The carriage swayed beneath Hanekawa's feet as he stood motionless on its roof, eyes closed.
Around him, the world bloomed into existence—not through sight, but through the Mind's Eye. Every tree, every stone, every flicker of chakra within his perception range materialized in his mind's eye like a living map. Two days of travel had carried them from the Land of Fire into the Land of Rivers, and in another half-day, they'd reach the rendezvous point where Konoha's forces would meet the Hidden Sand's contingent.
He'd spent the journey doing what he did best: training while appearing to rest.
The Mind's Eye had two purposes today. First, reconnaissance—watching for the inevitable ambushes that came with operating in contested territory. Second, practice. Every hour sharpened his perception ninjutsu, grinding his proficiency higher like a blade against stone.
So far, the journey had been blessedly quiet.
That changed when Hanekawa's eyes snapped open.
Three teams. Twelve ninjas. Three jonin-level signatures among them.
And one chakra he recognized immediately.
Mei Terumi.
"Hanekawa, something's happening!"
Hizashi Hyuga appeared beside him moments later, his Byakugan already activated. The branch family member had sensed the same disturbance.
Below, Chen Rōshi and the other transport team members tensed. They weren't fools—they knew what enemy ninja meant.
"Hidden Mist Village," Hanekawa said calmly, opening his eyes. "You continue on. I'll handle this."
"Should I come with you?" Hizashi asked, hesitation clear in his voice.
"Not necessary."
Hanekawa didn't bother explaining. Hizashi knew his record—the Four-Tails captured alive, the Third Mizukage dead. In terms of raw power, Hanekawa was the strongest asset the transport team had.
He vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
---
The road ahead curved through dense forest. Hanekawa found a suitable vantage point and closed his eyes, activating the Mind's Eye once more.
Twelve signatures, arranged in a loose perimeter. They were good—disciplined, patient. But they weren't expecting him.
Time to change that.
Hanekawa formed hand seals and exhaled a thick stream of mist that spread outward in all directions, deliberately flowing away from the Mist Village ninjas' position. The irony wasn't lost on him.
"Who cast the Mist Hidden Technique?"
Mei Terumi's voice cut through the fog, sharp with surprise. But her confusion lasted only seconds. The mist was spreading the wrong direction—away from them, not from them.
"Be careful! There might be enemies!" she called out to her team.
The Mist Village ninjas scattered, searching. So did Mei Terumi, though Hanekawa could sense her frustration. Who knew their signature technique?
He let her wonder for exactly three seconds.
Mei Terumi spun and threw a punch without hesitation, her reflexes sharp as ever. But Hanekawa was faster. His hand closed around her wrist, stopping the blow cold.
"You..." Mei Terumi's eyes widened. "Why are you here?"
"You tell me," Hanekawa said, unable to suppress his smile.
Her expression shifted through several emotions before settling on calculation. "Are you escorting Konoha's supply transport?"
"Smart girl."
Hanekawa released her wrist. Mei Terumi stepped back, her entire body language changing. The confidence drained away, replaced by something that looked dangerously like resignation.
"If you're here to convince me to surrender, that won't happen," she said flatly. "I'd rather die."
"Is that so?" Hanekawa tilted his head, studying her with obvious amusement. "You don't want your eleven teammates to die here?"
Mei Terumi froze. Her body trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the weight of that choice.
This is fun, Hanekawa thought. Teasing the future Mizukage.
After a few seconds of internal struggle, Mei Terumi made her decision. She reached into her pouch and threw something at him.
Hanekawa caught it reflexively. A wallet.
He stared at it, then at her, completely lost. What?
"You're a pervert!" Mei Terumi snapped, her face flushed with anger and embarrassment.
Before he could respond, she kicked off her shoes and began peeling away her black mesh stockings—the kind that wrapped around her feet like step-on socks, leaving her toes exposed.
What is happening right now?
"Stop looking!" Mei Terumi's face was crimson as she shoved the warm stockings into his hands.
Hanekawa blinked. "I think you misunderstood. I wanted to spar with you."
Mei Terumi's expression froze. She stared at him, processing this information. Her face somehow managed to get even redder.
"Then give me back my stockings!" she demanded through gritted teeth.
"Once they're in my hands, they're mine," Hanekawa said with complete seriousness. "You want them back? Beat me."
"Go to hell!"
Mei Terumi's hands flew through seals. Her lips parted, and orange-red acid sprayed forth like a tidal wave, consuming everything in its path.
Dissolution Release: Monster Dissolution Technique.
