Ao's screams, Terumi Mei's shock

"Aaaaaaahh..."

Qing's screams echoed through the corridor.

The sound didn't seem like something a human could make; it was more like the roar of a wild beast being torn apart alive.

He covered his right eye with both hands, his ten fingers digging into the flesh around his eye socket, blood gushing out from between his fingers, leaving several shocking bloody streaks on his cheek.

The transplanted Byakugan trembled wildly in its socket, the surface of the eyeball was covered with spiderweb-like blood vessels, and something deep inside the pupil was shattering.

That was the Byakugan he'd used for twenty years.

That was something he dug out from the corpses of the Hyuga Clan members, something that accompanied him through the Blood Mist Era and saw through the Byakugan of Shisui Uchiha's Kotoamatsukami.

It is currently self-destructing inside his head.

"Thump--"

Qing's legs buckled, and her knees slammed onto the stone slabs of the corridor with a dull thud.

He knelt down.

He knelt before Naruto Uzumaki.

Chojuro's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively reached for the twin swords at his waist: "Lord Ao—"

He hadn't finished speaking.

A palpable killing intent emanated from Naruto, like an invisible behemoth baring its fangs, slamming Chojuro against the wall.

The boy's back pressed against the wall, his feet off the ground, and he was breathing heavily, like a broken bellows. He couldn't even draw his sword.

Naruto didn't even look at him.

With just a slight tilt of his head, that murderous aura precisely locked Chojuro's entire body in place.

The Anbu on both sides of the corridor retreated in unison. Someone knocked over a vase by the wall, and the sound of shattering porcelain was particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

Naruto lowered his head, looking down at Ao kneeling at his feet.

Those azure eyes held no warmth whatsoever, only absolute contempt for inferior goods.

"An inferior transplant--"

His voice was very soft, so soft it sounded like he was stating a fact.

"--You dare to show off your Dōjutsu in front of me?"

Naruto raised his right foot, placing the sole of his shoe on Ao's shoulder and pressing down gently.

Qing's body was like a puppet with its strings cut; she lay face down on the ground, her forehead hitting the cold stone slab.

"Who gave you the guts?"

The moment those words were spoken, the door to the Mizukage's Office was pushed open.

Terumi Mei rushed out.

The sight she saw made her gasp for a second.

Ao, the elite with the most battle merits in Kirigakure, was now lying on the ground like a dead dog, blood gushing from his right eye, his whole body convulsing uncontrollably.

Chojuro was pinned to the wall, his face deathly pale, unable to even utter a cry for help.

Naruto Uzumaki, the twelve-year-old blond boy, stood with one foot on Ao's shoulder, hands in his pockets, a playful smile on his face.

It's like stepping on a disobedient pet.

Terumi Mei's pupils contracted violently.

She knew Qing was very strong.

That Byakugan, dug out from the corpse of the Hyuga Clan clansman, has seen through countless techniques and uncovered countless conspiracies over the past twenty years; it is Hidden Mist's greatest trump card in Kirigakure.

But now--

That Byakugan is self-destructing.

He was overwhelmed by the gaze of a twelve-year-old boy and broke down.

What did you do to him?

Terumi Mei forced herself to suppress the shock in her heart, but her voice unconsciously tightened a little.

Naruto withdrew his foot from Ao's shoulder and turned to look at her.

The smile on his face faded, leaving only an indescribable, oppressive calm.

"Nothing was done."

He shrugged, his tone extremely nonchalant.

"Just by opening one eye, his junk couldn't stand it anymore."

Terumi Mei's gaze fell on Naruto's eyes.

Azure blue.

A pure, unadulterated azure blue.

There were no bulging veins, no pulsating blood vessels, and not even a trace of Chakra fluctuations.

But she could sense it—

There was something extremely terrifying hidden in those eyes.

Like a colossal beast slumbering at the bottom of an abyss, even just a glimpse of its size is enough to take one's breath away.

"Byakugan..." Terumi Mei murmured, "You have the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan?"

"Hyuga Clan?"

Naruto laughed, his laughter filled with undisguised sarcasm.

"Those Caged Bird dare to compare themselves to me?"

He raised his right hand and tapped his eye with his index finger.

"This is Pure Byakugan."

"It is the source of our bloodline."

"The ancestor of all Byakugan."

His gaze returned to Qing, his tone as indifferent as if he were remarking on the Tenten.

"And his—"

"It's nothing but secondhand junk scraped off from the dead."

"In my eyes, it's not even trash."

Qing lay on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

His right eye was completely blind, and all that remained of his eye socket was a deep, bloody hole.

