121-125

*Chapter 121: Heading to the Land of Water*

Touji's face was full of helplessness.

If Tsunade and Jiraiya really followed him, then Konoha would be left with none of its top combat power.

Once the other major nations figured out Konoha's vulnerabilities, a war could be initiated, leading to total collapse or even the destruction of the village.

And Konoha’s younger generation, the Twelve Strong, wouldn’t have time to grow.

Touji quickly kicked Tsunade, who was clinging to his leg, and frowned as he spoke.

“If you both leave, what will happen to Konoha?”

“I don’t care, I only want Touji. Konoha has nothing to do with me!” Tsunade said in a slightly spoiled tone.

Jiraiya shot Tsunade a glance and then frowned.

Konoha might have its dark side, but it was still their home. Jiraiya couldn’t just ignore it.

“If you leave Konoha, the two advisors will definitely label you a rogue ninja!” Jiraiya said gravely.

“They wouldn’t dare!” Tsunade snapped, her temper flaring.

Touji smiled wryly.

Tsunade had just returned to Konoha as the Hokage, and her position wasn’t stable yet.

Taking on the two advisors was a bit beyond her reach for now.

“Let them call me a rogue ninja. If it’s for the sake of peace in the ninja world, what does being a rogue ninja matter?”

*Ding dong! Jiraiya’s favorability increased by five points! Current favorability: 87 points!*

For a moment, Jiraiya looked at Touji with deep admiration, respect shining in his eyes.

“I understand. One day, I’ll clear your name! When are you planning to leave?”

“Right now!”

They were getting close to Konoha’s borders.

Once they reached it, the Anbu would be watching, and leaving would become much more difficult.

“Right now? Let me pack my things first, wait for me!” Tsunade said, turning to gather her belongings.

Jiraiya shook his head helplessly and slapped Tsunade on the back of her head.

Tsunade turned around, annoyed, glaring at Jiraiya.

“Why did you hit me? Are you trying to stop me?”

Jiraiya shivered. He hadn’t expected Tsunade’s defenses to be so high—hitting the back of her head didn’t even faze her.

He quickly grabbed Tsunade.

“Touji, go quickly! I’ll handle things here!”

“Damn you, Jiraiya! I’ll fight you!”

Touji watched as Tsunade’s fists rained down on Jiraiya, but Jiraiya showed no signs of letting go. Touji couldn’t help but feel touched.

Then, he quickly used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the spot.

About a kilometer away, Touji heard Jiraiya’s howl of pain.

Once Touji was completely out of danger, he pulled out a whistle and blew it hard.

Soon, Zabuza and Haku appeared before him.

“Did you call me to kill someone?” Zabuza crossed his arms and asked irritably.

“We’re heading to the Land of Water!”

Zabuza froze for a moment, wondering if he’d heard wrong.

After a few seconds, realization hit, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

The Hidden Mist Village was currently in turmoil. Every moment spent away meant another ninja might die.

So, hearing that Touji was going to the Land of Water was like music to Zabuza’s ears.

“Great! Let’s head there immediately!”

After a journey of about half a month, Touji stood bored on a boat.

At that moment, the boat captain approached, his face filled with fear.

“We’re about ten kilometers from the Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water. I really can’t go any further. Please, I beg of you, let me go!” the captain pleaded.

Touji shrugged helplessly.

The Hidden Mist Village was under complete lockdown, and only a few ninjas with orders from the Mizukage could come and go.

Likewise, foreign ships were rarely allowed to approach.

Any ship that dared to come close was sunk by the Mist ninjas.

They were already at the border of the Hidden Mist Village, and Mist ninjas could appear at any time.

But Zabuza didn’t care about the boat captain’s concerns. He raised his Executioner’s Blade and placed it on the captain’s neck.

“Keep going!”

“Please, I beg you! I have an 80-year-old mother and young children at home. I can’t go any further!”

Touji twitched his mouth.

Why did the pleading sound so familiar in the ninja world?

