In Terumi Mei's bright, big eyes, a rare blank look appeared.
"How would I know?"
Linto took a bite of candied fruit and said, "It's not hard to guess. You're from Kirigakure. Don't look at me like that; I have my own sources."
The first day Terumi Mei showed up, Linto sent a messenger pigeon to Kambara Hayato, who was on vacation in Konoha village, to find out her identity:
A Kirigakure elite jonin.
"From what I know, the current Kirigakure's Mizukage has gone crazy, squeezing every ninja for all they're worth with no time to rest.
You came to find me, most likely with orders to kill me, but you haven't done it. On the other hand, the Mizukage sent two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to kill me."
Linto spread his hands. "Wasting two sets of manpower on one project, I can only think of two reasons: either the Mizukage doesn't trust you, or...the reason you were sent is so he could use me to kill you."
"I think the latter is more likely."
Right now, Kirigakure only has three kinds of people.
Those who obey the Mizukage, killing maniacs like Kurosuki Raiga.
Those who hate the infighting and are plotting to escape, like Biwa Juzo.
The Mizukage hasn't killed either of those types.
"That means you're the third kind, not one of the first two—"
Linto looked at her calmly. "A rebel who hates the Mizukage's bloody rule."
Where there is pressure, there is resistance.
"Even if ninjas train in 'the art of patience' all year round, they can't all be like cows with crushed balls, docile and just working hard."
That makes sense.
But...
When Terumi Mei thought about being one of the "cows whose balls weren't crushed" that Linto mentioned, she felt like something was off.
"You figured all that out from these tiny clues?"
"Also, you've been looking like you're 'smelling farts' a lot lately. Anyone can tell from that bitter, resentful look that you're planning something big."
"Smelling, smelling farts?"
Linto narrowed his eyes, tilted his chin slightly, and moved his nostrils a little.
"Just like that."
Terumi Mei's lips twitched slightly, and she clenched her small fist, wishing she could pull out a whip and beat him.
"I'm not bitter and resentful, and..."
Terumi Mei sighed softly. "I don't want to kill Lord Yagura; I just want to ask him to step down. Actually, he was a good person before he became Mizukage. Maybe... the pressure of being a Kage is too much."
"Could he have been placed under a genjutsu after his personality changed so much?"
"Lord Yagura is a Jinchuriki; he can't be affected by genjutsu."
Jinchuriki and Tailed Beasts are like teammates. If one is affected by genjutsu, the other can get rid of its effect by adjusting their chakra.
Linto nodded.
He didn't know much about ninjutsu or genjutsu.Since the expert said it was impossible, he had to believe her.
Too many people forget their roots after getting power.
Like the day before, they were slacking off together, and today, after getting promoted to manager, they tell their former partner to work hard and not slack off.
"When are you planning to take action?" Linto asked.
"I need some time to prepare."
Overthrowing a Kage and overturning a tied-together group of interests is not an easy task.
Terumi Mei looked at Linto. "Can I ask you to help?"
"What will you use as payment?"
"Anything, as long as I can afford it. I'll find a way to raise money."
After today's battle, Terumi Mei was once again shocked by the power Linto showed, killing two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen by himself while being deliberately targeted.
If Linto helped, Terumi Mei's plan would have a much better chance of succeeding.
Linto looked her up and down, shook his head, and said, "I don't need money."
He stood up and took the lightning sword Kiba and the broken blade of Kubikiribocho from Terumi Mei.
Linto didn't need these two things, but Sasuke and Momo-chan could use them.
He could let them try them out.
Linto got on his horse. With the sound of horse hooves, he slowly walked out of the courtyard.
Terumi Mei lowered her head in disappointment.
Linto...doesn't want to get involved?
Yes, Linto left a warehouse full of money, which was already a big help. How could she ask for more?
"So, let's forget about the payment."
Terumi Mei looked up at Linto's back on the horse.
He turned his face and showed a smile.
"When you really need my help, you'll just owe me a favor."
Light slowly appeared in Terumi Mei's eyes.
