I simultaneously traverse countless worlds

When Mei Terumi instructed several of her Kirigakure subordinates to wait, she stepped into the manor's reception hall alone and found Li Mo sitting calmly in the hall, rising to welcome her upon her arrival.

"Ms. Mei Terumi, you may call me Li Mo. Welcome!"

Chapter 33 Meeting and Revelation

"Mr. Li Mo?! I am Mei Terumi, a Jonin from Kirigakure. I hope that this meeting will inform you of what your side intends to do against Kirigakure and the Land of Water?"

Seeing Li Mo's appearance and his welcoming manner, Mei Terumi's beautiful eyes sparkled as her thoughts raced. She couldn't recall who this handsome man, Li Mo, was, but she still politely bowed to him and sat down at his invitation before looking at him and speaking.

Mei Terumi actually felt a good impression of Li Mo from the moment they met. While she wasn't as sensitive as a woman nearing the age of ten years later, desperate to get married, people with normal aesthetic standards would naturally feel a certain level of attraction to good-looking men upon first meeting. It wouldn't necessarily turn her into a subservient simp, but she could still communicate with him in a relatively polite tone. Even a Jonin like Mei Terumi, who had the power of life and death over ordinary people, would speak to others in a rather friendly manner.

Of course, Mei Terumi was being polite, and she also thought the other party was a rare handsome man. But if Li Mo really made any excessive reaction, this smiling beauty would definitely not hold back. After all, she came from the Kirigakure, a village known for its cold-bloodedness and ruthlessness, and had been promoted to Jonin for her meritorious service in the Third Shinobi World War. To say that she was soft-hearted would probably make those ninjas who died at her hands cry foul.

However, Mei Terumi certainly didn't realize that Li Mo, who used techniques like "Zetsu" and "Aura Concealment" to make himself look no different from a noble young master, was actually a top-tier powerhouse who could sweep through the entire Kirigakure village with one hand!

"What are you doing to the Hidden Mist Village and the Land of Water?!"

Hearing Mei Terumi's words, Li Mo couldn't help but chuckle. Looking at the beautiful future Fifth Mizukage before him, his eyes held a hint of mockery, he said directly, "No, to be precise, what I did to the Land of Water and Kirigakure wasn't as ruthless as what your Third and Fourth Mizukage did—being turned into puppets by genjutsu, and then committing acts during the Third Shinobi World War and now..."

Well, Li Mo didn't intend to play any guessing games with Mei. He was confident enough to face a single major ninja village. Even Kirigakure, a ninja village controlled by Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito, didn't frighten him; in fact, he felt eager to try.

Previously, given his own strength and the complex relationship with the ninja world, Li Mo wisely stayed in the Rainbow Country to build high walls, stockpile grain, and delay declaring himself king. Now, Li Mo admits that the five great ninja villages and various forces in the ninja world are giving him some headaches. However, it doesn't mean that he has to be restrained when facing a single great ninja village. He has already arranged for a certain number of people to be stationed in places like the Land of Water and the Hidden Mist Village.

After all, the Land of Water is geographically located overseas, and the Hidden Mist Village does not often operate on the ninja continent. It can be said that without the involvement of Madara Uchiha, Obito Uchiha, and Black Zetsu, the Hidden Mist Village would have been very suitable to play the game of developing overseas while keeping an eye on the ninja continent. When the Third Mizukage was not controlled by Madara Uchiha's Mangekyou Sharingan genjutsu, he was planning to join forces with other ninja villages to take a piece of flesh from Konoha. If all else failed, he would have decisively adopted the sea pirate tactics.

Unfortunately, the Third Mizukage was directly defeated by Madara Uchiha. The Fourth Mizukage, who succeeded him, was controlled by Madara Uchiha, who had only a little time left. He was then taken over by Obito Uchiha, who had awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan. Obito was unable to make any waves and became a puppet. Instead, he expanded the blood mist of Kirigakure to a point where people were in a state of panic. It can be said that he weakened the previously strong Kirigakure to an extremely weak level.

