Yes, the Hokage

He reached in and pulled out a crystal ball, but the entire crystal ball was now filled with a dark purple, viscous substance and was no longer translucent.

"What is this?!" The four scientists' eyes widened immediately, revealing expressions of interest.

“The chakra of Zero-Tails,” Feng Lan said calmly. “You know about the attack on Konoha by the Sky Ninja. I collected this chakra from Obito’s Wood Dragon. I’ll give you a portion first and see if you can figure out what effects it can have.”

After all, the underground fortress of the Sky Ninja Village can use the Zero-Tails' chakra to launch terrifying attacks at high altitudes, comparable to tailed beast cannons. Your Takumi Ninja Village can't afford to lose to them. Roll up your sleeves, stay alert, and don't embarrass yourselves!

The four men's eyes lit up immediately: "Lord Fenglan, are there more?"

“Of course we have some, but I can only give you one copy for now, because the village’s research team is also working on it.” Feng Lan smiled. “Once you actually produce some results, you can apply for more.”

In reality, he didn't have any more; he only had this little bit. He said this entirely to arouse the other party's greed. After all, this small amount of Zero-Tails Chakra was definitely not enough to revive Seimei. If he wanted more, he had to make reasonable use of it and offer something that could move Fenglan.

It's still the classic case of hanging carrots on sticks, and the four celestial beings have once again become cattle and horses being fodder for empty promises.

"Yes, we'll get started right away!"

Seeing the four simple-minded guys rushing to action without even bothering to greet Minato, Feng Lan shrugged. Researchers... are really easy to handle. "Well, good luck to you guys. I'll take Orochimaru with me for now, but don't worry, I'll bring you a new cow... cough, come on over in a while."

……

After taking Shisui and Orochimaru with them, the group did not linger and headed straight for the island where the Land of Water was located. When they arrived at the coastline, they found that Pakura and Obito had already prepared a boat and were waiting there.

"Lord Fenglan!"

Upon seeing Fenglan, Pakula even ignored Minato, joyfully taking a few steps forward before realizing his mistake and stepping back to bow: "Fourth Hokage."

"It's alright, it's alright." Minato was naturally not the type to care about such things. "You've all been waiting for a while, let's get on the ship first."

Once aboard the ship, Fenglan casually instructed, "Obito, you and Minato go to the front cabin, Pakura, come with me to the rear cabin."

What was supposed to be a perfectly natural statement turned into a gossipy grin on Minato's face as he winked at him, clearly still thinking about his marriage proposal.

Feng Lan rolled her eyes at him, then led Pakula into the cabin and closed the door behind her.

Minato led his men into the front cabin, and as soon as they sat down, he couldn't wait to ask, "What's been happening in Kirigakure lately?"

"Uh..." Obito said awkwardly, "It's a little embarrassing to say, but that woman was terrifying. She basically did all my work."

As he spoke, he recounted Pakula's command during the war, including his use of leverage and his combination of kindness and severity.

“She did a pretty good job, but that’s not what I want to know.” Minato scratched his head anxiously. “During this process, did she show any unusual feelings for Fenglan?”

"Well..." Obito scratched his head, "It's hard to say. This woman has always been decisive and efficient in directing matters big and small. The only emotion she's shown might be when she's writing a report to Lord Fenglan, where she seems a little excited?"

"Is that so?"

Minato was somewhat disappointed, feeling that the respect from his subordinates outweighed any romantic feelings. However, when he imagined what it would be like if Fenglan and Pakura were together, he couldn't help but shudder and muttered to himself, "Isn't this just Fenglan marrying Fenglan? It's better if it's not her, otherwise it would be too scary. I'm afraid we'd have to calculate how many times to chew each bite before swallowing."

"Um... what's going on?" Poor Shisui had been confined to Takumi Village for a long time, and during his journey, he only learned about the Five Kage Summit and the Nine-Tails Night from Minato and Furan. He was still unaware of Furan's private affairs.

He wouldn't normally be so rude, but Shisui, who had been Minato's bodyguard for a long time, knew that Minato wasn't a Hokage who cared much about hierarchy, and since it involved Fenglan's affairs, he couldn't help but speak up.

“Oh right, you guys don’t know yet.” Minato chuckled. “Fenglan told me that he’s planning to propose to a lady in Kirigakure.”

"Huh?!"

Shisui and Obito were both shocked, but their reactions were quite different. Shisui was simply too surprised to say anything, because he had never imagined that Fenglan would get married.

Obito, on the other hand, directly remarked, "How unlucky must the person he proposed to be?"

“That’s not how it works,” Minato said seriously. “Actually, Fenglan was also arranged to go on a blind date by Kushina in the village, and the person she was going to meet was Momo Uchiha from your Uchiha clan.”

“Uchiha… Momo.”

