"Chicken soup, coming through."
Mei Terumi carried a pot of chicken soup over and set it on the table. When she saw that no one had touched their chopsticks, she asked, "Go on, eat. Why isn't anyone eating?"
She pulled out a chair and sat down.
Lin Qing, Xiaotao, Sasuke.
Haku's family of three.
Mei Terumi.
Seven people sat around the table in an awkward silence.
"Teacher Zhao is a teacher who came to the village a week ago. She teaches the children to read and write for free. While Mother has been sick these past two days, Teacher Zhao has been coming over to help cook."
Haku made the introductions, hoping to ease the tension in the room.
It didn't work.
Lin Qing watched Mei Terumi in silence.
Anyone who'd often been targeted for assassination knew that, when danger struck, instinct could help you avoid a great many risks.
From the moment Lin Qing saw Mei Terumi, he knew she wasn't an ordinary person.
But aside from Hayato Kamihara, no one knew he was coming to Snowfall Village.
Kamihara had fled to Konoha for a vacation long ago. There was no way assassins or bounty hunters could have gotten to Snowfall Village ahead of him and laid an ambush.
Could it... be a coincidence?
Was she really just a teacher traveling the world?
Mei Terumi kept smiling gently. Curiosity flickered in her narrowed eyes.
"So this is Lin Qing?"
"He doesn't seem any different from other ninjas."
"So, with all this food on the table... will he dare eat it? And how will he test me?"
Mei Terumi silently tried to guess what Lin Qing would do.
Rustle—
Lin Qing stood up, catching Mei Terumi by surprise.
"Teacher Zhao, come with me for a moment."
"Huh?"
Without waiting for Mei Terumi to agree, Lin Qing strode out of the room. Still bewildered, Mei Terumi followed him until they reached the snowy ground beyond the village.
"You know who I am," Lin Qing said.
There was no testing, no covert verbal sparring. Lin Qing's calm gaze was like a steamroller heading straight at her. He didn't care about this or that; he simply rolled right over everything, crushing the scene Mei Terumi had set up, her probing questions, and her verbal traps.
"My rhythm's been thrown off... No, I've been knocked clean off my feet. This guy really doesn't play by the rules."
Mei Terumi thought it over, then shook her head slightly. "I don't know you."
Lin Qing nodded. He didn't press her again, but took a step toward her.
The distance between them shrank to two meters.
A bead of cold sweat appeared on Mei Terumi's forehead.
The intel had been perfectly clear: Lin Qing's strongest attacks had a range of just two meters. Once you stepped into that range, you were practically putting your life in his hands.
She wanted badly to step back and put some distance between them.
But if she did, it would prove she knew Lin Qing and was familiar with his intel.
It would prove... she was lying.
"I'll ask you one more time. You know who I am. Did you come here to kill me?"
"I don't know what you're talking ab—"
Before she could finish—
Ora!
Star Platinum suddenly appeared and swung a full-force punch at Mei Terumi's chest.
"Psycho!"
Mei Terumi cursed inwardly. She didn't know where she'd slipped up, but...
"Don't underestimate me!"
At just over twenty, in her younger days, Mei Terumi didn't mind being called "old hag" at all. She was nothing like the thirty-year-old version of herself.
People couldn't empathize even with their past selves.
Mei Terumi, who'd been on guard from the start, instantly formed Hand Seals.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
A scorching, crimson cloud of mist sprayed toward Star Platinum as it charged in to attack.
Mei Terumi had Water, Fire, and Earth chakra natures. Her Kekkei Genkai were Lava Release and Boil Release, making her the only ninja with two Kekkei Genkai.
Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique combined the Fire and Water chakra within her body, allowing her to spew boiling, scorching mist from her mouth and adjust its acidity at will.
It was like highly concentrated sulfuric acid vapor.
The moment Star Platinum's fist touched the mist, it began to corrode violently. Tiny burns appeared on Lin Qing's fist as well.
Mei Terumi noticed at once.
New intel.
Damage to the Evil Spirit was also inflicted on Lin Qing!