Now, Li Mo is directly pointing this out to Mei. He now has enough confidence and feels that if he wants to choose a major ninja village as his target, then the Land of Water and the Hidden Mist Village are very suitable targets!

……

"...A puppet? Your Excellency, what exactly do you mean?!"

Faced with Li Mo's undisguised words, Terumi Mei's smile vanished instantly. A cold glint flashed in her beautiful eyes as she stared at Li Mo, keeping an eye on the situation in the manor hall while questioning him in an exceptionally icy voice.

puppet?

Were the Third and even Fourth Mizukage turned into puppets using genjutsu?

This news undoubtedly stirred up a storm in Mei Terumi's heart. Emotionally, she wanted to say that the other party was 99% talking nonsense, but rationally she felt that this seemingly absurd thing might be the truth.

The actions of the Third and Fourth Mizukage would be perplexing even in other ninja villages, let alone within Kirigakure. Many observant people sensed something was amiss when the Fourth Mizukage, who succeeded the Third Mizukage after the Third Shinobi World War, acted even more recklessly.

It should be said that the Third Mizukage's style of doing things, when applied to the ninja academy in Kirigakure to carry out the Blood Mist Trial, forcibly pitting the trained Kirigakure ninjas against each other in battle, would certainly produce ruthless and bloodthirsty Kirigakure genin. However, he was actually taking the blame for Kirigakure's defeat in the Second Shinobi World War. Otherwise, if there were enough funds and resources, no one would want to use the Blood Mist Trial to select so-called elite ninjas.

Do you really think no one in Kirigakure objected to the Blood Mist Trials? The Third Mizukage and even the higher-ups of Kirigakure tacitly approved of the Blood Mist Trials. It was because Kirigakure's economy and the number of commissioned missions made it impossible for them to support the ever-increasing number of Kirigakure ninjas. They had no choice but to use cruel methods to eliminate more than half of the ninja academy graduates during their graduation exams. The remaining small number became true Kirigakure ninjas. Their ruthless approach only made up for the number of Kirigakure ninjas lost during occasional missions.

In other words, the Third Mizukage did this out of necessity, and the intelligent people of Kirigakure could barely understand it. However, during the Third Shinobi World War, the Third Mizukage made all sorts of baffling moves, sometimes fighting against Sunagakure and sometimes against Konoha, suffering heavy losses and ultimately retreating to the Land of Water.

It was the Third Mizukage's bizarre actions and the lack of sufficient spoils that caused the Hidden Mist Village to suffer heavy losses. When the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, Yagura, launched an upheaval, killing the Third Mizukage and taking over, most Hidden Mist ninjas still held onto hope. Then, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was controlled by the Mangekyou Sharingan genjutsu. Instead of allowing the heavily damaged Hidden Mist Village to recover, he directly launched the Blood Mist Project, turning the bloodline limit ninja clans and secret technique ninja clans of Hidden Mist Village into corpses.

Undoubtedly, the Fourth Mizukage's cruel actions have caused increasing panic and unease among the Kirigakure ninja. However, given that the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, is a Kage-level shinobi and possesses the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails, Isobu, no shinobi in Kirigakure dares to claim that they can defeat him. Nevertheless, doubts about the Fourth Mizukage Yagura's actions are growing. Mei Terumi, for example, has had her own suspicions, but they have not been confirmed.

Now that Li Mo has directly pointed out the key issue, Mei Terumi did not immediately believe what he said, but it was inevitable that doubts would arise in her heart. She was staring at Li Mo now because she was conflicted and doubting whether what he said was true!

"Tsk tsk, the meaning is obvious. Go find that ninja in your Mist Village who has a Byakugan and you'll know whether what I said is true or false!"

Facing Mei Mei's cold gaze, Li Mo shrugged and said somewhat helplessly. What he said was the truth, but whether the other party believed him or not was another matter. Moreover, Li Mo sensed a trace of malice rising in the other party's eyes. Obviously, when it came to their vital interests, this beautiful ninja Mei Mei would not show any mercy to this handsome guy, Li Mo.