“Enough, Zabuza. We can see the land already. We’ll run the rest of the way.”

Touji didn’t want to make things harder for the boat captain.

Also, if they got too close to the shore, the Mist ninjas would likely spot them, losing the element of surprise.

It was better to just run across and sneak into the Hidden Mist Village.

Since Touji had spoken, Zabuza snorted and put away his sword.

“Thank you, young master!”

Touji leaped onto the surface of the sea. With his chakra control, walking on water was as easy as playing a game.

It didn’t even consume too much chakra.

Zabuza and Haku, both seasoned Mist ninjas, walked across the water as if it were second nature.

The three of them quickly moved over the water, covering ten kilometers in just a few minutes, until they saw the shoreline.

Suddenly, Touji felt a faint chakra fluctuation ahead. He wanted to dodge, but it was too late.

He felt like a string had snapped, and chakra shot out rapidly into the distance.

A chill ran down Touji’s spine.

He had intended to sneak into the Hidden Mist Village, but the device he stepped on must have been an alarm. His stealth mission had failed.

“Pick up the pace!”

“If we go faster, we’ll be exposed,” Zabuza said, confused.

“We’re already exposed. If we don’t move quickly, we won’t even reach the shore! And hurry, activate the Hidden Mist Technique!” Touji said seriously.

If they had used the Hidden Mist Technique earlier, it would have aroused suspicion.

But now that they were exposed, it was better to use the technique to hide themselves.

They might still have a chance to break into the Hidden Mist Village.

Zabuza didn’t hesitate. He formed hand signs, and a thick mist began to roll in.

“This Mist Technique will only last for thirty seconds. Let’s move!”

Touji nodded slightly. The Hidden Mist Technique came from the Mist Village, so the ninjas there knew how to counter it. They had to hope their reaction time was a bit slow.

“This isn’t good! They’re moving so fast, I doubt the mist will even last twenty seconds!” Zabuza said anxiously.

“Twenty seconds will only get me to the beach. There’s no way I’ll reach the forest,” Haku said, frustrated.

“I’m in the same boat…” Touji sighed.

Although he could use the Body Flicker Technique to escape, there was no way he’d abandon Zabuza and Haku.

Zabuza was still useful. Without him, infiltrating the Hidden Mist Village would be much harder.

With that in mind, Touji stopped in his tracks.

“Stop. If we can’t make it, we’ll fight them head-on!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 122: Infiltrating the Hidden Mist Village (Please Subscribe!)*

Touji drew his kunai and, after putting on his contact lenses, activated his Byakugan.

At the same time, Zabuza Momochi took out his giant executioner's blade.

Since they couldn’t force their way through, they decided to kill as many people as possible.

"Kill!"

In an instant, Touji appeared behind one of the ninjas and swiftly slashed with his kunai. The ninja didn’t even have time to scream before collapsing to the ground.

Zabuza, a ninja specialized in assassination, moved without making a sound. He silently appeared behind an enemy and ended their life with a single stroke.

“Be careful! The infiltrators are skilled assassins! Don’t let them sneak up on you! Everyone gather and wait for reinforcements.”

"Are you talking about me?" Touji teased as he used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in the midst of a group.

The ninjas’ pupils contracted in shock as they prepared to yell, but before they could, they felt a cold sensation on their necks, then collapsed.

As the mist gradually receded, six dead ninjas lay on the ground.

"Oh? Isn't that Zabuza?"

Zabuza's body trembled. He turned towards the voice, spotting a red-haired female ninja sitting on a rock.

"Ringo Ameyuri!" Zabuza said solemnly, staring at her.

Even Touji couldn’t help but frown.

Ringo Ameyuri was one of the second generation of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, a prodigious Lightning Style user from the Hidden Mist Village.

The Thunder Swords she wielded were perfectly suited to her chakra nature, greatly enhancing her abilities.

The Seven Swordsmen directly answered to the Mizukage, so it was clear they weren’t here for a warm welcome.

