Mei Terumi, now sporting gold-rimmed glasses, donned a knee-length teacher's uniform meticulously measured and designed by Gojo Kaigetsu.
It just goes to show, tailoring is a profession no successful man can ignore. The uniform fit surprisingly well.
Indeed, Konoha's productivity hadn't yet reached the point where one could simply "lie down and let things happen"-something any kunoichi could manage-and still avoid work.
Of course, Mei's initiative also played a part. Her empty life in Konoha needed filling.
Physical emptiness was easily addressed, thanks to certain scholarly arrangements. However, filling the void in her soul was a different matter.
To this end, she needed a job to occupy her restless mind. New bonds in a new village.
Thus, Mei volunteered to become a teacher at the Konoha Ninja Academy. On the one hand, she aimed to personally nourish Konoha's younger generation, bolstering their military strength and elevating Gojo Kaigetsu's influence in the shinobi world.
This would pave the way for sweet revenge against Kirigakure, the village that had wounded her so deeply.
On the other hand, she was weary of the endless power plays of the ninja world. The stronger a ninja, the more likely they were to become someone else's pawn.
Quietly tending her wounds in the shadow of a powerful man, manipulating influence from behind the scenes, was enough. For example… bearing the legitimate firstborn son of the Gojo clan, before the hostile Gojo Ai could.
Possessing two Kekkei Genkai slowed her progression compared to other ninjas.
Yet, Mei unmatched among her peers and capable of challenging those above her. Assigning someone of her caliber to a mere teaching position seemed like a waste.
Her colleagues were just Chunin, brimming with the Will of Fire. Following Gojo Kaigetsu's principle of maximizing everyone's potential, Mei should have been shining elsewhere.
But Gojo respected individual choices. And so, Mei bypassed the complex teacher selection process, becoming an Academy instructor overnight.
Gojo Kaigetsu personally assigned her to the class containing Itachi Uchiha and Izumi Uchiha.
"Uh… Mei-sensei, this is the new class schedule and the updated Academy regulations." A young teacher offered the documents with practiced deference.
Everyone knew that this newly arrived kunoichi was formerly from Kirigakure. That she, with such a sensitive background, had passed the political review and the rigorous selection process to become a ninja Academy teacher suggested powerful backing.
The answer, was obvious.
Almost all clues pointed to that man. Behind every successful woman, there was a supportive man, and the man behind Mei Terumi was the Principal of the Konoha Ninja Academy, Gojo-sama!
Many astute Academy teachers had figured this out. Since Mei's arrival, they'd devised all sorts of ways to curry favor, vying for opportunities to gain her attention and display their devotion.
In modern terms, they were all simps.
But they weren't simping for Mei's beauty; they were simping for the power she represented, the influence of the man behind her. Power simps.
"Oh, thank you, Mizuki-sensei. Just place them on my desk. I'll look at them later." Mei had grown accustomed to such fawning. She knew they weren't worshipping her; they were worshipping their own desire for power, the man at her back.
'How amusing~' Mei readily accepted this game, reminding herself that this was merely an appetizer. She would climb higher, step by step. Eventually, not just the Academy, but everyone within Konoha's system would bow and scrape before her.
Her thoughts returned to the present. Walking down the Academy hallway, Mei noticed the buzz surrounding a new term: "study partners."
Study partners… an intriguing concept.
Nearing her classroom, Mei overheard the children's gossip:
"Hey, hey, Izumi-chan, did you get matched with a study partner?"
"I did! A girl named Temari."
"Whoa, so lucky! I didn't get matched with anyone. And I heard Temari is the princess of Sunagakure!"
"Izumi-chan, you should become good friends with her. Maybe the Sand princess will give you some precious treasures!"
Even just the voices conveyed overflowing envy. Most of the students in this class were still oblivious to the harsh realities of the ninja world. They didn't see the transfer students from Sunagakure as rivals, as future enemies of their village.
They were simply curious, wanting to make friends with children from a different land. Especially someone like Temari, a princess of another village-befriending her would be incredibly prestigious.
Faced with her classmates' envy and flattery, Izumi Uchiha simply smiled faintly. Having been trained by Gojo Kaigetsu, her mental fortitude far surpassed these five and six-year-olds.
She understood that the Principal had brought in these Suna transfer students to hone the Konoha students' sense of danger. They… weren't friends. They were future enemies!
"It's not a big deal. I never choose my friends based on their family background." Izumi's young face held a serious expression. "No matter how impressive the Suna students' backgrounds are, none of them are as impressive as mine."
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Like a featherweight against Galio, the silence was deafening. Her classmates were speechless.
Eavesdropping from the doorway, Mei smiled to herself. The two Uchiha children in her class were surprisingly mature.
Itachi was quiet and reserved, seemingly always lost in thoughts of training. According to that scoundrel Gojo Kaigetsu, Itachi had already awakened his Sharingan before the Kirigakure incident. Awakening at five… a scary talent.
With a monster like him around, Konoha's dominance in the shinobi world was practically assured for the next twenty years. This aligned perfectly with Mei's interests.
And then there was Izumi, so young yet able to utter such disarming words, completely unaffected by the prestige of the Sand princess… quite remarkable.
Ah, the Uchiha clan~
Their powerful Kekkei Genkai and fiercely protective nature were renowned throughout the shinobi world. No matter their standing within the clan, if an Uchiha was bullied by outsiders, the entire clan would swarm to their defense, especially now that they'd received love and understanding.
