Witnessing the Four Violet Flames Formation being breached, Tatsuma raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected that little girl from Kirigakure to be this capable.
"So it's an acid-like jutsu… a Kekkei Genkai, Lava Release, huh."
But even if they escaped the barrier, Root operatives surrounded them on the outside as well. These Kiri ninjas were not getting out of this alive. And the one with the Kekkei Genkai would be the first to die.
"Insect Sphere"
Under Tatsuma's control, massive swarms of kikaichū clustered together, forming black tides rushing in from every direction.
Mei could only watch helplessly as the swarm closed in. Having unleashed multiple Water Release techniques in a dry area—and having used her Lava Release just now—her chakra reserves were nearly gone due to her young age. She didn't even have enough left for a simple Water Formation Wall.
Misfortune rarely comes alone.
On the other side, Zabuza and the other two were also surrounded. Their deaths were imminent.
"W–wait! Even if you kill us, the peace talks won't stop!"
Mei desperately attempted to buy time, but the fully-covered man before her had no intention of communicating.This time, she might actually die here.
She could almost feel the wriggling of the insects' limbs as they descended on her—
"Aa~!"
A crisp burst of chirping echoed across the empty street.
Brilliant lightning tore through the air, weaving into a sprawling electric net that blocked the oncoming black swarm.
"Danzō really loves using these disgraceful little tricks. Always giving me more work to do."
A youthful voice echoed clearly in everyone's ears.
Mei, hearing that familiar voice, looked up.
A white-haired boy stood before her, bathed in a radiant blue thunderlight.
"Shimizu… Mitsuki."
She hadn't expected him to be the one to save her. Thinking of her earlier suspicions, Mei suddenly felt a bit guilty. She and Kisame had assumed he was behind this attack—but clearly, she was wrong.
Meanwhile, Mitsuki had no idea he had almost taken the blame for the "Black Pot Shadow".
Tatsuma's expression darkened at the sight of his attack being effortlessly neutralized. Being in Root, he knew very well who he could and could not provoke in the shinobi world.
And with someone capable of using the Flying Thunder God Technique standing between him and the girl, killing her was now impossible.
"Mitsuki… shouldn't you be at the negotiation table? How did you get here so fast?"
That was the question he cared about most.
Their plan had been meticulous, giving them more than enough time to kill the Kiri delegates before Konoha could respond. Unless Mitsuki had the ability to foresee the future and had planted a Flying Thunder God formula on the girl in advance…
Had he?
Of course he had.
But not because of foresight.
Back when Water Country forces struck at Kirigakure and Mitsuki's identity was compromised, he had briefly fought Mei — and during that moment, marked her wrist with a formula.
She never noticed because of the Shadow Manipulation's camouflaging effect.
He'd originally prepared it as a contingency—in case all Flying Thunder God formulas in Kiri were discovered and destroyed, he could still infiltrate the village through her.
Who knew it would instead become a lifesaving tether for Mei today?The world was strange indeed.
Facing Tatsuma's question, Mitsuki naturally wouldn't reveal the truth.
"I was slow, actually. I stalled on purpose before coming. Your Root guys were just too slow, little bro."
He wasn't even lying.He had intentionally waited for Mei to suffer a bit—because she'd been needling him with clever remarks yesterday.
"You—!"
Being called "little bro" by a kid barely out of the Academy grated on Tatsuma's nerves. But the brat did have the power to back it up.
Still, even if they couldn't kill the Kekkei Genkai girl, there were the other three ninjas. So long as at least one died, their mission would succeed.
Unless someone else besides Mitsuki could also arrive impossibly fast — or unless someone could foresee the attack — these ninjas shouldn't stand a chance.
Unknowingly, he'd set yet another flag.
Seeing Tatsuma pause his assault, Mitsuki nodded in satisfaction. He really didn't want to fight fellow Konoha shinobi—especially not over the bizarre task of protecting a bunch of troublesome foreign ninja.
He just wanted to finish the negotiations and get these aggro-magnet Kiri emissaries out of the village.
Mei scanned the surroundings, then urgently pointed toward the other group.
"Mitsuki! Please — help them too!"
She didn't care much for Zabuza and the others, but their peace mission was assigned personally by the Fourth Mizukage. If they were killed by Konoha shinobi, the news would ignite the already volatile radicals back home.
If war resumed, Konoha would likely endure — but Kirigakure would be destroyed.
So even if the emissaries had to die… it better be after returning home.
Hearing her plea, Mitsuki didn't move.
Tatsuma relaxed slightly. So he really had come alone.
Mei was far from relaxed. Zabuza's group was moments away from being slaughtered.
Just as she opened her mouth again—
"Don't worry. Someone else will take care of it."
As if responding to his words — just as the Root ninja launched a barrage of ninjutsu and weapons at the three cornered ninjas —
A long-haired girl with black hair instantaneously appeared before them.
Ruri opened her eyes.Her Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spun slowly.
"Susanoo."
White skeletal ribs erupted into existence, forming a massive chakra skeleton that enveloped her and the Kiri-nin behind her.
There was no need for even the second stage.
All the ninjutsu and projectiles struck the Susano'o—and didn't even cause a ripple.
"What is that?!"
"That's Ruri Uchiha!"
"Does the Sharingan have this kind of power?!"
The Root operatives exchanged bewildered whispers, unable to comprehend what they were seeing.