"Zabuza, I didn’t expect you to return. What, planning to assassinate the Mizukage again?" Her face turned pale as she spoke, and she began to cough uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Touji immediately used the Body Flicker Technique and appeared beside Ringo, slashing at her with his kunai.

Clang!

Though Ringo was coughing, she managed to block Touji’s sneak attack with her Thunder Swords.

"Didn't expect such a young boy to sneak up on a girl. Be careful, or you might never find a girlfriend," Ringo said with a smirk, but her expression quickly shifted.

Half of her Thunder Swords were already covered in ice, rapidly freezing towards her hand.

"Ice Style! From the Yuki clan? No wonder Zabuza had the guts to return!" Ringo snorted as lightning surged from her body.

Touji's pupils contracted. He quickly abandoned his kunai and retreated to a safe distance.

"Touji, be careful of her Lightning Style!" Zabuza warned, concerned.

"Careful? You think being careful will help?" Ringo sneered and charged at Touji with her two Thunder Swords.

"Lightning Style is the fastest ninjutsu. Think you can run from me?"

Touji smirked.

Speed? Touji wasn’t afraid of anyone when it came to speed.

As soon as Ringo got close, Touji vanished and reappeared behind her.

"Trying to compete with me in speed?" Touji said as he slashed.

A flash of white light streaked across Ringo's body, and blood spurted out.

"Impossible… How is he so fast?"

Ringo collapsed to the ground, staring at Touji in fear.

She couldn’t believe that the fastest Lightning Style user in the Hidden Mist Village had lost in speed to a twelve-year-old kid.

And now, she would lose her life.

Suddenly, Ringo’s body trembled, and her pupils shrank to pinpoints.

"You! You’re Touji, the Flickering Shadow!"

Though the Hidden Mist Village was isolated, they were still aware of major events like the Sand Village’s attack on the Leaf Village.

Especially the standout figure from that battle: Touji, the Flickering Shadow!

At twelve years old, Touji was a master of swordsmanship and renowned for his speed, said to have surpassed the Second Hokage.

"So, you’re the Flickering Shadow. Losing to you in speed… I can accept that."

"Now, die!"

Just as Touji was about to finish Ringo off, a deafening dragon roar shook his eardrums. He turned to see a massive water dragon rushing toward him.

Forced to give up killing Ringo, Touji retreated.

Glancing back, he saw several ninjas had arrived on the beach, with even more rushing out from behind them.

Touji frowned.

This infiltration was turning into a complete failure. In no time, the entire Hidden Mist Village would know about them.

But there was no turning back now. They had to force their way into the Hidden Mist Village.

"Zabuza, use the Hidden Mist Technique again! We’ll force our way in!"

Zabuza nodded and thick mist began to roll in, obscuring everyone's vision.

"Split up!"

With their cover blown, the only option left was to fight their way in.

Moving as a group of three made them an easy target, so splitting up was their best chance of survival.

Touji immediately used the Body Flicker Technique, darting toward the Hidden Mist Village.

Once inside the forest, Touji realized the full extent of the Hidden Mist Village's capabilities.

It had only been a few minutes since the alarm was raised, but already dozens of Anbu had arrived, with more ninjas pouring in.

Fortunately, Touji had his Byakugan. Without it, he’d have run into the reinforcements by now.

Even with the Byakugan, though, Touji was starting to feel overwhelmed.

The Hidden Mist ninjas, unable to find the three on the beach, began sweeping the forest with a grid search.

Ninjas were spaced just meters apart, pushing deeper into the woods.

On the other side of the forest, another squad waited in ambush, ready to catch the infiltrators.

But as more ninjas arrived, chaos began to ensue, giving Touji a chance.

Transformation Jutsu!

The more people there were, the easier it was to blend in.

Touji transformed into one of the ninjas he had seen earlier and joined the search party.

“What are you standing around for? Hurry up and find those three infiltrators!” an Anbu snapped at him.

