"This time, I really troubled you, Accelerator-san."
On the other side, Shibuki returned, dragging Suien—who looked like a dead dog—behind him. Shibuki appeared completely unscathed on the surface, but within Menma's sensory range, he could clearly detect that Shibuki's condition had deteriorated significantly. Having consumed the Hero Water twice, his life force had undoubtedly been reduced by a considerable amount.
This stuff was purely drinking poison to quench thirst.
"No, it was nothing. Just a small effort."
Menma shrugged. While dispelling his Summoning Jutsu, he spoke with a smile.
"Still, I must thank you for stepping in, Accelerator-san."
Shibuki shook his head and spoke softly.
"Detain all of them in the dungeon."
Then, turning his head to look at the wailing Waterfall ninja collapsed on the ground—those who had participated in the coup with Suien—he shook his head gently and issued orders to the other Waterfall ninja.
It wasn't that Shibuki's old habit of being soft-hearted had flared up again. Rather, these rogue ninja still needed to go through a high-level village meeting and trial before they could be punished.
Except for Suien, who was absolutely destined to die...
The others had to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
If he killed them all with one blow, it would still incite a certain degree of chaos within the village.
"Yes, Lord Leader!"
The Waterfall ninja, led by the blue-haired young man, lowered their heads and responded solemnly.
One by one, they stepped forward, using the village's specially manufactured chakra-restraining torture devices on the rebellious Waterfall ninja, escorting them toward the punishment area on the easternmost side of the village.
"What are you doing!? Shibuki, are you really going to betray the village!? How could you be so ruthless to Uncle Suien?"
Just as these rebellious Waterfall ninja were being taken away...
Suddenly.
From the sky above the main gate of the ninja village came a girl's shout, clearly filled with anger and confusion.
The next second.
Buzz!
A figure of a girl with special greenish-blue wings on her back came into the view of Menma and Shibuki.
The terrifying chakra aura permeating from her body...
Had already far exceeded the category of a ninja.
It was almost comparable to Shibuki after he had just consumed the Hero Water.
This girl was none other than the Hidden Waterfall's Seven-Tails Jinchuriki—Fu. At this moment, she was already preliminarily borrowing the Seven-Tails' chakra.
Like the Seven-Tails, she had wings on her back.
Cruising through the sky.
And now, seeing Suien—whom she respected and trusted—lying heavily injured and unconscious, being dragged by Shibuki like a dead dog...
Anger clearly filled her heart.
Added to this was the most important misunderstanding regarding "Elder Satoru."
Boom!
"Fu, no, listen to me..."
She didn't give Shibuki any chance to explain.
Terror chakra vented out directly.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye.
Her figure pressed down.
Fu sped toward the location of Menma and Shibuki.
"Ninja Art: Scale Powder Concealment Jutsu!"
Hand signs formed rapidly.
Her abdomen swelled.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!
In an instant, Fu spewed out a large amount of white, granular scale powder from her mouth, covering the area where Menma and Shibuki stood.
"Sigh, what an irritable little girl."
Menma shook his head amusedly.
Boom!
Then, amidst Shibuki's anxious and shocked expression, Menma also erupted with a powerful chakra aura.
This had already firmly exceeded the intensity of Shibuki's chakra after consuming the Hero Water.
"Wind Style: Divine Wind Jutsu."
The jutsu was completed with rapid hand signs.
A massive amount of refined chakra.
In an instant.
A hurricane roared.
A windstorm surged up wildly.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Under Menma's precise control...
Rumble!
It blew upward powerfully.
The massive wind wave, covering the sky and earth...
Dispersed almost all the white scale powder in an instant.
It also forced Fu to retreat and create distance.
"What!?"
Barely managing to adjust her posture and hover in mid-air, Fu looked at Menma, who was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Shibuki, with a look of immense shock and wariness.
This was the first time Fu had seen someone easily break her jutsu like this.
And this person was definitely not from their Hidden Waterfall Village.
It wasn't just the issue of the forehead protector.
If there were such a powerful existence among the Waterfall ninja, it was impossible for Fu not to know, or for Suien not to know.
"You really did collude with outsiders! Shibuki, I misjudged you! I'm going to..."
Fu shouted loudly with infinite anger.
But before she could finish...
"Calm down, Fu! The one deceiving you is Suien! If you don't believe me, you should at least believe Grandpa Satoru, right!?"
Shibuki, down below, had already shouted out loudly, beating her to the punch.
Knowing clearly that Fu had been deceived and used by Suien, Shibuki naturally didn't want to continue fighting with her. Not only was it meaningless, but it was also damaging their Hidden Waterfall Village's own strength.
The words he spoke...
Caused Fu's expression to freeze involuntarily. The hands she had just raised to form seals also stopped in that instant.
"What? Wasn't Grandpa Satoru imprisoned by you?"
"What imprisonment? Grandpa Satoru just fell into a coma because his illness worsened a while ago. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry. Grandpa Satoru just woke up recently. If you don't believe me, come with me to see him. You'd believe Grandpa Satoru, right?"
Shibuki said helplessly.
Now he truly had no doubts left. This girl Fu had really been tricked, and by such a low-level lie at that.
Him, imprisoning Grandpa Satoru?
He'd have to be crazy to do that.
"Are you telling the truth? Shibuki... Big Brother? Then who is this guy?"
Clearly reacting belatedly, as if she had just processed it, Fu spoke with a very uncertain tone.
"Do you really think I would harm Grandpa Satoru? Fu? As for this Accelerator-san, he is indeed an external aid I invited, but Grandpa Satoru knows about it too."
Shibuki said, feeling both annoyed and amused.
He really hadn't expected this little girl of his to be so easily hoodwinked. Of course, Shibuki also knew he was partly at fault.
"Let's go, let's go see Grandpa Satoru together. We have to bring this guy over anyway. If you find out I'm still lying to you then, you can attack again. Wouldn't it be the same?"
Shibuki took a deep breath, looking at Fu with a very serious expression.
At this point...
Even if there was still a tiny shred of suspicion, the scales in Fu's heart had completely tipped back.
A look of awkwardness appeared on her small face as she floated over quickly, the twin tails of Tailed Beast chakra dissipating as well.
Menma also took an extra look at Fu with interest.
The Seven-Tails Jinchuriki? She seems very proficient in using Tailed Beast chakra. She should be usable as an immediate combat asset.
Menma thought secretly in his heart.