Building the Team, Taking on Shennong Head-On!

Hearing Mei Terumi say that she wanted to go too, Uchiha Ci froze on the spot.

He might have been big-hearted, but he was not stupid. Naturally, he did not think that Mei Terumi, a genius of Kirigakure, had gotten carried away and wanted to come along simply because, like Little Brother Hidan, she had been dazzled by his wild, cool swagger.

At this time, Kirigakure was engaged in small-scale clashes with Sunagakure, which had lost the Third Kazekage.

The war merits Rasa and Pakura competed over for the position of Fourth Kazekage were earned around this time as well.

On top of that, Iwagakure, which bore a Deep Grudge against Kirigakure, would soon cross the sea and launch an attack on Kirigakure, triggering the Battle of Green Reef Rock Mist, which would batter Kirigakure so badly that it nearly lost its voice entirely in the Third Shinobi World War.

Yet strangely, during such a tense period, Mei Terumi, a genius of Kirigakure, was neither in the village nor on the battlefield.

Instead, she had concealed her identity and appeared in the Land of Hot Water.

Moreover, she seemed to have set her sights on the Evil God Cult as well, hoping to obtain something from here.

Uchiha Ci could not help frowning slightly as he looked at Mei Terumi.

He only felt that beneath the already chaotic Land of Hot Water, another undercurrent was quietly stirring.

Under Uchiha Ci's unblinking gaze, Mei Terumi's face reddened slightly. She hurriedly turned her head away and explained:

"What are you looking at?"

"Don't misunderstand. I had my eye on the Evil God Cult before you did, and I have a goal that I absolutely must accomplish."

Mei Terumi's tone sank, and a grave look surfaced in her azure-clear eyes.

"I have to find someone."

"If I can't find him, my Hometown may fall into danger because of it."

Uchiha Ci pondered for a moment, but with insufficient information, he could not figure out who Mei Terumi was looking for.

Still, this clearly ran deep, not something a weak genin like him could get a handle on.

Even Panzi Gzi would not be able to get a handle on it.

Besides, Little Brother Hidan was currently stuck to him like glue and could not be shaken off. With Mei Terumi around, perhaps she could help keep an eye on him.

Uchiha Ci had the Super · Deathmatch Barrier, so he was not worried that Mei Terumi would interfere with his battles.

When the time came, he only needed to shout:

"Welcome to the world of men!"

Then slap the ground, and with a swish, push all his teammates away to face the enemy alone.

Then, before the enemy's horrified eyes, he would raise the forbidden technique Katon: Chakra Mode!

Not even a god could save them then!

Uchiha Ci chuckled to himself, running through the script in his head again and again.

But no matter how he looked at it, it was a Dead End.

At this thought, Uchiha Ci looked the two of them over for a while before finally nodding helplessly.

"Fine, then let's go together."

Hidan and Mei Terumi exchanged a glance, both unable to stop themselves from smiling.

However, just then, "Since you're all going, why not count me in as well?"

A dull voice sounded from behind them.

The three turned in surprise, and Hidan even cried out:

"Mister Shennong?"

The one who had spoken was Shennong, who had remained silent the entire time, as though he did not exist at all.

"I am, at least, a Medical Ninja. I should be able to be of some use."

Wearing a brown hood, draped in a Pale Yellow coat, and with a huge Red Dot atop his head, Shennong slowly approached from behind. His gaze was calm, and his tone steady.

Uchiha Ci immediately narrowed his eyes, looking at Shennong with a trace of coldness.

This Leader of the Sky Ninja Village, this man disguised as a doctor traveling the shinobi world, had been following them all along. He was clearly up to no good.

As a doctor, there was no reason for him to have been driven out by the people in the village.

Yet he had still followed the three of them out—more precisely, he had followed Hidan out.

Uchiha Ci would not believe there was no scheme behind this even if he were beaten to death.

"Sorry, Mister Shennong. I'm very grateful that you healed my injuries, but the Evil God Cult is not a peaceful place. For your own safety, you'd better stay behind."

Uchiha Ci flatly refused him.

"Uchiha Ci, right?" Shennong frowned slightly and let out a soft breath.

"You don't need to be so wary. We have no grudge between us, and I won't pose any threat to you."

He glanced at Mei Terumi beside him and Said Calmly:

"Just like this little girl, I also have something I must accomplish."

"All I need is a bit of data to verify my results. Whatever you do is up to you—I won't interfere. I'll only watch from the side."