She wanted to be like Linto and say something that sounded impressive.
But after holding it in for a long time, she just felt a slight pain in her nose and thought she looked just like Linto's "smelling farts," which made her laugh.
"I'm leaving."
Linto waved his hand.
"Goodbye."
...
Linto took the supplies and led the group back to their hometown.
Because many people were sick in the county magistrate's mansion from the cold, the journey back took longer than the trip here.
By the time they returned to Kirigakure, it was noon on the fourth day.
Sasuke and Momo-chan were squatting at the village entrance, building snowmen. Two rows of snowmen, big and small, were arranged at the village entrance, showing that the two had been waiting here for Linto the whole time.
Seeing Linto return, Sasuke and Momo-chan were finally relieved. Linto was their last family member.
If something happened to Linto, they really wouldn't know what to do.
The village chief and other old people heard the sound and came to the village entrance to welcome them, trembling. Many villagers' eyes were red, and they tearfully told of what had happened these past few days.
But as they spoke, the village chief felt that the atmosphere was wrong.
The man from the White family had a broken arm.
White's mother and White were separated from the other villagers.
After asking clearly what had happened, the village chief picked up his cane and swung it at the villagers.
The so-called rejection of the bloodline limit was a rule that only came about after the Village of the Bloody Mist. For the sake of a rule set by others for unknown reasons, to harm the closest people...
They were either fools or villains.
The village chief walked up and bowed to White's mother and daughter.
"I'm sorry; these fools almost hurt you."
White said softly, "It's okay, village chief. We've decided to leave Kirigakure so we won't cause trouble for everyone."
"Leave..."
The village chief was stunned. "Where are you going?"
White's mother said, "I don't know... But as long as we're together, we can go anywhere."
The village chief nodded.
The fact that White's mother had a bloodline limit would spread sooner or later. It would be better to leave early than to wait for the Kirigakure ninjas to come.
But life on the run would definitely not be easy.
"If you have nowhere to go, would you like to come with me?"
White turned to look at Linto walking over.
"Really?!"
Following Linto was obviously safer than wandering around blindly.
"I know a group of people who are building their own village. I can take you there."
Killing a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and the Senmura County Magistrate would definitely lead to revenge from both the Daimyo and Kirigakure, but from what Linto knew, now that three members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were dead, Kirigakure didn't have many high-end fighters left.
The people who came to chase them would most likely be assassins who were good at poison and assassination.
These kinds of assassins were like Blue Flies, annoying and not worth many soul fragments.
Linto planned to leave Kirigakure for the time being and look for targets elsewhere, and also to go see the new village of the survivors of the human trafficking case.
The Land of Water was a good place, but Linto had killed a bit too much recently, so he needed to give the Land of Water time to "rest and recover."
When a new crop of fugitives and strong people appeared, Linto would come back and harvest them.
They decided to rest for one night and set off early tomorrow morning.
That night, Linto hunted a lot of wild game in the jungle. White's mother made a table full of dishes and took out the family's treasured wine.
As for White's father, he locked himself in the bedroom.
Linto didn't kill him, and neither did White's mother and White.
Or rather, they had already "killed" him.
From the moment he raised his knife and pointed it at his wife, he was already dead in the hearts of the mother and child.
The group enjoyed a rare moment of leisure.
"If only Teacher Zoro were here."
Sasuke said softly, "She's, like, a pretty good person."
Linto patted Sasuke's head.
"She's doing something big."
"What is it?"
"Once she succeeds, everyone will never have to worry again and can be as happy as they are today."
Sasuke nodded, as if he understood.
With Linto's return, Sasuke and Momo-chan relaxed. Not long after dinner, the two children fell asleep.
Linto sat by the window, spread out a piece of paper, and thought about his future plans by the moonlight.
Knock, knock—
A knock suddenly came at the door.
The sound was very light and gentle; it sounded like a woman knocking.
Linto walked over and opened the door.
It was White's mother.
She was wearing a beige kimono, her hair was up, and she was beautiful and graceful.
"Mr. Lin, the children are asleep. Would you mind talking?"
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