Swish! Swish!
At this moment—
The Mist ninjas led by Terumi Mei were rapidly heading toward the coastline.
"Stop for a moment…"
Seeing that they had already moved far away from that forest, Terumi Mei stopped first.
"Ao, I'm sorry about this time…" She looked at Ao, who had lost his Byakugan and hadn't yet received a new eye, and couldn't help but feel apologetic.
As one of the Jonin who had taken the initiative to follow her and believed she could become the new Mizukage and bring change to the village known as the "Bloody Mist," and who had even risked everything to reveal the issue of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, being under genjutsu control to the ninjas of the Mist Village.
She never expected that in the end, right before her eyes, the Byakugan he had always regarded as a precious trophy would be dug out by someone else.
And she, as his superior, could only watch helplessly, powerless to do anything.
She had no choice but to compromise with the legendary Sannin, Tsunade.
For the proud Terumi Mei, this was indeed a significant blow.
"Mei-sama, please don't say that. This isn't your fault…"
Although Ao felt somewhat dejected from losing his Byakugan.
He still forced a smile and comforted Terumi Mei. "Even if we didn't agree, those guys probably wouldn't have let us leave peacefully!"
"Moreover, compared to that, the information that Tsunade has awakened the First Hokage's Wood Release and can easily suppress Tailed Beasts must be reported to the Great Elder no matter what!"
"Of course, but the most urgent matter is for you to get a new eye first…"
Terumi Mei waved her hand.
She signaled the medical ninja beside her to first transplant one of their fallen comrade's eyes into Ao.
"Careful, someone is approaching!"
At this moment.
A Mist ninja's expression changed drastically.
He spotted a figure in the forest approaching them.
He quickly issued a warning and became vigilant.
Terumi Mei, Ao, and the others also changed color.
They all looked over at once, their pupils suddenly widening.
"Senju Akira Ren?"
The Mist Anbu members all changed color, becoming somewhat wary.
This mysterious young man was clearly not as simple as he appeared on the surface. He had even mastered the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique and could easily transfer an attack like a Tailed Beast Bomb. He was a powerhouse.
"Little brother Akira Ren…"
Terumi Mei frowned.
She couldn't help but look at Ao, the sensory ninja. Seeing him shake his head slightly toward her.
Confirming that Tsunade and the others hadn't actually chased after them, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.
She smiled at Akira Ren ahead. "Don't tell me you came to intercept and kill us?"
"Sister Mei is smiling so fakely. You're not as enthusiastic as you were at the beginning…"
Seeing Terumi Mei smiling but with a faint sense of distance, Akira Ren felt somewhat helpless and smiled as he said, "It looks like the previous incident has created some unnecessary estrangement…"
As he spoke.
He flicked his right hand.
A small black shadow flew toward Terumi Mei.
"Give this to him to transplant… Consider it a meeting gift for you, Sister Mei!"
"This is…"
Terumi Mei, who had been somewhat on guard, subconsciously caught it after confirming there was no danger. Due to her complicated feelings toward Akira Ren, she took it.
Looking at the small glass bottle, only two fingers wide and filled with an unknown solution, containing a scarlet eyeball.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
"Sharingan!?"
Ao and the other Mist Anbu members couldn't help but have their pupils shrink dramatically as they cried out in shock.
They looked at Senju Akira Ren before them in disbelief.
Then, their gazes turned scorching hot as they stared at the eyeball.
They never expected that the other party would give Terumi Mei a Sharingan.
"Ah la, little brother Akira Ren, what do you mean by this?"
Terumi Mei took a deep breath.
She looked at Akira Ren with some suspicion.
Since he was willing to give them a Sharingan, why had he been so merciless earlier?
"Well~ For me, something I obtained unintentionally isn't as important as you, Sister Mei…"
Akira Ren shrugged, half-truthfully saying, "However, since I have some ties with the Hyuga clan, and Sister Tsunade is my teacher after all, it wasn't appropriate for me to plead on your behalf earlier…"
As he spoke.
He didn't linger and directly released the flushed Terumi Mei.
He stepped back a few steps, looked at her, and smiled. "For me, this kind of thing I obtained unintentionally isn't as important as you, Sister Mei…"
"Take care. I'll come find you in the Mist Village when I have time…"
"Wait…"
Before Terumi Mei could say anything.
He had no intention of staying any longer.
Before his words even finished, his entire body had already turned into an afterimage.
He disappeared before Terumi Mei and the other Mist ninjas. "Goodbye!"
"Ah! This…"
Ao and the others looked at each other.
They stared dazedly in the direction Akira Ren had disappeared, then turned their gazes in unison toward Terumi Mei.
The scene that had just happened had left them somewhat stunned.
Their Mist Village's goddess — powerful in both strength and beauty, the most popular candidate for the next Mizukage — had actually been forcefully kissed by someone.
"..."
Terumi Mei came back to her senses. Her pretty face was charmingly flushed.
Then, she turned around.
She narrowed her eyes and looked at Ao and the others with a smile. "Tell me, what did you all see just now?"
The invisible killing intent.
Made Ao and the others all shiver involuntarily, feeling a chill run down their spines.
Their strong desire for survival made them immediately say in unison, "We didn't see anything!!"
As they spoke, they all turned their heads in other directions.
They didn't dare look at Terumi Mei again.
They cursed inwardly.
That damn Senju Akira Ren.
He was simply too audacious, daring to do something so rude to Mei-sama.
He almost dragged them into it too.
"Then what are you all standing around for?"
Terumi Mei's face was charmingly flushed.
She directly tossed the small bottle containing the Sharingan to the medical ninja and scolded without politeness, "Hurry up and transplant this for him!"
"Mei-sama…"
Ao was filled with excitement.
He had just lost his Byakugan.
And now, he had received a Sharingan in return.
Heaven seemed to still favor him.
"Although a Sharingan's sensing ability isn't as good as the Byakugan, it should be no worse in other aspects…" Terumi Mei shrugged and said, "You are one of my most trusted subordinates. Don't let me down!"
"Yes, I will not let you down, Mei-sama!"
Ao was moved to tears, filled with excitement.
"Mm…"
Terumi Mei nodded lightly.
Her brown hair fluttered in the wind.
Her gaze gazed distantly in the direction Akira Ren had disappeared.
Little rascal, sister will remember this favor this time.
Hmph, I'll reluctantly forgive your rudeness from earlier.
That rosy, glossy corner of her lips curved upward slightly.
A charming arc appeared.
However, that strange feeling…
So this is what a kiss feels like?
It seems… not bad!
...
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