Obito and Shisui's expressions simultaneously became subtle, it seemed they both knew Momo's true colors: "How come she seems surprisingly well-matched with Lady Fenglan?"

One is a psychopath who's twisted and scheming, and the other is a psychopath who's twisted in character. If these two were to team up, they could debut on the spot.

Chapter 170 Conversation in the Rear Cabin

Meanwhile, in the rear cabin, after listening to Pakula's detailed report, Feng Lan clapped her hands lightly: "Not bad, your growth rate is simply beyond my imagination. To be honest, even if I were to personally command, I wouldn't dare say I could do better."

"You flatter me, Lord Fenglan. I was just trying my best to think from your perspective." Pakula lowered his head, looking very humble, but he couldn't suppress the urge to smile.

"So, how does it feel to be a chess player?" Feng Lan didn't offer any further comment, but instead asked.

"Feeling?" Pakula was slightly taken aback.

“That’s right. Becoming a chess player certainly gives you control over everything, but it’s not something everyone likes,” Feng Lan said calmly. “You have to pay the price of doing everything yourself, and… many pieces will face the risk of being exchanged or sacrificed. Sacrificing them is itself a test for a chess player.”

"People like me who have no morals will naturally not be affected, but others may be. In short, this operation is just to give you a feel for what it's like to be a chess player, not to force you to do anything."

"Just like I promised before, if you can't find your direction in life, you can stay by my side and look for it slowly. Chess is just one of many directions."

Pakula carefully considered every word Feng Lan said, and after thinking for a while, he slowly spoke: "Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to choose, Lady Feng Lan, but..."

She suddenly smiled, not a forced smile, but a genuine joy: "I really enjoy being a chess player."

Pakura, who was once used as a pawn, found it so wonderful and captivating after taking control of his own and others' destinies. Being hands-on allowed him no time to dwell on past pain, and the moral pressure of sacrificing pawns was insignificant—this was the world of ninjas, where people were constantly being sacrificed and used as pawns. He could emulate Lord Fenglan and do his best to protect every pawn, which was enough to make him feel at peace.

After all, it's war. Can you really expect to win without suffering any losses? That's not how you cheat.

"You like this feeling?" Feng Lan's lips curled up slightly. "That's wonderful, then..."

He held out his palm: "Would you like to walk this path with me?"

“Yes!” Pakula grasped his hand without hesitation. “I am very happy to be your help!”

"Hmm..." Minato, who was eavesdropping on this side using his sensory abilities, couldn't help but scratch his head. "It sounds a bit like it, but not quite. Damn it, is it or isn't it?"

Feng Lan secretly rolled his eyes. He also had the ability to sense things. Without any deliberate concealment or blockade, Shui Men could openly eavesdrop on him, and of course he could also hear Shui Men's mutterings.

His conversation with Pakula was not as simple as it seemed on the surface. Based on his understanding and judgment of Pakula, the other party's reasons for liking to be a chess player were different from his own. On the one hand, it was a positive pursuit of a sense of control, and on the other hand, it was a defense mechanism to avoid past traumas by being busy.

Pakula likes her identity as a chess player, not only because it gives her power, but also because it allows her to avoid facing the identity and memories of "the abandoned Pakula." Her growth is real, but the underlying psychological support structure is still fragile—she needs constant affirmation to maintain this liking.

The recipient of this affirmation was naturally himself, which is why he extended his hand and didn't say anything about becoming his subordinate or marrying him, but rather about walking this path together—a directional invitation, not a positional appointment. It allowed Pakula to continue participating as a fellow traveler, rather than obeying as a subordinate.

For a girl who appears strong on the outside but is still broken on the inside, this is the way she feels safest and most comfortable. So her answer is a happiness she has never experienced before. This signifies that her emotional state has shifted from gratitude for being accepted to satisfaction of self-choice. And this inner drive for self-satisfaction is what the chess player lacks the most.

Of course, the big golden retriever didn't understand any of this; he just wanted to know as soon as possible whether Feng Lan was planning to propose.

"Lord Fenglan, what do you need me to do next?" Pakula's question pulled Fenglan back to reality from his complaints about Minato.

"No more for now. Even ninjas need to know when to rest and when to relax." Feng Lan smiled. "You led a medium-sized war this time, which took a lot of effort. You should rest well now."

"After things are settled in Kirigakure, come back to Konoha with me. Winter is already here, and the Reincarnation Festival is about to begin..."

"Oh, oh, oh! You actually use the Reincarnation Ceremony to ask girls out, you're quite the expert, aren't you, Feng Lan!"

The water gate in the forward cabin was filled with cheers when suddenly Feng Lan's voice rang in his mind: "You eavesdropped, fine, but if you dare to yell again, I'll shove a mouthful of iron sand in your mouth, you bastard!"