This was also a worry that Li Mo had when he was young. In the cruel world of ninjas, where ninjas from a few years old to several decades old would go to the battlefield, the weak had no voice. If they spoke out of turn, they would be caught, interrogated, or even secretly executed!

……

"...Mr. Li Mo, please excuse me for taking my leave!"

What caught Li Mo's attention was that Mei Terumi actually suppressed her urge to grab him. Instead of making a move, she smiled at him, bowed, and seemed to be about to turn and leave, clearly preparing to go back and report.

"No need to say goodbye yet, let me give you another gift!"

Seeing Mei Terumi's decisive action and sensing that she had restrained her malice before making her decision, Li Mo raised an eyebrow and sighed inwardly. He then stood up and took a step forward, walking up to Mei Terumi and pointing his finger at her forehead.

For Mei Terumi, her decision to suppress her desire to harm Li Mo was not due to any soft heart or being unable to resist a handsome man. It was simply because she lacked the confidence to deal with Li Mo and the mysterious force behind him. Considering how he openly arranged for that giant steel ship to take her and her group to the Sea Kingdom, and the drastic changes that had taken place there, she finally gave up on the idea of ​​subduing Li Mo.

To be fair, Mei Terumi has a very good perspective and vision. If it were an ordinary Kirigakure Jonin, upon hearing Li Mo's frank words, their first reaction would either be to think that he was trying to sow discord and not believe him, or they might want to capture him and interrogate him for information. However, Mei Terumi suppressed her own idea and thought that she should take her leave first and inform the old master, so that the old master could mobilize his forces to investigate the Fourth Mizukage and the details of this mysterious organization with considerable influence in the Land of the Sea.

Even if Li Mo provided genuine information, Mei Terumi would still have to carefully verify it, as it concerned the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure. Moreover, given that he revealed such important information so openly, Mei Terumi believed that the other party's influence might have already penetrated deep into Kirigakure. If they were not vigilant about this mysterious organization, Kirigakure would probably have been wiped out long ago, back in the time of Hashirama Senju.

However, to Mei Terumi's utter surprise, Li Mo, who hadn't seemed to sense any danger, suddenly appeared in front of her, one hand attempting to touch her forehead. Her instinctive sense of danger prompted her to react without hesitation!

Chapter 34 Subduing Mei Terumi

Substitution!

When Mei Terumi discovered that Li Mo was actually a hidden powerhouse who was preparing to deal with her, she instinctively activated one of her three body techniques, the Substitution Technique, which she had mastered to perfection. This technique would not be outdated even for a Jonin or Kage-level powerhouse!

Although the Three Body Technique, a standard skill for genin in Naruto, seems to be of a very low level, belonging to the lowest level [E] rank ninjutsu, it doesn't mean that the Three Body Technique is useless. On the contrary, even in the hands of jonin or kage-level powerhouses, the Three Body Technique can produce astonishing effects, no less than, and even more effective than, the Body Flicker Technique or Shadow Clone Technique used by ordinary chunin or special jonin.

The reason is simple: like other ninjutsu, the Three Body Techniques can be improved by ninjas according to their own situation. For example, the Shadow Clone Technique, Water Clone Technique, and Lightning Clone Technique, which are based on one of the Three Body Techniques, the Clone Technique, are very typical examples. The Substitution Technique has even been developed into techniques such as the Wood Substitution Technique and the Orochimaru-style Substitution Technique by strong ninjas. This shows that in the eyes of top ninjas, the Three Body Techniques can be continuously improved to form ninjutsu that are more suitable for their own style.

Mei Terumi's Substitution Jutsu wasn't like Orochimaru's, which was modified to the point that it didn't look like a Substitution Jutsu at all. Having reached the level of a Quasi-Kage, she could use the Substitution Jutsu almost instantly, and she didn't need to use a special Substitution Wood like some ninjas. Even though the range of her Substitution Jutsu wouldn't exceed fifty meters, it was more than enough for the space in the manor's hall at this moment.

However, Mei Terumi had no idea that the Substitution Jutsu she used to activate with chakra with a thought would be completely ineffective at this moment. She stood there motionless, her chakra as still as stagnant water, as Li Mo gently touched her forehead with his finger.

