Chapter 279: Three Days Apart, Each Grows in Their Own Way!

Chapter 279: Three Days Apart, Each Grows in Their Own Way!

After agreeing to Hidan's request and promising to help him kill the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning, Mei Terumi propped herself up on the railing with one hand and swiftly leaped onto the platform's edge. Her calm gaze fell upon the group of rogue ninja from the Land of Hot Water, who had been captured by Kumo ninjas and were about to be executed.

She then turned her head slightly and gave Hidan a gentle smile.

"Well then, my obedient child, let me give you another welcome gift."

"We'll save those people as well."

Hidan was stunned upon hearing this.

His heart, which had long since darkened and given up all hope, suddenly felt as if a ray of light had pierced through.

But—

Hadn't this woman just been acting like she couldn't save them, practically telling him to accept his fate? She was one step away from smacking him unconscious and dragging him off.

And now, what was this all about?

Could it be that calling her 'sister-in-law' had this much power?

At this thought, Hidan felt a wave of warmth in his heart—he was somewhat touched.

Uchiha Ci, Uchiha Ci… Even in death, you're still helping me!

Before Hidan could recover from his daze, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder and pulled him backward.

Immediately after, he saw a cold face.

A white-haired ninja, wearing a Mist Village forehead protector engraved with four water ripples, stared at him with an indifferent expression—his sharp tiger tooth slightly exposed. His posture was upright, and on his back, he carried a broad, heavy sword wrapped in bandages, with two handles.

Hidan instantly recognized this man.

The Mist's prodigy—Hozuki Mangetsu!

The very same ninja who had fought Uchiha Ci twice, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

Hidan had heard of him but had never met him in person.

But wasn't this guy supposed to be on the enemy's side?

Then, Hidan heard a cold voice—

"Go wait quietly in the room below."

"The upcoming battle isn't something a trash Genin like you can participate in."

Hozuki Mangetsu's icy gaze locked onto him like a butcher staring at a slab of meat on the chopping board. He simply gestured behind him, where two Mist ninjas, both wearing Kumo forehead protectors, stood holding a sturdy rope. Their eyes were fixed on Hidan.

Seeing this, Hidan broke into a cold sweat.

What the hell was going on?

Had he just escaped the tiger's den only to fall into the wolf's lair?

"If you want your people to live, bind your hands and cooperate with us."

Hozuki Mangetsu's voice remained as indifferent as ever.

"Ninjas should understand the importance of trade-offs. And don't forget—Mist isn't some charity organization."

"You really think that woman would help you just because of a brief encounter?"

"That kind of naïve thinking wouldn't even fool a three-year-old."

"So, without power, you have no real choices."

"The only thing you can do—"

"—is offer up your own head in exchange for their lives."

"Nothing more."

Hidan remained silent for a moment before lowering his gaze.

Then, he turned his head and looked at the silent figure standing at the platform's edge with her back to him.

Yes…

Trade-offs.

In this chaotic Third Shinobi World War…

In the aftermath of the bloody conflict between Iwa and Kiri…

During this period when his brother, Uchiha Ci, was neither seen nor heard from…

Hidan had already experienced such trade-offs countless times.

Each time he performed Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood, it required someone who trusted him to sacrifice their life in order to obtain the enemy's blood.

And with every enemy he took down, far more of his own comrades had perished.

One life after another had pushed a mere Genin like him to this position—

A position where he now stood before the mighty Daimyō of the Land of Lightning.

How could he not understand?

The meaning of trade-offs.

"I understand."

Hidan exhaled deeply.

Then, he raised his head, his pale purple eyes burning with resolve, and grinned at Hozuki Mangetsu.

"But—"

"You wouldn't understand, nor would you ever comprehend!"

"Even if it's just for a day—"

"The bonds formed between life and death create a connection that can never be severed. Even if separated by a thousand miles or standing on opposing sides, that bond will always exist in some form."

"Just wait and see."

Once that guy arrives, I'll make sure to stomp your smug face into the ground!

Hozuki Mangetsu watched as Hidan bound his hands and walked past him. His lone eye flickered slightly.

Then, he snorted coldly.

"Ridiculous."

Soon, only Mei Terumi and Hozuki Mangetsu remained on the platform.

The morning sun rose higher, bathing the land in golden light.

The once-dim Cloud gradually brightened as sunlight filtered through the peaks and open spaces, illuminating the crowded execution grounds below.

As he gazed toward the scene, Hozuki Mangetsu narrowed his eyes and asked the girl sitting on the railing—

"You really believe the blood he obtained is real?"

Mei Terumi shook her head, looking down at the waking city below.

"It's fake."

"There are too many ways to avoid having one's real blood taken—substitutes, transformation techniques, disguises."

"Especially when the target is the most esteemed person in this country."

"Then why help him?" Hozuki Mangetsu asked gravely.

"We came all this way just to watch a farce? Have you forgotten the turmoil our village is currently facing?"

"Mei Terumi, even you can't afford to be this reckless right now!"

Mei didn't turn her head. Instead, she pressed her hand against the railing and stood up.

