"Where are you, show yourselves!"
Amidst the mist, Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi couldn't see where they were...
Silently, Terumi Mei and Kisame and others had moved to the back of the group.
Terumi Mei was tense, in such a critical situation, she was being doubted by her own people first.
This is the Hidden Mist, when there's a problem, one first looks at their own; that's how things are done in this village.
Terumi Mei held her breath, using Boil Release to create white mist, resisting the invasion of acid mist.
Fortunately, due to Aomi's large area of mist release, Lava Release's power was diluted and wasn't so deadly. It wouldn't immediately reach the degree of melting flesh at first glance.
But if one stayed here for a long time, inhaling excess acid mist into the body would still cause internal organs to decay, and the body surface would start to melt.
Paired with the mine-covered thunder zone, Aomi turned this place into a true Forest of Death!
"Act now, kill them first!"
Kaguya Kimijiro's eyes were stern, misunderstanding brought by Lava Release, he couldn't afford to consider anything further...
If Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi returned to the Hidden Mist, would they gain the trust of the Third Mizukage again when reporting this information?
The answer was no.
Even if it was a misunderstanding, the Third Mizukage's intent to kill him and Terumi Mei couldn't be fake, they'd find an excuse to eliminate them.
If not for Aomi's obstruction, at the time in Konoha, Kisame would have executed a secret mission to kill everyone in their squad...
Kisame and Zabuza exchanged a glance, both sighed simultaneously.
As heirs to the Ninja Blade Group, they didn't have flexible moral boundaries like Terumi Mei and Kaguya Kimijiro; if the Hidden Mist could be a bit normal, they'd still want to be loyal guardians.
But the problem is, their predecessors don't want them to survive...
And behind Kisame was Ayano, who cried out in pain under the attack of acid mist: "Ah... it feels like my trachea is burning, so painful!"
"Ayano, come here, aren't you a perception ninja?"
Munashi Jinpachi called through the mist: "Lead the way to me, we must quickly get through this mist, bring back the information on the minefield and Terumi Mei's defecting to the village!"
"These bastards must have escaped to Konoha now, leaving us suffering in this acid mist!"
Kisame's gaze instantly became sharp, asking Ayano to use her body to scout.
Thus, he made a hand gesture for action—
Just like killing Suikazan Fuguki, the Hidden Mist Chunin exam group showed a surprising level of coordination at this moment!
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Jutsu!"
Terumi Mei followed the direction of the voice, spitting out a large amount of acid mist from her mouth, directing her's and Aomi's mist to concentrate as much as possible towards Munashi Jinpachi and Kuriarare Kushimaru's direction...
And amidst the dense fog, Zabuza, proficient in Silent Killing Jutsu, endured the burning sensation on the skin, precisely locked onto the enemy's location, and forcefully threw the blade in his hand!
Attacking your own, actually not only the Seven Ninja Swordsmen are skilled...
These Mist geniuses who assassinated Suikazan Fuguki, each being adept at this, whether now or in the original timeline...
Ayano watched this scene in surprise, thoughts racing, watching Kisame beside them not stopping it, coughing lightly and said:
"Mr. Kisame, they are at forty-five degrees to your right, fifty meters away!"
Kisame glanced at Ayano, feeling a ripple in his heart.
This woman knows he's defecting, yet still reports information to him?
But Kisame's hands didn't stop, swiftly and systematically weaving seals—
And over at Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi's side, hidden within the white mist, acid mist instantly began melting their skin, the bone-piercing pain attacking their brains!
Zabuza's ninja blade also precisely pierced through Munashi Jinpachi's right arm, causing him to howl in pain.
"How dare you defect from the village—"
And in response was Kisame's Great Bursting Water Wave!
The enormous stream rose from the ground, instantly engulfing the Hidden Mist ninjas, wrapping them up, and trapping them within a Water Prison.
In the next moment, countless bone spikes emerged from the ground, piercing through each of their hearts, staining the Water Prison red...
With Aomi's mist, these four executed a masterful coordination, almost instantly annihilating the Hidden Mist reconnaissance team!
But there was no other choice; the future of Hidden Mist actually depends on four people.
