A Dignified Exit for a Disguise

Chakra surged from Hibaku's body. "Don't you think I'm weaker than last time?"

When he unleashed his chakra beside Mei Terumi, she naturally sensed it clearly.

Compared to when he had negotiated in the Land of Mud last time, Hibaku's Chakra Quantity was now less than half of what it had been.

Mei Terumi obediently nodded. "That's right."

Hibaku stopped keeping her in suspense.

"The body you see now isn't my real body. It was created through a secret technique."

Seeing the flash of realization in Mei Terumi's eyes, Hibaku cut off her words. "It isn't Impure World Reincarnation. This is another secret technique."

Mei Terumi suppressed the doubts in her heart and continued listening.

"This matter goes back many years. Hyōri, Kyōkotsu, and I were not friends back then."

"In fact, Hyōri and I both died at Kyōkotsu's hands."

A record from the Mist Village suddenly flashed through Mei Terumi's mind. There had been a Shikotsumyaku user who lived the longest, surviving to the age of twenty-seven.

He had perished together with the other two clan heads.

She had never expected that it was the three of them themselves!

Mei Terumi could not help asking, "According to the records from back then, weren't the ones who died together with Kyōkotsu from the Yuki Clan and the Hozuki Clan?"

Hibaku had clearly done his homework. He nodded. "We were from branch families."

Mei Terumi nodded. Those events had happened far too long ago, during the early Warring States period. It was normal for there to be omissions.

Hibaku did not dwell on the matter and continued.

"Hyōri, Kyōkotsu, and I were all resurrected through secret techniques tested by Uchiha Natsuki."

Mei Terumi's eyes widened. The revelation hit her like a bolt of lightning. "What!?"

She quickly calmed down.

Then she