"Using the Substitution Technique to escape is a good idea, but unfortunately you're facing me..."

Seeing Mei Terumi's stiff posture, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't utter a single word, and her adorable appearance where she could only stare intently at him with her beautiful eyes, Li Mo, who had merely activated the extraordinary power of [Chakra] through a back door left by the Otsutsuki clan, smiled indifferently and said in a low voice, "However, I won't kill you. After fusing with the [Seed of the Blazing Sun], obediently become my person~!"

As Li Mo finished speaking, the light from the [Seed of Blazing Sun] in his hand merged into Mei Terumi's forehead. The beautiful ninja then became dazed and fainted. Li Mo supported her waist and legs with both hands, carefully held her, and sat her on a chair in the hall, quietly waiting for her to wake up.

Anyway, when Li Mo learned that the person he had arranged in the Land of Water and the Hidden Mist Village was Mei Terumi, he remembered this beautiful ninja who was outstanding in appearance and figure and had very high potential. Naturally, he planned to recruit her to his side and take over the Land of Water and the Hidden Mist Village at the same time. He could also have Mei Terumi, a pure-blooded Hidden Mist ninja, take action and make the Hidden Mist Village appear to be replacing the old Mizukage to deceive the other ninja villages.

Unaware of Li Mo's scheme, Mei Terumi heard the bombshell revelation from him upon their first meeting that the Third and Fourth Mizukage were being controlled by illusions. This already sealed her fate; whether she wanted to take action or leave to confirm, Li Mo wouldn't let her off easily. On the contrary, Li Mo planned to make Mei Terumi one of his own, which would greatly benefit his future plans.

As for Mei Terumi herself, she will definitely not lose but will gain a lot. Her fusion with the Seed of the Blazing Sun is enough to greatly enhance her strength and potential. Moreover, with Li Mo supporting her, Mei Terumi's experience of overthrowing her superiors to become the Fifth Mizukage will probably be much smoother than the original Naruto storyline!

……

Although Li Mo attacked Mei, the several Mist Ninja waiting outside the hall were completely unaware. Although they were all at least Special Jonin, and would be considered elites in any ninja village, the difference between them and Li Mo was enormous.

With a mere thought, Li Mo created separate spaces between the hall and the outside. The several Mist Ninja were completely unaware that their leader, a rising star of the Mist Ninja Village, had been defeated by Li Mo in a single encounter. While keeping an eye on the general situation of the manor, they were also pondering how to report back to their old master when they returned to the Mist Ninja Village.

For the Kirigakure ninja belonging to the Old Master's faction, their treatment was much better than that of ordinary Kirigakure ninja. As core members, they were extremely loyal to the Old Master. Otherwise, at the Old Master's command, two Jonin and six Special Jonin would not have abandoned their possible missions and followed Mei Terumi, the future leader whom they had only heard of but knew little about. The reason for this was their respect and trust in the Old Master.

At the very least, Mei Terumi's performance along the way proved that she was by no means just a pretty face. When she arrived at the port of the Land of the Sea, she showed a cautious and meticulous attitude, which made the few Mist Ninja who accompanied her somewhat agree with her. Moreover, they subconsciously regarded this trip as contact with this mysterious force and did not think of treating them as enemies with a guarded attitude.

At this moment, the few Mist Ninjas were completely unaware that their leader had been subdued by Li Mo. They were still somewhat unaccustomed to the sumptuous snacks and tea laid out in front of them, tasting them while observing the other aspects of the manor!

"Ugh...you? How long are you going to keep hugging me?"

A dozen minutes later, Mei Terumi, who had successfully fused with the Seed of Blazing Sun, woke up. When she saw that she was being held in Li Mo's arms, her pretty face turned an alluring blush. She then made a symbolic struggle before coquettishly whispering to Li Mo who was holding her.

