Ch 360 : Undress

Terumi Mei was deeply anxious.

She had envisioned many possibilities for her future, but joining the Crown Guards was never one of them.

What was the Crown Guard?

It was perhaps the strongest military force of the Empire.

Mei did not consider herself powerful enough to stand among them.

The legend of the Seven Crown Guards was known throughout the Empire, and the stories of each member were familiar to many.

The leader of the Seven Crown Guards, Hyuga Hakumen, had defeated the renowned Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato, when he was only a teenager.

And who was the Yellow Flash?

A formidable warrior who single-handedly annihilated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the pride of her village!

Then there was Hatake Kakashi, the son of the White Fang, a prodigy who became a Jonin at the age of twelve.

Every other member, except for Mitarashi Anko, whose reputation was less prominent, had their own widely circulated legends.

Mei felt uneasy, doubting whether she was fit for such a position.

If she performed poorly in the Crown Guard, it would not only be embarrassing for her but also a disappointment to His Majesty, who had placed his trust in her.

That very night, she wrote a letter conveying the news and entrusted it to someone she knew, asking them to deliver it to her family and to Karatachi Yagura in the Water Province.

She then went to the house that Konoha had arranged for her.

As the champion of the first Imperial Ninja Combat Tournament, she had been assigned the best accommodation—a residence of over 150 square meters, more than spacious enough for one person.

The house was fully furnished with all necessary living essentials, and the decor leaned towards a minimalist style, which she found quite appealing.

That night, however, Mei had trouble sleeping.

She tossed and turned in bed, wrapped in brand-new bedding, as the words the Emperor had spoken to her at the ceremony kept echoing in her mind.

Her heart pounded uncontrollably.

The next morning, she was awakened by her alarm clock, looking visibly unrested.

She went straight to the bathroom to take a shower, changing all her clothes, including her undergarments.

Opening the balcony window, she took in the peaceful view of the affluent district.

The fresh air filled her lungs, and Mei felt her mood lighten considerably.

She changed into Konoha's combat uniform, put on her forehead protector, and headed for the imperial palace.

"Lady Terumi Mei."

A guard at the palace entrance greeted her proactively.

"Hello, there's no need to call me 'Lady,'" Mei quickly responded with humility.

"You will be one of the Crown Guards in the future. It is only proper to address you as such," the guard said respectfully.

"You may go directly to the front hall. His Majesty will meet you there."

Mei made her way to the front hall.

The palace was divided into two sections: the front hall and the inner palace.

No special names had been given to them—the inner palace was where the Emperor and his family resided, while the front hall was designated for governmental affairs and administrative duties.

The front hall itself consisted of three main buildings: the Council Hall, the Administrative Hall, and a pavilion.

Arriving at the pavilion, Mei paused at the entrance, hearing laughter and conversation from within.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she reached out and knocked on the door.

"Enter."

Pushing the door open, Mei stepped inside.

The room resembled a lounge, where several people were seated on sofas, engaged in conversation.

As she entered, all eyes turned to her.

She quickly scanned the room and recognized only one familiar face—Uchiha Shisui, who had been a judge at the combat tournament.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Terumi Mei. I'm new here, please take care of me," she said, immediately realizing the identities of those present.

She bowed at a ninety-degree angle as a sign of respect.

"Terumi Mei, your performance at the tournament was impressive. We were just talking about you," Shisui said with a light chuckle.

"No need to stand there awkwardly. Come sit down. We're all colleagues now, so there's no need to be so formal," added Hakumen.

Still feeling somewhat nervous, Mei walked over to the sofa and sat beside a short-haired girl with black hair.

"Would you like something to drink?"

A blonde woman dressed in professional attire asked.

Mei Terumi quickly responded, "Anything is fine."

Shisui smiled and asked, "Do you recognize everyone here?"

"I've seen your photos in magazines," Mei replied.

The Seven Crown Guards were essentially celebrities in the empire, frequently appearing in publications.

Among those present, the man with thick eyebrows and a bowl-cut hairstyle, dressed in a green bodysuit, was Might Guy.

The youngest among them was the genius Uchiha Itachi.

The silver-haired man with glasses was Yakushi Kabuto, while the elegant girl with short black hair was Mitarashi Anko.

"It's a shame Kakashi isn't here," Guy remarked.

Mei quickly responded, "I met Kakashi-senpai in the Water Province."

At that moment, Samui brought over a drink.

Mei immediately stood up and accepted it with both hands.

