"Teacher Yamamura, for this mission, do we just need to perform well in the Chunin Examination at Konoha?" Terumi Mei asked, gazing at the Konoha village that was no longer in the distance, reconfirming the mission with her mentor.
"Yes, just perform to the best of your abilities." Yamamura Sozuki nodded in response.
Before the invitation from Konoha arrived, the Hidden Mist Village never expected Konoha to suddenly invite them to participate in the Chunin Examination. Due to the Land of Water being an island country, the Hidden Mist Village rarely gets involved in activities with the other Four Great Ninja Villages on the mainland.
However, since the invitation was extended, the Hidden Mist Village was not one to back down. They saw it as a great opportunity, not only to make a name for themselves across the mainland but also to observe the strength of Konoha.
Although the Hidden Mist Village rarely participated in the world wars of the Ninja World, they were not entirely indifferent, having sent out ninjas to gather intelligence, aware that the four great ninja villages were engaged in ongoing battles.
But this had nothing to do with Yamamura Sozuki and his team, as their mission was solely to defeat the Konoha ninja in the Chunin Examination and secure a good ranking.
Yamamura Sozuki was confident about this because his team had a ninja prodigy named Terumi Mei, who at the young age of nine, had already mastered two types of bloodline limits, and her Water Release skills were particularly well-cultivated.
"Speaking of which, isn't that shark-faced guy already a Chunin? Why is he also participating in the Chunin Examination?" Terumi Mei glanced at Hoshigaki Kisame and asked softly.
Hoshigaki Kisame had such a distinctive appearance that Terumi Mei couldn't forget it, remembering that Kisame became a Chunin last year after passing the Chunin Examination within the Hidden Mist Village.
"He was probably demoted after failing a mission. You don't need to worry about this detail. In the exams, regardless of who your opponent is, you must do your best. The better your performance, the better the rewards from the village." Yamamura Sozuki explained casually and then reminded her.
The law of the jungle is the rule in the Hidden Mist Village, and naturally, Yamamura Sozuki hoped his disciples could go further and gain more recognition.
Terumi Mei nodded, refraining from asking further about Hoshigaki Kisame. Growing up in the high-pressure and brutal environment of the Hidden Mist, Terumi Mei knew some things were best left unknown.
However, she secretly kept an eye on this fellow villager participating in the Chunin Exam as a Chunin, thinking of Hoshigaki Kisame as her major rival for the top spot.
As they got closer, Terumi Mei spotted the wooden gates of Konoha.
The Hidden Mist Village had many tall buildings, so this didn't surprise Terumi Mei. Instead, she felt a surge of emotions, fueled by her determination to defeat all the participating Konoha Genin and take a solid step toward her dream.
"If I can win first place here, then I will gain recognition in the village. Even Master Motif and the Third Mizukage will see me in a new light," Terumi Mei thought to herself.
In a Chunin Examination held by two ninja villages of the Five Great Ninja Villages scale, if a nine-year-old Genin like her stands out in the end, she would undoubtedly be considered a genius among geniuses.
Although it's just an exam, Terumi Mei believed it was a significant step towards becoming the Mizukage.
Terumi Mei loved the Hidden Mist Village because it was her hometown. She adored the early morning scenes of the Hidden Mist Village, shrouded in white mist, making everything look beautiful. Yet, she also hated the oppressive atmosphere, that suffocating the villagers, forcing even students into desperate strife.
Terumi Mei didn't want to hate her hometown, and to ensure that in the future, she would only love the Hidden Mist Village, she aspired to become the Mizukage, aiming to change the Third Mizukage's oppressive policies, making the village harmonious.
Upon seeing the Konoha ninja seemingly there to welcome them, Terumi Mei meticulously observed each one, trying to identify the enemies she might face in the Chunin Examination.
When Terumi Mei saw Mokgetsu, he happened to be using his Identification Jutsu on her, and their gazes matched.
Despite facing an adult ninja much older than herself, Terumi Mei was undaunted and locked eyes with Mokgetsu, trying to widen her eyes to enhance her presence.
However, Mokgetsu was uninterested in a staring contest with Terumi Mei. With a slight smile, he moved on to identify the next person.
It was late June, bidding farewell to spring and stepping into the hot summer.
In the heat of the summer sun, Mokgetsu's dazzling golden hair stood out even more, matching the constant warm smile on his face.
"What's with this guy, smiling so warmly?" Having thought she had won the staring contest and feeling a bit smug, Terumi Mei couldn't help but mutter when she saw Mokgetsu's smile.
Indeed, she felt Mokgetsu's smile reach out to her warmth.
Rarely seeing others smile, Terumi Mei reflected on the early school days where everyone played and laughed together, a rarity these days, as after a year, since potentially everyone else was an enemy, how could they play and laugh together like that anymore, with only sinister and mocking laughs remaining?
The high-level talks didn't take too long, with some polite exchanges, the Hidden Mist team followed the welcoming Konoha team and ventured into Konoha, heading towards the main district's inn.
Terumi Mei didn't know much about Konoha, only that it was a ninja village on par with the Hidden Mist, with its leader called the Hokage.
This was her first visit to the Land of Fire, having left the Land of Water for missions before, but those led her not to mainland countries, but to the surrounding islands.