"If necessary, I can even help treat your injuries."

"So, there's no need for you to be so on guard against me."

At last, Shennong's expression remained calm, but his deep voice carried a faintly threatening undertone.

"Besides, if I want to follow you, you alone have no way to stop me."

"Want to try?"

[Shennong not only despised you, but also attempted to provoke you.]

Uchiha Ci's gaze instantly sharpened. Without wasting a single word, he reached out and snatched Mei Terumi's Ninja Tool Pouch from her waist. He then pulled out a kunai and hurled it straight at Shennong's face.

Then, he swept out with his leg, kicking up a cloud of dust toward Shennong.

Using the dust as cover, Uchiha Ci lowered his body and circled around from the side.

The kunai spun between his fingers, tracing a flower of blades.

The dazzling yet icy flower was caught in Uchiha Ci's reverse grip and viciously driven toward Shennong's temples.

The frontal kunai, the dust, and the assassination from the side descended almost simultaneously.

Even an ordinary Jonin would have barely had time to form a Hand Seal against such a rapid assault.

Danger blossomed in an instant!

Hidan and Mei Terumi froze, their eyes filled with horror.

They never would have expected—

Uchiha Ci to turn around and attack the doctor who had just healed him so decisively.

Yet, faced with such a combined assault, Shennong merely shook his head. A surging Airflow suddenly burst from his body.

Forbidden Jutsu: Body Rebirth.

Forbidden Jutsu: Eight Gates: Sixth Gate of View—Open!

Then, he tilted his head aside and dodged the frontal kunai.

He raised his Right Hand and flicked a finger.

Bang!

A sonic boom erupted from his fingertip!

Something like a Level Eight Gale crashed head-on!

It was as though Uchiha Ci had been struck by a massive hammer. He was instantly sent flying backward.

A line of Subtitles appeared before his eyes.

[Clang!]

[You bravely struck Sky Ninja Village's Leader, Shennong. You have obtained a random skill from him: Forbidden Jutsu: Body Rebirth (Mastery, S, Incomplete)]

[Your Heart of Steel stacks increased.]

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Uchiha Ci bounced across the ground several times, carving out a long trench.

"Pfft! Cough!" He violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, feeling as though his internal organs had been knocked out of place by that blow.

Compared to the top strong people of the current ninja world, he was still far too immature.

However, before Uchiha Ci could react, a large hand had already landed on his chest. A glowing green light lit up, slowly restoring the internal organs Shennong had knocked out of place and healing the ruptured blood vessels inside them.

This was the Mystical Palm Technique, an extremely advanced Medical Ninjutsu.

This completely confused Uchiha Ci.

Uncle, if you're going to hit me, can't you just slap me to death in one go?

What's the point of healing me after beating me up?

He looked at Shennong, who remained so calm as if nothing had happened, and asked in extreme frustration:

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" Shennong raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Why didn't you kill me? Why did you save me again and again?" Uchiha Ci stared at him intently, coldness blooming in his eyes.

"Would you care if an ant threw a punch at you?" Shennong shook his head.

Then, he sighed and spoke in a slightly heavy tone:

"If I had to say why... it was probably because seeing you reminded me of the past."

"I, too, have a home I want to return to, but can never return to."

"Is that so?"

Uchiha Ci knew he was talking about the Sky Ninja Village that Konoha had destroyed.

It was precisely because his homeland had been destroyed that this man had devoted himself to gathering power and taking revenge on Konoha.

Uchiha Ci let out a breath and slapped Shennong's hand away, stopping him from continuing the treatment.

Then he glared fiercely at him and revealed a cruel smile:

"I'll believe you for now."

"But if you dare lay a hand on those two behind my back, I'll make your death miserable!"

"Believe me, I always keep my word."

Forbidden Jutsu: Body Rebirth was similar to Tsunade's Hundred Healings, continuously healing any injuries sustained. However, unlike the Yin Seal, which consumed chakra, this technique consumed Life Force.

That was why it had been classified as a forbidden jutsu.

With this technique, combined with Katon: Chakra Mode, Uchiha Ci estimated that he could gain another five seconds of fighting time.

Five seconds—under power approaching that of a Deity—was enough to blast through the Angkor Fortress in the sky, the incomplete Zero Tail construct, and Shennong himself.

"Heh heh." Shennong said nothing, merely taking Uchiha Ci's words as an empty threat.

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