"I'm His Majesty's secretary, Samui. We'll be seeing each other often, so there's no need to be nervous," Samui said.

Despite her reassurance, Mei couldn't help but feel tense in this situation.

The people in this room were admired by countless others.

And Samui herself was incredibly beautiful.

Hakumen spoke to her, "Since you've just joined the Crown Guard, today is simply an opportunity for us to get to know each other. From now on, we'll be colleagues. After your official induction ceremony, we can all go out for a meal together—it'll be our informal way of welcoming you."

Mei was overwhelmed with gratitude and said, "Thank you, senpai."

Shisui sighed helplessly. "You don't need to use honorifics."

Hakumen chuckled. "It's fine. You'll get used to it over time."

The warmth and friendliness of the group reassured Mei, further solidifying her belief that staying in Konoha was the right choice.

She then asked, "May I ask, what exactly is the ascension ceremony that you mentioned earlier, Hakumen-senpai?"

Her question, however, caused everyone in the room to smile at the same time.

Then, to her astonishment, strange black markings began to spread across their bodies.

The intricate patterns slowly crawled over their skin, and on each of their faces, a distinct number appeared.

Hakumen bore the number "壱" (One),

Guy had "叁" (Three),

Anko had "肆" (Four),

Kabuto had "伍" (Five),

Shisui had "陸" (Six),

Itachi had "柒" (Seven).

As these markings and symbols emerged, Mei could clearly sense that the atmosphere in the room had shifted.

Their presence became unfathomably deep, their chakra exuding an overwhelming and terrifying power.

Hakumen spoke, "The difference between the Crown Guards and ordinary ninja is that we have received a power personally bestowed upon us by His Majesty. This power allows us to stand at the pinnacle of the world with ease."

As he spoke, he unfastened his shirt, revealing his well-built chest.

At its center was an even more intricate symbol, with the character "壱" (One) prominently displayed.

"This mark is called 'Kite.' You can also call it the Sage Mark. With it, you can enter Sage Mode and use senjutsu—far more powerful than ordinary ninjutsu."

Mei stared in awe at everything before her.

This was something entirely new and unknown to her, but after understanding what Hakumen had explained, she felt a growing sense of anticipation.

Greater power…

She didn't bother questioning why this mark was called "Kite"—to her, the name didn't matter.

What mattered was that it was a gift from His Majesty, an unparalleled honor.

Anko, who was reclining on the sofa, glanced at Mei with an indifferent expression.

She said nothing, simply continuing to sip her drink.

At that moment, someone suddenly entered through the doorway without knocking.

Seeing this, everyone immediately stood up from their seats, even Anko, albeit at a leisurely pace.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Makoto's gaze swept across the room. "I see you're welcoming a new companion."

Hakumen responded that they were planning to go out for a meal together later.

Makoto chuckled. "Terumi Mei just arrived in Konoha. Take some time to show her around when you can."

After saying this, he realized that most of the group were men, who probably wouldn't have much to explore with a female companion.

Anko wasn't exactly the ideal guide either, so he turned to Samui and said, "For the next few days, take Mei around and help her get familiar with Konoha."

"Understood," Samui replied.

Then, Makoto turned to Mei. "Come with me."

Mei followed behind him, walking up to the second floor with Samui.

The rest of the Crown Guards sat back down, waiting.

Anko glanced toward the staircase and pursed her lips.

Shisui suddenly spoke up. "Now that there are eight members in the Crown Guard, we can't really call ourselves the 'Seven Crown Guards' anymore, can we?"

Hakumen nodded. "His Majesty once told me that he plans to recruit ten members in total. We'll have two more companions in the future."

Guy muttered, "Ten Crown Guards… That actually rolls off the tongue better than Seven Crown Guards."

The second floor was much more spacious than the lower level, with three walls made entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a panoramic view.

Makoto asked, "Did they tell you about the Kite mark?"

As the Emperor spoke directly to her, Mei tensed up once again.

She bowed her head respectfully and said, "Hakumen-senpai told me about the Ascension Ceremony."

Makoto smiled. "'Ascension Ceremony'… that's just a name they came up with.

In reality, it's simply the process of engraving the Sage Mark onto your body.

However, don't underestimate the power of the Sage Mark. It will grant you tremendous strength."

Mei's expression turned serious. "A gift from Your Majesty—I would never take it lightly."

Makoto gave a slight nod.

Then, in a rare gesture, he formed a one-handed seal.

