Nagato's words brought Terumi Mei back to her senses. She brushed aside the long brown hair draped across her forehead, a smile on her face.
"That's right. In Konoha, he and Uchiha Sasuke were both hailed as geniuses. And now he's Lord Yuto's disciple."
A cryptic smile appeared on Terumi Mei's stunning face.
The scene of two former Konoha geniuses meeting would surely be quite entertaining.
Of course, if the people of Konoha saw it, it would be even more amusing. She wondered what they would think.
Terumi Mei indulged in a bit of wicked amusement at the thought, even laughing out loud for a moment.
Watching Terumi Mei laugh inexplicably, as if slightly unhinged, Nagato's mouth couldn't help but twitch. Still, his tone remained level.
"I'm not going to babysit some brat for your village. When the fighting starts, don't blame me if he ends up dead."
Terumi Mei remained noncommittal. Hyūga Neji's appearance clearly irked Nagato, but that was all it could be — just irritation.
This was Lord Yuto's decision. Nagato had no right to refuse.
"Besides Hyūga Neji, who is Kirigakure sending?"
After a brief silence, Nagato asked the question.
"Someone who'll be here shortly. An old friend of yours, you could say." Terumi Mei smiled lightly, not revealing the name.
Old friend?
Nagato froze for a moment, and then a figure surfaced in his mind.
Terumi Mei and Nagato didn't have to wait long. Within three or four minutes, a knock sounded at the Mizukage's office door.
And then.
Hyūga Neji's figure appeared in both their fields of vision.
As he entered, the first thing Neji saw was Nagato sitting to one side with an expressionless face. His gaze couldn't help but sharpen.
Uzumaki Nagato!
Hyūga Neji had certainly seen him before. When he defected from Konoha, if Nagato and Konan hadn't shown up in time, he would likely have been dragged back by the village's forces.
But why was he here?
If he recalled correctly, this person should belong to Amegakure.
And hearing the name Uzumaki Nagato, Neji couldn't help but think of a certain dead-last in Konoha — Uzumaki Naruto.
Both sharing the Uchiha name — was there some connection between them? The thought crossed Neji's mind in a flash, then was gone just as quickly.
"Mizukage-sama!"
Neji collected himself and looked at Terumi Mei ahead, speaking respectfully.
He was puzzled — why would the Mizukage suddenly summon him?
"There's a mission regarding Sunagakure. Lord Yuto specifically requested you for it."
As if reading Neji's confusion, Terumi Mei spoke in a gentle tone.
Hearing that it was Lord Yuto's order, Neji paused for a moment, then gave a small nod.
Step — step —
Just then, footsteps sounded once more outside the Mizukage's office.
Sensing the familiar Chakra, Nagato — who had been sitting with an expressionless face — suddenly narrowed his eyes!
A figure with long dark blue hair and a face resembling a shark walked in through the door.
Seeing this person, Neji's eyes turned serious, his body involuntarily tensing.
One of the Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure — Hoshigaki Kisame!
Although Neji spent most of his time training at the Seven Swordsmen's headquarters, aside from being somewhat familiar with Ranmaru, Haku, Kimimaro, and Hōzuki Suigetsu, he rarely saw the others.
And when he did cross paths with them, those few were all rather reclusive — not the approachable type.
They all had personality issues, to be sure. But when it came to strength, every single one of them felt terrifying.
At least in Neji's assessment, if he faced any of them alone, there was a high probability he'd be cut down in short order.
"Oh, the Byakugan brat."
Hoshigaki Kisame walked in and spotted Neji standing there first. He curled his lip slightly.
The next moment, he turned his gaze toward Nagato sitting to one side with his expressionless face, and his mouth stretched into a grin.
"Long time no see. I wonder — should I call you Pain, or should I call you Nagato, Leader?"
"Without the Rinnegan, I wonder if your strength is still as fearsome as before?"
Hoshigaki Kisame bared his sharp teeth and let out a low laugh, his tone carrying an unmistakable thrill of excitement.
An intense aura and fighting spirit surged from Kisame's body!
"As a traitor, you have no right to speak the name 'Pain.'"
Nagato's voice was low. Though he remained seated, a fierce killing intent erupted from him.
Two terrifying auras exploded from Nagato and Hoshigaki Kisame simultaneously, clashing and intertwining!
Standing nearby, Neji was the first to feel the pressure. The air around him seemed to grow thick and viscous in that instant.
Under these conditions, Neji felt his breathing grow heavy. His body even stiffened for a brief moment.
"Is this the aura of the strong?"
A layer of fine sweat formed on Neji's forehead. For some reason, he suddenly felt the temperature around him rise.
Was it his imagination?
Just as Neji prepared to resist the pressure radiating from these two —
Suddenly!
With a loud BAM!
Terumi Mei swung her long, slender leg and slammed it onto the desk in front of her with a resounding crash.
"Are you two looking for death?!"
A dangerous gleam flashed in Terumi Mei's eyes, and her voice carried the overbearing authority of a Kage.
As she spoke, the temperature throughout the Mizukage's office began to rise.
Not a perceived increase — but a genuine rise in temperature!
Terumi Mei wore a smile that sent chills down the spine. She exhaled a breath of white, high-temperature mist, driving the office's temperature up several more degrees!
Hoshigaki Kisame and Nagato's auras faltered for a moment. Then, the pressure radiating from both of them rapidly dissipated.
Neji, standing to the side, felt the weight lift from him. He let out a heavy breath.
"I have no interest in knowing what happened between you in the past. Nor do I care to know."
"But right now, Kirigakure and Amegakure are allied villages. Releasing killing intent in the Mizukage's office is a provocation — and I doubt your Amegakure could withstand the consequences."
Terumi Mei's gaze was ice-cold as she stared at Nagato, her tone detached.
Nagato's eyes flickered slightly. He didn't speak, his expression remaining perfectly calm.
Seeing Nagato stay silent, a hint of satisfaction appeared on Terumi Mei's face. She then turned to look at Hoshigaki Kisame.
"Hoshigaki Kisame, I trust you wouldn't mind finding a new successor for the 'Great Sword Samehada.' There are plenty of people in the village waiting to inherit the title of 'Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure.'"
Terumi Mei rested her chin in her hand, speaking as if deep in thought.
Hoshigaki Kisame's expression shifted. He let out two awkward, dry laughs. He could hear from Terumi Mei's tone that she wasn't joking in the slightest.
"Mizukage-sama, this was my lapse in judgment."
Hoshigaki Kisame didn't hesitate at all. He admitted his mistake outright and cleanly.
His hands had simply been itching for a moment. He certainly had no intention of giving the 'Great Sword Samehada' a new master.
[
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