Traveling through Naruto with Heroes of Might and Magic.

Danzo gave the instructions.

"Yes!"

The Root ninja accepted the order and disappeared.

Danzo leaned back in his chair, his single eye gleaming with an unfathomable light in the dim light.

Konoha appears to be thriving due to its diplomatic victory, but the vortex beneath the surface never stops spinning.

Uchiha...

Thousand Hands...

Fog Conceals...

Hidden Rocks...

Hidden in the clouds...

All these factors are intertwined, and no one knows what will happen.

He, Danzo Shimura, will quietly observe everything from the shadows, fulfilling his will as the "Root of Konoha."

……

Uchiha clan territory, Shisui's room.

Night was falling.

Zhi Shui sat by the window without turning on the light.

Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating his calm yet resolute face.

In his hand, he held a common, inconspicuous leaf headband, his fingertips gently tracing the leaf patterns on it.

The pressure at the clan meeting, the elders' increasingly urgent urging, and the news of the Hokage's return to the village...

All of this made the scales in his heart tip more and more toward that "crazy" plan.

Can't wait any longer.

The family is ready to take action; the exact time is yet to be determined, but it will be in the next few days.

He had to act before that happened.

"The Hokage has returned to the village and is busy with official duties, but he has a habit of smoking a cigarette in his office every night before leaving get off work."

This is one of the advantages of being part of the Shadow Guard.

As the Hokage's personal bodyguards, no one understands the Hokage's habits better than the Shadow Guards.

Shisui recalled this information; it was the only opportunity he could think of that might allow him to avoid the clan's spies and meet the Hokage alone.

"The captain said that you shouldn't shoulder everything yourself... but this time, I have to take this step myself."

Shisui murmured to himself, and the pattern of the Mangekyou Sharingan slowly emerged in his eyes, shimmering with an eerie yet resolute red light under the moonlight.

"I will confess everything to the Hokage, explain my position and confusion, and seek the village's understanding and help..."

"This is the last path I'm looking for for my family, and for myself."

"If... the Hokage doesn't trust me, or the village decides to take drastic measures... then at least I tried, and I have a clear conscience, and I have lived up to the captain's trust..."

"If... if we could gain the Hokage's understanding, perhaps... we could really find a different future for the Uchiha clan."

He took a deep breath, gripped the headband tightly in his hand, and then solemnly put it on his forehead.

It was as if this simple action gave him extra courage.

"Tomorrow...night."

Zhishui has made a decision!

The moonlight, like water, enveloped the silent Uchiha clan territory.

It also shrouded this young ninja who had made up his mind and was about to take a step that could change the fate of many people.

……

The carriage traveled at a leisurely pace along the roads in the southern part of the Land of Fire.

The early spring sunlight filtered through the sparse branches of the roadside trees, casting dappled patterns of light inside the carriage.

Mei Terumi seemed to enjoy this slow-paced journey, or rather, she enjoyed the journey with Seigo "accompanying" her.

At first, she would find some legitimate reasons to talk to Qingwu.

For example, inquiring about the customs and traditions of the Land of Fire, the customs of certain major clans in Konoha, or tentatively discussing some possible future diplomatic issues.

But soon, she would intentionally or unintentionally steer the conversation off course.

"Qingwu-jun, look at that peach grove outside the window. It's blooming beautifully. Come to think of it, there aren't many peach groves this large in the Land of Water. Do you like peach blossoms?"

"good."

"Just alright? I thought you'd prefer vibrant plants, since the symbol of Konoha is leaves. And the plum grove over there, with its plum blossoms braving the snow, I think... it's a bit like you. You look calm on the outside, but you have an indomitable spirit inside."

"Water Shadow... You flatter me."

"You call me 'Sir' again? Didn't we agree to call each other by our first names in private?"

"..."

"Qingwu-kun, what do you usually like to do in Konoha besides training and carrying out missions? Do you have any special hobbies?"

“Cultivate while staying in the territory.”

"Territory? By the way, I heard you have a large private territory in the Death Forest? It's said to be home to many strange spirit beasts? I'd really like to go and see it."

"That place... is not open to the public."

Am I considered an 'outsider' as well?

"..."

Similar conversations would take place several times a day in the carriage.

Mei Terumi seemed to enjoy it immensely, always finding various angles to "tease" Seigo.