At this moment, Mei Terumi had completely fused with the trace of soul power contained in the [Seed of the Blazing Sun]. Like Tsunade and Samui, she had developed a great sense of closeness to Li Mo. Moreover, compared to Tsunade, a veteran Kage-level powerhouse, Mei Terumi, who was still at the Quasi-Kage stage, fused with the [Seed of the Blazing Sun] much faster. Li Mo could clearly see that her skin had become noticeably whiter, and her beautiful emerald eyes were like the purest emeralds.

This means that Mei Terumi is also beginning to improve her potential and strength. Based on Li Mo's own observation, it is estimated that she will break through to the Kage level within three days, and activate something like the [Sage Body] or other [Bloodline Limits]. Moreover, given that Mei Terumi has already developed two Bloodline Limits, it is expected that she will be able to improve her strength very quickly, and may even become stronger than Pakura's Scorching Release in the future.

Of course, Li Mo was very welcoming to such a beautiful and capable ninja. His subjugation of Mei Terumi was not only about adding a future Kage-level or even Super Kage-level powerhouse, but more importantly, it gave him a great opportunity to intervene in Kirigakure and even control the entire Land of Water!

"Alright! It's time to settle the matter of your trip to the Sea Kingdom!"

Faced with Mei Terumi's alluring, shy demeanor, Li Mo suppressed his burning desire and lingered for a while. After kissing her and taking advantage of her quite a bit, he finally put Mei Terumi down and spoke to her.

"Um, Mo, what are you planning to do? Do you need my help?"

Hearing Li Mo's words, Terumi Mei, whose beautiful eyes seemed to be about to drip water, came back to her senses. She quickly straightened her clothes and looked at Li Mo with some curiosity, asking the man who had tried to subdue and interrogate her not long ago.

"Don't worry, I will prepare a satisfactory answer for you. That old master should not have any doubts, or even if he does have doubts, he won't change his mind!"

When Terumi Mei volunteered, Li Mo gently patted the beauty's slender curves, causing Terumi Mei to let out a soft gasp. Then she heard Li Mo naturally explain that she could rest assured and not worry about the old master's problem.

Fortunately, Li Mo was very familiar with the situation in Kirigakure and naturally understood that Terumi Mei was a rising star in the old master's faction. With her current strength, it wasn't impossible for her to unify the old master's faction. However, the ninja world didn't completely prioritize strength. Having a suitable excuse was naturally very important. Moreover, Li Mo's goal was not only to have Terumi Mei unify the old master's forces, but also to target Kirigakure and even the Land of Water. Therefore, he naturally needed a suitable excuse to intervene.

After listening to Li Mo's words, Mei Terumi seemed thoughtful but quickly smiled. Then, under Li Mo's arrangement, she explained to the few Mist Ninja that she would be staying in the Land of the Sea for half a month and then got along well with Li Mo!

……

More than half a month later, Mei Terumi had to disguise herself and return to Kirigakure. She and the few Kirigakure ninja who accompanied her had obviously changed a lot, and their strength had improved significantly. They were on a completely different level from before they arrived in the Land of the Sea.

For example, Mei Terumi not only transformed from a girl into a woman, but her strength also directly reached the Kage level. Not only did her original two bloodline limits, Boil Release and Lava Release, become much more powerful, but her successfully awakened Sage Body made her a formidable opponent even among Kage-level shinobi. She was probably even stronger than Mei Terumi when she was the Fifth Mizukage in the original Naruto storyline.

As for the two squads of elite Mist Ninja, Li Mo generously bestowed upon them the [Spark Seed]. While it couldn't compare to the [Moon Seed] and [Sun Seed], their strength had greatly improved. One qualified full Jonin even jumped to the elite Jonin stage, while another full Jonin was hovering on the threshold of elite Jonin. The other six special Jonin all saw their strength increase, and it was expected that becoming full Jonin would only take a little longer.

It's no exaggeration to say that the changes in the strength of these two elite Kirigakure squads alone could be considered a new small powerhouse in Kirigakure. If Mei Terumi, a Kage-level ninja, were to step in and unite with the Kirigakure ninjas who were related to her, they could probably immediately break away from the old master's lineage and even contend with the Fourth Mizukage. Other Kirigakure ninja clans and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would probably be no match for Mei Terumi at all.

