Chapter 42: Mizukage's schemes.

Few weeks passed since their mission to rescue the prince and receiving a huge paycheck. Since then, Konan practiced at least three hours in tessenjutsu and Rei was usually sitting there, cheering her on as he trained in something or thought about seals... or just ogled her body.

Moving on! This was not a day like that. Today, Konan was alone as Rei was returning from buying more chakra ink for his fuinjutsu. The kind that was high-quality. He could have created his own but... why bother when there was a store for it?

He was walking around the corner when suddenly a six-years-old looking boy tightly clutching a loaf of bread ran straight into him. Rei could have evaded, of course, but that would send the boy rolling in the ground somewhat painfully. This way, the boy only flopped on his ass.

Rei noted the loaf of bread on the ground and sighed. He was about to speak to the still dazed boy when an old man with a ponytail suddenly shrieked.

"There you are, you thief!" The man came towards the boy and gripped him by his short red hair as he gave him a good lashing, not listening about the boy's wailing.

The old man then threw the boy into the mud, flipping his ponytail in disgust. Rei could see the boy reaching towards the bread covered in mud as his eyes hopelessly and intently watched it in hunger. The old man snorted and took the bread before the boy could reach it.

"That's not yours. Be glad that I won't report you for stealing!" He harrumphed and walked away with a huff.

Rei watched, somewhat bewildered.

Since when did Kirigakure gain its own 'Naruto'? ... He thought as he saw the contempt in the eyes of the people passing around.

As Rei pondered about it, the boy sat up, sobbing. Rei could hear the loud grumble from his stomach and realized it must have been days since the boy had a meal. With a sigh, he took the boy by the collar of his torn tattered clothes and put him on his feet.

"Well... I bumped into you, making you get caught. Ah..." Rei waved his hand from side to side, trying to dissuade the fearful look the boy gave him when he saw the hitai-ate. "I can at least buy you lunch for that." Rei eye-smiled. "Come on..."

He left, dragging the bewildered kid by his arm.

...

Rei watched as the kid gorged himself on the food. He awkwardly scratched his cheek.

Don't they feed him or something? ... He wondered.

"Hey, kid, you orphan, right?" Rei asked as he watched him lick the plate.

The boy ashamedly looked down and nodded.

"Don't they feed you there?"

The boy looked like a deer in the headlights and closed his eyes in fear, quivering in his seat but didn't answer.

"Ah, whatever. Eat your fill." Rei just shrugged. Konan was training so he had nothing better to do. A little charity wouldn't hurt, now, would it?

Rei just sat there, watching the boy until he finally stopped eating.

"Tha-thank you." A very soft voice entered Rei's ears. He smirked and ruffled the hair of the boy.

"Haha, so you can speak, after all!" He nodded and then looked seriously all over the boy.

Bruised. Malnourished. Sunken cheeks. Dull auburn hair. Pale as a ghost. Tattered dirty clothes...

"Here." He gave the boy a paper with his address. "If you find yourself hungry again, come by."

Rei decided he would help the kid. It was not like anyone would be able to steal from his apartment since his security contained many of his seals and he was loaded. Paying for food for the kid wasn't really all that difficult for him. Biri-Biri company earned him millions of Ryo per month since it had its branches all over the elemental nations by now. Every capital city had a branch.

And who knows... maybe I would get a follower outta it? Hah... He almost choked on laughter at that ridiculous thought. As if he ever allowed a dude to follow him!

...

The Mizukage office:

Mizukage sat behind his table with his hands clasped in front of his face.

Opposite him was a woman sitting in common clothes. The only tell she was a shinobi was how she held her body.

"Jonin Rukimi. This is the first time we are speaking with each other since I assigned you 'that' mission." The Mizukage amiably started.

"Yes, Mizukage-sama. Three years to be exact." Aika Rukimi leaned into a slight bow.

"I must say... it was almost back-breaking to persuade other clans to stop trying to tan my hide because of it." He chuckled, making the woman smile wryly. "Report." He lightly said, taking his tea into his hand.

"Yes. Four years ago, when you took two-years-old Mei Terumi and threw her into the orphanage, she had a happy childhood. As per your orders, that changed when I was assigned to act as the matron of the orphanage." The woman stoically droned out. "I subtly estranged her from other kids, and she swiftly became the target of bullying."

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"Hm." The Mizukage hummed. "Her mental state?"

"She is... doing well. There are no signs of a mental breakdown... yet." The woman unsurely answered. She knew she was picked because of her past in the Seduction Corps. She was ruthless enough to slit the throat of a child and good psychiatrist so she could keep any and all mental trauma non issue for later. Well, as much as it could be made into a nonissue. She was sure the treatment the girl is going through will mold her and stay with her for the rest of her life. She just won't be mentally impaired due to Aika's 'care'. "But she is, no, WILL break if we continue this route."

The Mizukage heard his jonin conclude.

"I see. Hmm. The problem is the rumors, after 'that' incident... how is the girl herself taking it?"

Aika groaned, yes... that. Neither of them planned for that to happen but it certainly did help the plan. Aika decided to not do anything with it and let it run its course.

"Ah, she is more withdrawn. Never talks to anyone. This made the bullying intensify. The kids even go as far as stealing her food, making her sleep on the floor, and beating her. Seriously... this batch would do fine shinobi, at least morally." Aika snorted sarcastically and rolled her eyes. As if any of these twerps had enough guts to be shinobi. They could only gang up on a weak malnourished girl.