Touji’s heart leaped.

Thanks to repeatedly practicing the Transformation Jutsu, he could now mimic not just appearances but even chakra signatures.

Ordinary ninjas couldn’t tell the difference.

An idea flashed in Touji’s mind. If he kept leveling up his Transformation Jutsu, he might even be able to change his gender someday.

At that point, even the strongest ninjas would have trouble distinguishing him.

Touji grinned as he continued pretending to search with the other ninjas.

He deliberately slowed his pace, and before long, he had fallen behind the others.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he was about to find a place to hide when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

“Stop pretending, infiltrator!”

---

End of the chapter.

*Chapter 123: Using Kotoamatsukami (Subscribe for More!)*

Touji shuddered.

He hadn’t expected that his intricate transformation technique would be seen through so easily.

But just because it was discovered didn’t mean there was no way out.

For example, with Moonlight Gale last time, persuading the other person made the threat disappear. Another option was to defeat them—dead people don’t talk, after all. The third choice was to use Kotoamatsukami, but Touji didn’t want to waste such a powerful technique on a minor character.

Touji slowly turned around, readying his chakra.

If someone dared to threaten him, they should be prepared to die.

When Touji finally turned his head, he was shocked to find that the person facing him was none other than Mei Terumi.

Touji had come to the Hidden Mist Village specifically to find Mei Terumi before planning how to take down Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage.

He hadn’t expected to encounter her so soon.

*[Ding! Mei Terumi discovered! Affection Level: 45 points! Caution!!!]*

*[Affection Level 50 Unlocked: Hidden Mist Jutsu!]*

*[Affection Level 60 Unlocked: Shuriken Jutsu!]*

*[Affection Level 70 Unlocked: Water Formation Pillar!]*

*[Affection Level 80 Unlocked: Water Dragon Bullet!]*

*[Affection Level 90 Unlocked: Lava Release!]*

*[Affection Level 100 Unlocked: Boil Release! Marriage proposal unlocked! Activate Infinite Sign-in (7-day sign-in interval!)]*

"Mei Terumi, Zabuza Momochi and I are here to help you!" Touji said anxiously.

Mei smiled seductively and sized him up.

“You’re quite good-looking, but what you're saying is outrageous. The 'Shadow of Konoha' claims to want to help me? Stop joking!”

Touji felt a little helpless.

He had brought Zabuza along precisely for this situation.

But at the moment he needed him, Zabuza was nowhere to be found.

“I came here with Zabuza. If you don’t trust me, surely you trust him.”

“Only someone as simple-minded as Zabuza would fall for your tricks. Letting a Konoha ninja help the Hidden Mist? You must be joking.”

“A Konoha ninja? Look at this first.” Touji said calmly.

As he spoke, cold air began to radiate from his body, nearly freezing the kunai in Mei’s hand.

Mei shivered and looked at Touji in disbelief.

“Ice Release! The Yuki clan? I thought that clan was wiped out!”

“Do you believe me now?” Touji smiled confidently.

Building affection was always tricky at first, but once it passed 50 points, things would get much easier.

“That’s all?”

Mei didn’t put her kunai down. Instead, she pressed it closer to Touji, so much so that he could feel its cold edge.

“The Yuki clan betrayed the Hidden Mist. Coming back now is a death sentence!” Mei sneered.

Touji was puzzled.

Mei Terumi had overthrown Yagura’s tyrannical regime, so she should be disillusioned with the current Mizukage’s rule.

Since he claimed to be from the Yuki clan, if Mei truly opposed Yagura, her affection level should have risen.

But it hadn’t moved at all.

In fact, Touji could see a hint of coldness in Mei’s eyes.

“I don’t care if you’re from the Yuki clan or the 'Shadow of Konoha.' Capturing you is always the right move!” Mei said as she pulled out a whistle.

If she blew the whistle, every ninja in the vicinity would come, and Touji would be trapped.

