His voice was steadier than before, carrying the gravity of someone whose worth had been recognized.
"Lord Yongye, I'll remember your praise forever."
Mei Terumi and Juzo Biwa looked even more troubled. The composure they had struggled to maintain seemed to crack at the edges.
Kisame had challenged Yongye, only to be toyed with like a clown. But after Yongye praised him, his recklessness and impulsiveness suddenly took on a different meaning.
The shark-faced man who had spent ten minutes fighting empty air went from a clown humiliated in public to a brave warrior who had dared to draw his blade against a formidable foe.
By contrast, the two "smart ones" who had stayed silent from start to finish looked like cowards hiding in their shells.
Yongye looked away from Kisame and back at Mei Terumi and Juzo Biwa. That mocking smile returned to his lips, adding just the right amount of fuel to the fire.
"As for you two, you don't even dare answer me."
"One of you is pretty enough, but all she does is flaunt herself. You'd be better suited to a bathhouse."
"The other keeps gripping his sword hilt, letting go, then gripping it again, but doesn't even have the courage to draw it."
"Calling you worthless is right on the mark!"
Mei Terumi's face reddened from the cheekbones down. The flush was deeper and hotter than before, spreading along her neck until it disappeared beneath her collar.
Her fingers clenched against her knees until her knuckles stood out. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and her jaw tightened like a bowstring drawn to its limit.
She was no coward, nor did she lack the courage to fight.
But she had a more important mission. Her good friend Ao had discovered that the Fourth Mizukage