I admire his manner of being somewhat impatient yet maintaining politeness, and ultimately responding with silence or a brief reply.

She felt that this Qingwu was much more vivid and interesting than the calm, powerful, and capricious "Natural Disaster" on the battlefield.

Qingwu felt increasingly headache-inducing and...wanted to escape.

He wasn't completely oblivious to Mei Terumi's feelings, nor was he entirely without affection for her.

His experience fighting side by side with Mei Terumi in Kirigakure and overcoming difficulties together, as well as the charm, courage, and occasional tenderness she displayed, all left him with a very good impression of this woman.

But right now, he has too many things to consider and plan.

The upgrade of the Tree of Life is imminent, as it could bring about a significant increase in strength and change. He must return to his territory as soon as possible to handle it.

Moreover, he was neither used to nor liked the feeling of being "teased" and "tested".

Especially when surrounded by the natural energy of Princess Tianxin, which seemed to "see through" everything and constantly emanated a faint, teasing aura.

More importantly, he always remembered his identity and his current situation.

He was a Konoha ninja, and the person in charge who came to welcome the Mizukage on behalf of Konoha.

Overly intimate personal interactions with the Mizukage of Kirigakure could bring unnecessary trouble and misunderstandings to Konoha, Kirigakure, and himself.

What he needs is a simple, uncomplicated relationship, not to get caught up in this ambiguous tug-of-war.

So he began to consciously reduce the time he spent in the carriage.

He frequently left the carriage under various pretexts, such as "needing to patrol the perimeter," "discussing the route with his subordinates," and "observing the terrain along the way."

He preferred to stay with the Shadow Guard rather than face the "tempting" Mei Terumi in the carriage.

Mei Terumi initially didn't take it seriously, thinking he was just shy or dedicated to his mission.

But as the number of times increased and time went on, she gradually noticed Qingwu's subtle "avoidance".

That evening, the convoy set up camp in a sheltered mountain hollow.

After dinner, Mei Terumi sent someone to invite Seigo again, saying it was to "discuss how to deal with possible receptions along the way after entering the heart of the Land of Fire tomorrow."

Left with no other choice, Qingwu had to get back into the carriage.

This time, Mei Terumi didn't beat around the bush, saying, "Seigo-kun."

She poured Qingwu a cup of hot tea herself, her emerald eyes looking directly at him with a hint of reproach:

"Have I done something to annoy you? Why have you been avoiding me lately? I have to beg you three times to even have a meal together."

Qingwu took the teacup and placed it on the small table beside him. "You're overthinking it. It's just my duty, and I dare not slack off."

"It's that same old excuse again." Mei Terumi sighed softly. "You know, Qingwu, sometimes I feel like you're even more difficult to deal with than those old fogies from Kirigakure."

"..." Qingwu remained silent.

“You weren’t like this before,” Mei Terumi said, sounding aggrieved. “Just because I became the Mizukage, can’t we be like we used to be?”

“Our positions are indeed different,” Qingwu said calmly, “but that’s not the key point. Right now, I just want to finish the mission as soon as possible so I can do my own thing.”

Mei Terumi was incredibly intelligent; she understood everything perfectly well. Qingwu's gaze towards her didn't show disgust; if one had to find an accurate description... it would probably be impatience.

"So it wasn't targeting me after all?"

Mei Terumi patted her chest and said playfully, "That makes me feel much better."

Qingwu said helplessly, "Now that we've laid our cards on the table, I'll also speak from the heart. This time, to ensure your smooth visit to Konoha and to promote friendship between the two villages..."

I think it's best if we maintain a proper distance. After all, there are too many people watching from the outside, and I don't want to waste my breath arguing with the Konoha higher-ups just to get involved. That's all.

"I understand." Mei Terumi picked up her slightly cooled teacup and took a small sip.

When she looked up again, the serene smile that belonged to Shuiying had returned to her face:

"I really appreciate your openness and honesty, Qingwu. You are also very thoughtful and considerate of the big picture. I... lost my composure."

"Good to know." Qingwu nodded slightly, feeling relieved.

Now that we've talked things out, things will be more natural between us in the future. Hmm, I hope so...

However, as night deepened and all was quiet, the camp was utterly silent except for the faint footsteps of the night watchmen and the crackling of the campfire.