“Wait!” Touji shouted anxiously.

“Oh? You still have something to say? I’ll give you three seconds!” Mei paused her movements and mockingly looked at Touji.

Touji raised his hands to his eyes, removed his contact lenses, and revealed his snow-white eyes with three black tomoe spinning within them.

“The Byakugan! So, you really are a Konoha spy. I hope you’re from the Hyuga main family, then at least I’ll gain a pair of Byakugan eyes!” Mei said, her face lighting up with excitement.

“Aren’t you curious why I revealed myself?” Touji, no longer anxious, smirked mischievously.

“That doesn’t concern me. I just need—”

Before Mei could finish her sentence, her mind buzzed, and Touji’s left eye’s tomoe turned gray.

*[Ding! External interference detected! Mei Terumi’s Affection Level increased by 100 points! Affection Level is now 145!]*

*[Ding! Mei Terumi’s Affection Level has surpassed 100 points! You’ve gained access to all her jutsu and items!]*

Touji clutched his throbbing left eye, but inside, he was ecstatic.

He hadn’t expected Kotoamatsukami to instantly boost Mei’s affection by 100 points, granting him access to everything she had.

And even though he used Kotoamatsukami, his left eye hadn’t gone blind, though it seemed he couldn’t activate his Sharingan anymore.

But it was all worth it.

Mei’s once cold and distant demeanor had now softened, and she gazed at Touji with affection.

“Please! Please marry me!” Mei blushed as she spoke, but still held her kunai threateningly.

Touji’s face twitched.

He hadn’t expected the system rewards to be so direct. The way she was holding the kunai made it seem like she would stab him if he refused.

“I’m only 12!”

Mei pouted with a smile. “That doesn’t matter. True love knows no age!”

“Is your version of true love holding a kunai to propose?”

“Where’s the problem? As a ninja, it’s normal to have a kunai on hand. I can’t control where it points, can I?”

Touji rolled his eyes.

At this point, with Mei’s Affection Level exceeding 100, he knew she wouldn’t hurt him. He calmly took the kunai from her hand.

Touji then put his contact lenses back in, covering his white eyes.

Although he could deactivate the Byakugan and return his eyes to normal, wearing the lenses made it less likely anyone would notice when he activated it.

Just then, Mei suddenly lunged at Touji.

With her Affection Level maxed out, Touji no longer felt any threat from her and turned his attention to the surrounding forest.

He hadn’t expected Mei to act like that.

Touji was about to push her away when he heard footsteps approaching.

“Mei Terumi, what are you—Whoa! Mei, this is work time! Can you be a little more serious?” A ninja exclaimed, quickly covering his eyes.

Mei raised her head and glared coldly at the group of ninjas in front of her.

“If you ruin this for me, I swear I’ll kill you!”

The ninjas shivered.

Mei Terumi possessed two Kekkei Genkai, making her incredibly powerful.

Anyone who angered her usually ended up dead.

That was also why, despite her beauty, no one dared to pursue her.

“Fine... I’m leaving! Enjoy yourselves!”

Watching them leave, Touji sighed in relief and prepared to stand up.

“That was close. Good thing you noticed. Let’s find a safer place.”

“Leave?” Mei smirked mischievously.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 124: The Fearsome Mei Terumi*

Touji climbed up from the ground, panting heavily.

He now realized that having a favorability score above 100 wasn’t always a good thing. It might even put him in danger.

At least he had escaped the pursuit of the Kirigakure ninjas for now.

"Take me somewhere safe," Touji said, wiping his mouth.

Mei Terumi chuckled bitterly. "There’s nowhere safe in Kirigakure anymore. Every ninja is registered. If you go out recklessly, you’ll definitely get caught! Even if you try to blend in with the civilians..."

Before Mei could finish, a sharp scream suddenly rang out.

Mei frowned and said seriously to Touji, "Zabuza and another person have been captured. You’re the only one left infiltrating now!"

