Chapter 254: Driven Crazy by Teasing
Kisame, with a wooden face, held up the banner alongside a ninja Masahiko didn't recognize.
Masahiko truly didn't expect that people would actually compete for this kind of job, and not just one or two either.
The ninjas who stood behind Fuguki Suikazan yesterday had returned. Their pursuit of the ninja who "absconded with the funds" naturally ended in failure—that person was currently still inside Masahiko's space.
"Civilian, you're not bad. Today, follow behind us and watch our Lord's battle."
Masahiko looked at the middle-aged ninja opposite him with feigned excitement but inward speechlessness.
I just used a banner to tease Kisame, how did you guys treat it like a precious treasure?
He couldn't understand why such an embarrassing-looking banner was accepted so easily.
Not only that, but the entering ninjas cast their gazes over the banner with great interest. A few ninjas even hurriedly ran out and returned half an hour later holding a banner that read "Lord Mangetsu Hozuki is Sure to Win!", which also informed Masahiko who the other combatant in the tournament was.
"That little brat Mangetsu Hozuki can compete for Mizukage now?"
Back during the Konoha Joint Jonin Exam, that kid had made him lose all his dignity.
"Time spares no one. Give them another two years and they'll be old," Masahiko lamented shamelessly.
As time passed, the spectators were mostly the same ones from yesterday. The wealthy merchants also sought out different ninjas for protection. Although they didn't have to spend as much money as yesterday, their safety couldn't be completely guaranteed. The protection provided by ordinary Chunin and Jonin certainly wasn't as thorough as Fuguki Suikazan's.
"The protection yesterday was extremely thorough..."
As for the two Ninja Sword... Trio members who fought yesterday, neither showed up today. One was probably still recovering from injuries, and Ameyuri Ringo likely disdained making money by collecting protection fees.
As time passed, the two combatants gradually entered the arena. Unlike the two from yesterday who engaged in a "battle of words," these two cast their gazes upon the two banners.
Looking at their expressions, they seemed exceedingly satisfied with their subordinates doing such a thing.
"It feels like a soccer match," Masahiko sighed emotionally.
When Ao entered and the referee took his position, it looked even more like one.
Masahiko took a few steps and sidled up to Kisame, who was holding the banner. "Shark-faced bro, you've really shown your face in front of your Lord this time. How do you plan to thank me?"
Kisame kept a wooden face and didn't say a word.
Masahiko breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, there was a normal... fish, who felt that holding up a banner like this in the ninja world was an embarrassing thing to do.
Meanwhile, on the Land of Rain battlefield.
Atop a giant toad, Jiraiya was panting heavily, looking with a strange expression at the giant puppet opposite him that constantly changed shapes.
"Old hag Chiyo, to think you had this kind of hidden method!"
Chiyo didn't say a word. The giant puppet took human form and rushed forward rapidly.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "Bunta, you go back first..."
Canceling the summoning of Gamabunta, Jiraiya bit his finger. "Summoning Jutsu!"
Two old toads appeared on Jiraiya's shoulders. He looked at the Konoha squad not far away, which was also in a precarious situation under the attacks of a giant puppet controlled by Ebizo, and leaped to dodge Chiyo's attack. "Looks like I'll have to use Sage Mode... Let's end this quickly!"
Back to Masahiko's side, the battle had already begun.
Beside Kisame, Masahiko was constantly providing whispered commentary...
"This grouping is really unfair."
"Yesterday Lightning countered Water, today is Water against Water again, but the opponent has the Hozuki clan's Hydrification Technique."
"Oh my, your Lord is at a disadvantage."
"He clearly has a slight edge in raw strength, yet he's falling behind at every turn..."
"You have quite the eye, civilian!" Kisame's mocking voice rang out.
Masahiko smiled. "Thanks for the compliment."
"By the way, why do you care about my eyesight instead of caring about your Lord?" Masahiko asked loudly.
The surrounding ninjas all heard this sentence and turned their gazes to focus on Kisame.
The corner of Kisame's mouth twitched. This guy...
He was now absolutely certain there was something wrong with this civilian. Either he was hiding his identity as a ninja, or he was hiding his brain...
The situation had taken a sharp turn for the worse for the big fatty. Masahiko could clearly feel the breathing of the big fatty's subordinates around him becoming rapid.
Masahiko laughed inwardly and spoke loudly, "What's the use of being so anxious? Cheer him on and encourage him!"
The group exchanged glances. It was the same middle-aged ninja from before who spoke up: "Civilian, what idea do you have?"
Masahiko smiled, took a deep breath, and shouted: "Lord Fuguki, you will surely win!"
His voice was surprisingly loud, and the entire arena instantly fell dead silent.
However, this cheer clearly had the opposite effect. Fuguki Suikazan was momentarily distracted, took a "Water Gun" attack squarely to the chest, and flew backward, crashing into the wall.
Seeing the murderous glares shot at him by the surrounding ninjas, Masahiko sighed inwardly. I really played too hard this time.
Meanwhile, on the Land of Rain battlefield.
The two old Sage Toads on Jiraiya's shoulders had already disappeared, and Sage Mode was deactivated. He carried a wounded person on his back; the previous Konoha squad now only had their captain left.
Chiyo was panting heavily on the sidelines, preventing Jiraiya from escaping. Her giant puppet had already been dismantled.
"Jiraiya, put me down..." the person on Jiraiya's back said weakly.
"Hold on a little longer. Someone must have seen the commotion here; reinforcements will arrive soon..."
"Even if they do arrive, what difference does it make? With these kinds of injuries, I'm afraid even Tsunade wouldn't be able to do anything."
"No, Tsunade's medical ninjutsu has improved. She can definitely save you!" Jiraiya still thought Minato's injuries were healed by Tsunade.
The person on his back didn't reply, having already fallen unconscious. Jiraiya's heart leaped into his throat.
A silvery-white blade flash swept past, intercepting an attack from Ebizo for Jiraiya.
Jiraiya was overjoyed. "Senior White Fang!"
Sakumo glanced back. "Hurry back to camp!"
Jiraiya gritted his teeth, said no more, and turned to leave. Chiyo didn't stop him either.
Ever since Sakumo arrived on the scene, he was the only person left in Chiyo's eyes.
"Secret White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets!" Ten puppets appeared on the battlefield. Chiyo gritted her teeth and spoke, "Konoha's White Fang!"
Sakumo didn't reply. With a solemn expression, he parried the puppet arm in front of him. "I didn't expect the Sand Village to have hidden such methods!"
Hidden Mist Village, Tournament Arena.
"It's you again, you cat-holding bastard!" Fuguki Suikazan's voice resounded throughout the entire arena, and then his hands began forming seals.
"Lord Fuguki, calm down!" Ao's urgent voice rang out.
"Go to hell! Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
The entire arena instantly descended into chaos, and the spectating ninjas rapidly fled toward the exit.
The entire tournament arena instantly turned into an ocean world, and those unable to flee were all enveloped by the water.
Only Masahiko, and Kisame whose shoulder he was holding down, didn't move. The place where they stood wasn't covered by water either; the water reached two meters in front of Masahiko and could spread no further.
"Shark-faced bro, don't be in a rush to leave. It's safest here with me."
"The big fatty has been driven crazy by my teasing. He doesn't plan on becoming Mizukage anymore and is launching indiscriminate attacks..."
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