Sometimes, having a good-looking face really works in your favor.
If the one sitting across from Mei Terumi right now were Kisame...
...
...
Oh, hell no! My brain just conjured up a nightmare.
Yagura shuddered, pressing down the goosebumps rising on his skin. He quickly reassured himself by glancing at Mei Terumi, confirming that he was indeed sitting across from her—there was no way that kind of scene could happen. He let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Mei, I'll be direct—I need to talk to you about something."
Mei responded, "Alright. Please, go ahead."
Yagura got straight to the point. "Would you be interested in becoming my assistant?"
Yes, assistant.
He was here to recruit the future Fifth Mizukage into his inner circle.
But Mei Terumi wouldn't be placed in the same role as Ringo Ameyuri, Kisame, Mangetsu, or Zabuza.
This was Mei Terumi!
In the original world, Kirigakure had been ravaged under Uchiha Obito's rule.
Yet, by the time of Boruto, after over a decade of Mei's leadership, the village had transformed into a thriving, tourism-driven island nation.
That alone was proof of her exceptional governance skills.
Even if she was just assisting the village elders, her support would be invaluable.
Not to mention, Mei's combat strength was at the Kage level, though she was still only a Chunin right now.
At this stage, Kirigakure's top priority was development, and Yagura needed her help—both now and in the future.
Mei didn't immediately accept or refuse. She lowered her head in thought, carefully considering Yagura's proposal.
If she were acting as an individual, she would have gladly agreed to this little Mizukage's invitation.
And not just because her superior happened to be a cute boy who was easy on the eyes.
From the moment she learned that Yagura opposed war—and actually kept Kirigakure away from conflict—she had begun to respect him.
Coming from a major clan like the Terumi, she could see both the upper and lower levels of Kirigakure's power structure.
She, too, agreed that the village was in no shape for war after the Bloody Mist era.
But she wasn't just Mei Terumi the person—she also represented the Terumi Clan, known for their Lava Release, and the Mist Ninja Clan, famous for their Boil Release.
Since childhood, she had been taught that her words and actions outside the clan reflected upon both lineages.
Especially when it came to decisions like this.
If she accepted Yagura's offer, the outside world would interpret it as the Terumi Clans pledging their support to him.
Just like the Hozuki Clan had done.
She needed to consult her elders about their stance on the Mizukage before making a decision.
Mei let out a slow breath and said apologetically, "Mizukage-sama, I believe I need to discuss this with my elders first."
Yagura nodded understandingly. "Of course, that's completely reasonable."
"Thank you."
Meeting Yagura's sincere and trusting gaze, she felt something warm swell in her chest.
Placing a hand over her heart, Mei smiled softly.
"I believe in you, Mizukage-sama. Under your leadership, Kirigakure will become a better place."
Yagura accepted her words with a genuine smile.
"Thank you. That means a lot to me."
...
After parting with Mei, Yagura and Kisame continued their visits, stopping by the Kizuki Clan with their Dark Release and the Kaguya Clan with their Shikotsumyaku.
As he made his rounds, Yagura couldn't help but marvel at just how many clans Kirigakure had.
[Other villages: If you don't want them, can you give them to us?!]
Since taking office, he hadn't had the chance to personally visit every clan.
Most of his work so far had been focused on governance and diplomacy.
Military affairs took up much less of his time, and even within that realm, he had been handling logistics more than anything else.
As a result, he hadn't had many opportunities to interact with Kirigakure's major combat clans.
If he had chosen a different policy—one that pushed Kirigakure toward war—he would have spent far more time dealing with these warriors instead of village elders and government officials.
Since he had already met with the Hozuki and Terumi Clans, he decided to take the chance to visit a few more.
The Kizuki Clan's attitude toward him was neutral—neither overly enthusiastic nor cold. At the very least, they maintained the proper respect for their Mizukage.
Yagura inquired whether they had any promising talents in their ranks who could serve by his side, but the clan leader regretfully declined.
Their current generation simply didn't have any outstanding prodigies.
Yagura nodded, expressing his own regrets, then took his leave.
The last stop was the Kaguya Clan.
In the original timeline, under Obito's control, they had rebelled against Kirigakure.
Their uprising had ended in annihilation.
Only one survivor, Kimimaro, was left behind—eventually falling into Orochimaru's hands and dying of illness years later, marking the extinction of the Kaguya bloodline.
The clan's Shikotsumyaku was an incredibly powerful Kekkei Genkai, but they also carried a genetic bloodline disease.
Historical records showed that their average lifespan was no more than thirty-five years, with the longest-lived member reaching just fifty.
Even now, their previous clan leader had recently passed away, and Yagura was meeting with his newly appointed successor.
For a clan that emphasized battle above all else, their philosophy was simple: to burn as brightly—and as bloodily—as possible in their short lives.
As Yagura sat across from the towering Kaguya leader, who stood over two meters tall, he truly felt how small he was.
He muttered internally, This would be the perfect time to let Kisame take my seat.
Having to tilt his head back to make eye contact was such a hassle.
Even the two elders beside the clan leader were nearly two meters tall.
Did the Kaguya Clan feed their kids growth hormones or something?
If they had a secret to this, he seriously needed to get in on it.
"Mizukage~sama," the Kaguya leader drawled, deliberately slowing his speech and articulating every syllable. He lowered his gaze to look at the small child who barely reached his shoulder.
It wasn't that he disrespected Yagura for his age or height.
The boy had earned the title of Mizukage through sheer strength, and the Kaguya Clan respected power above all else.
No, his dissatisfaction came from something else entirely.
"Oh, right. Forgive our lack of courtesy—we weren't expecting such an honored guest. What brings you to visit us today?"
One of the elders chimed in sarcastically, "Yes, we're not at war, after all."
Another elder quickly tried to shut them up. "Oi! Leader! You two, cut it out!"
Yagura simply smiled, watching their poorly rehearsed act.
Even he could tell how fake it was.
"Tell me, Kaguya," he said, spreading his hands. "Aren't you guys bad at this kind of deception?"
The Kaguya leader blinked. "Huh?"
That wasn't how this was supposed to go.
"Leader, I think we blew our cover."
"Ah? He saw through us? How?"
The leader scratched his head, exchanging confused glances with his two elders.
"Oi! Was it you? Your acting was terrible—you should've waited longer!"
"What?! No way! It's because you weren't intimidating enough!"
As the two started bickering, Yagura exchanged a glance with Kisame.
Wait... they called him "Leader" instead of "Clan Head"?
And the elders were actually his brothers?
This... was not what he had expected from the Kaguya Clan.
Weren't they supposed to be crazed battle junkies?
Still, judging from their words...
Yagura frowned. "Are you saying you support war?"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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