When Terumi Mei told Ameyuri Ringo that she needed to protect her and help her escape, the mission was already deemed a failure!
It was the kind of failure that brought heavy losses to the Hidden Mist Village. After all, the Seven Swordsmen had nearly been wiped out—some were dead, others went rogue...
And including Terumi Mei herself, Yagura's most trusted lieutenants had also fallen here.
"Ringo, I'll create an opening for you shortly. Don't look back—make sure you deliver this message! Do you understand?"
Terumi Mei glanced sideways at Ameyuri Ringo, speaking each word slowly and clearly, her expression extremely serious.
"Already leaving final instructions?" Across from them, Saitama Uchiha maintained his usual calm appearance, almost mocking.
"You're one of the few beautiful and skilled kunoichi in the entire Shinobi World—I truly hesitate to lay a hand on you. But reality is like this; everyone must sometimes do things they personally disagree with. If I have to name one reason... maybe it's simply because you stood in my way!"
Saitama Uchiha pointed at Terumi Mei, white lightning flashing from his fingertip like the barrel of a laser gun.
"Enough meaningless talk! If every rogue ninja like you started making theories to justify their actions, hidden villages would lose their meaning entirely! A traitor remains a traitor. Don't try justifying your killings with fancy-sounding excuses!"
A red flush rose onto Terumi Mei's pale cheeks, her tone firm and uncompromising as she fired back at Saitama Uchiha.
"You're right… I'm being overly sentimental," Saitama paused, then smiled.
What's the point in explaining everything to someone about to die?
The dead don't need to know secrets. Besides, villains always die because they talk too much—he currently was indeed seen by many as the villain.
"In that case... goodbye!" Saitama gathered lightning at his index and middle fingers, forming a concentrated glowing sphere there.
How he achieved this wasn't understood—and honestly, it didn't matter! As long as results moved toward what he desired, he'd never feel discouraged. Eventually, someone would come to understand him, without question!
Bang!!!
His fingers fired a bullet-like bolt of lightning.
This bolt tore through space, shooting straight toward Terumi Mei.
Thud! Terumi Mei shuddered slightly as red liquid began oozing from her right chest area.
Everything happened far too quickly—except for Saitama, no one else reacted at all. Finger-based jutsus weren't uncommon in the Shinobi World; both the Takehaya Clan and Hozuki Clan possessed similar techniques. Yet none of them matched Saitama's speed.
If other finger-jutsus rated a one, then Saitama's recent lightning-finger attack rated at least ten, or even more!
Therefore, Terumi Mei didn't react in time, neither did Ameyuri Ringo, and even Sasori—who had watched the battle with his puppet-modified body—failed to respond in time either.
"Lord Terumi Mei!!!"
Ameyuri Ringo turned her head in disbelief, staring at the blood blossoming across Terumi Mei's chest, her face frozen in shock.
Hardly had Terumi Mei finished speaking when an attack struck the next instant!
Was the enemy really this deadly strong?
Ameyuri Ringo slightly opened her mouth, reaching out to support Terumi Mei who had been wounded again.
Bang!!!
Just as she shifted slightly and stretched her hand toward Terumi Mei's chest, a searing object pierced through her palm and struck Terumi Mei's chest once more. A crimson bloom erupted, splattering blood across Ameyuri Ringo's face.
Only then did she hear that same thunderous roar from before echoing in her ears—the crackling of lightning!
"Don't worry about me! Start moving now!"
Blood continuously trickled down the corner of Terumi Mei's lips. With one swift motion, she shoved away Ameyuri Ringo's hand and charged forward directly.
Struck by two finger gun blasts from Saitama already, she knew if she hesitated any longer, there would be no opportunity left. A ninja could die, but that death must have value—it must not be meaningless!
That was Terumi Mei's true belief from the bottom of her heart. Despite her grievous injuries, she rushed forward solely to create an escape opportunity for Ameyuri Ringo!
"I'm counting on you, Ameyuri Ringo! You must pass Saitama's info to Aniki Yagura!"
A figure flashed through Terumi Mei's mind—though not tall or imposing, it was solid and firm—an eternal role model deep within her heart: Aniki Yagura.
"Aniki Yagura, everything after this is up to you!"
Bang!!!
Terumi Mei staggered momentarily as her charging figure got struck again, yet she immediately accelerated further. Visible chakra flared across her entire body—it was clear she had activated a Secret Art, temporarily boosting both her chakra reserves and speed.
"Lord Terumi Mei!!" Watching the figure standing in front of her, Ameyuri Ringo saw someone seemingly so fragile and beautiful transform into something towering and solid, shielding all dangers away from herself.
Dap! Without another word, Ameyuri grabbed her weapon and dashed aside, deliberately avoiding Saitama.
At this moment, she had only one goal—to complete the mission entrusted by Lady Terumi Mei and make every sacrifice count!
Behind her, Terumi Mei noticed movement as she kept her eyes on Saitama. A faint satisfied smile appeared on her otherwise elegantly beautiful face, and with even greater speed, she charged at Saitama.
[Boil Release: Monster Ball Technique!]
Forming hand seals rapidly, she spat out a corrosive yellow acidic liquid filled with destructive power toward Saitama.
As [Ninjutsu] unleashed, her wounds seemed to tear open again, with streaks of blood quickly soaking her clothes, staining everything red.
[Earth Release - Earth Wall Formation!]
[Water Release - Water Shockwave!]
Saitama retracted his fingers and instantly activated two techniques to counter Terumi Mei's desperate assault.
In an instant, rising from beneath the water surface in front of Saitama stood an incredibly sturdy earth wall, engraved with a hideously grimacing Oni skull, radiating an eerie sense of menace.
This was a reinforced technique developed by Saitama, combining Earth Release with Nature Transformation to condense the layers of earth, significantly boosting its defensive power.
As for Saitama himself, he was wrapped in a whirlwind-like current of water, which spiraled around him, accelerating rapidly as it lifted him upward into the sky. At a certain height, the stream shot forward, seemingly aimed at resisting the acidic liquid spewing from Terumi Mei's mouth.
Ccccchhh!!
First came the collision between acid and water, producing an ear-splitting sound like boiling oil splashed with cold water. Then, the acid that pierced the water struck the earthen wall, searing a scorched black mark across its surface before hissing away into nothing.
With such simplicity, Saitama's two ninjutsu neutralized Terumi Mei's Boil Release.
Plop.
In the next second, the earth wall shattered, and a figure burst forth from behind, charging straight toward Terumi Mei.
This figure was surrounded by white lightning, with electric arcs crackling all over, producing popping sounds.
By now, Ameyuri Ringo had already reached the edge of the lake but continued sprinting without even glancing back—as if something terrifying was chasing her.
Sasori, who watched from the sidelines, ignored the fleeing Ameyuri Ringo completely, just like a passive spectator calmly enjoying the life-or-death battle—or perhaps, Terumi Mei's final dance!
It's said that when death looms, the desperate find power beyond their limits.
Terumi Mei was exactly like that.
Despite her severe injuries, she somehow managed to withstand Saitama's attacks within a short period, successfully holding back his advance and buying precious time for Ameyuri Ringo's escape!
Zzzshh!
Another flash of white light streaked across—lightning struck Terumi Mei, instantly drenching her in blood!
Yet, Terumi Mei didn't flinch—her fist shot toward Saitama without hesitation, striking with the cold precision of a battle machine.
"You've got this, Terumi Mei!" she told herself fiercely.
Earlier, she had activated a secret art—a forbidden technique that burned away her body's vitality to temporarily boost her chakra levels along with physical strength, speed, and reaction time.
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