Watching the Mist ninjas fracture into internal conflict following the death of Mizukage Yagura, Hyuga Shinichi gradually lost interest in them.
He had never been a bloodthirsty man. Continuing a massacre of these ninjas didn't fully align with his interests.
The Hidden Mist still needed to maintain a certain level of military strength; only then could they act as a buffer against threats from other nations.
If the Mist fell into total ruin, a power vacuum would trigger a massive war that would inevitably drag Konoha into the fray.
While Shinichi had the power to end wars permanently, methods that were too cruel would leave deep scars in the collective psyche of the shinobi world—scars that would inevitably fester and explode later.
Furthermore, in Shinichi's eyes, the shinobi world was a single entity. When it came to facing the Ōtsutsuki, these powerful ninjas were actually his future comrades in the same trench.
Even if ordinary ninjas couldn't stand on the front lines, having them as an intelligence network would save Shinichi a great deal of trouble.
To this end, Shinichi felt it necessary to make the Mist understand exactly where they stood:
"My name is Hyuga Shinichi," he stated, his voice carrying over the battlefield. "Your village's Three-Tails has been confiscated by me as punishment for your designs on the Byakugan. I hope you can recognize the reality of the situation and avoid following in Yagura's footsteps."
The process of sealing the Tailed Beast had been incredibly swift, completed in mere minutes. As the new Jinchūriki, Hinata felt no special sensation; she couldn't even sense the presence of the seal or the beast. To utilize Isobu's power, she would need extensive training.
Shinichi already had a new plan for Hinata's growth. Now that she was a Jinchūriki, she would inevitably become a target for the Eye of the Moon Plan and the Ōtsutsuki. Before the crisis arrived, she had to gain the ability to protect herself.
His words reached the ears of the Mist ninjas. The condescending tone didn't actually bother most of them; on the contrary, they felt it was natural for a powerhouse like Shinichi to carry himself this way. The concept of "survival of the fittest" was buried deep in the Mist's ideology.
Realizing Shinichi didn't intend to hunt them down, many Mist ninjas decisively abandoned Yagura's corpse and began to retreat. A small group hesitated; without a leader to give a final order, they feared being purged back at the village for cowardice.
However, not everyone lacked backbone. Terumī Mei, having regained some mobility, stepped out from the crowd and stood before the Mist forces. Her action drew everyone's attention, and Shinichi, who was about to "greet" his new guests, tilted his head toward her.
"Punishment?" Mei challenged. "Are you joking? You killed the Mizukage and call it 'punishment'?! I will kill you and avenge Lord Yagura!"
Vengeance—the eternal theme of the shinobi world. No matter the reason for a death, there would always be those blinded by hatred.
While others were silenced by terror, Mei spoke of "revenge." One had to admit that the woman destined to succeed Yagura had more blood in her than the rest.
Whether she was acting or sincere, standing before Shinichi with a broken body was a life-risking gamble that set her apart.
Her words gave the wavering ninjas a backbone. As a high-ranking ANBU commander, her authority was second only to the Kage.
Those who were retreating stopped to watch, waiting to see if Mei could somehow turn the tide. If she showed even a hint of an advantage, they would support her.
If the enemy remained as overwhelming as before... they would beat her back to the village to seize power first.
The Dimensional Gap
Shinichi didn't care about their inner politics. Since he had killed Yagura, he needed to ensure the Mist feared him too much to ever dream of retaliation.
Flicker.
Shinichi vanished and reappeared beside Mei, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder. He didn't speak, but the crushing pressure made her breath hitch.
"Revenge?" Shinichi whispered in her ear. "Can you do it?"
As he spoke, he squeezed, shattering Mei's shoulder blade. The agony forced a piercing scream from her lips as she collapsed to her knees, clutching her shoulder.
"You are too weak. Not just you, the entire Mist is too weak. If you want revenge... find a way to get stronger. Only the strong have the right to speak of revenge. When the weak talk of it, they only die faster. Do you understand?"
He hoisted her up by her collar. Though his voice was low, the elite ninjas present heard every word. They watched in horror as their powerful ANBU commander was treated like a doll.
Mei's mind, ironically, became crystal clear under the pain. She suppressed her screams and glared at Shinichi with pure hatred, burning his image into her soul.
"Lava Style: Melting Apparition Jutsu!"
Instead of cowering, Mei threw caution to the wind. She spat a torrent of highly corrosive acid directly at Shinichi's face from point-blank range. This was her unique Kekkei Genkai, capable of even melting the bones of a Susanoo.
"Stupid woman."
The acid obscured her vision, but before she could see the result, Shinichi's voice came from behind her. He had evaded the point-blank attack with ease. The next second, he grabbed the back of her neck and slammed her head into the ground.
THUD!!!
The earth cracked, and Mei lost consciousness instantly. Shinichi chose not to kill her; the Mist needed someone like her to hold the banner; otherwise, a total lack of leadership would create more headaches for him. He just needed to break her spirit for now.
He tossed the unconscious Mei toward Kisame Hoshigaki.
The Seed of Doubt
Kisame caught her instinctively, his shark-like face showing confusion. He realized Shinichi lacked killing intent toward them now. But a bigger question nagged at him: Why give her to me?
Suddenly, Kisame's vision blurred. When it cleared, he found himself standing on a desolate, cratered wasteland under a pitch-black sky. In the distance, a vibrant blue planet hung over the horizon.
"This..."
"This is a mental space I created in your mind," Shinichi's voice echoed. He stood before the shark-man, his Tenseigan eyes glowing with an intensity Kisame couldn't look away from. "I will tell you a few things. Whether you act on them or believe them is your choice."
Kisame was shaken to his core. Creating a mental world inside someone's head? How is this possible?
"Do you know of 'Akatsuki'?" Shinichi asked. Kisame's micro-expressions gave him away. "That masked man isn't Uchiha Madara.
He is a rogue ninja from Konoha named Uchiha Obito. The 'Eye of the Moon' plan cannot create the world you desire. Your Mizukage was merely his puppet. I think you knew that already."
Shinichi walked closer. "Kisame Hoshigaki... I don't care about your plans in the Mist. I just want you to know that Uchiha Obito cannot give you the world you dream of. How could a man who hides his face ever achieve anything? The person who can actually give you that world... is me."
Shinichi smiled sincerely, and for the first time, Kisame felt a tremor of doubt. A crack appeared in his loyalty to the masked man.
"That woman is decent; she'll make a qualified Mizukage. Perhaps the utopia you seek can be built by her, and by you."
Shinichi vanished, and the mental world dissolved. When Kisame "woke up," he was back in the real world. Shinichi was looking at him with a faint smile before turning his gaze away.
Kisame took a deep breath, looked at the unconscious Mei in his arms, and barked: "Grab the bodies! RETREAT!"
As a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Kisame's word carried weight. The Mist ninjas, who had been waiting for a reason to leave, scrambled to gather the corpses—including Yagura, Zabuza, and Haku—and vanished into the trees.
The New Arrivals
As the Mist retreated, Kakashi slumped to the ground, exhaling a massive sigh of relief. "We're alive..."
But Shinichi didn't relax. He turned his gaze toward the distant sea.
"Compared to the Mist," Shinichi murmured, "these guys are the real trouble."
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