Instantly, the floor beneath Mei lit up with a brilliant blue chakra, flowing like water as it etched a complex and mysterious sealing array onto the ground.

The radiant blue glow filled the space around her, and she could feel the overwhelming energy pulsing through the air.

At that moment, Samui stepped forward and softly said, "Take off your clothes."

Mei froze for a moment. "W-What?"

"Remove your top. Everything on your upper body—nothing should be left."

"..."

Mei looked at the Emperor in shock.

Seeing his calm and composed expression, she gradually realized what was happening.

Her face instantly turned bright red.

"I... This... How…"

Mei stammered, overwhelmed with embarrassment.

Samui calmly explained, "This is a necessary requirement for the technique."

Mei stood in the center of the ritual array, utterly flustered.

To bare herself completely before the Emperor—what kind of propriety was that?

Just the thought of it filled her with unbearable shame.

It wasn't that she believed the Emperor was trying to take advantage of her.

He was the ruler of the empire—if he wanted beautiful women, he could summon them with a mere gesture.

Even if he truly desired her body, Mei wouldn't feel much resistance in her heart.

This was the Emperor of the Empire! The strongest being in the world!

What she struggled with was the idea of exposing herself in such an undignified manner before the one she deeply admired.

She found it difficult to accept.

Yet, in this situation, she couldn't refuse.

If she hesitated too long, would it displease His Majesty?

With these thoughts swirling in her mind, she hesitated briefly before finally reaching for the hem of her clothing.

One piece at a time, she began to remove them…

Meanwhile, Makoto stood at a nearby table.

He casually picked up a lychee from the fruit platter, gently peeling away its outer shell to reveal the tender, white flesh inside.

"You don't need to take off the lower part," Samui helpfully reminded her.

Mei's face turned as red as blood.

She handed her clothes to Samui, standing there awkwardly, feeling incredibly self-conscious.

"Relax. The engraving process will be over quickly," Makoto's voice sounded from behind her.

Mei pressed her lips together and whispered, "Understood."

…

Half an hour later, Mei was fully dressed again, though the blush on her face had yet to fade.

She was only twenty years old—not yet the Fifth Mizukage from the original story.

Makoto placed another pristine, white lychee into his mouth and spat out the smooth, round seed.

"You can try feeling its power now."

He had already taught her how to activate the Sage Mark, as well as what to expect when entering Sage Mode.

Mei took several deep breaths, steadying herself.

Slowly, black markings spread across her face—mystical and intricate.

At the same time, an unprecedented surge of chakra filled her entire body.

More than that, she felt as if her entire being had been unlocked.

With this sensation, Mei clearly understood that Sage Mode was different.

It wasn't just a massive increase in chakra—she felt as if the barrier between herself and the natural world had vanished, her perception becoming far more acute.

Her Sage Mark was the latest perfected version, refined through many improvements by the Emperor.

The previous flaws had been eliminated, and activating it required far fewer considerations.

Even if she exhausted her chakra, the Sage Mode would automatically deactivate safely.

"How does it feel?" Makoto asked.

Mei looked at her hands, feeling both astonished and overjoyed.

"Your Majesty, I feel like I've been completely reborn!"

Makoto chuckled lightly. "The potential of the Sage Mark is immense. Once you've fully unlocked it, that will be the true rebirth. By then, there will be few in the world who can stand against you."

Overcome with gratitude, Mei immediately knelt.

"Thank you for Your Majesty's great gift! In the future, I will dedicate my life to repaying Your Majesty, even at the cost of my own!"

With a gentle motion, Makoto lifted her up with one hand, his tone warm.

"Enough, there's no need to be so formal. In Konoha, we don't have many strict rules. You can go now—Hakumen and the others are still waiting to hold your welcome ceremony."

Mei bowed to him once more before turning to leave for the staircase.

As she stepped down the first stair, she couldn't resist sneaking one last glance back.

Makoto reclined in a lounge chair, gazing out at the scenery beyond the window.

His profile was sharp and refined, every feature perfectly sculpted.

Mei's heart pounded chaotically as memories of the recent moments flooded her mind—most vividly, the cool touch of his fingertips against her back.

She swallowed hard and continued walking down.

As she reached the first floor, everyone looked up and greeted her with smiles, offering congratulations on officially becoming a member of the Crown Guards.

Everyone was warm and welcoming.

They all treated her with kindness.

And then, there was His Majesty…

Mei gripped the stair railing, descending slowly.

To be honest, compared to going out for a meal with everyone, she would much rather head home first—so she could change her underwear…

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