Chapter 210: Strike at the First Sign

Mist Hidden Village.

Terumi Mei looked at the extremely aged Master Yuan and said, "My lord, please recall the ninja you previously dispatched."

"This is far too likely to provoke those families."

Unfortunately, the mature woman's words carried little weight, as she was not yet the Water Shadow.

Facing Terumi Mei's plea, Master Yuan replied coldly, "Could Shin's Byakugan merely be a coincidence, encountering the Akatsuki? But the Six-Tails jinchūriki—surely that was no accident?"

"Hmph, jinchūriki are the foundation of our village's survival. Without jinchūriki, what distinguishes us from those small ninja villages?"

The old man did not say this aloud: some small ninja villages already possess tailed beasts, yet Kirigakure now has none at all.

The Three-Tails, that giant turtle, hides deep beneath the water, making capture impossible.

The Six-Tails jinchūriki fled the village due to the Fourth Water Shadow's actions.

Compared to that, Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, is even inferior to some small villages.

Only because of its uniquely advantageous geography have the other four great nations refrained from attacking thus far.

But under these current circumstances—

Master Yuan believed one or more of those families were already stirring.

Hearing the old man's words, Terumi Mei fell silent, yet she still felt this was not the best course.

"Let them keep investigating. Even if they cannot find the Six-Tails jinchūriki, they must uncover which family struck."

"Yes."

Terumi Mei agreed, then turned and left the Water Shadow's office.

Yet as she departed, she gave a barely perceptible glance at Master Yuan.

Undeniably, since the Fourth Water Shadow's death, he had contributed to stabilizing the village—but now he was far too old.

Too old to see clearly in matters of great importance.