Well, I'm very ambitious. It's enough for you to acknowledge that kind of heart." Gojo grinned, casually throwing an arm around Terumi Mei's shoulder.
"You bastard, don't touch me! Let me go!" Terumi Mei's emerald eyes blazed with fury as she squirmed, her fists hammering against him. Despite her punches and kicks, she couldn't escape his iron grip.
"The best way to deal with unruly behavior is discipline," Gojo quipped, his smirk widening. "Normally, I'd use a whip, but alas," he spread his hands theatrically, "no whip. Guess I'll have to improvise."
With a sudden motion, his hand came down with a sharp smack. The sound echoed, and Terumi Mei's dignified composure shattered. Her cheeks flushed red—from anger or embarrassment, it wasn't clear—and her teal hair swung wildly as she twisted to glare at him.
"You… How dare you! I'm the Mizukage! Do you even know what that means?!" she snarled, her voice shaking with indignation.
"Oh, I know," Gojo replied, his blindfold hiding the mischievous glint in his eyes. "But I've never been one to be impressed by titles. Now, say it—'Gojo is the most handsome man alive, and I'm head over heels for him.' Then, maybe I'll think about letting you go."
"Not in a million years!" Terumi Mei's voice trembled, her pride and rage fighting for dominance.
Another sharp smack cut through the air.
Outside the misty battlefield, the Kiri Anbu exchanged uneasy glances.
"What… exactly is happening in there?" one muttered.
"Judging by the… uh… noises, it's a pretty intense battle."
"Should we intervene?"
"We have orders to stay put," another Anbu reminded them, though his tone suggested he regretted that very order.
Inside, Terumi Mei was on the verge of snapping. This can't be happening. Her position as Mizukage, her reputation—all of it was slipping away with each humiliating moment. She bit her lip and glared daggers at Gojo.
"Still not cooperating?" Gojo teased, leaning closer. His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, the mist won't last forever. What's the plan? Let the Anbu see you getting spanked like some misbehaving academy student?"
Her heart sank. As much as she hated to admit it, the lunatic had a point. If the mist cleared and her Anbu saw this, she'd never live it down.
"Fine," she hissed through gritted teeth. "Gojo is the most handsome man alive, and I like him."
"Oh no, no, no," Gojo said, wagging a finger. "That lacked… enthusiasm. You're the Mizukage! Surely you can do better."
"You… insufferable…" She squeezed her eyes shut, summoning every ounce of dignity she had left. Finally, in a voice that could barely qualify as happy, she forced out, "Gojo is the most handsome man alive, and I… I like him."
Gojo's grin widened. "See? That wasn't so hard! You might have a future in motivational speaking."
"Can I go now?" she growled, practically spitting the words.
"Of course. I'm nothing if not a man of my word." He stepped back, giving her a mock bow. "Until next time, Mizukage. Let's make it just as memorable."
And with that, he disappeared, leaving Terumi Mei kneeling on the ground, clutching at her bruised dignity (and posterior).
Outside, the Anbu straightened as the mist dissipated. They looked from Terumi Mei to each other, their expressions carefully neutral.
"Master Mizukage," one of them ventured. "Are you alright? Where is Gojo?"
Terumi Mei's expression hardened. "He escaped. The man's a slippery bastard. Five days from now, at the Five Kage Summit, we'll discuss how to deal with him."
The Anbu nodded, their confusion masked by professionalism. Still, whispers lingered as they left the field.
"Did anyone else hear what I think I heard?"
"Twice, actually."
"You think they were…?"
"No way."
Terumi Mei, meanwhile, returned to her quarters. As soon as she was alone, she slammed her door shut and sank into her chair, muttering curses under her breath.
"Next time I see that idiot… he's dead."