Kimimaro of the Shikotsumyaku

"Y-you... who are you?"

The Kirigakure Anbu leader's voice trembled as he asked.

Lu Zeming didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to Zabuza, who had just fallen out of the water and was down on one knee, gasping for breath.

Thinking Lu Zeming meant to hurt Zabuza, Haku rushed forward and stood in his way.

Lu Zeming had no such intention. He circled the two of them as though he were looking at celebrities, occasionally unable to resist reaching out to poke them.

"Holy shit, I finally get to meet you in person! You were my childhood! Oh, right, you always wrap your mouth and nose in bandages. How do you eat or drink? What if you get a runny nose?"

"Haku, you're a boy, right? Are you two really going to end up in that kind of relationship? Why the hell are you blushing?! You're still a minor, hey! Thinking about it now, Kishimoto really was a beast!"

Zabuza and Haku listened to Lu Zeming's rambling in utter bewilderment.

What did any of that have to do with anything? His thoughts jumped around so wildly that they couldn't keep up.

Lu Zeming hadn't expected them to keep up anyway. He turned toward the seven Anbu, who were trussed up like parcels.

"Kirigakure Anbu, right? There's no way you're completing your mission today. By your village's rules, you'll die if you go back. Why not come work for me instead?"

The Anbu leader swallowed and asked cautiously, "May I ask your name, sir?"

"Lu Zeming, from the Flower Capital!"

All the Anbu widened their eyes in astonishment.

So this was the rumored greatest genius in the Shinobi World, the man who had single-handedly established the Flower Capital, a nation within a nation, inside the Land of Grass.

Of course. The