Touji frowned.

He hadn’t expected the assassination expert, Zabuza Momochi, to get caught.

After all, to master assassination techniques, the first thing you need is the skill to hide yourself well. But it hadn’t been long, and Zabuza had already been captured.

This made it clear how tight the security in Kirigakure had become.

If Mei Terumi hadn’t helped him hide earlier, he would’ve been caught on the spot.

"Hurry up and find me a place to hide. Now that they’ve captured Zabuza, they’ll definitely come after me next," Touji urged anxiously.

Kirigakure was nothing like Konoha.

In Konoha, the Hyuga Clan had his back. No matter what he did, they could smooth things over.

But in Kirigakure, he was unfamiliar with the terrain and people.

Being hunted by the whole village left him with nowhere to hide.

The worst part was that the Land of Water was surrounded by ocean, making escape nearly impossible.

However, Mei Terumi remained calm. She pulled Touji into her arms and said, "Don’t worry. No one in Kirigakure would dare touch you while I’m here!" As she spoke, she handed him a photo. "Transform into this person!"

Touji’s mouth twitched.

The photo showed a ridiculously handsome man, the type who could sweep women off their feet just by walking by.

Mei’s subtle smile at the moment gave Touji an unprecedented sense of danger.

Still, since Mei Terumi’s favorability had already exceeded 100, he was sure she wouldn’t harm him.

With no other choice, Touji performed the transformation jutsu.

Moments later, a few ninjas returned. When they saw Mei Terumi holding a handsome stranger, they quickly approached.

"Mei Terumi, who’s this?"

"This is my fiancé. From the way you’re looking at him, it seems like you’re doubting his identity?" Mei’s eyes turned cold as she spoke.

The ninjas immediately felt an overwhelming sense of killing intent.

One of them swallowed hard.

Mei Terumi possessed two Kekkei Genkai, which should have made her a prime target for suppression by the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura.

However, her strength was so formidable that even Yagura had no way of dealing with her.

Plus, Mei had a taboo: never show affection in front of her. Anyone who did so met a fiery end.

To avoid such situations, the village had arranged numerous blind dates for Mei, but none of them lasted more than a day. Some men didn’t even survive the first date.

Now that Mei had finally found someone she liked, they knew better than to upset her, or she might kill them on the spot.

Moreover, separating the couple would make them the enemies of every couple in Kirigakure!

Shivering at the thought, the ninja plastered a flattering smile on his face.

"Mei Terumi-sama, we’re all happy for you! How could someone you trust possibly be a spy?"

Seeing Mei’s anger fade, the ninja finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though he’d just returned from the brink of death.

"Good thing you know your place!"

"Yes, yes! We’ll continue searching for the infiltrator. You two carry on!" Wiping sweat from his brow, the ninja quickly turned and ran off.

Touji couldn’t help but smile wryly.

He hadn’t expected to escape such a dire situation so easily.

"Alright, let’s go back to my place. They might suspect you, but no one will dare cause trouble there," Mei said, linking her arm with his and smiling.

Touji felt a wave of relief.

Using Kotoamatsukami this time had really paid off.

Not only had he gained two Kekkei Genkai, but he also had a powerful ally in Kirigakure. As long as he stayed in Mei’s home, no one would dare touch him.

However, Mei’s hands were getting a bit too "friendly."

Arm in arm, Touji and Mei walked through the streets of Kirigakure.

Onlookers, both ninjas and civilians, wore shocked expressions. Some even shed tears of joy, giving Touji a thumbs up.

Touji let out a helpless laugh.

It seemed there really was a reason Mei Terumi never married in the Naruto series.

When they finally arrived at Mei’s house, Touji breathed a sigh of relief. But his thoughts soon turned to Zabuza.

Though he had some ulterior motives, Zabuza had come to Kirigakure because of him, so Touji felt responsible for rescuing him.

However, with just him and Mei, it would be difficult. They needed more allies.

"Do you have anyone who could help?"

