Is Sōgetsu Mei Terumī's Boyfriend?

Aogetsu Hyuga picked up the Kubikiribōchō and spun the massive blade in his hand. With a faint smile, he said, "Mei, you recognize this sword, don't you?"

"The Kubikiribōchō!"

Everyone froze. They recognized the iron blade spinning on Aogetsu's fingertip at a glance. A missing-nin had taken it from the village, and it had been lost for years!

"I do. It's the Kubikiribōchō, one of the Seven Famous Swords of our Kirigakure." Mei Terumi smiled, putting particular emphasis on "our Kirigakure."

That was right. It was one of Kirigakure's treasures!

So Aogetsu Hyuga really had come to discuss business with her.

She had thought...

You damned pervert!

"Why do you have the Kubikiribōchō? Don't tell me you..." Mei fixed her alluring eyes on Aogetsu Hyuga, puzzled.

Had Aogetsu Hyuga dealt with the A-Rank Missing-nin Zabuza Momochi?

"Exactly what you're thinking." Aogetsu Hyuga took out a black Scroll and opened it. With a poof of white smoke, two still-warm bodies fell to the floor.

One was Yuki Haku. The other was Zabuza Momochi.

Chojuro stared at Zabuza Momochi's lifeless body on the floor and cried out, "That's... Zabuza!"

He had once admired Zabuza Momochi. Even though Zabuza was a missing-nin, Chojuro still regarded him as a respected senior among the Seven Blade Swordsmen.

More importantly...

Zabuza Momochi had been powerful, yet Aogetsu Hyuga had defeated him!

Chojuro stole a cautious glance at Aogetsu. Until today, he had only heard rumors about Aogetsu and had never seen his strength for himself. This was their first meeting.

The rumors must be true.

After all, Aogetsu Hyuga had defeated Zabuza, one of the Seven Blade Swordsmen!

"He's the A-Rank Missing-nin Zabuza Momochi, all right. But who's the other female ninja?" Veins bulged at Ao's temples as he used his Byakugan to stare at the two corpses on the floor.

Aogetsu Hyuga corrected him. "He's a man."

"He is?" Ao paused.

Did it matter whether the person was a man or a woman?

The question was, who was he?

"Huh!?" Chojuro blurted out. Once it sank in, he blushed and lowered his head.

Someone that cute was a man?

Mei Terumi's brows drew together. "He's from the Yuki Clan. They possessed the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai and were once a powerful clan."

The destruction of the Yuki Clan was a pity.

Ice Release was a formidable Kekkei Genkai, but sadly, no Ninja in Kirigakure could use it anymore.

It was all Yagura's fault!

"I'll keep this short. The Mist's Demon is an A-Rank Missing-nin with a bounty of 2.6 million." Aogetsu Hyuga took out a Bingo Book notice and addressed the pensive Mei Terumi. "Don't try to wriggle out of it. Kirigakure issued this bounty."

"As for the pretty boy..." After a moment's thought, Aogetsu Hyuga raised three fingers. "He was stronger than the Mist's Demon, so I want three million for him."

"That makes 5.6 million altogether. Round it up and give me six million."

Aogetsu Hyuga took Mei Terumi's hand and smiled. "Deal. Pleasure doing business with you."

"Don't touch me, you per—"

Mei Terumi had been lost in thought. Coming to her senses, she hastily shook off Aogetsu's hand and glared at him, her alluring face turning cold. She was about to call him a pervert, but the strange looks from everyone around her made her stop short.

"Lady Mizukage?" Chojuro and Ao looked at Mei Terumi in confusion. Her cold manner seemed tinged with embarrassed anger.

What was wrong with Lady Mizukage today?

Ever since Aogetsu Hyuga had appeared, she had been acting strangely. Was there really some bad blood between them?

Mei Terumi suppressed her anger so no one would notice anything amiss. Forcing a smile, she said, "I'll pay you 5.6 million. There's no reason for me to round it up."

Round it up?

Who rounded a sum up by a full 400,000?

Truthfully, she had no interest in paying three million for Yuki Haku. But judging by Aogetsu Hyuga's attitude, if she refused, his willful nature would have him causing trouble in Kirigakure like a child.

She still had the Three-Tails to deal with. She had no time to indulge Aogetsu Hyuga's antics.

"Give me the sword. The money will be sent to your village in a few days." Mei Terumi reached out her fair hand for the blade in Aogetsu Hyuga's grasp.

Aogetsu Hyuga moved the Kubikiribōchō behind his back, leaving her grasping at air.

"What do you mean by that?" Mei Terumi asked, taken aback.

Is this damned pervert toying with me?

Aogetsu Hyuga's lips curled up. In a teasing voice, he said, "What do you mean? Do you want my toy that badly?"

"Kirigakure will pay you. Why are you still holding on to the sword?" Mei Terumi bit her lip. She was almost out of patience.

Aogetsu Hyuga glanced at Mei Terumi's ample chest and said disdainfully, "All curves and no brains. You get the people, I keep the sword, and you pay the bounties. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Little minx.

Everyone paused. Aogetsu Hyuga seemed to have a point. The bounties were for the missing-nin. What did the Kubikiribōchō have to do with them?

There was nothing wrong with it.

And yet something felt wrong.

Wasn't the Kubikiribōchō a treasure of Kirigakure?

Why should they have to pay for a Ninja tool their own village had made?

Mei Terumi's eye twitched, and an anger mark appeared on her forehead.

Every conversation with Aogetsu Hyuga ended with her furious.

Why was that?

Aogetsu Hyuga said, "If you want the sword, you'll have to pay extra."

"M-Mr. Aogetsu." Chojuro spoke cautiously, then finally gathered his courage. "Kirigakure's seven Ninja Blades are priceless treasures."

