"There was a possibility," Kitahara Kaede said. "But the other party had probably fled by now."
Kitahara Kaede rested his fingers on a tree, his gaze fixed on a patch of water stains on the trunk.
Beneath the water stains lay a shard of mirror the size of half a palm.
Then there was the water.
It was not ordinary water, but melted ice.
From that, he could infer that someone had placed ice here to secure the mirror shard.
The shard could reflect light, but it could also... serve as a surveillance device.
Kitahara Kaede advanced several hundred more meters and, sure enough, found the same device on another tree trunk.
Therefore, someone had likely been nearby when Zabuza made his move. But after discovering that Zabuza had been captured, they had cleverly used this surveillance device while keeping their real body at a long distance. They had probably realized this was not a fight they could win.
Someone capable of such intelligence immediately brought a figure to Kitahara Kaede's mind—Haku.
Yuki Haku.
But things were different from the original story now. Before Kakashi's eight Water Dragon Bullets, Zabuza had no ability to attack, and Haku had even less ability to resist.
So there was no harm in ignoring him.
"Then should we pursue him?" Kakashi asked.
The way he spoke now did not sound like that of a Jonin Instructor.
After all, his mission was to serve as the Jonin Instructor and guide three rookie Genin, so everything should have revolved around him.
But...
Being in the [Observing Kitahara Kaede (^_-) Small Group] had made him realize that the person before him was a true big shot.
In front of Kitahara Kaede, perhaps he himself was the rookie.
So Kakashi remained very humble.
After all, he had been scolded by the Second Hokage all day and had already gotten used to it.
"No need," Kitahara Kaede said. "The other party being this cautious means he knows his limits."
"Besides, our mission is to give Naruto and Sasuke special training."
"That's true." Kakashi nodded.
Although their mission was to escort old man Tazuna back to the Land of Waves, the core of it was training the rookie Genin.
So having a Three Rooms and a Hall house now was the true core of this mission.
Kakashi had no objections.
Thus, Kakashi and Kitahara Kaede returned to the small house.
Amid old man Tazuna's complaints about why they still had not sent him back to the Land of Waves, Naruto and Sasuke's special training continued.
"Wood Style: Three Rooms and a Hall Jutsu!"
Kitahara Kaede reinforced the house he had created with one hand.
This time, Naruto and Sasuke entered the house together.
"An opening!"
"He actually came in himself!"
"Are you looking down on us?" x2
The two Rogue Ninja Chunin leaped down from the rafters.
But it was merely a feint.
Naruto and Sasuke were already prepared.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Ten Narutos appeared.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Two Sasukes appeared.
There was nothing to be done about it. Sasuke's Chakra reserves could not compare to Naruto's.
But this was their first cooperative attack.
The two Rogue Ninja Chunin were not frightening. The one they truly needed to guard against was Zabuza, who possessed Jonin-level strength.
Kitahara Kaede supported the wooden house with one hand to prevent it from being destroyed while looking upward.
"Down here!"
A woman's voice rang out.
Kitahara Kaede caught a fragrant breeze, and then a blue figure appeared before him.
She was a stunning woman.
She had jade-green eyes, long reddish-brown curls crossing over each other, hair covering her right eye, and pink lips.
Her figure was voluptuous, and her skin was fair and smooth.
Her body was exceptionally curvaceous.
She wore a blue strapless dress with a white belt around her waist, while her nails were painted deep navy blue.
Overall, she was an extremely beautiful mature woman.
"You're Kitahara Kaede?" she asked.
"Mm." Kitahara Kaede had already recognized her identity—the Fifth Mizukage from Kirigakure, Mei Terumi.
"Then I have the right person!"
Kitahara Kaede heard her voice, then felt himself... pressed into something soft. Then... it seemed as though his ability to breathe had been forcibly stripped away.
PS: Brothers who provide stats will also get their faces buried in a beauty's chest tonight.
Mei Terumi's Ambition! A Girl's Privilege! (Requesting Stats)
Kitahara Kaede directly experienced a bout of difficulty breathing.
Something was stopping him from breathing.
And the culprit was the current Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi.
But he knew very well that she did not mean him harm.
Because if she had malicious intent, she would not have used this position...
"..."
Feeling that he might become the first person in the ninja world to suffocate to death if he did not react, Kitahara Kaede pushed her away.
"Well—"
Mei Terumi looked him over with curiosity.
"Then let me introduce myself properly."
"Mei Terumi, the Fifth Mizukage of Kirigakure."
"I'm twenty-seven. As the Mizukage, I naturally know Water Release, but I also possess the two Kekkei Genkai of Lava Release and Boiling Release."
"My favorite food is tomatoes, and I hate cilantro."
"I don't particularly enjoy reading, but I do enjoy using my brain—I'm also quite skilled at knitting—"
Mei Terumi introduced herself.
"Wait—"
Kakashi was standing to the side watching the Imperial Uncle, but that did not mean he did not exist. He had watched Mei Terumi appear and then immediately act overly familiar with Kitahara Kaede.
At the same time.
Since they were all members of the same small group, he had already seen Mei Terumi's message in the group—she was rushing over to capture Zabuza.
Under the Fourth Mizukage's rule, the vast Kirigakure had been collapsing, producing a large number of Rogue Ninja.
After Mei Terumi took over, she had always wanted to recover living forces, so naturally she had rushed over to capture Zabuza upon seeing him.
And she had indeed arrived.
Kakashi had also been accommodating. After Zabuza was battered by the Water Dragon Bullet, Kakashi agreed to put him in the Three Rooms and a Hall as a sparring partner for Naruto and Sasuke.
It was also to wait for Mei Terumi to come and take Zabuza away.
During that time, Zabuza would certainly give Naruto and Sasuke experience, so this was a win-win arrangement.
But.
Mei Terumi had arrived, yet...
Wasn't Zabuza your target?
Zabuza was inside the house right now, so why were you outside seducing Kitahara Kaede?
"Kakashi?" Mei Terumi lifted her beautiful eyes and glanced at Kakashi.
But she quickly refocused her attention on Kitahara Kaede.
Looking at him in person, Kitahara Kaede's eyes and face felt far more vivid than they had through the screen.
Mm...
Those cold, abstinent golden eyes were truly beautiful.
Mei Terumi was the type with a slight masochistic streak, so she had little resistance to that kind of gaze.
Yet she quietly complained to herself,
Was Hidden Leaf Village some kind of blessed land? Why did it produce so many handsome men?
"So, have you remembered my name?"
Mei Terumi adopted a dignified manner.
"Kitahara."
"Kirigakure is a place with beautiful scenery. Its misty atmosphere makes it especially suitable for sightseeing."
"Wouldn't it be nice to take a stroll there after finishing your mission?"
"Kirigakure will certainly treat you as our most honored guest."
"And the girls of Kirigakure are quite adorable too."
"Different waters nurture different people. The girls of Kirigakure have snow-white, wonderfully supple skin."
Mei Terumi circled around Kitahara Kaede as she spoke.
Kakashi also became briefly confused. He did not quite understand why Mei Terumi was being so proactive.
But as he listened, he finally realized something was wrong.
"Mei Terumi!" Kakashi hurriedly said. "You!"
Kakashi reacted. "Could it be that %￥ you used Za%%buza as a pretext, when the real reason you came %... here was actually for... ￥#￥W%$—"
Kakashi discovered that the system seemed to have muted his voice.
Sure enough.
A notification appeared before his eyes.
Before you continue