Secret War

After bidding farewell to Harusame, Hōzuki Mangetsu walked slowly toward his residence.

A flash of white smoke appeared, and the figure of Terumi Mei manifested before him.

"Little Hozuki!"

She said with a bewitching smile, "What you said during the meeting earlier was truly excellent. Even this big sister felt a bit moved."

As she spoke, she took a step closer.

So big and so round!

Hōzuki Mangetsu's eyes immediately fell upon her chest.

As expected of one of the top mature women in the Naruto World, Terumi Mei's assets were truly substantial.

Cough, cough!

He couldn't help but cough a few times, saying, "Nonsense, pure nonsense. Sister Mei is just joking."

"Not joking," Terumi Mei said with a beaming smile. "That old stubborn Harusame sought you out, didn't he? I must say, those mature and statesmanlike words of yours must have certainly pleased them."

Hōzuki Mangetsu's heart tightened instantly.

His words today were intentional, aimed at winning over those neutral factions, and they had already achieved a certain effect.

The fact that Harusame took the initiative to approach him proved that the neutral faction had already taken notice of him, Hōzuki Mangetsu.

However, this had also aroused Terumi Mei's vigilance.

"Sister Mei, I have no interest in that pedantic old man, Harusame."

Hōzuki Mangetsu hurriedly clarified.

Is that so?

Terumi Mei looked at him with a smile, her eyes incredibly gentle, as if she were looking at something she cherished dearly.

"Do you know what this big sister's greatest hobby is?"

"What is it?"

Hōzuki Mangetsu asked, puzzled.

Terumi Mei's smile faded as she said, word for word, "Melting beautiful things."

Damn it!

Hōzuki Mangetsu couldn't help but shiver, and his gaze toward this woman became cautious.

The people in the Naruto World were truly all a bit twisted. Orochimaru's obsession with pretty boys was twisted enough, but he hadn't expected Terumi Mei to be even more so.

"However!"

Terumi Mei shifted the topic, covering her mouth as she laughed, "For a handsome child like little Hozuki, this big sister couldn't bear to melt you."

She then leaned into his ear and whispered, "So, you must make sure you never give me a reason to melt you, okay?"

Terumi Mei's figure vanished once again.

A Shadow Clone?

Cold sweat was already trickling down Hōzuki Mangetsu's back; Terumi Mei was warning him not to act rashly.

What a twisted woman.

He wiped away the cold sweat, his heart still racing.

Fortunately, Terumi Mei was only warning him and had no intention of attacking. Otherwise, the Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique might not necessarily be a match for Lava Release and Boil Release.

Strength!

Hōzuki Mangetsu sighed helplessly.

The Naruto World was truly a place that valued strength above all else.

Although he had already obtained quite a few good things, he still couldn't guarantee his own safety within Kirigakure. Right now, he, Hōzuki Mangetsu, was no match for Terumi Mei.

The neutral faction had some strength, but getting too close to them would surely provoke Terumi Mei's dissatisfaction, and next time, it wouldn't just be a simple warning.

Just then, an Anbu suddenly appeared before him.

"Hōzuki Mangetsu!"

The Anbu said coldly, "The Mizukage wants to see you!"

What?

Hōzuki Mangetsu's heart sank slightly, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

The current Mizukage, Yagura, was nothing more than a puppet under Obito's control. Could it be that he had caught Obito's attention?

If he had known, he wouldn't have tried to show off. He hadn't even managed to win over the neutral faction yet, and he had already been noticed by both Terumi Mei and Obito in quick succession.

Hōzuki Mangetsu shook his head helplessly and had no choice but to follow the Anbu toward the Mizukage's office.

The Mizukage had summoned him, and he had no choice but to go.

Unless he intended to betray the village, but at the moment, Hōzuki Mangetsu lacked the strength to do so.

"Greetings, Lord Mizukage!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu said with his head bowed.

He did not know how Obito was controlling Yagura, so to be safe, he dared not look him in the eyes.

"Mangetsu, you've arrived!"

Yagura set down the scroll in his hand and said, "There is a mission here that I hope you will complete."

A mission?

Hōzuki Mangetsu breathed a sigh of relief.

He did not want to attract Obito's attention, especially while being monitored by monsters like Black and White Zetsu who were everywhere.

"Please, Lord Mizukage, give your orders!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu said immediately.

He was a Jonin of the village and the leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, so the tasks he undertook were naturally difficult ones.

"Konoha has killed five of our ninja for no reason. This matter cannot be left as it is. You will represent Kirigakure and go to Konoha to negotiate."

Negotiate?

Hōzuki Mangetsu was greatly shocked.

What was the point of negotiating when people were already dead? Besides, those men had launched a suicide attack on Uchiha Shisui under the manipulation of Orochimaru.

Yagura paced a few steps with his hands behind his back and said, "Of course, the current situation in Konoha is very delicate. This time, you must find out if the Uchiha Clan is truly going to have a falling out with the upper echelons of Konoha."

What?

Hōzuki Mangetsu was stunned for a moment.

Wasn't Uchiha Obito behind Yagura?

With his god-like space-time ninjutsu, a trip to Konoha would be easy and pleasant for him, so why did he have to send him to represent Kirigakure?

Countless thoughts flashed through Hōzuki Mangetsu's mind in an instant.

This mission seemed wrong no matter how he looked at it.

Could it be that he had been too arrogant during the meeting, attracting Obito's attention, and now he intended to take the opportunity to kill him?

No!

A sharp glint flashed in Hōzuki Mangetsu's eyes.

He quickly grasped a key point.

When the Uchiha Clan was slaughtered, Obito had participated and taken the opportunity to collect a large number of Sharingan.

At that time, he should have been away from the Fourth Mizukage Yagura for a long time.

The power of the Sharingan was fueled by ocular power; without the maintenance of that power, the genjutsu would eventually be broken.

It was very likely that the Fourth Mizukage Yagura had broken free from the genjutsu at that time, only to eventually die from his wounds after being defeated by Uchiha Itachi.

What was Obito trying to do?

"This subordinate understands!"

Although Hōzuki Mangetsu did not understand Obito's intentions, he had no choice but to nod.

The Mizukage's words were not something he could refuse.

Seeing that he had agreed, Yagura nodded slowly and waved for him to leave.

After leaving the Mizukage's room, Hōzuki Mangetsu felt a slight sense of relief.

At present, the conflict between Suikazan Fuguki and Terumi Mei was growing, and Obito sending him away at this time was undoubtedly a great opportunity to avoid the strife.

"Hōzuki Mangetsu!"

A figure blocked Hōzuki Mangetsu's path.

Zabuza!

Hōzuki Mangetsu's pupils constricted as he carefully sized up this murderous maniac. In the past, he had relied on his own strength to kill every single one of his fellow examinees.

Ninja from Kirigakure who excelled in the Silent Killing Technique were known as Demons.

They could eliminate their scent and carry out assassinations relying solely on sound.

And now, the two most famous Demons in the village were Momochi Zabuza and Hōzuki Mangetsu.

However, Zabuza's notoriety was even greater than Hōzuki Mangetsu's; there was no one in Kirigakure who did not know of this murderous maniac who had earned the title of Demon at the age of nine.

Zabuza was a commoner ninja, and he owed everything he had today to his own hard work, yet despite this, the rank of Jonin was almost his limit.