"You want to save Zabuza?" Mei frowned.

"Yes, he came here because of me. I can’t let him die because of that."

Touji’s principle was that if someone was implicated because of him, he had to intervene. But if Zabuza had come to Kirigakure on his own and gotten caught, then that was his own problem.

"What about Chojuro and Ao?"

"I know those two, but why involve them?" Mei asked, confused.

Touji’s mouth twitched.

It seemed Mei was a bit of a lone wolf at the moment.

He wondered how she had ever become Mizukage in the first place.

Still, Chojuro and Ao had supported Mei in the Naruto series, likely because they were dissatisfied with Yagura’s oppressive regime.

They could be recruited to their cause.

"Can you get them to meet with us?"

Mei scratched her face awkwardly. "I can try with Chojuro, but Ao… I burned him with my Lava Release once. I don’t think he’d dare come."

Touji couldn’t help but give Mei a thumbs-up.

Burning her future right-hand man—Mei Terumi really was something else.

And yet, despite being burned, Ao still chose to follow her. Clearly, he had some feelings for her.

"Well, give it a shot. But before that, how about a little reward?"

"A reward?" Touji asked, puzzled.

Mei smirked mischievously, then leaned closer, pointing at her cheek.

"How about this kind of reward~"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 125: The Twisted Tech Tree (Please Subscribe!)

"What's got Mei Terumi so worked up?" Ao asked repeatedly, trailing behind her. Yet, Mei Terumi walked ahead, completely ignoring him, appearing even colder than before.

Finally, the two arrived at Mei Terumi's house. As she opened the door and saw Chojuro and Touji inside, Ao frowned.

"So, you're the one Mei Terumi is supposed to marry?" Ao said as he circled Touji.

Touji, having just taken a sip of water, nearly spat it out. He couldn’t believe it—within just half an hour, the entire village of Kirigakure knew about this.

However, Touji wasn't there to explain, nor did he have the energy to. Instead, he got straight to the point.

"Activate the barrier."

Mei Terumi nodded slightly.

A moment later, a dull yellow barrier spread out, enveloping the four of them. While they could still see outside, from the outside, it appeared as if nothing was there.

Even though no one would dare enter Mei Terumi's home, Touji, with his Byakugan, clearly saw several ANBU members nearby, watching. Just to be safe, it was better to put up a barrier.

Seeing the barrier rise, Ao's already displeased face became even more sour.

[Ding! Ao! Favorability: 40 points! Warning!!!]

[Favorability: 50 points unlocked: Water Clone Jutsu!]

[Favorability: 60 points unlocked: Water Release: Water Wave!]

[Favorability: 70 points unlocked: Laser Gun!]

[Favorability: 80 points unlocked: Laser Sword!]

[Favorability: 90 points unlocked: Absorption!]

[Favorability: 100 points unlocked: Byakugan! Let’s research science together! Activate Infinite Sign-in (Sign-in interval: 7 days)!]

[Ding! Chojuro! Favorability: 50 points! You can now sign in!]

[Favorability: 50 points unlocked: Water Clone Jutsu!]

[Favorability: 60 points unlocked: Water Prison Jutsu!]

[Favorability: 70 points unlocked: Hidden Mist Jutsu!]

[Favorability: 80 points unlocked: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!]

[Favorability: 90 points unlocked: Great Waterfall Technique!]

[Favorability: 100 points unlocked: Hiramekarei! Gain the oath to protect you for life! Activate Infinite Sign-in (Sign-in interval: 7 days)!]

Touji couldn't help but smile wryly when he saw Chojuro's rewards.

No wonder he would go on to become the weakest Mizukage. His skill set looked utterly average, with nothing particularly unique, and the only thing of note was Hiramekarei.

When Touji saw Ao's profile, he couldn't help but laugh.

The tech tree had completely gone off the rails, bringing out laser cannons and laser swords. If Ao and Orochimaru teamed up, the technology in the ninja world could probably advance by leaps and bounds.

