Systematic Shinobi - Chapter 57.2 (Patreon)

"Hello there, Yurei Daiki-dono is it not?" Mei Terumi spoke, her voice throaty, dare he say almost sultry, "You know, when Ao informed me of how young you apparently were, I was quite shocked. You're quite the impressive young man."

Thank god for Anko…and Kurenai he guessed.

If not for grinding with them, he may have been stunned silent by her beauty. Alas for her, the grind never failed to provide for those truly loyal to its holy scripture.

"Well, like I told Ao a bit ago," Daiki began with a shrug as he approached her, the casual, confident smile as always a staple on his face, "We at the Leaf Village are quite known for our young, handsome and incredibly skilled prodigies."

"Hoho, quite the confidence too," Mei laughed lightly, her single shown green eye idly roving over him, lingering on his arms and collarbone for just a tiny microsecond before returning to meet his gaze, "Well, I suppose you're not wrong at all, you're quite the fine looking young man, very handsome. I'm curious what you'll be like in a few years."

"Taller, with even bigger muscles and and even more handsome no doubt," Daiki's smile widened as he curled his arm and flexed his bicep, "I'd ask if the same would be true for you, but it might be impossible for a woman like you to get even more beautiful."

Her single shown green eye blinked slowly, before her pink lips curved up into a wide smile of their own, "Well now, aren't you just a delightful young man," she noted, "Dangerous too." her eye flickered to his bicep and back to his eyes so fast, he wouldn't even been able to notice without his Shinkugan.

"Well I am a shinobi," Daiki shrugged, before making a show of looking around, "Though I should probably be careful not to step on anyone's toes like that."

Time to start the game.

"In what way, I'm afraid I don't follow." the Mizukage arched an eyebrow.

"Just what I said," he shrugged, "A woman as gorgeous, strong and accomplished as you? If you were single you'd have people beating on the doors trying to ask you out. Hell I'd be first in line. But I'm here for negotiations above all else, so I don't really want to step on the toes of your boyfriend or husband, or whatever significant other you have and piss them off and make things go sour."

Beyond anything physical, the one central weakness Mei Terumi had, was a complex over her age and single status. To some, that might seem very silly for a person as monstrously powerful as her. She was the Mizukage, Kage were thought to be the pinnacle of all people, thee strongest, thee fastest, three most powerful bar none and a reputation had been cultivated over the period the hidden villages had existed.

That a kage was undefeatable, they were unstoppable, unsurmountable titans. Almost deity like figures to the common masses.

And while it could truly be likened to that physically at the very least, mentally even kage were still human. Mei Terumi was still a woman, with all the instincts and desires that came with being such.

And to be frank, her youth and best years as a woman was spent fighting against the regime of the mind controlled Yagura. She was twenty nine, approaching thirty years old, and she'd never had a lover to speak of despite her incredible beauty.

A true blue christmas cake in the flesh, left to rot on the shelf.

Mei twitched.

It was barely noticeable, and was covered up at such speeds Daiki and honestly most wouldn't have noticed normally. But the Shinkugan enhanced his analytical vision and mental prowess to the limit and allowed him to perceive the most minute changes in body language and chakra.

Even a kage could not hide their body language from him.

"Well, luckily for you, you don't have to worry about that, there's no significant other in my life," Mei's lips twisted into a slightly sour, expression but only for the briefest of moments, before being replaced with a pleasant smile, "So there's nothing for you to worry about. So you don't need to worry about complimenting me like that."

"Wait, what?" Daiki made a show of being surprised, eyebrows rising, eyes widening and mouth dropping though, before laughing and shaking his head, "Nah, there's no way." he waved off her words as if she were joking.

Her smile widened ever so slightly, "No I'm afraid not." she said, but she now looked very pleased.

Of course this wouldn't change anything about how negotiations would truly go, but he wasn't trying to with that. He was pursuing the option of having her gain the slightest fondness for him.

For instance, not wanting him to die by having a bijuu extracted. And making other options offered seem much more tempting than that prospect.

Not that it would ever come to that mind you, but it would make steering her towards other deals easier.

"…The hell is wrong with the guys in this village?" Daiki palmed his forehead, though this definitely wasn't a put upon act, he was being truthful with it, "Why aren't they lining up trying to put a ring on your finger and get you in a wedding dress?"

Honestly he'd love to see her in one. A lacy little white number, plunging neckline, garter and all.

A light laugh left her throat, "You're really quite the charming young man aren't you?" Mei tittered, "Personally I could not tell you, I've been wondering myself."

"Yeah I don't get it," Daiki shrugged, before smirking massively, "In that case, it's my lucky day then. Finders keepers loser weepers. How about we put this negotiation off for now and go on a date instead?"

"Oh?" Mei gave him a genuinely surprised look, "Just like that?"

"I mean have you looked in a mirror lately?" Daiki shrugged, "Hell yeah!" he pumped his fist into the air, before pointing a finger at her.