But he can still see with his left eye.

So he witnessed it with his own eyes--

The Byakugan that I was so proud of knelt down before those pure, silvery-white pupils, like a slave before a king, like a tributary before its source, powerless to resist.

Absolute suppression of bloodline.

Terumi Mei's breathing became completely disordered.

She served as the Mizukage in Kirigakure for three years, witnessing countless powerful individuals and numerous Kekkei Genkai.

But never once--

This made her so clearly understand what "dimensional reduction attack" meant.

This is not a matter of the strength of magic.

It's not about the Chakra.

It is an absolute crushing power deep within the bloodline, at the genetic level.

Her gaze unconsciously drifted towards Naruto's back.

There stood a stunningly beautiful girl dressed in a moon-white kimono.

Long black hair, snow-white skin, and clear eyes filled with unreserved affection for Naruto.

Terumi Mei's pupils contracted sharply.

"The Yuki Clan..."

Her voice sounded a little weak.

"You actually brought your Kekkei Genkai to Hidden Mist?"

Bai Wei lowered her head and remained silent.

Naruto, however, laughed.

He turned around and pulled Bai into his arms.

His movements were so natural, as if he had done them a thousand times, and so domineering that he brooked no refusal.

Her pale face instantly turned bright red, her hands gripping the cuffs of her kimono helplessly. She huddled in Naruto's arms, her ears practically burning.

"She is now a member of my Uzumaki Clan."

Naruto lowered his head and gently placed a kiss on Haku's forehead.

Then she looked up at Terumi Mei.

Something dangerous was churning in those azure eyes.

"I've come this time to help you quell the rebellion—"

He paused, a highly aggressive smile curling at the corners of his lips.

"--This is also to tell the entire Water Country."

"Who would dare touch a single hair on her head?"

Naruto's voice was very low, so low that only Terumi Mei could hear it.

But when those words reached her ears, they felt like a heavy hammer blow to her heart.

"--I will turn the Bloody Mist Village into a true death zone."

The air in the corridor seemed to freeze.

Terumi Mei stared at Naruto, at Haku in his arms, and at that face that was too young to have such an aura.

Heartbeat.

Soon.

It was so fast that she could hear the thumping sound coming from her own chest.

She is the Mizukage.

She had seen countless men show her favor, including famous figures, Anbu leaders, and envoys from various countries.

But never a single person—

He dared to stand in front of her in this way.

I'm not begging her.

It's not about trying to please her.

Standing before her, in an almost declarative manner, I told her:

I'm protective of my own.

My woman, anyone who touches her dies.

Your rules of the Water Country are worthless before me.

Terumi Mei's breathing was somewhat erratic.

She watched Naruto holding Haku, and saw the undisguised affection and reassurance on the face of the girl being protected in his arms.

A certain indescribable emotion surged within me.

It's like envy.

It also seems like... jealousy.

[Detected target [Terumi Mei] Affection level change: +20. Current Affection level: 60 (An undeniable strong attraction).]

[Hint: A second structural crack has appeared in the target's psychological defenses. The host's combination of "absolute protection + forceful suppression" has precisely hit the target's core needs (a desire to be protected by a strong person + weariness of power). It is recommended that the host continue to widen the crack with a "life-or-death" approach in subsequent rebellions.]

Naruto's smile deepened.

I'm sixty.

Two days left.

It's safe now.

He released Bai, patted her head, and gestured for her to step back.

Then she walked towards Terumi Mei.

Three steps.

Two steps.

Step.

He stopped in front of Terumi Mei, so close that he could smell the faint scent of sea salt in her hair.

Terumi Mei instinctively took a half step back.

But behind him was the office door frame.

There is no way to retreat.

"Lord Mizukage"

Naruto's voice was very soft, so soft it was like he was whispering.

"Shouldn't you give me the intelligence on the suppression of the rebellion by now?"

Terumi Mei's throat bobbed.

She stared into Naruto's eyes, at her own reflection in those azure pupils.

Then--

Take a deep breath.

"Come in with me."

She turned around, pushed open the office door, and Earth Flow in without looking back.

Naruto followed behind her, his steps leisurely.

The door closed behind him.

In the corridor, Qing was still lying on the ground, blood gushing from her right eye.

Chojuro slumped against the wall, panting heavily.

The Anbu looked at each other, none of them daring to make a move.

Genji walked from the end of the corridor, glanced at the green on the ground, and then at the tightly closed office door.

The old man sighed.

"Go call the medical team."

"Qing's right eye... can't be saved."