"Hmmm, a loner, then. Well... no wonder. Just as we wanted." The Mizukage took a file from his table. "After the first day of the academy, Mei Terumi's chakra was unlocked. She kissed the cheek of her best and only friend in the entire orphanage and her bloodline acted out due to the inability to control her chakra. Mei Terumi watched as her best friend slowly died in agony while her face was being slowly melted by Mei's Kekkei Genkai... you wrote."

"Yes. It was a brutal and painful death lasting minutes. Mei watched every second of it and blamed herself."

"Well, normally she would be trained since three to prevent this happening." Mizukage shrugged. "But making her even more isolated helped us. Especially since the girl already had her first kill."

Aika nodded and opened her mouth when the door flew open and inside casually strode an old man with a ponytail, holding a muddy loaf of bread.

"Ah... Sandaime-dono, you really can pick a distasteful mission for retired ol' me, haha!" The old man laughed.

"Well, it had to be someone undetectable, Kouhei-sama. Since your chakra coils were destroyed..." Mizukage smiled and slightly inclined his head in respect.

"I am nothing but a civilian in the senses of the ninja." The old man waved his hand jovially. "Geez, what did you do to that orphan. It was as if you starved the kid."

"We did." The Mizukage told the elderly man who raised an eye-brow with a frown. The Mizukage nodded at the woman to introduce herself.

"I am Aika Rukimi." The woman stood up and gave the elderly man a small bow. "It's an honor to be in the presence of the brother of the first Mizukage, Kouhei-sama."

"Sure, sure. Just get on with it." Kouhei grumbled in annoyance.

"Well... reporting. I beat that bony little girl somewhat fiercely but damn did it hurt my knuckles." The old man grumbled. "I am sure I cracked a few ribs too but the girl has a high pain tolerance, I must say."

The Mizukage winced slightly while Aika was completely impassive. It was not like he wanted Mei to suffer but his plan would be marginally harder without her being a loner and abused.

"But..." Kouhei stopped momentarily. "The civilians are talking. They are starting to get afraid of her due to rumors and from what I gathered, she is being beaten by some of them. When the clans find out..."

"Thankfully the Yuki and Hozuki clans agreed with this plan and persuaded the leaders of other important clans. I wouldn't try to 'threaten' a clan with their own fortune if I didn't have the support of other clans." The Mizukage interrupted, shrugging. "We need Rei and Konan bound to Kiri since they are two of our five S-rank ninjas. The clans at least understand that much."

Kouhei nodded. He didn't like the endgame and certainly, the betrothal contract was stretching the authority of the Mizukage thin and dangerous. But it had merit. The girl will be an anchor around the leg of Rei and with Rei, Konan will follow. They will stay in Kiri. All this mission had to accomplish was to make them feel at least some fondness for the girl.

"My brother would be proud of you, kid." Kouhei told him with a grim expression. "This is positively evil. To think you would give her the Terumi estates only if she gave birth to two of his children. You pulled all stops." He shook his head.

"Yeah. Sadly, the plan is not completely foolproof as I can't really hold back the bank accounts from Mei as the bank won't give a shit about me being the Mizukage. But she will be told of those only upon her eighteen birthday." Mizukage smiled.

"Or if she gets pregnant." Kouhei nodded. "It is kinda disgusting to have this talk about a six-year-old girl." He chuckled and got a shrug in response. They were shinobi. They did worse. "The problem is... yet again the civilians. She is a girl. I wouldn't want this plan to crumble due to her being raped by some sick drunkard."

Kouhei had a valid point, the Mizukage agreed. That may help with her being more subdued... or completely break her. But it might crack any and all future interaction with Rei. The Mizukage was trying to make her depend on him. Not make her afraid to be in the same room as him or despise all males.

"Yes. I will probably make Ringo Ameyuri 'suggest' him taking the girl in, giving her an empty bedroom. Or I will straight out order it for the 'safety' of the last Terumi." The Mizukage shrugged. "It will maximize the interaction between them."

"And then, when she is older and Rei likes or even loves her... you will spring up the betrothal on them." Kouhei smiled.

"Not if they decide to have an intimate relationship with each other without finding out." The Mizukage dismissively waved his hand around. He hoped to not use it and let it be buried somewhere in the archive. If the girl started to have sex with Rei without his intervention it would be smashing!

"A precaution, then." Kouhei nodded. Both knew what they did was for the good of their village. Someone capable of having and wielding three chakra natures at the age of eleven, being S-rank at thirteen due to 'destructibility' of his Jutsu of all things...

There were various categories of S-rank ninja. But getting that rank for wide-scale destructive Jutsu was a serious feat. Only Onoki with his Kekkei Tota and the third Kazekage with his Kekkei Genkai were the most famous examples currently and both had the power to destroy vast areas easily.

Both Mizukage and Kouhei wanted to see what kind of monster Mei Terumi would bring on this world if her two Kekkei Genkai mixed with Rei's three natures and natural genius.

While the two influential men talked, Aika quietly listened. It was her job to make this work and she was ordered to make sure that Mei Terumi will love the village despite the hatred. It was a tiring job but she did well, making the girl miserable in the shadows while in the light she was her sole supporting pillar, always repeating 'if you become a respectable Kiri-nin, you will be loved'. She had to make sure the girl would want to serve Kiri with half of her soul and that she would latch on Rei with the other half, keeping him in place. It was a delicate job... sometimes, even she wondered why she accepted it.

Unknown to the trio, under the furniture, a few inconspicuous papers with listening seals 'overheard' the entire conversation.

In Rei's and Konan's apartment, in their spare bedroom, a paper clone of Konan suddenly punched the floor from sheer rage, cracking it as the killing intent spread through the street. It took at least five minutes until the clone finally calmed down and went to report to Rei and the real Konan.

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