Minato immediately covered his mouth and dared not speak again.

Obito and Shisui exchanged a glance, both showing expressions of wanting to laugh but not daring to, clearly knowing what had happened. It just goes to show how much fun sensory ninjas have.

Of course, Pakula was completely unaware of all this, only murmuring with emotion, "The Reincarnation Festival..."

The Reincarnation Festival is the grandest festival in the Naruto world. Although there is also a New Year here, the Reincarnation Festival is the most important in terms of both grandeur and symbolism. Just like how there is also a New Year in the Naruto world, but Christmas is the biggest and most lively festival, after all, people in this world can really be reincarnated.

In the past, during the Samsara Festival, Pakula was either busy with security work from morning till night, or he had to appear around the village as a hero of Sunagakure to respond to the enthusiastic villagers. He couldn't even get a proper rest, let alone have fun.

"Anyway, whatever it is, let's wait until after the Reincarnation Festival. You're not even twenty yet, so you should seize the time to enjoy your youth."

“Yes… I will try my best to learn how to have fun.” Pakula responded. This was something she could never experience in Sunagakure, and she didn’t even dare to think about, but now she wanted to understand it and learn it.

"You don't need to learn anything special about this. You'll like it once you get a little understanding of it," Feng Lan smiled. "After all, who doesn't like to slack off?"

He didn't delve deeper into the topic, mainly to avoid getting Minato too excited: "Now that the civil war in Kirigakure is over, what are Kisame and Mei Terumi's reactions?"

“Kisame has become the Fifth Mizukage and is busy every day, so there’s nothing unusual about him.” Pakura frowned. “But Mei Terumi is strange. We haven’t seen her for many days. Ao is gradually taking over various affairs, and right now there are rumors circulating in the resistance that the night we attacked Kirigakure was because of her misjudgment that everyone suffered heavy casualties… Her reputation has plummeted.”

"Hmm." Feng Lan narrowed her eyes slightly. "She probably already has the will to die."

"The will to die?" Pakula was slightly startled. "But shouldn't that be a few years from now?"

When Mei Terumi and Fuuran signed the agreement, she listened attentively the whole time, which is why she didn't consider this worst-case scenario at the time.

"Because you disrupted her strategy, and as a fellow player, your performance was far superior. You've now reached the checkmate stage," Feng Lan said calmly. "And now, all Mei Terumi can do is sacrifice her own pawn to save the king, ensuring Kisame's smooth succession as Mizukage and preserving the last hope."

"Was my performance better..." Pakula murmured, "No, it's only because I borrowed your power, Lord Fenglan, that I was able to..."

"No matter how you did it, you've already reached the point of becoming the general." Feng Lan interrupted her. "Without finding a scapegoat, Kisame's situation after taking office will be precarious. The resistance doesn't trust him, the villagers will be wary because of this stain, the remnants of the Blood Mist Village are eyeing him covetously, and the four great nations outside are even more so..."

"Under these circumstances, let alone development, Kirigakure won't last more than a few years. It will be completely disintegrated due to internal and external troubles and devoured. You should know that they don't even have a Jinchūriki right now, so they can't even drag anyone down with them."

Pakula hesitated for another half minute: "Then, Lord Fenglan, what do you decide to do?"

"Oh?" Feng Lan smiled meaningfully, then threw the question back at me, "What do you want me to do?"

“I…” Pakula hesitated for a moment, then said frankly, “I feel that someone like her shouldn’t die like this. Even if she’s different from me, who was abandoned, and sacrificed herself willingly, it’s still too cruel and too tragic. I know that’s how the ninja world is, and besides…”

She paused, not continuing, but Feng Lan finished her sentence for her: "Besides, she was forced into this situation by you. You feel bad about it, don't you?"

“Yes.” Pakula lowered his head. “I was still influenced by her and began to think about my own life, but in the end, I was the one who drove her to a dead end. This is just…”

“This is fate.” But Feng Lan sighed, “Beautiful and cruel, it’s irresistible.”

Upon hearing this, Pakula's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly looked up, wanting to say something more, but Feng Lan continued, "However, I am the most rebellious person. I refuse to accept what fate has arranged for me."

"Although I may use and exploit people, I will not actually destroy them. Of course... guys like Danzo and Orochimaru are exceptions. I intended to kill them from the beginning."

"So even if Mei Terumi wants to die, I won't let her die like that. After all, I'm not some kind of demon."

"No, no, no, those words only make you sound like a demon." Minato held back for a long time, but couldn't help but retort.

"Shut up, you big golden retriever!"

Pakura couldn't hear the internal conversation between the two sensory ninjas, but after Fenglan said that he wouldn't let Mei Terumi die like that, she couldn't help but smile with joy and tightly grasped Fenglan's hands: "Yes, thank you for your trouble, Lady Fenglan!"

