[Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi: Third Mizukage, stop trying to defend yourself. Just listen to the voices of the village. Everyone from the Hidden Mist Village, speak up.]
[Mist Ninja 1: I lived through that era. It was too dark, too bloody—felt like living in hell itself.]
[Mist Ninja 2: I'm from that time too. I was constantly in despair, unable to see even a shred of hope.]
[Mist Ninja 3: Even now, traces of those days can still be seen throughout the village. Just seeing them brings panic.]
[Mist Villager 1: I wanted to escape countless times, but I couldn't. That was the darkest period of my entire life.]
[Mist Villager 2: Every day I lived in fear and suffocation. How could you call that "for the good of the village"?]
[Mist Villager 3: Thankfully, we have Lady Mei now. The village is slowly improving. Just for that alone, Lady Mei is number one in my heart.]
[...]
Every ninja and villager from the Hidden Mist Village who had lived through the Bloody Mist era stepped forward to criticize Yagura Karatachi.
Only the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi—who had long been nothing more than a puppet—remained silent.
Because—
The fact that he continued the Third Mizukage's policies had not been his own will.
He had been controlled by genjutsu.
And the one who had placed him under genjutsu was none other than Uchiha… Obito.
[Fourth Raikage A: Here's the funniest joke of the year—"The Bloody Mist was for the sake of the village."]
[Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki: Hearing villagers and shinobi who lived through that hell say that the Third Mizukage 'had their best interests at heart'… truly blessed. I'm so jealous!]
[Chiyo: I must say, the Third Mizukage's contributions to the Mist are simply beyond words. With that alone, he's guaranteed first place on this Five Kage ranking.]
[Second Hokage Tobirama Senju: Damn! I originally thought I could rank second, but I forgot about the Third Mizukage's Bloody Mist "contribution." Looks like I'm stuck at third! How frustrating!]
[First Hokage Hashirama Senju: O–Dō–Dō! It's okay! His contribution to the Mist is just too great, what can you do?]
...
Watching the Mist villagers and shinobi all step forward to denounce him, and the other villages throwing sarcastic remarks his way, the Third Mizukage Hōzuki Gengetsu stomped his feet in fury.
Even though he was long dead.
He still refused to believe he had done anything wrong.
While everyone was fiercely arguing about the Third Mizukage's rights and wrongs, someone finally noticed the reward Mei Terumi had received.
The first to discover it was none other than the immortality-obsessed Orochimaru.
[Orochimaru @ Mei Terumi: You received the Twelve Talismans as a reward. Let me borrow them for research… especially the Dog Talisman.]
After Orochimaru spoke, everyone took a closer look at the reward listed beside the Fifth Mizukage's name on the scroll.
Mei Terumi herself, however—
When she saw the reward wasn't the "Beauty-Beauty Fruit" she wanted…
…and saw it was the Twelve Talismans instead, she only skimmed the list.
They were all animals she disliked—rats, chickens, dogs, and so on.
She instantly lost interest and didn't bother reading further.
[Mei Terumi @ Orochimaru: Sure, why not? It's just some Dog Talisman. Trade me that weird jutsu of yours that restores your body.]
Chōjūrō panicked and tugged at her sleeve.
"Lady Mizukage, you absolutely mustn't agree!"
Mei Terumi: "Chōjūrō, have you forgotten your manners?"
Chōjūrō quickly released her sleeve.
"Lady Mizukage, I didn't mean it that way. Please just read the description of the Dog Talisman properly!"
Only then did Mei Terumi look at the Dog Talisman closely.
Dog Talisman: The power of immortality. Grants eternal youth and everlasting life. Maintains the user's youth and renders them deathless—a divine power.
Mei Terumi's eyes instantly widened.
She froze for a moment—
Then jumped up in excitement.
"Eternal youth!"
"Immortality!"
"Hahaha!"
"I didn't expect the Dog Talisman to be this powerful! I can stay beautiful forever!"
"And! Whether it's Orochimaru's disgusting jutsu or that old woman's Creation Rebirth, they're nothing compared to this Dog Talisman!"
"This one is true eternal youth—and true immortality!"
"Hurry up! Hurry and distribute the reward!"
Chōjūrō: "Lady Mizukage! You're not mad at me anymore, right?"
Mei Terumi: "Chōjūrō, you did great this time. Thank you!"
Just as Mei Terumi eagerly awaited the Dog Talisman's arrival, she noticed many people tagging her in the chat.
[Tsunade @ Mei Terumi: I'll trade you my Creation Rebirth. You know very well it's far better than Orochimaru's disgusting jutsu.]
[Hashirama Senju @ Mei Terumi: Trade it to my granddaughter! I'll offer you three conditions.]
[Madara Uchiha @ Mei Terumi: I'm about to be resurrected. My three conditions are surely more valuable than Hashirama's.]
[Fourth Raikage A @ Mei Terumi: Name your price. I want that Dog Talisman.]
[Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki @ Mei Terumi: What kind of jutsu do you want? Anything I have is yours. Anything I don't have, I'll find.]
Beside Ōnoki, Kurotsuchi burst out:
"Grandpa, you're doing this for me?"
Ōnoki awkwardly nodded.
He was doing it for himself.
With the Dog Talisman, he could stay Tsuchikage forever and surpass every Tsuchikage in history.
Maybe even surpass every Kage.
It would be unimaginable glory.
[Jiraiya @ Mei Terumi: Give me the Dog Talisman, and whenever you want to use the Time-Screaming Chicken, I'll come running immediately.]
[...]
Anyone with even a bit of status or confidence was tagging Mei Terumi, hoping to trade for the Dog Talisman.
[Orochimaru @ Mei Terumi: You already agreed. You're not planning to go back on your word… are you?]
[Mei Terumi @ Everyone: Not trading! The Dog Talisman is mine. Stop thinking about it.]
[Mei Terumi @ Tsunade: Especially you, old woman. Even if you kneel and beg me, I'm not trading it.]
[Tsunade: Tch! I have Creation Rebirth, and both Time-Screaming Chickens belong to our village. I can stay youthful just fine.]
...
At that moment—
The scroll once again erupted in brilliant light.
A semi-transparent screen appeared in front of it.
Then the recording began.
—
As the playback ended—
A beam of golden light shot from the scroll toward the Hidden Mist Village.
Inside the Mizukage's office—
Mei Terumi looked at the Twelve Talismans that had appeared in her hands and instantly understood how to use them.
"Hahaha! I can finally stay beautiful forever!"
She immediately picked out the Dog Talisman—
And activated it.
At once—
The power of the Dog Talisman poured into her.
Feeling her body change, Mei Terumi was extremely satisfied.
Chōjūrō, seeing her so happy, felt relieved as well.
"Lady Mizukage, the other talismans seem incredibly powerful too. A Fourth Great Ninja War is going to break out in the future, and even Uchiha Madara will take part. We need to be prepared."
Mei Terumi: "Didn't I already give out the necessary orders?"
Chōjūrō: "I'm talking about you, Lady Mizukage. You received the Twelve Talismans. That makes you a new source of power for the village."
Mei Terumi nodded.
"Thank you for the reminder, Chōjūrō. I'll thoroughly study all Twelve Talismans."
"No matter what happens in the Fourth Great Ninja War, I will protect the village."
Everyone had seen the golden light fall upon the Hidden Mist Village.
So they knew Mei Terumi had already received the Twelve Talismans.
Therefore—
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