Zabuza, daring enough to ignite a rebellion within Hidden Mist, matches Hatake Kakashi as an equal.
Kisame, single-handedly capturing the Four-tailed Jinchuriki, showcasing solid Kage Level strength.
Terumi Mei, the future Fifth Mizukage, wielding Dual Kekkeigenkai.
Kaguya Kimijiro, bearing the strongest Dead Bone Pulse, appearing as an enhanced version of Kimimaro.
If these four are loyal to Hidden Mist, combined with Karatachi Yagura who might control the Three-tails in the future, and the isolated terrain of the Land of Water, perhaps it could indeed bring relative peace to the village.
Unfortunately, within this village, the internal issues are the biggest problem.
"Well, now we've all become traitorous ninja..."
Kisame exhaled a long breath, speaking drearily, "Let's get out of this mist first, then think about where we're headed?"
He doesn't want to kill his companions.
But if Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi return to Hidden Mist, they could all expect to face the Third Mizukage's hunt.
Having hailed from Hidden Mist, even though Kisame doesn't want to act ruthlessly, he won't let others come to harm him.
"Acid mist, bombs comparable to explosive tags..."
Kaguya Kimijiro was quite troubled, "Although the mist is relatively thin, Terumi Mei could use Boil Release to clear a relatively safe area for us, it's still quite bothersome, even my insides started to hurt..."
"Looks like I'll have to activate Dead Bone Pulse to forcefully carve out a path for all of us."
Zabuza silently looked at Kaguya Kimijiro, his expression quite comical.
Since when did the battle-crazed, bone-killing demon from the Kaguya Clan start paving the way for companions?
It must be said, ever since Aomi physically corrected his personality, Kaguya Kimijiro's character has indeed improved a lot, leading to the Kaguya Clan harshly accusing him of losing his fighting spirit.
But Kaguya Kimijiro remained unmoved; fighting spirit, can that even withstand Lord Aomi's power?
Not at all, it can be crushed to pieces with a single snap!
"Kimijiro, I can try to use Water Release to open a path, I still have some Chakra left." Kisame looked at Ayano, who was coughing up blood, feeling a strange sensation in his heart, he spoke in a deep voice.
He didn't know why, but he didn't want Ayano to die.
However, compared to the constitution of these few individuals, Ayano, who was just a regular Chunin, couldn't withstand even Terumi Mei's diluted acid mist, her mouth constantly bleeding.
The average constitution of a ninja is just that fragile, and they can easily die.
Zabuza silently picked up the Blastsword: Shibuki and Long Blade - Sewing Needle from the ground, shaking his head, "Let's first try to survive, we need to adjust our situation, don't know where the future path leads..."
"Just to surrender to Uchiha Aomi, let alone him, I wouldn't even believe it myself..."
Everyone silently nodded.
As Hidden Mist's advance party, they were trapped in acid mist and mines, yet slaughtered their comrades.
Wherever it's viewed, this behavior is despicable, who would possibly trust them?
But this is the reality of the Ninja World—
From the very beginning when Kisame and the others arrived at Konoha, the gears of fate started to turn slowly, the opposition in positions, conflicts, and the suspicion of Hidden Mist had long dictated the destinies of these genius ninjas.
And coincidentally.
Just after Zabuza finished speaking, the mist mysteriously cleared!
Aomi suddenly appeared before them, smiling gently, "No need to worry, I've heard it all."
"As I've promised, Konoha welcomes the excellent ninjas from Hidden Mist."
"Follow me—"
Terumi Mei and others suddenly widened their eyes, the man they both wanted and feared to see appeared like a ghost!
[From Terumi Mei, Kisame, Kaguya Kimijiro, Zabuza: You've acquired a special talent—Heart of Hidden Mist!]
[Heart of Hidden Mist]:
When you control The Hidden Mist Village, the ninjas under this unit's command will have their skills enhanced and feedback to you, including but not limited to bloodline, Chakra, ninjutsu skills, and physique.
The feedback multiplier is positively correlated with the loyalty of the Hidden Mist ninja to you.
This talent can activate the final confrontation, completing it grants a special reward—Ocean Contract.