However, the fact that Ao's favorability had dropped by ten points right after meeting made Touji quite unhappy.

"Sign in for Chojuro!"

[Ding! Sign-in successful for Chojuro! Gained Water Clone Jutsu! Favorability increased by 5 points! Current favorability is 55 points!]

"So, what exactly do you want to say? If it weren’t for Mei Terumi, I wouldn’t have come at all," Ao said impatiently.

Touji shrugged and said, "What do you think of the way Yagura runs Kirigakure?"

Both Ao and Chojuro trembled slightly.

This was a question to which everyone knew the answer, but no one dared speak it aloud.

Since Yagura became the Fourth Mizukage, his rule was initially well-organized. But suddenly, one day, Yagura became violent.

A series of decrees targeted the large clans. Some, like the Kaguya and Yuki clans, tried to resist.

But with Yagura being a perfect jinchuriki and backed by the support of many civilian ninjas, the two great clans were wiped out.

From then on, Yagura’s crackdown on the remaining clans intensified. All suffered under his rule, but none dared to resist. And now, Yagura had begun targeting the civilian ninjas who had once supported him.

Ninjas died almost daily.

Everyone wanted to end the "Bloody Mist" era, but those brave enough to stand up had all perished, leaving no one else willing to speak out.

"What’s your point? My time is precious," Ao said, clearly annoyed.

Even though Ao wanted to end the bloodshed, he wasn’t keen on working with a mysterious ninja.

That wouldn’t be cooperation; that would be suicide.

Touji smiled faintly, and an icy aura began emanating from him, freezing everything nearby.

Ao stood up, looking at Touji in disbelief.

"You! You're from the Yuki Clan!"

The Yuki Clan had been purged by Yagura after rebelling. Now, with the reappearance of the Ice Release, the Yuki Clan had returned, aiming for the Mizukage.

Ao sat back down.

There was no doubt about the Yuki Clan’s strength. It was said that the clan's most powerful member once had the ability to freeze the entire coastline of Kirigakure. Such a feat was terrifying to even imagine.

However, Touji looked to be only about twelve years old, which didn't exactly inspire confidence.

"How many of the Yuki Clan are left?" Ao asked, as Chojuro also awaited Touji's response.

After all, to overthrow Yagura, they would need a powerful team.

Touji coughed awkwardly before smiling sheepishly.

"Three, including me…"

"Are you joking?"

With only three people, trying to overthrow Yagura was sheer madness.

"Trust me, I know the reason Yagura became so cruel, and there's a real chance we can defeat him!"

"I don’t care about the reason. I care about the strength of my allies!" Ao retorted.

"What do you want, then?"

"Beat me in a fight, and I’ll consider working with you."

Touji frowned.

He had originally intended to cooperate peacefully, but now that things had escalated, retreating would make him look weak.

Besides, he already disliked Ao for stealing a Byakugan.

Since Ao had called for a fight, Touji stood up and, with a cold smile, said, "Fine."

The two moved to an open area, glaring at each other.

Ao, meanwhile, had a slight smirk on his face.

Touji, being only about twelve, didn't seem like someone worth taking seriously. The only one in that age group who could command his respect was Konoha's famous Yellow Flash.

"Just so you know, in a fight, blades don’t care who they hurt. If you die, Mei Terumi won’t be mad, right?" Ao said with a hint of malice.

"Don’t you dare!" Mei Terumi cried out, clearly worried.

Touji held out his hand to stop Mei Terumi, his eyes cold as he looked at Ao.

Since Ao had murderous intent, Touji now had every reason to kill him.

"I think it’s fair to say that if one of us dies, the other won’t be held accountable. What do you say?"

Ao was momentarily stunned, not expecting Touji to agree so readily.

An unsettling sense of danger swept over him.

But since Ao had proposed the idea, he couldn’t back out now.

"Fine, let’s agree to that."

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(End of Chapter)