"Grandma! Don't leave me!"
Mei Terumi cried out, jolting awake from her dream, tears lingering in the corners of her eyes.
But as the harsh reality set in again, the little girl's lips quivered, and she finally dropped her arms in silence.
It turned out that everything in the dream had been an illusion!
Grandma was gone forever. Everyone she cared for was gone, leaving her alone.
"Awake?"
Uchiha Sogetsu noticed her awakening and asked, "How are you feeling? Better?"
Mei Terumi remained silent, appearing withdrawn, and didn't reply.
Her once lively and cute eyes now seemed dull and lifeless, devoid of hope, staring blankly into space.
This couldn't continue.
Uchiha Sogetsu frowned inwardly, activating his spirit vision to delve into the girl's psyche.
Gray, silent, and desperate—like a stagnant, lifeless sea—her mind and spirit, once pure, seemed to have faded in this moment.
If left unchecked, she would likely continue to spiral downward. Uchiha Sogetsu sighed softly, furrowing his slightly wrinkled brow.
Though he could have chosen to stay out of others' affairs, this situation was partly his doing. Besides, Terumi Mei had done him a favor, so he felt obligated to help her.
"Will you remain silent, or will you rise up and seek vengeance for your lost loved ones?"
Uchiha Sogetsu subtly injected a hint of psychological suggestion into his words, prompting a faint reaction from Terumi Mei. A glimmer seemed to flicker in her eyes.
"I can offer you two choices." He paused briefly, and as Terumi Mei raised her head with a look of confusion, he continued, "The first option is to send you to a safe place, where I'll help you forget your hatred entirely. You can live there peacefully, free from the painful memories."
Forget hatred?
Terumi Mei's eyes betrayed deep confusion. She lowered her gaze to her clenched fists and murmured, "But can hatred truly be forgotten?"
At that moment, visions of her grandmother's agonizing death flashed through Terumi Mei's mind.
"No!
Why?!"
She couldn't forget the hatred burning within her heart—it demanded bloodshed.
"I won't forget! I won't!"
Terumi Mei's eyes blazed with fury, consumed by the flames of vengeance. She clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and declared, "I will have my revenge! I will avenge my grandmother!"
"But this path will be fraught with challenges."
Uchiha Sogetsu adjusted his glasses, gazing at the girl's fiery determination. "Are you truly prepared? To tread this blood-soaked path of the ninja."
Terumi Mei stood tall, meeting his gaze squarely, devoid of hesitation or fear.
Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words; resolute silence more profound than a thousand promises.
"I understand your resolve."
Uchiha Sogetsu nodded slightly. "In that case, accompany me, Terumi Mei."
Unexpectedly, Terumi Mei shook her head, biting her lip, resolutely declining. "No, elder ninja brother. I choose to remain in the Hidden Mist Village!"
"Huh?" This surprised Uchiha Sogetsu. He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You wish to stay in the Hidden Mist Village? What's your reason?"
"I want to change this nation!" Terumi Mei's decision was firm. Her eyes gleamed with determination as she spoke each word clearly. "There are many suffering people here, like us. I want to change that. I refuse... I refuse to let anyone else suffer the same tragedy as me!"
She spoke with conviction that could move mountains.
Who would have imagined such lofty aspirations from a young girl?
"How do you plan to achieve this?"
Uchiha Sogetsu was slightly surprised, but considering that Terumi Mei was the future Mizukage, it made sense.
"I don't know," she replied.
Despite her bold statement moments ago, she was unsure when asked about the specifics.
"Then find your own way," Uchiha Sogetsu said calmly.
He extended a finger and gently touched her forehead. "Since you've chosen to stay, I respect your decision."
Feeling a cool sensation on her forehead, Terumi Mei touched it and looked at him in confusion. "Big brother ninja, what is this?"
"A gift," Uchiha Sogetsu replied.
He ruffled her hair with a gentle smile. "This gift will help you integrate better into the Hidden Mist Village. I look forward to seeing your progress, Terumi Mei."
She sensed a hint of farewell in his words and felt a sudden unease. "Big brother ninja, are you leaving?"
"Time's almost up, Terumi Mei," Uchiha Sogetsu nodded sadly. "The one standing here is just a shadow clone, running out of chakra and about to disappear. Since you've chosen to stay, this is all I can do. The rest of the journey, you'll have to walk alone."
Disappointed, Terumi Mei lowered her head and tightly gripped her clothes. "Can I see you again?"
"Of course," Uchiha Sogetsu reassured her.
He chuckled softly. "Though our paths may differ, our destination remains the same."
"Then let's pinky promise!" Suddenly, Terumi Mei lifted her head, eyes reddened with tears she tried to hold back, and pouted her lips, extending her pinky. "Next time we meet, I'll become an exceptional ninja and change the policies of the Hidden Mist Village, ensuring everyone lives in equality and safety!"
Her clear, determined gaze brought a smile to Uchiha Sogetsu's face. He reached out and hooked his pinky around hers. "Alright, let's promise that when we meet again, Terumi Mei will have become an exceptional ninja."
"Pinky promise, don't change it for a hundred years!"
"Hmm?"
Uchiha Sogetsu suddenly stopped as he walked, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips.
"Lord Sogetsu, what's the matter?" White Zetsu saw him stop and popped his head out of the ground, asking in confusion.
"It's nothing."
Uchiha Sogetsu shook his head, glanced into the distance, and murmured, "I just thought of something amusing."
White Zetsu scratched his head, signaling his inability to comprehend Sogetsu's thoughts.
But he didn't mind. During this time, he had gleaned some understanding of Uchiha Sogetsu's personality.
"Lord Sogetsu, according to the information from Yakushi Nono, the Three-Tails is sealed beneath the lake ahead." White Zetsu pointed to a large lake visible not far away, grinning. "But, Lord Sogetsu, do we really have to do this? Isn't it a bit too audacious?"
Standing still, Uchiha Sogetsu narrowed his eyes, gazing at the lake frozen by the blizzard, and said calmly, "Isn't this exactly what the Hokage desires?"
White Zetsu wisely kept silent, inwardly offering a brief half-second prayer for the Third Hokage, hoping the old man wouldn't keel over from anger upon hearing the news.
"Let's go, White Zetsu."
Uchiha Sogetsu strode toward the frozen lake, the tomoe in his eyes swirling, forming into a four-pointed windmill. "Let's go and shake things up!"
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer