet, her figure flashing forward to follow them.
Within moments, the three figures disappeared into the misted distance—
a shark, a blade, and a woman whose beauty and ambition burned brighter than the dawn itself.