Chapter 171 Meeting with Mei Terumi

The ship docked, and Fenglan and his group slowly walked off the deck. At the front was naturally Minato, with Fenglan and Obito on his left and right. Behind Fenglan was Pakura, and behind Obito was Shisui. Orochimaru, wearing the Akatsuki black robe and a straw hat, followed at the back, and naturally no one paid much attention to him.

A welcoming procession was undoubtedly prepared on the shore, led by the Fifth Mizukage Kisame Hoshigaki, flanked by Mei Terumi and Ao, with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist lined up in order. Further away, there were also rebels... no, they were now official ninjas of Kirigakure. In addition to the ninjas, many villagers had also gathered on the shore. They were clearly not an official welcoming team, but rather people who had developed an instinctive curiosity about outsiders after being isolated for too long.

Feng Lan's gaze first fell on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Apart from Kisame himself, Zabuza was also on the list. According to Pakura's information, he was captured by Kisame during a patrol, and then Mei Terumi used both kindness and coercion to finally persuade him to join the resistance.

Yagura was soon forced to retreat to Kirigakure, which was inextricably linked to the rebellion of the last member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

However, the other five people are not characters from the original work at all. They seem to have been temporarily put together to suppress Yagura on the grounds of righteousness, since Kirigakure really doesn't have many people available right now.

"Welcome to Kirigakure, Fourth Hokage." Kisame took off his red cloud black robe and put on a light blue kage robe. Although his appearance was still rugged, he had gained some composure and dignity due to the high expectations placed upon him.

"Thank you for coming to greet me, Fifth Mizukage." Minato smiled and extended his hand. "May the Land of Water and the Land of Fire establish a fair, just, and amicable cooperative relationship."

Hearing this, Kisame scoffed inwardly. Fairness and justice? You should send that Maple Storm back first.

Of course, he couldn't actually say such a thing out loud. He extended his rough, large hand and shook hands with Minato, saying, "Lord Hokage, you've come a long way. Please come with me to the inn in the village to stay."

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Mizukage."

Feng Lan followed behind Minato, discreetly observing the behavior of the surrounding ninjas and civilians. She found that although they were wary, they were not very hostile. On the contrary, most of them cast simple and curious glances at her.

[Yes, Mei Terumi really did cover up my deal with her. I'm afraid only the real high-ranking members know what's going on between Akatsuki and Pakura.]

Feng Lan nodded secretly: [This will make it easier for the people to accept the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Land of Fire and for me to reap the benefits later. But once the unequal treaty signed by both sides is announced, the ninjas and villagers will definitely protest and question the Fifth Mizukage's rule. What should we do then? Naturally, we'll need a scapegoat.]

His gaze naturally shifted to Mei Terumi. The girl in blue remained calm and composed, but the unfriendly stares of the ninjas on either side were evident: [Her prestige has already plummeted due to 'miscommand,' making it even more plausible for her to take the blame later. Then, as long as Kisame publicly executes her, she'll still be the righteous and benevolent Mizukage.]

Feng Lan could easily see through Mei Terumi's plans. With Kirigakure in dire need of rebuilding, the Konoha delegation would only stay for three days at most. In other words, according to this woman's plan, she only had three days left to live.

At that moment, Mei Terumi seemed to sense his gaze as well, and tilted her head slightly, so that their eyes met.

She didn't provoke her further, nor did she back down. She simply gazed at Feng Lan quietly for a while before slowly moving backward and disappearing into the crowd.

[Is time so tight that welcoming the Hokage is just a formality? It seems she's truly determined to leave.] Feng Lan's lips curled up slightly, gradually revealing the expression she had when she uttered "surprise, damn it."

Most of the buildings in Kirigakure were reduced to ruins in the fierce battle that night. The place where Minato and the others settled was more like a house that had not yet collapsed than an inn.

"I'm very sorry." Kisame lowered his head slightly. "At the moment, Kirigakure really has nothing better to offer our distinguished guests."

“It’s alright. I also come from a low-ranking ninja background. This kind of house is already quite nice for me.” Minato smiled gently. “Lord Mizukage, there’s no need to worry.”

“Then I will arrange for someone to deliver the food shortly.” Kisame nodded. “It is already late today, so let’s discuss the diplomatic treaty between our two countries tomorrow.”

"Okay." Minato nodded.

“Lord Mizukage,” Feng Lan spoke up at this moment, “I wonder if I may have a few words with Miss Terumi Mei in private?”

【Hmm?】Minato’s pair of intelligent eyes immediately looked over. Although it was not appropriate to speak in front of outsiders, his eyes were full of gossip.

“I’m very sorry,” Qing replied first. “Ms. Terumi Mei is very busy and I’m afraid she won’t have time to visit you for the time being.”