Three Stubborn Fools

Even Genji was somewhat angry, but for the sake of the bigger picture, he still issued the order.

Ao was injured, so this heavy responsibility fell into Mei Terumi's hands.

She was the sharper one.

Mei Terumi carried a lunchbox and slowly walked into the Mizukage Building.

With a creak, Mei Terumi pushed open the office door.

She set the lunchbox on the wide desk piled with documents, her voice cold: "Please eat."

As she spoke, her sharp gaze swept across the entire room.

Two ninjas were furiously scribbling notes in little notebooks.

The Mizukage, Yagura, sat in his seat staring blankly, like a sculpture that had lost its soul.

And finally, that Uchiha brat who made her gnash her teeth with hatred was sitting in a chair.

Leisurely flipping through Kirigakure's top-secret scrolls.

Mei Terumi suddenly let out a roar.

"You damn brat, that's our village's classified document! Who allowed you to look at it?"

Only then did Eiji slowly lift his eyelids, glancing at her with his crimson eyes.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he walked over to her and took the lunchbox from the desk.

"Food's here, come on, let's eat first. We'll talk after we're full."

As if he hadn't heard Mei Terumi's interrogation at all, he casually picked up the lunchbox and distributed it to the others in the room.

"Brat, are you even listening to me?"

Mei Terumi barely held back the urge to strike immediately. This brat kept pushing her limits.

If it weren't for the Mizukage being in their hands, she would make these damned invaders pay the price.

Only then did Eiji speak unhurriedly: "We're looking through these materials with the Mizukage's permission, isn't that right?"

Yagura slowly nodded. "Mm."

Mei Terumi's head buzzed. What had she just heard?

The Mizukage-sama was actually disclosing top-secret information to Konoha?

That was too absurd.

No, the Mizukage-sama was being controlled by the Uchiha's genjutsu.

Truly an inherently evil Uchiha clan.

Thinking this, Mei Terumi's anxiety grew.

She had to rescue the Mizukage-sama as soon as possible, even if it cost something.

Mei Terumi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the rage in her heart.

"Brat, give the Mizukage-sama back..."

Before Mei Terumi could finish, Eiji bluntly cut her off.

"Alright, alright, you can leave now. I'll call you if there's anything."

Mei Terumi's voice suddenly rose. "I said, give the Mizukage-sama back to me."

"I said you'd better leave now, or I'll detain you too. Do you think this is haggling at the market?"

The Three Tomoe in Eiji's eyes slowly spun.

Yagura, who had been silent, gave a light cough. "Go back. I'm fine."

Mei Terumi bit her lip hard. Just now, she felt like she had lost control of her body.

She shot Eiji a fierce glare. "Brat, I'll be watching you."

With that, she spun around.

With a deafening slam, she violently shut the office door.

After Mei Terumi left, the group quickly finished their meal.

Eiji and the others huddled together, discussing in low voices.

"Senpai, what do you think?"

Just now, Kakashi and Tenzo had quickly skimmed through the office materials and found them beyond ridiculous.

"The actual number of active ninjas, material consumption, and mission logs don't match at all. The logic is chaotic, full of contradictions."

"It's like several completely unrelated systems are running simultaneously. These materials have no reference value."

Tenzo nodded.

"That guy controlling the Mizukage doesn't seem to be trying to take over the village. It's more like deliberate sabotage, using this insane method to completely throw Kirigakure's management system into disarray."

"There is likely an irreconcilable blood feud between him and Kirigakure. Controlling the Mizukage is not his ultimate goal; using the Mizukage's identity to run amok and destroy Kirigakure's foundations is how he vents his hatred."

Eiji rubbed his chin. Perhaps the Masked Man hadn't deliberately messed up those materials.

Maybe it was a lack of ability?

This level of chaos had already exceeded the scope of poor management.

It looked more like an amateur with no concept of governance, acting purely on whim and impulse, had smashed a precision machine into scrap metal.

If the executor was the Masked Man, that was entirely possible.

Kakashi carefully tucked two small scrolls, which recorded certain specific locations and a list of suspicious individuals, into his ninja tool pouch.

"It's not entirely without gain. At the very least, it proves this place is as dangerous as the legends say."

Eiji stood up. "Understood. You two seniors, prepare yourselves. We need to take a stroll through the village."

Tenzo and Kakashi were silent for a moment, then nodded.

Since they were already in the wolf's den, they might as well be complete hard-headed fools.

Kirigakure still had many unknown things waiting for them to explore.

This might be their last chance to enter Kirigakure.

Upon hearing this request, Yagura refused.

"Don't wander around. There are many ninjas in the village I can't even control. Stay here, and I'll have them find the people you're looking for."

Eiji picked up Xiao Er. "We'll handle this ourselves. Let's go."

Yagura sighed. He didn't understand why this ninja was so determined to court death.

What kind of education was Konoha implementing, anyway?

As the four walked out of the building, they were immediately surrounded in silence by a group of Kirigakure ninjas with hostile expressions and wary eyes.

The air was thick with heavy enmity and killing intent.

"The Mizukage-sama is going to show us around the village's architecture and let us experience the local customs and atmosphere."

"Please don't follow us, everyone. Otherwise, I don't know what I might do."

With that, Eiji and the other two tacitly surrounded Yagura in the middle, forming a tight triangular formation.

Ignoring the almost blazing glares of the surrounding Kirigakure ninjas, they strode straight ahead into the depths of the fog-shrouded street.

Mei Terumi and the others wanted to follow, but were stopped by Genji.

His murky eyes fixed on the figures disappearing into the thick fog.

"Don't follow them too closely. I've dealt with ninjas from the Uchiha clan before and know what they're like."

"They're a bunch of monsters who completely disregard their lives on the battlefield..."

Eiji and the others slowly walked in their predetermined direction.

He looked around at the dilapidated scene. "Mizukage-sama, look what you've turned this fine Kirigakure into. It's like a giant ghost town.

Once this matter is settled, I think you need to come to our Konoha for some training and learn what village governance really means."

Yagura was a bit embarrassed.

During the reigns of previous Mizukages, Kirigakure's conditions were average, but its strength was still formidable.

Now, through his relentless efforts, the village was not far from collapse.

"Get serious, Eiji. Don't forget what our goal is."

Tenzo and Kakashi wore stern expressions. Years of combat experience had made them sense danger.

Sure enough, after only a few steps, the harsh sound of a blade scraping against its scabbard came from deep within the fog.

Then came rapid footsteps, converging quickly from different directions.

"Mizukage-sama, guess whether they're here to rescue you or kill you?"

Yagura remained silent.

"Tch, looks like they're here to kill you."