Shin tilted his head slightly and did not reply. Perhaps he simply felt there was no need to.
He would not have taken the Second Mizukage seriously even thirty years ago, much less now.
Yet this reaction only made Hozuki Gengetsu feel more slighted. His hands clenched unconsciously as his anger continued to rise.
Fortunately, he still remembered the situation at hand. The twenty Shadow Kill ninja of Iwagakure were still surrounding them, and the Second Tsuchikage and his disciple were watching him as well. This was not the time for rashness.
Of course, he was not afraid if it truly came to a fight. The Kage of this era still possessed a fierce killing intent. If pushed too far, he was not without trump cards of his own. At that moment, the Second Tsuchikage suddenly interjected in a deep voice, "Sir, I have no desire to involve myself in the grudge between you and the Mizukage. However, the two women at your side stole something important from our village. From what they called you earlier, you seem to be their leader. I'm afraid you must give Iwagakure an explanation. Could you return the item to us first?"
The Second Tsuchikage naturally had his reasons for speaking at this moment. The Kage of their generation all possessed extraordinary insight.
From the moment Shin had appeared, he had sensed that Shin was no ordinary person. It was an instinctive wariness that kept him from acting recklessly. And it was obvious that the two sisters had infiltrated Iwagakure under his orders to steal the Earth God Statue.
Speaking up while the Second Mizukage was hostile toward him was undoubtedly the best opportunity. He could use the Second Mizukage to pressure Shin indirectly.
His underlying meaning was clear: if Shin handed over the