The crimson mist surged toward Lin Qing. For Star Platinum to attack Mei Terumi, its entire body would have to enter the scorching acid mist. It would be tantamount to suicide.
Mei Terumi had made thorough preparations before coming to find Lin Qing.
Bombarding him with ninjutsu from medium to long range was too inefficient. Aside from Jinchuriki, few ninjas could afford that kind of chakra expenditure. And if there was even a brief gap in the barrage, Lin Qing could seize the opportunity to close in and kill them.
Mei Terumi's way of dealing with Lin Qing was to seal off every route he could take within close to medium range. If he stepped into her range, she'd inflict continuous damage—in other words...
Damage over time.
If Lin Qing wanted to fight, then she'd return the favor—
"So I made my move."
The Fourth Mizukage had assigned Mei Terumi to kill Lin Qing, but she had no intention of carrying out that order. Or rather, she wouldn't act until she truly understood the man in front of her.
Mei Terumi wanted to know what kind of person Lin Qing was to do something as "stupid" as exposing the truth about human trafficking in the Land of Water and killing one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in broad daylight.
It mattered.
More than the Fourth Mizukage's orders.
"But..."
She watched Lin Qing being forced back again and again, and felt a little disappointed.
Was that all he could do?
Once he lost his intel advantage, being targeted left him at a disadvantage.
A man like that could hardly be called a strong fighter.
"Hiss—"
A sound like a fan whirring cut off Mei Terumi's thoughts.
The huge Evil Spirit turned around, putting its back to the crimson mist. Like a bottomless pit, it sucked in the surrounding air with great gulps. Snow-covered leaves swayed, snow churned across the ground, and Mei Terumi even felt herself growing faintly breathless.
What... was it doing?
Just as the scorching acid mist was about to touch Star Platinum's back, it turned around. Its chest swelled high, facing the mist, and it exhaled.
A violent gale howled, roaring like thunder as it blew the incoming crimson mist away.
"What kind of ninjutsu is that? Wind Release?!"
"No, it didn't form Hand Seals. Could it be some kind of Kekkei Genkai?"
Mei Terumi could rack her brains forever and still never imagine that such a savage, violent gale was nothing more than Star Platinum forcefully exhaling.
Damn it!
If Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique had been blown away, then there was nothing left to block him!
Mei Terumi drew a long whip from her waist and was about to swing it when a furious shout rang beside her ear.
"ORA!"
Her soul trembled.
Only when you faced Star Platinum at close range, under its icy gaze, could you understand just how much pressure it brought to bear!
The descending fist was like a meteor falling from the sky, filling Mei Terumi's entire field of vision.
"Earth Release: Hardening Technique!"
A metallic sheen flashed across Mei Terumi's body. They were too close for her to use a Body Replacement Technique, so she could only rely on ninjutsu to withstand the blow. She refused to believe she couldn't even take one punch—
Thud!
Mei Terumi went spinning through the air and smashed through four or five trees before she came to a stop. She spat out a mouthful of blood, but didn't pause for a moment. She got up, ready to counterattack, only for everything to go black.
Star Platinum had already rushed up to her again.
So fast!
Wasn't its attack range only two meters?
Mei Terumi spotted Lin Qing standing behind Star Platinum and understood. The Evil Spirit's attack range really was two meters, but the "axis" at its center could move too fast!
Lin Qing had practiced Ripple Qigong. He could no longer be treated as an ordinary Stand User.
As Star Platinum's fist was about to come down again, Mei Terumi quickly raised a hand.
"Stop! I'm done fighting. Let's talk!"
Lin Qing looked down at her and thought for a moment, then silently withdrew Star Platinum.
Mei Terumi had only just let out a sigh of relief when Lin Qing landed two punches on her face, dazing her. Hermit Purple sprang into action, binding her hands and feet.
When Mei Terumi came to, she glared viciously at Lin Qing.
Lin Qing didn't react.
Just because you said you didn't want to fight, that meant the fight was over?
He tugged on Hermit Purple to make sure it was wrapped tight, then sat down across from Mei Terumi.
"Now we can talk."
Before you continue