"You think I'd stroll passed a glimmering diamond that I just came across? Or what, step back and observe it for some reason instead?" he snorted, "No of course I'm gonna snatch it up for myself. This is practically the same thing."

"Ara ara, truly you are a silver tongued one aren't you?" Mei stood up from where she was leaning on the desk and casually invaded his personal space, trailing a finger up his cheek ever so gently, "Are all the young men of the leaf like you?" she wondered.

"Nah, I'm just built different," Daiki proudly boasted, "So how about that date? Maybe one at the beach? I'm sure you've got a few nice ones here in the Mist and I'd love to see you in a bikini."

"Well now, this is definitely a first for me Daiki-dono," Mei admitted, "I do have to admit though, given the choice I'd definitely take you up on that offer. I can't say I've ever had the chance to have a date on the beach."

"Just call me Daiki, Mizukage-sama, you don't need to be polite with me, I prefer casual," he grinned at her, and decided to be a little daring since she was already invading his own personal space and boldly placed his hand on her hip, and he felt her stiffen ever so slightly, "After the beach, we could hit up the movies, have dinner, make a whole day of it. Perhaps I can give you a massage if you're up for it, I've got it on good authority that woman can't get enough of my hands on them."

Or well, Kurenai at least couldn't get enough of it when he was testing it out with using his lightning affinity to stimulate her nerves while using his mythical palm jutsu to work her muscles.

Kurenai if nothing else, was a great test dummy.

"Oh my…" Mei almost looked a little overwhelmed at his offer, before shaking her head, "It's lamentable that these negotiations are quite important, otherwise I would definitely take you up on that offer." she pouted, almost disappointedly before stepping back out of his personal space, taking her hand off of his cheek.

Disappointing, but expected.

Anticipated even.

"Personally I think they'd be much better to bring up as pillow talk, Mizukage-sama." he laughed.

Mei giggled lightly, "You're so bold Daiki-kun," she cupped her cheek, "Please, since you allowed me to call you by name, just call me Mei."

"I'll do that then, Mei," his grin never faded once as he shrugged, "So let's get these negotiations out of the way quickly then so we can talk about something much more interesting, like what kind of bikini would look best on you."

"Stop that," she laughed lightly again, before sighing, and a serious expression appearing on her face, as walked around her desk to sit at her chair, "So then, down to business. Sarutobi-dono brought up the possibility of an alliance between both the Mist Village and Leaf Village." she brought up, even as she gestured at one of the chairs in front of her desk for him to sit down on.

Alright then, time to get serious.

"That's right," Daiki nodded, taking the seat. He leaned back and lifted one leg to rest the foot of it over his knee, "I'm just going to be blunt if that's fine with you. I'm not a fan of dancing around things, as you can no doubt tell."

"I did notice that yes," she nodded, a flash of a smile appearing on her face before it vanished beneath her serious facade once more, "Feel free, I admit I find that kind of thing refreshing."

He nodded once.

"The Mist is at the weakest it's ever been," Daiki then bluntly said, "You yourself are powerful, but beyond you the Mist is lacking at the moment. You only have one of the seven swords and a single wielder. You were once known for being the village with the most bloodline limits, but now barely have any to speak of. The amount of battle ready ninja under your command is at an all time low and to top it all off, you've lost both the Sanbi and the Rokubi."

"This is all true yes. It hurt to hear it all said out loud though I have to admit," Mei stapled her fingers together atop her desk, a frown twisting across her pretty shiny pink lips, "We are weakened severely and still in the process of recovering our strength, though weakened I do have to point out, does not mean weak."

The last part was said quite firmly and he felt her chakra spike, making the air in the room press down on him heavily.

She didn't have anything on old man Sarutobi though. That was a trick he'd shown off quite a lot, a subset of killing intent apparently it was called. There wasn't actually a name for it according to the old man, just that it was something all kage tended to throw around for a variety of reasons, one of the main being the simple statement of:

I Am Strong!

A reminder, more than anything else on just what kind of beast a Kage truly was. Tobirama doing this, generated such force that Orochimaru, Sasuke, Jugo and Suigetsu were almost crushed by it on the spot.

"I never said you were, beautiful." Daiki grinned at her, not at all effected by it.

She cut off the pressure and looked away, hiding her face slightly by her wavy hair framing her face, a sigh left her mouth, "I see you didn't defeat Raiga for nothing," she mused, before turning back to face him, "Well then Daiki-kun, since you've listed our faults I have to ask the question then, why does the Leaf seek an alliance with the Mist. What do you hope to gain from it? While you have suffered substantial losses yourself, only a fool would not realise the Leaf are still the strongest of the five great villages, and is in alliance with the Sand. Even if Cloud and Stone formed an alliance, which is highly doubtful, you will still win."

"We would," Daiki agreed without a shadow of a doubt or a hint of shame, "Though you're a bit wrong on one take there. Our alliance with the Sand is on deaths door at this point, that clown they call a Kazekage has it out for us after all. Jealousy and incompetence tends to do that."