In response, Li Mo did not choose to raise the banner directly. Instead, he instructed Terumi Mei to continue according to the itinerary and returned directly to the Land of Water. He and his men also arrived in the Land of Water, but instead of going with Terumi Mei to see the old master, he arranged for some people to infiltrate Kirigakure as the mission commissioner.

Then, Terumi Mei, who had quietly sought an audience with the old master, looked at the seemingly frail old master, bowed respectfully, and then spoke to him, uttering words that shocked even him:

"Master Yuan, on this trip, we've learned the general outline of that mysterious organization. They are the exiled descendants of a former daimyo of the Land of Water..."

Chapter 35 The Daimyo's Bento Box from the Land of Water

It must be said that Li Mo was also greatly influenced by the Naruto world. His ordinary side as a person from the real world before he transmigrated was quickly erased in the Naruto world, and he was replaced by a cold and cunning strongman.

According to Mei Shiro's report to the old master, Li Mo deduced the most suitable method for controlling the Land of Water based on his understanding of Japan before his transmigration and the situation in the ninja world. Just like how he impersonated the heir of the Daimyo of the Rainbow Country, replaced him, and obtained the entire Rainbow Country, he used the name of the Daimyo of the Rainbow Country to trade with the Land of the Sea, the Land of Water, and other countries. Otherwise, it would be difficult to open up trade routes.

In the Naruto world, why was the Third Shinobi World War still dominated by cold weapons, but by the beginning of the story, there was a trend towards electrification? In the so-called Boruto, which was a poor sequel, technological ninja tools and a large number of modern industrial products emerged. Wasn't it because of the obstruction by the daimyo and nobles of various countries before?

Even in the Land of Fire, the daimyo and nobles stubbornly cling to what they consider their due. As for merchants, unless they are wealthy and protected by powerful ninjas, most merchants are just walking wallets in the eyes of the daimyo and nobles. Expecting those merchants who are treated as walking wallets to engage in industrialization in the ninja world is wishful thinking.

The main reason that truly brought the ninja world into the industrial stage and began large-scale production of industrial goods and scientific ninja tools was that after the Fourth Shinobi World War in the original Naruto anime and manga, the five great ninja villages reached an agreement to form the Allied Shinobi Forces. In addition, the presence of two male protagonists who successfully sealed Kaguya Otsutsuki with the help of the old man made those who had experienced the Fourth Shinobi World War war wary of them. This led to more than a decade of peaceful living environment, which allowed industry to be widely popularized and promoted.

Similarly, if Li Mo were to directly intervene in the Land of Water and the Hidden Mist Village under the banner of the Rainbow Country, unless he himself was strong enough to face the entire ninja world, purging the daimyo and nobles and turning the ninja into an army would definitely provoke the unanimous hostility of all parties in the ninja world. However, if it were an internal conflict within the daimyo faction of the Land of Water, then no one except the Land of Water would be willing to wade into such troubled waters.

After all, the daimyo and even nobles of various countries share common interests in this regard. For example, when a new Kage is appointed in a major ninja village, the daimyo is usually notified directly. The daimyo usually acknowledges this and then sends an envoy to the ninja village to discuss the matter. A daimyo who dares to interfere rashly probably thinks he won't die of illness or an accident.

Therefore, when the old master heard what Mei Terumi said, he felt a little strange, but he did not dare to really investigate the matter. Meanwhile, Li Mo was already in the capital of the Land of Water, preparing to put on a show for others to fight for the throne!

………………

The capital of the Water Kingdom

As one of the five great nations, the Land of Water's capital city is not particularly large. It is located in the middle of a larger island, which is more suitable for the area between the island where Kirigakure is located and the island itself. The city is built along the waterways on the inner side of those larger islands.

Such cities are not uncommon. They are common in the ninja world and even in other worlds that Li Mo has traveled to. For example, Venice in the present world before Li Mo's travels is a city built on water. In the Land of Water in the ninja world, it is impossible to build a capital city on the outer islands. Only a few large islands have the conditions to build a large city. In the end, this relatively suitable large island was chosen.