This protective nature, regardless of consequences, truly allowed them to disregard ninety-nine percent of the "family backgrounds" in the shinobi world.
As for the remaining one percent… perhaps that would emerge from her own womb one day.
Even as an outsider, Mei had heard tales of the "unpayable debt of gratitude" towards the Principal within the Uchiha clan. And if the debt to the Principal couldn't be repaid, then neither could the debt to his child.
Therefore, the Uchiha clan were her people, and their children deserved her utmost dedication as their teacher!
Straightening her uniform, Mei pushed open the classroom door:
"Class is in session!"
…
…
Students from Sunagakure's Ninja Academy attending classes in Konoha? This was a rare occurrence in the current shinobi world.
Numerous villagers with time on their hands gathered at the Academy gates, eager to see if these Suna students, seeking education in Konoha during peacetime, also had two eyes and two legs.
This news, naturally, reached Samui.
"Sunagakure actually… went this far?"
"This is… serious."
Sitting at the High Academy Publishing House president's desk, Samui's expression turned grave.
First, Pakura was collared by Gojo Kaigetsu and turned into a pet, and now Sunagakure was sending their Academy students to Konoha for exchange. These signs indicated an alliance between Suna and Konoha.
Yet, they were publicly proclaiming a military alliance with Kumogakure against Iwagakure. It was baffling.
To understand the situation without alerting Gojo Kaigetsu, Samui disguised herself and spent the afternoon at Taiten Ninja Tool Shop, consuming muscle-enhancing potions.
Finally, amidst the gossip of Konoha's various social circles, she gleaned a crucial piece of information…
"Hey, my kid got lucky. They just filled out a form requesting a strong and healthy study partner from Suna, and somehow they got selected."
"Wow, that's rare. There were only twenty spots for study partners, right? The benefits must be substantial."
"They are. We received quite a bit of financial aid. The Academy administration also spoke with us parents, urging us to guide our children, encourage interaction with the Suna students, and promote peace between the two villages."
After a moment, it clicked for Samui!
Ignoring the smokescreen, the essence of the study partner system was Konoha's attempt to win over Sunagakure's younger generation.
By establishing emotional bonds now, the likelihood of war between Konoha and Suna would significantly decrease in a few years, when these children grew up.
As a spy, Samui understood the power of "bonds." Sometimes, bonds could transcend even the dedication to one's village, the generations of accumulated hatred between villages.
Grasping the implications of Konoha's "study partner system," a cold sweat broke out on Samui's skin.
This was a blatant strategy, a ploy for the future.
If Konoha's plan succeeded, it would deal a devastating blow to Kumogakure's grand ambition. A generation of Suna ninjas close to Konoha would never wholeheartedly join Kumogakure in suppressing Konoha.
The thought made Samui restless.
Slamming down a wad of Konoha cash with a dismissive "Keep the change," she hurried back to her love nest with Gojo Kaigetsu.
"Heart-to-Heart Communication Jutsu, activate-!"
Samui channeled her chakra, preparing to transmit this startling news immediately.
How should Kumogakure respond? Samui pondered.
First, could they force Sunagakure to abandon this exchange program with Konoha at the Academy level? Unlikely. Sunagakure was one of the Five Great Villages; Kumogakure had no right to interfere with their policies. Furthermore, the students were already in Konoha. A sudden change of plans would damage Sunagakure's reputation.
Therefore, there was a ninety-nine percent chance Sunagakure wouldn't rescind the exchange program.
If they couldn't change Suna's policy, they could implement their own. Kumogakure couldn't interfere with Suna's internal affairs, but as military allies, shouldn't they also have exchanges between their younger generations?
Following this line of thought, Samui's perspective broadened.
There were very few Konoha policies that Kumogakure couldn't replicate! If Konoha could have exchange students, so could Kumogakure! If Konoha had an open and inclusive study partner system, Kumogakure could be even more open and inclusive!
Without hesitation, Samui condensed her observations and thoughts, transmitting them back home.
…
…
[--TOP SECRET--]
[--OPEN WITH CAUTION--]
[Year 51 of Kumogakure, Informant: Samui]
[Source: Konoha Ninja Academy]
[Intel: Sunagakure has dispatched twenty Academy students to Konoha for an exchange program. Konoha has implemented a "study partner system," aiming to foster bonds between the younger generation of the two villages.]
[If this plan succeeds, even if the Great Kumogakure Prosperity Plan achieves initial success, it could be jeopardized in the near future when the pro-Konoha generation of Suna ninjas ascends to positions of political power…]
[I believe we should follow Konoha's lead and invite Sunagakure to send students to Kumogakure for a similar exchange program, securing the success of the Prosperity Plan in the years to come.]
Far away, in the Raikage's office…
Mabui, arms full of documents, was preparing to end her workday and head home for a relaxing evening when Samui's Heart-to-Heart chakra thread, carrying its message, invaded her mind.
Top-secret intel!
Typically, Samui only transmitted information late at night in secluded locations. Sending intel during work hours indicated the urgency of the situation.
Mabui couldn't care less about her free time. Dropping the files, she clicked-clacked in her high heels towards the Raikage's office.
Bang-
"E-Emergency, Raikage-sama!"
"Samui has sent top-secret intel!"
The Raikage, A, seemed to have adopted a new style. His once proudly displayed pecs were now modestly covered by a few awkward buttons. He had learned restraint.
A set down his documents. He was currently troubled by the recent surge in unexplained violent incidents at the village's ninja tool shops.
"Speak, what intel has Samui brought?"
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