Before him, the elite leaders and core shinobi of Kirigakure knelt in solemn reverence, their heads lowered not out of fear, but acknowledgment. This was not a ritual enforced by tradition,it was an instinctive response to authority earned through blood, foresight, and unshakable resolve.
Chiba stood at the center of it all, his posture relaxed, his presence steady and composed. His expression was calm, almost serene, as though everything unfolding before him had long since been decided. A faint smile rested at the corner of his lips, not born of pride or vanity, but of certainty. This was his place. This was his time.
It was only natural.
Everything he had achieved,the reforms, the victories, the unity he had forged from chaos,had been won through merit, cunning, and an iron will that never bent under pressure. No title could grant him legitimacy now; he had carved it into the history of Kirigakure himself.
Chiba slowly raised a hand.
"Rise," he said evenly. "Stand. I am not yet officially the Mizukage."
The tension that had lingered in the air finally eased.
Elder Gen'yū straightened first, relief unmistakable as a smile spread across his weathered face. His voice carried both sincerity and emotion as he spoke.
"At this point," he said firmly, "if anyone still dares to question your title, I swear I would challenge them myself."
Beside him, Kōnbee gave a heavy nod, his expression resolute. Years of war and hardship had carved deep lines into his face, but his gaze was steady.
"Lord Mizukage," he said without hesitation, "your actions have saved Kirigakure time and time again. Your position is no longer something to be debated,it is fully justified."
Nakayoshi exhaled slowly, his voice tinged with both admiration and lingering sorrow.
"For decades, Kirigakure endured the horrors of the Bloody Mist," he said quietly. "Its streets soaked in the blood of our own shinobi, its future consumed by paranoia and slaughter. But with Chiba-sama's emergence… the village has finally been pulled back from the brink of annihilation."
Around them, the other members of the Elder Council echoed similar sentiments. Their respect was not performative, nor forced. It was deep, unwavering, and absolute.
Among those standing, Mei Terumī felt her chest tighten as she looked at Chiba.
He stood like a central star, drawing every gaze toward him without effort. There was an inevitability to his presence, a gravity that made resistance feel meaningless. It was not domination,it was leadership in its purest form.
Mei stepped forward.
"Chiba," she said softly, her voice steady but weighted with finality, "I lost. And I accept it completely."
She lifted her head, meeting his gaze without hesitation.
"From this moment on, you are the Godaime Mizukage of Kirigakure. I, Mei Terumī, will follow your orders without question."
Her words carried dual meaning.
They were a declaration of absolute loyalty,and a reaffirmation of the wager between them. The winner would lead. The loser would obey.
Nearby, Hotaru watched in silent awe, her young eyes shining as her admiration for the new Mizukage deepened with every passing second.
Even Utakata, the Six-Tails jinchūriki, released a quiet breath. He understood, better than most, the foresight and mastery required to reshape an entire village without plunging it into ruin.
With a single command, Chiba brought order to the aftermath of battle. The field was cleared, squads reorganized, casualties accounted for,everything executed with meticulous precision.
Elder Gen'yū immediately dispatched messengers throughout the village and to the daimyōs of the Land of Water, announcing Chiba's deeds and his imminent ascension.
The effect was instantaneous.
Kirigakure erupted with shock, relief, and jubilation. From civilians to shinobi, all recognized the same truth: the man who had dragged the village out of darkness now stood ready to lead it into a new era.
Formalities followed,votes by the Elder Council, official notifications to the daimyōs,but they were little more than ritual. In the hearts of the people, the decision had already been made.
Three days later, Chiba officially assumed the office of the Godaime Mizukage.
Kirigakure celebrated.
For the first time in decades, the festivities were not forced, nor shadowed by fear. Laughter echoed through the streets, tears of relief were openly shed, and hope,long suppressed,returned to the village.
Chiba's first decree was swift and absolute.
The Bloody Mist Era was over.
Decades of brutality, secrecy, and internal slaughter were abolished in a single stroke. For countless shinobi who had survived under the old regime, the announcement felt unreal. Many wept openly, unable to believe the nightmare had truly ended.
Then came reform.
Gen'yū retained his position as head of the Elder Council, overseeing internal governance and maintaining relations with the daimyōs.
Kisame Hoshigaki was appointed leader of the ANBU, wielding Samehada as its chosen master, controlling intelligence, espionage, and covert operations.
A new Public Force,symbolizing transparency and trust,was established under Mei Terumī, with Ao and Aoi as her right-hand aides.
Kōnbee and Nakayoshi assumed responsibility for administration: defense, policing, education, and resource allocation.
Hotaru remained at Chiba's side, observing, learning, and absorbing the principles of leadership and strategy.
Mangetsu coordinated with noble families, guiding the social reconstruction of clans scarred by the Bloody Mist.
Balance. Loyalty. Efficiency.
Kirigakure was reborn on a foundation strong enough to endure generations.
Yet Chiba's vision did not end with governance.
His gaze turned toward the future,to the resurrection of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
Once, they had been legends who struck fear across the shinobi world. But after the Third Shinobi World War, they had been shattered.
Four dead.
Three crippled.
Those who survived returned broken.
Now, Chiba would forge them anew.
Stronger. Disciplined. Loyal.
Samehada had already chosen Kisame, sealing a bond symbolic of the new era.
The rebirth of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would not only restore Kirigakure's martial might,it would announce to the world that the Hidden Mist had risen, sharper, wiser, and more dangerous than ever before.
A new dawn had come.
And under the Godaime Mizukage, Kirigakure would never again sink into darkness.