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Chapter 268: Kameda Returns
Whoosh—
A sharp sound broke the noise of the clearing.
On the other side of the open ground, a large group of people appeared out of thin air.
As the dust settled, the sound of suppressed sobbing could be heard.
Kameda stood at the forefront of the crowd, his Akatsuki uniform stained with a bit of dust. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing solid forearms. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the terrified crowd behind him.
His eyes were cold as he spoke ruthlessly:
"You all remember the rules I told you before! Stand there obediently now, don't move your feet even half a step! If anyone dares to cause the slightest trouble, you know the consequences!"
As his words fell, a collective gulp sounded from the crowd. Even the youngest children had their mouths covered tightly by their parents, afraid to cry out.
A faint smell of blood still lingered on Kameda. It was the mark left from the migration journey.
Compared to the peaceful approach of Hinata and Honoka toward their respective villages, he hadn't shown any kindness to the ninjas and villagers of these small ninja villages.
During the migration, it wasn't that no one was ungrateful. Some former Jonin, relying on their past status, clamored for special treatment. Some elders clung to the rules of the old era, trying to incite villagers to revolt.
Kameda never wasted words, nor did he bother with "ideological work." He had only one word—Kill.
One slash, blood splattered on the spot, and all unrest was instantly quelled.
In his eyes, these people were cheap bones. Without their past power, with their villages gone, they still dared to make demands. They simply couldn't recognize the situation.
Now the entire ninja world was under the rule of Lady Konan and Lord Alex. Those who submitted would prosper, and those who resisted would perish. How could these idiots be allowed to jump around?
To prevent these trifles from disturbing the two Lords' moods, eliminating the restless thorns in advance was the wisest choice.
It was Lady Konan who gave him a new life, allowing him to become a core member of the Akatsuki. Now he held the power of life and death, able to crush those Jonin masters he once admired and feared at will.
This huge transformation in status made him tremble with excitement. It also carved his loyalty to the two Lords into his bones. His change was given by them; whoever dared to make them unhappy, he would make disappear completely.
"Stand still!" Kameda shouted in a low voice. Scanning the crowd again and seeing everyone shrinking their necks, not daring to move, he turned his head with satisfaction.
His cold expression vanished instantly, like a mask being swapped.
A simple and honest smile piled up on his face, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes radiating sycophancy. He ran toward Alex and Konan not far away with silent, quick steps.
Arriving in front of them, Kameda bowed immediately.
Instead of reporting the migration situation first, he carefully untied the wooden keg hanging from his chest. It exuded a trace of coolness.
He took out two cups of chilled fruit juice. Water droplets condensed on the sides of the cups, emitting a sweet fruity fragrance.
"Lady Konan, Lord Alex!" Kameda's voice was respectful.
Holding the juice with both hands, his naive and clumsy appearance was completely different from the decisive killer he was just a moment ago.
"This is freshly squeezed juice from fruit trees unique to those small ninja villages. I kept it on ice the whole time to ensure freshness! Please taste it, my Lords!"
Konan's paper-wrapped finger twitched slightly as she nodded. Her gaze swept over the villagers standing there like quails, not giving them a second look.
She took a cup of juice and handed the other to Alex beside her before taking a sip. The sweet and sour juice slid down her throat, carrying a unique fruity fragrance, dispelling some of the heat.
Konan's orange eyes brightened slightly, a trace of satisfaction in them. The taste was indeed good. Every time she returned to the ground from the Sky Fortress, Kameda would always prepare chilled juice in advance. Over time, she had gotten somewhat used to it.
Alex took the cup and drank it in one go. After regaining a physical body, he could finally taste food. This unique juice was indeed refreshing.
Alex put down the cup and gave a faint compliment. "Kameda, you're not bad."
Four simple words made Kameda shake all over, ecstasy surging in his heart instantly.
He looked up sharply, the honest smile on his face deepening, his voice filled with uncontrollable excitement. "Th-this is all what your subordinate should do! It is my honor to share the burden for the two Lords!"
Alex didn't say anything more, nor did he care about the faint smell of blood on Kameda. Anyway, the dead were just idiots who couldn't read the room; he didn't even bother to remember their names.
In the distant crowd, watching Kameda bowing and scraping before the two Lords, and remembering the blood on the road, people couldn't help but shudder and bury their heads lower.
Amidst the noise of the clearing, several silent gazes fell quietly on Kameda, carrying complex and indescribable emotions.
Tsunade, Orochimaru, Shikaku Nara, and Inoichi Yamanaka stood in the crowd, unable to hide the gloom in their eyes. They had lost all power and become prisoners at the mercy of others.
But their eyesight was still sharp. This guy was wearing Akatsuki attire, obviously a core member. But his strength... was a bit lackluster, only at the Chunin level.
In the past, such a Chunin would have been respectful upon seeing any of them. In his terror, he wouldn't even have the qualification to look up and meet their eyes.
Tsunade was the Fifth Hokage; Orochimaru was one of the legendary Sannin. Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka were high-ranking officials of Konoha.
But times had changed. Now they had lost their power and status, reduced to prisoners. And this ordinary Chunin had ridden the coattails of the Akatsuki to reach the sky in a single step, holding the power of life and death.
They stood silently in place.
Watching that short, stout man—who a second ago was fierce and bloody toward the villagers—suddenly heap a simple smile toward Alex and Konan.
Watching him humbly offering chilled juice, that fawning appearance made them feel scorn. It was simply too disgraceful.
Thinking that they would be commanded by such a character in the future, their hearts were filled with mixed feelings. Humiliation, unwillingness, powerlessness... all mixed together.
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