Kirigakure's seven Ninja Blades were priceless to the entire village. Even across the Ninja World, they were among the most extraordinary Ninja tools!

The Kubikiribōchō, for example, might not look special, but when damaged, it could repair itself by absorbing iron from blood.

Unless it was reduced to ash, it could repair itself endlessly!

"Is that so? I suppose you're right. A priceless toy like this shouldn't be discussed in terms of money. That would be a little vulgar." Aogetsu Hyuga raised a finger and gave the alluring Mei Terumi a leisurely once-over. Smiling, he said, "Spend a night with me, and I'll give you the sword."

He had never intended to sell the Kubikiribōchō. Its properties made it an ideal iron medium for firing an electromagnetic cannon.

"Ao, Chojuro, leave us. I have some personal business to settle." A dangerous edge crept into Mei Terumi's smile. A vast surge of Chakra erupted from her, shaking the entire building.

She had had enough!

Aogetsu Is Mei Terumi's Boyfriend?

"Aogetsu Hyuga, you've gone too far!"

Several Anbu Ninja appeared out of nowhere and drew their short swords, taking positions in front of Mei Terumi. Everyone glared at Aogetsu Hyuga, and Ao openly rebuked him.

Aogetsu Hyuga really had the nerve to say it!

He had asked Lady Mizukage to spend a night with him?

Mei Terumi had saved Kirigakure and brought the era of the Bloody Mist Village to an end. Nearly everyone in the village respected her, and many young people idolized her!

But Aogetsu Hyuga had dared to...

He had dared to insult Lady Mei Terumi, the Fifth Mizukage, in public, right here in Kirigakure! His lust knew no bounds if he thought he could make a move on her!

Lady Mizukage was beautiful, certainly, but Aogetsu had clearly lost his head.

Wait!

The crowd saw the hint of mockery in Aogetsu Hyuga's faint smile. Their expressions darkened, and their anger flared even hotter.

They understood now.

Aogetsu Hyuga was just playing with them!

He was deliberately provoking every Ninja present for his own amusement. Lust had nothing to do with it. He simply thought it was fun!

"You should learn to take a hint. Your boss and I have some personal business to handle. Even I'd be shy if this many people watched us get intimate." As he spoke, Aogetsu Hyuga put Haku's body and Zabuza's into the Space-Time Barrier Scroll.

He knew the madwoman was angry!

What if she lashed out indiscriminately and melted their bodies, then Kirigakure refused to pay the bounties?

He had to secure the money first.

Those weren't corpses. They were a fortune!

"Get out. I'll handle this." Mei Terumi lowered her head, her brown hair hiding her alluring face and its expression. Her tall figure trembled slightly as cold Chakra radiated from her body.

"But..."

"Yes, Lady Mizukage."

The Ninja hesitated, then filed out. Since Lady Mizukage had ordered it, they could only withdraw for now, however much they worried about her.

Once they were gone, only two people remained in the office.

Aogetsu Hyuga glanced at Mei Terumi's shapely backside and gave her a wicked grin. "What, does your backside want another taste?"

Five years earlier, while capturing an S-Rank missing-nin, he had clashed with Mei Terumi and jabbed her hard in the backside with his hand.

He had jabbed it numb!

"Heh. Don't think you can win so easily this time. I'm much stronger than I was." Mei Terumi formed Hand Seals with her fair hands. A dark red Barrier covered the entire room, isolating it to prevent damage to the building.

She had lost to Aogetsu before, true. Back then, she had only been a Jonin.

But now...

She bore the title of Kage. She was Kirigakure's Fifth Mizukage!

"Now that no one can interrupt us, I'll pay you back for every bit of humiliation you put me through, you pervert." Mei Terumi licked the corner of her mouth, then changed her Hand Seals and slammed her hands against the floor.

"Water Release: Water Formation Pillar!"

Boom! The floor shook violently as a massive column of water surged upward, hurling Aogetsu Hyuga into the air.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!" Mei Terumi changed her Hand Seals again and spat out a jet of water like a high-pressure blade. As it flew, it became five enormous water dragons.

Roar! The five dragons spiraled upward. One lunged with incredible speed and clamped its jaws around Aogetsu Hyuga's waist, while the other four seized his limbs.

"And then? Is that all you've got?" Held fast by the five dragons, Aogetsu Hyuga looked down at Mei Terumi with a Lollipop in his mouth.

The little minx really had grown stronger. She was several times more powerful than she had been when they last met!

Mei Terumi had once been an Elite Jonin. Now she was a top-tier fighter with genuine Kage Level strength!

She was probably around the level of an ordinary Kage, but that still made her vastly stronger than Haku!

Each of the five water dragons she had summoned was powerful enough to defeat a Jonin with ease!

"Let's see how long you can keep talking. Today, you're the one who gets humiliated, you pervert!" A chill flashed through Mei Terumi's eyes as she changed her Hand Seals once more. "Water Release: Water Prison!"

She was fiercely competitive. Ever since Aogetsu had humiliated her, she had been searching for a chance to return the favor!

She had to repay that humiliation twofold!

Hum! The five water dragons engulfed Aogetsu Hyuga, then merged into an exceptionally heavy sphere of water, trapping him inside!

"Don't worry. I don't intend to kill you. That would cause a dispute between our villages. But I can still make you pay." Mei Terumi smiled at Aogetsu, mockery glinting in her eyes.

She had waited a long time for this moment!

"Is that so? This weight... I have to admit, it's surprising." Inside the sphere, Aogetsu Hyuga felt a crushing pressure, as heavy as a small mountain.

Aogetsu Hyuga regarded Mei Terumi calmly.

The little minx seemed awfully confident.