With the wind blowing through her hair, she smiled freely, spreading her arms as if embracing the nation itself.

"Hozuki Mangetsu, since you've chosen to trust me, then trust me all the way."

"Assassinating the Daimyō—this was always our inevitable path!"

"And isn't this precisely what you, who have turned your back on your master, longed for?"

Hozuki Mangetsu took a deep breath, his brow furrowing, a faint tic forming on his forehead.

"I admit, that brat's words back then made some sense."

"But the one I want to kill is the Daimyō of the Land of Water—he's the one in our way!"

"And now you're dragging me to the Land of Lightning to assassinate their Daimyō? That's completely off track!"

Mei Terumi smiled faintly, her gaze fixed deep within the city—toward the heavily guarded castle.

"This is an experiment."

"I want to confirm my beliefs."

"To find the final answer to all our disputes—"

"The differences between you and me."

"The divisions within Kiri."

"The conflicting paths of the future war."

"A nation without a Daimyō, a land where everyone is their own master, a new era where ninjas break free from their shackles—"

"What would it look like?"

"I want to see it with my own eyes."

Facing the cold wind of early morning, Terumi Mei's gaze turned icy as she calmly spoke:

"Even if it means shattering this nation beneath our feet!"

Hearing this exaggerated reasoning—

To kill the Daimyō of the Land of Water, they would first eliminate the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning.

And all of it, just to observe what would become of a nation that had lost its Daimyō, using that as a reference to govern her own country!

Now that Hozuki Mangetsu had his answer, he couldn't help but feel a slight chill down his spine.

Looking at Terumi Mei's back, all that remained in his eyes was apprehension—deep, profound apprehension.

He had once thought that this girl, raised in the greenhouse of Kirigakure, was nothing more than a decorative vase.

Until—

The war that had been altered and forcibly prolonged by Uchiha Ci erupted.

With Yagura Karatachi's Organization, the Third Mizukage, and the Council of Elders each claiming they alone could lead the village to the future, Kirigakure fell into a three-way internal struggle, teetering on the brink of destruction.

In that moment of crisis, this very girl stepped onto the battlefield to resist an Iwagakure surprise attack, surviving battle after battle on the edge of life and death.

And then, after facing Iwagakure's Five-Tails Jinchuriki—

Everything changed.

By mastering the unique property of Boil Release—freely adjusting its acidity—and secretly learning from Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, how to control the boiling of mist, she pushed Boil Release to a level that made one's scalp tingle with fear.

In the end, she achieved mastery over Boil Release: Unrivaled Strength!

A terrifying woman capable of engaging a Tailed Beast in hand-to-hand combat and growing stronger at an alarming rate!

Possessing chakra reserves comparable to a Tailed Beast, wielding unparalleled prowess in Water and Lava Release, and finally filling the last gap in her close-combat capabilities—Terumi Mei became a force to be reckoned with.

In that war, she shone even brighter than Yagura Karatachi!

A genius like Hozuki Mangetsu, in the face of this girl's transformation—

This girl who abandoned her former laziness, who pursued strength at any cost,

This girl who, through her profound understanding of Uchiha Ci's so-called madness, gained a far greater vision than any in Kirigakure—

In the end, he chose to bow his head in submission.

After a moment of silence, Hozuki Mangetsu withdrew his gaze and asked:

"Then, why save those Hot Water shinobi?"

"They're too weak. In this city of Yunming, such strength isn't worth you exposing yourself."

Terumi Mei turned back, a cunning glint flashing in her clear green eyes. She smiled faintly.

"Those Hot Water shinobi are the last followers of Hidan's Jashin Cult."

"But they are not just Jashin followers; they are also reckless assassins who attempted to kill the Raikage."

"As long as they're alive, many will use their existence as a pretext to move against the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning."

Hozuki Mangetsu was momentarily stunned.

"Many people?"

"Besides us, there are others who want to eliminate the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning?"

Terumi Mei let out a sigh, turned her head, and gave him a sideways glance.

"Alright, enough with the questions."

"You're starting to sound like Ao, always asking about this and that. It's annoying. I already have a fiancé—As a subordinate, you should know how to avoid suspicion, understand?"

"Now hurry up and get to work!"

"Go to the execution grounds and cast a Hidden Mist Technique. We don't even need to step in—someone will rescue them."

Hozuki Mangetsu raised an eyebrow and glanced at the chaotic execution site.

He reached back and grasped the hilt of his twin-bladed sword, Hiramekarei.

It was worth mentioning—his uncle, Hozuki Chinjuro, the previous wielder of Hiramekarei, had perished in the recent war. And now, at long last, Mangetsu had officially become one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, claiming the blade as his own.

Adopting a combat stance, he lifted his head and smirked at Terumi Mei, baring his sharp, shark-like teeth.

"One last question, future Fourth Mizukage—"

"Tell me—"

"That arrogant brat… is he still alive?"

Hearing this, Terumi Mei fell silent for a moment.

Then, she lifted her gaze, her expression firm.

"He won't die that easily!"

"And this time, I won't be as powerless as before!"

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