Chapter 252: Chilled to the Bone
"Why have I started paying attention to whether a shota is legal or not? This is not good, not good."
Masahiko stopped his "wild thoughts," muttering repeatedly to himself.
Shifting his gaze away from Yagura, who was heading toward the edge of the arena, Masahiko continued to watch the entrance.
Unfortunately, after nearly half an hour passed, Masahiko didn't see any more familiar plot characters. He had wanted to see what Mei Terumi looked like as a child, but unfortunately, he didn't get his wish. Could it be that because she was also a Kekkei Genkai ninja, she didn't dare to show her face?
"Let alone Mei Terumi, there aren't even many female ninjas in the Hidden Mist Village..." Masahiko scanned the area. Under the Blood Mist policy, not many female ninjas managed to grow up.
"Of course, tomboys are an exception," Masahiko muttered, looking at the only female ninja among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen who had already entered the arena, Ameyuri Ringo.
She looked quite pretty on the outside, but unfortunately, as soon as she spoke, her mouth full of jagged teeth and her ferocious expression could scare a child to tears.
Opposite her was another member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, wielding the Twin Sword—Hiramekarei... Triangle Head?
Forgive Masahiko, he really couldn't remember the other party's name. As for the name "Triangle Head," it was because the other party's head was shaped like a triangular pyramid.
The two had entered the arena ten minutes ago, and were currently engaging in awkward conversation... provoking each other. Although the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were always grouped together by others, in private, they were never united.
Seeing that the two intended to use trash talk to determine who was superior, the wealthy merchants present couldn't hold back anymore.
Even though they were all wealthy, one million ryo was not a small sum. Spending so much money wasn't just to watch an argument. So, they started to court death, and murmurs of "Are you going to fight or not?" gradually spread throughout the arena.
Masahiko smiled as he watched them attract the attention of the two in the arena. Ameyuri Ringo revealed a mocking expression, and raised her Lightning Blades (Kiba). "Lightning Release: Lightning Fang!"
Lightning attribute chakra was injected into the dome, and a bolt of lightning struck directly toward Masahiko's direction.
Masahiko's smile froze on his face. "Damn it, it wasn't even me who spoke, why strike me?"
Fortunately, Fuguki Suikazan was more of a "stand-up guy" than he imagined, voluntarily using Samehada to block this strike.
Ameyuri Ringo looked disdainful, thinking Masahiko was scared silly. She curled her lips and didn't attack again. Masahiko sighed inwardly, "This old ancestor has added another person to his little black book. Just you wait, I'll deal with you after watching this big show."
After taking this strike, Fuguki Suikazan glanced at Kisame. Kisame voluntarily walked toward Masahiko and the others, and began to popularize the "Guidelines for Spectators" again.
"Don't be impatient, the battle will only start when the referee arrives," Kisame added at the end.
"There's a referee?" Masahiko was startled.
This wasn't some Chunin Exam or Jonin Exam. The two people about to fight below could barely be considered S-class ninjas. Who could be their referee?
"Shark-faced bro, who is the referee? An elder of the Hidden Mist Village?"
Kisame didn't even turn his head, directly turning and leaving.
Masahiko's mouth twitched. He shook the fat cat in his arms, "Damn cat, stop sleeping, get up and eat some shark."
Kisame: "..."
Another few minutes passed, and a person finally slowly walked into the arena entrance. Masahiko narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself, "I almost forgot my main business."
The newcomer was exactly the Hidden Mist ninja who had taken the Byakugan in the previous war. Because of the Byakugan, he wore a black eyepatch over his right eye, and two talisman tags hung from his left and right ears. Observing from afar, Masahiko realized those two talismans served to enhance perception.
"The Hidden Mist Village does have some methods I don't know. Speaking of which, what was this ninja's name again?" Masahiko pondered inwardly. Having transmigrated for over a hundred years, some memories had blurred.
"You're so late, Ao, you bastard," Ameyuri Ringo gave Masahiko the answer.
"Sorry I'm late, my two lords." Ao walked to the middle of the arena, looked left and right, "Then, let this match officially begin!"
After saying this, Ao flickered away, and the two ninja swords of the other two instantly clashed together.
"This guy is only in his early twenties and can already be the referee for this kind of match. Impressive."
Masahiko didn't pay attention to the two Ninja Swordsmen who were already exchanging probing blows for the moment, but instead cast his gaze on Ao.
The veins bulging on Ao's right temple clearly showed he had activated the Byakugan, which also gave Masahiko some guesses.
"Maybe the Third Mizukage being controlled was discovered by his Byakugan."
Masahiko's guess was indeed correct. Ao was originally a sensory ninja and also a guard for the Third Mizukage. He participated in the previous attack on Konoha, seized a Byakugan, and after transplanting it, discovered through the Byakugan that the Third Mizukage was being controlled.
As Masahiko was pondering, bursts of exclamations suddenly came to his ears, "Oh!" "Wow!" and so on...
Those wealthy merchants usually didn't get to see clashes between top-tier experts like this.
"You look very calm?" Kisame's voice appeared beside Masahiko's ear.
Masahiko smiled. Kisame was probably starting to doubt his identity.
"I'm not calm, my heartbeat has sped up. They're so amazing!"
Masahiko gave a very serious, perfunctory reply.
While they were talking, the probing Taijutsu exchange in the arena had ended and turned into a Ninjutsu clash.
Triangle Head fell to a disadvantage in the Taijutsu clash, pulled back to open up distance, and began using Ninjutsu.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Behind him, a water dragon instantly took form, twisting and roaring as it charged toward Ameyuri Ringo.
The power of this kind of Ninjutsu could be said to be great or small. The frontal impact was indeed sufficient, but the hit rate was pitifully low. Not only did it miss the target, the aftershocks also left the audience stumbling and staggering.
Masahiko smiled, took two steps forward, and stood behind the big fatty, watching the others turn into drowned rats.
"This protection is not bad."
The big fatty, Fuguki Suikazan, frowned and turned his head back, only to hear Masahiko quickly speak.
"Wow, this time it's half a water dragon."
Samehada swung around, defending against it.
"A Great Waterfall, huh..."
Samehada was held horizontally, blocking it.
"Lightning Orbs, huh..."
Samehada opened its mouth, swallowing it in one gulp.
"This money was truly well spent," Masahiko smiled.
...
Fuguki Suikazan currently had a curse word he didn't know whether he should say or not. He felt he was being targeted today. As the two dueled in the arena, some Ninjutsu would always inexplicably leak over to his side, especially with someone not far behind him constantly cheering and shouting how awesome it was.
This was, of course, all thanks to Masahiko. Seeing that Fuguki Suikazan's one-time protection fee was equal to the income of four S-rank missions, he decided to give him something to do. Half of those Ninjutsu were about to hit near them, but Masahiko deliberately pulled them over.
"It's half a water dragon again..."
"You shut up!" Fuguki Suikazan ruthlessly tore the water dragon apart, turning around to roar.
"Lord, watch out!" Kisame shouted anxiously.
"It's a Great Waterfall again..."
Watching Fuguki Suikazan get completely drenched and soaked to the bone, Masahiko whispered.
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