Rebel Mei Terumi

Mei Terumi's bright eyes held an unusually dazed look.

"How would I know?"

Lin Qing took a bite of candied fruit. "It's not hard to figure out. You're from Kirigakure—don't look at me like that. I have my own sources of information."

On the first day Mei Terumi appeared, Lin Qing had sent a carrier pigeon to ask Hayato Kamihara, who was vacationing in Konoha, and learned her identity:

An elite jōnin of Kirigakure.

"From what I understand, Kirigakure's Mizukage has gone mad. He's squeezing every last bit of work out of the village's shinobi, leaving them no time to rest.

"You came to find me, most likely with orders to kill me, but you never made a move. Meanwhile, the Mizukage sent two more of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to kill me."

Lin Qing spread his hands. "Wasting two people on the same job—I can think of only two reasons. Either the Mizukage doesn't trust you, or... the fact that he sent you here was part of a plan to use me to kill you."

"I think the second possibility is more likely."

There were only three kinds of people in Kirigakure now.

Those who submitted to the Mizukage and reveled in slaughter, like Raiga Kurosuki.

Those who hated the scheming and plotted to escape, like Biwa Juzo.

The Mizukage hadn't tried to kill either of the first two kinds.

"That means you're the third kind—not one of the first two—"

Lin Qing looked at her calmly. "A rebel who hates the Mizukage's bloody rule."

Where there was oppression, there was resistance.

"Even if shinobi train in the 'Art of Endurance' all their lives, they can't all be like bulls that have been kicked in the balls, heads bowed as they work without complaint."

That made sense.

But...

When Mei Terumi thought of herself as one of the "bulls who hadn't been kicked in the balls" Lin Qing had mentioned, something about it felt strangely off.

"You figured it out from those few clues?"

"And lately, you keep making that 'sniffing a fart' face. Anyone can see how grim and determined you look. You're clearly planning something big."

"S-sniffing a fart?"

Lin Qing narrowed his eyes, raised his chin slightly, and twitched his nostrils.

"Just like that."

Mei Terumi's lips twitched. She clenched her little fists, wishing she could pull out a whip and lash him.

"I'm not grim and determined, and besides..."

Mei Terumi let out a soft sigh. "I don't want to kill Lord Yagura. I just want to ask him to step down. Before he became Mizukage, he really was a good person. Maybe... the pressure of being a Kage was too much for him."

"Could his personality have changed because he was under a genjutsu?"

"Lord Yagura is a Jinchuriki. He couldn't be affected by genjutsu."

A Jinchuriki and their Tailed Beast were like teammates. If one of them was caught in a genjutsu, the other could adjust their chakra and break the effect.

Lin Qing nodded.

He didn't know much about ninjutsu or genjutsu. Since the expert said it was impossible, he could only take her word for it.

Too many people forgot where they came from once they gained power.

For example, someone could be your slacking-off buddy one day, then get promoted to manager the next and tell that same buddy to work hard and stop slacking.

"When are you planning to make your move?" Lin Qing asked.

"I still need some time to prepare."

Overthrowing a Kage and dismantling an entire web of shared interests wasn't easy.

Mei Terumi looked at Lin Qing. "Could I ask you to help?"

"What would you pay me with?"

"Anything. As long as I can afford your price, I'll find a way to raise the money."

After their battle that day, Mei Terumi had been awed once more by the power Lin Qing had displayed. Even while someone was deliberately targeting him, he had single-handedly killed two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

With Lin Qing's help, her plan would have a much greater chance of success.

Lin Qing looked her up and down, then shook his head. "I'm not short on money."

He stood and took Kiba and the broken Kubikiribōchō from Mei Terumi.

Lin Qing had no use for either weapon, but Sasuke and Xiaotao might.

He could let them try them out.

Lin Qing mounted his horse and slowly rode out of the courtyard to the clatter of hooves.

Mei Terumi lowered her head in disappointment.

Even Lin Qing doesn't want to get involved in this mess?

Well, leaving all that money in the warehouse was already a huge help. How could she ask for more?

"So, forget about payment."

Mei Terumi looked up at Lin Qing's back as he sat on his horse.

He turned his face and flashed her a smile.

"When you really need me to step in, you can owe me a favor."

A glimmer slowly appeared in Mei Terumi's eyes.

She wanted to imitate Lin Qing and say something that sounded impressive.

