Before anything else, Andrew made sure to inform Uchiha Kamasu and Leimen about his plans and presence in advance—just in case they misunderstood the situation. However, when asked if he planned to bring them along, he waved it off.
"No chance. I'm not dragging along two lightbulbs," he said with a smirk.
Sure, his body was still physically young, but mentally, he was an adult. And when there's a beautiful woman by your side, why ruin the mood with a pair of chaperones?
To be honest, Terumi Mei's black fishnet-clad thighs were seriously eye-catching.
She wasn't oblivious. She could feel Andrew's gaze. A faint blush touched her cheeks as she thought, "Are all boys these days this precocious?"
"Sorry. Mist Shinobi used to be a proud village… now, it's barely holding itself together," Terumi Mei admitted, her voice laced with apology. She wanted to offer Andrew a tour to show sincerity, but even she was embarrassed by the current state of the village.
"It's understandable. You can't expect someone who doesn't care about the village to care about rebuilding it. But…" Andrew arched a brow. "You're not planning to drag me through rubble all day, are you? I just finished a brutal fight."
Despite the sightseeing, Andrew's sharp eyes didn't miss the scars Obito had left behind. Abandoned homes, burnt-out buildings, desolate streets—all signs of the Blood Mist policy's devastation. What was once a flourishing village had turned into a shell of itself.
Mist Shinobi had cannibalized itself. Ninjas, like insects trapped in a bottle, were forced to fight one another for survival and favor. The result? An elite core remained, but the village had lost its foundation. Without mid and low-tier ninjas to support them, even Mist Shinobi would falter in a real war.
"Then let's find a place to rest first?" Terumi Mei suggested.
For a second, she stared at Andrew—remembering his clash with the Three Tails. He was strong, confident, and charming in a very unexpected way. He wasn't fully grown, sure… but the potential was undeniable.
"Uchiha sure has good genes," she thought to herself. Compared to the men of the Land of Water—who had either jagged teeth or no eyebrows—Andrew was leagues apart.
"What are you staring at me like that for? You think I'm just some tender grass for an old cow?" Andrew teased, raising a brow.
Terumi Mei snapped out of her daze. "W-What are you saying?! As if I'm into kids!"
"So you're saying I have a chance when I grow up?" he shot back, grinning.
Her face reddened even more. "What are you even thinking?! You're a kid! A little man at best!"
Andrew stood tall—well, as tall as his current body allowed—and puffed out his chest. "I'm still a man! Don't underestimate me because of age!"
Terumi Mei laughed, unable to hold it in. "You're adorable when you get flustered. I thought Uchiha were supposed to be cold and proud?"
Andrew clenched his fists. "Watch it. Say I can't go hard again, and I'll show you what my chakra can do!"
"Oh? Sounds like a threat. Maybe I should keep teasing you," she said playfully.
"Aren't you afraid I'll attack Mist Shinobi with this attitude?"
"If you needed to, you already would've," she replied coolly. "Besides, with how broken our service sector is, you'll just have to make do with… me."
Andrew's brow twitched. Was she serious? She grabbed his hand. The next thing he knew, she was dragging him through the village streets.
They stopped in front of a quiet bathhouse.
"You're kidding."
"I'm not."
The next morning,
Uchiha Kamasu and Leimen stood at Andrew's door, fuming.
"Andrew, what the hell happened yesterday?! You went completely off script!"
Though Andrew was highly respected in the clan—even more so than Patriarch Fugaku—he was still a kid in their eyes. A very powerful one, yes, but still someone who needed guidance.
"Plans are always perfect—until they meet reality," Andrew replied with a yawn, stretching lazily.
"You can't just disappear without backup! Even if you're strong, you're not invincible," Leimen added sternly. "This is Kirigakure. You're on their turf."
Andrew didn't argue. In truth, he hadn't planned to fight. But with Obito around, circumstances changed.
Then the door behind him creaked open.
Terumi Mei stepped out with a thunderous expression, brushed past them without a word, and stormed off.
"What do you want for breakfast?" she muttered without waiting for a response.
The air was thick with awkward tension. Kamasu and Leimen exchanged glances—both thinking the same thing:
"So this is the real Andrew…"
Andrew, ever composed, straightened his collar. "Don't get the wrong idea. We just bathed, warmed the bed, and hugged to sleep. That's all."
Kamasu blinked. "Just hugged and fell asleep?"
"Yep. Simple." But Andrew's smug grin told another story.
He thought to himself, "The Land of Water lives up to its name. Mizukage truly is… moist."
Leimen chuckled. "Well, she's not bad. Strong, beautiful. Maybe a bit older, but hey—she's no granny. If it's for the glory of Uchiha, Andrew, you have to make sacrifices!"
Andrew laughed internally.If you knew what really happened, you'd call me a genius strategist, not a flirt.
Mangekyō wasn't just about battle—it had other... persuasive uses too.
After breakfast, Terumi Mei brought them to the newly renovated Mizukage Building.
Inside, the core leadership of Mist Shinobi had already gathered.
Among them stood Genji, Terumi Mei, and even guashan Puffer Ghost. The others appeared to be heads of Mist's remaining noble clans.
Andrew also recognized a few faces from intel reports—like a younger Hoshigaki Kisame, whose future defection was all but guaranteed unless things changed.
Andrew raised a hand. "Relax. I didn't come here to threaten Mist Shinobi. I just want to discuss two things."
The room was silent.
Genji nodded. "Speak freely, Mr. Andrew. We will listen."
"First, I want Mist Shinobi and the Land of Water to officially announce support for Uchiha's independence from Konoha."
That statement shocked them all.
"Is… that all?" Genji asked, eyebrows raised. The elders exchanged glances.
"Yes. That's it." Andrew smiled. "A show of support from a major hidden village would delegitimize any accusations from Konoha. It's just diplomacy—no bloodshed."
The room relaxed slightly. This wasn't just simple… it was politically brilliant.
Mist Shinobi, long weakened, could gain an ally and avoid entanglement in Konoha's affairs. They could even recover some of their international standing by supporting Uchiha's cause.
Genji finally smiled. "Consider it done. We'll draft the announcement immediately."
Andrew nodded. "Good. Then we can move to the second matter…"
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