Hanekawa stepped back and clapped his hands together. A water dragon erupted from the ground, roaring as it charged forward. The dragon collided with the acid stream, and both began to dissolve—but the water held its form, pushing through with enough force to scatter the acid and send Mei Terumi skidding backward.
The thick fog dispersed, revealing both combatants to the watching Mist Village ninjas.
"It's Hanekawa!" one of them gasped.
Panic rippled through the team. They weren't stupid. The man who'd killed the Third Mizukage wasn't someone they could fight.
"All of you, leave!" Mei Terumi commanded, her eyes never leaving Hanekawa. "I'll hold him!"
"But—" one of her subordinates started.
"Go! Now!"
The Mist Village ninjas retreated, their expressions a mixture of reluctance and relief. They knew what staying would mean.
"The acting is pretty good," Hanekawa said, unable to help himself.
Mei Terumi didn't smile. She understood perfectly well that if Hanekawa hadn't chosen mercy, there would be no act—only bodies.
"Continue!" she declared, her face hardening with determination.
Water Style: Water Array Pillar!
A massive sphere of water descended from the sky like a falling meteor. Mei Terumi's eyes tracked Hanekawa's every movement, and she noticed something that made her frown.
His water jutsu was stronger. Significantly stronger.
Water Style: Water Trumpet Technique!
Hanekawa leaped upward and expelled a spiraling stream of water shaped like a trumpet. The collision was instantaneous. The water sphere burst, spraying in all directions and drenching Mei Terumi in the process.
He's gotten stronger, she realized with a sinking feeling.
Water Style: Water Rush Wave!
Hanekawa's hands came together, and water spun violently before him, forming a tornado that cut through the mist like a blade. The two combatants exchanged volleys—water against acid, technique against technique—until a water dragon emerged from the chaos and rushed toward Mei Terumi at terrifying speed.
Water Style: Water Formation Wall!
She reacted instantly, raising a wall of water. It held for a moment, then shattered. Water cascaded down, soaking her dress completely. The blue fabric clung to her body, and as she stumbled backward, Hanekawa caught a glimpse of her curvaceous figure outlined beneath the wet cloth—black mesh stockings visible where her dress had ridden up.
He raised an eyebrow.
Mei Terumi didn't seem to notice or care. She was already forming seals again, her expression grim.
Boiling Release: Acid Mist Technique!
Orange-red solution sprayed outward, distorting the air itself.
Molten Release: Rasengan!
Hanekawa threw a spinning sphere of lava. The collision produced a violent reaction—gas and steam erupting as the solution met the magma. The Rasengan's rotation threw the acid back toward Mei Terumi, who barely managed to raise another Water Formation Wall in time.
The solution, heated by the magma, melted through most of the water. Scorching heat washed over her face, and she felt her skin flush from the temperature alone.
She looked at Hanekawa, standing calmly in the center of the chaos, and felt something inside her break.
"I give up," she said quietly.
Neither her Dissolution Release nor her Boiling Release could match his water jutsu. It was like trying to fight the ocean itself.
Two lines of text appeared in Hanekawa's vision:
[C-Rank Talent Entry: Boiling and Melting]
[Trigger Condition: Defeat Mei Terumi]
[Effect: Dissolution Release and Boiling Release proficiency increased by 100%]
Just C-Rank?
Then he understood. Mei Terumi was still young, still learning. She only had one technique for each release. Once she mastered them fully, the entry would likely be stronger. But this was still valuable—another kekkei genkai added to his collection.
With Lava Release, Wood Style, and now Boiling and Dissolution Release, he was getting closer to that A-Rank entry: "Seven Bloodline Limits."
Hanekawa pulled a windbreaker from his storage scroll and handed it to her. "Thank you for today."
Mei Terumi stared at the garment, confused. She wrapped it around herself, her wet dress clinging uncomfortably beneath.
"Remember to shower and change when you get back," Hanekawa added, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "You don't want to catch a cold."
Mei Terumi's face turned crimson. She looked away, her voice sharp with embarrassment and something else she couldn't quite name. "I don't need your concern, you pervert!"
"Practice your Dissolution and Boiling Release," he advised.
"Don't worry!" she snapped, her eyes blazing with determination despite her flushed cheeks. "Next time, I'll melt you in one bite!"
"I look forward to it."
Hanekawa pinched her cheek—earning a small squeak of indignation—and vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
Mei Terumi stood alone in the clearing for a long time, the oversized windbreaker hanging off her shoulders, her wet hair dripping. She looked down at the garment, then in the direction Hanekawa had disappeared.
Her feelings toward him had become complicated. Confusing. She didn't know how to describe them, and that frustrated her almost as much as losing the fight.
Almost.