But after holding it in for a long while, she only felt a sting at the tip of her nose. Then she realized she probably looked exactly like the "sniffing a fart" Lin Qing had described, and couldn't help laughing.

"I'm off."

Lin Qing waved.

"Goodbye."

After gathering their supplies, Lin Qing led the people of Snowfall Village back home.

Since many of them had fallen ill from the bitter cold at the County Magistrate's Mansion, the journey back took longer than the trip there.

By the time they returned to Snowfall Village, it was already noon on the fourth day.

Sasuke and Xiaotao were crouched at the village entrance, building snowmen. Two rows of snowmen, large and small, lined the entrance. It was clear the two of them had been waiting there for Lin Qing the whole time.

When Lin Qing returned, the worry weighing on Sasuke and Xiaotao's hearts finally lifted. To them, Lin Qing was the last family they had.

If anything happened to him, they truly wouldn't know what to do.

When the Village Chief and the other elders heard the commotion, they hobbled over to welcome them. The villagers' eyes reddened, and they tearfully recounted all they had been through.

But as they talked, the Village Chief sensed that something was wrong.

The man from the Haku family had lost an arm.

Haku's Mother and Haku stood apart from the villagers.

After he learned the whole story, the Village Chief grabbed his cane and swung it round at the villagers.

This so-called prejudice against Kekkei Genkai had only become a rule after the Village of the Bloody Mist was established. To kill those closest to you for a rule made up by others for some unknown purpose...

You had to be either an idiot or a villain.

The Village Chief stepped forward and bowed to Haku's Mother and Haku.

"I'm sorry. That bunch of idiots nearly hurt you."

"It's all right, Village Chief," Haku said softly. "We've decided to leave Snowfall Village. We won't cause everyone any more trouble."

"Leave..."

The Village Chief stared at them in astonishment. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know," Haku's Mother said. "But as long as we're together, we can go anywhere."

The Village Chief nodded.

Word that Haku's Mother had a Kekkei Genkai would get out sooner or later. It was better to leave early than wait for shinobi from Kirigakure to come after them.

Still, life on the run would surely be difficult.

"If you have nowhere to go, would you like to come with me?"

Haku turned to look at Lin Qing as he approached.

"Really?!"

Compared to wandering aimlessly, traveling with Lin Qing would clearly make them feel much safer.

"I know a group of people who are building a village of their own. I can take you to them."

Killing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and County Magistrate Senmura would inevitably invite retaliation from both the Daimyo and Kirigakure. But as far as Lin Qing knew, with three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen dead, Kirigakure had few powerful fighters left.

The people sent to hunt him down next would most likely be assassins skilled in poison and ambush.

Those assassins were like flies: annoying, and worth very few Soul Shards.

Lin Qing planned to leave Kirigakure's territory for a while and look for targets elsewhere. He also wanted to visit the new village being built by the survivors of the human-trafficking case.

The Land of Water was a good place, but Lin Qing had killed too many people there recently. He needed to give the Land of Water some time to "recover."

Once a new crop of fugitives and strong fighters appeared, Lin Qing would return to reap the harvest.

They decided to rest for the night and set out early the next morning.

That evening, Lin Qing went into the forest and hunted plenty of game. Haku's Mother cooked a table full of dishes and brought out the wine she had kept in the house.

As for Haku's father, he had locked himself in the bedroom.

Lin Qing hadn't killed him, and neither had Haku's Mother or Haku.

Or rather, they had already "killed" him.

The moment he raised a knife against his own wife, he had died in the hearts of the mother and child.

The group enjoyed a rare moment of leisure.

"If only Teacher Terumi were here."

Sasuke spoke softly. "She's actually a pretty nice person."

Lin Qing patted Sasuke's head.

"She's busy doing something big."

"What is it?"

"If she succeeds, it'll mean everyone can stop living in fear and enjoy days like this."

Sasuke nodded, only half understanding.

With Lin Qing back, Sasuke and Xiaotao had relaxed. Not long after dinner, both children fell fast asleep.

Lin Qing sat by the window, spreading out a sheet of paper and thinking over his plans for the future by moonlight.

Knock, knock—

A sudden knock came at the door.

It was quiet and gentle. Whoever was knocking had to be a woman.

Lin Qing walked over and opened the door.

It was Haku's Mother.

She wore a beige kimono, her hair pinned up. Her features were beautiful, and her figure graceful.

"Mr. Lin, the children are asleep. Would you mind having a chat?"