allendalepharm Chapter 124 Ghost Man
Chapter 124 Ghost Man
Chapter 124 Ghost Man
The cold light illuminated the scroll in his hand, and Gen Takuno's fingertips slowly traced lines of dark ink.
This wasn't the first time he'd read it, but his sharp eyes still scanned the words, accurately capturing the noteworthy information.
Especially concerning the distant, mist-shrouded Hidden Mist Village, and the name that has already secured a place on his register: Zabuza Momochi.
This once-powerful figure, who was poised to dominate the Hidden Mist Village, had already embarked on a path of no return by betraying the village last year.
The intelligence report did not state the reason, but Takuno knew that he was driven to despair by the sudden shift in the ruthless policies of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, and thus took the risk of orchestrating the assassination.
Unfortunately, the mastermind behind the scenes, Obito Uchiha, had already manipulated the Mizukage's will like a puppet, rendering Zabuza's heroic resistance a mere illusion.
If it weren't for the manipulator behind the scenes, Zabuza Momochi should have been a capable right-hand man of the Fourth Mizukage, instead of being what he is now—
It can only be said that fate plays tricks on people.
At this moment, Zabuza Momochi is like a caged beast freed from its shackles, forced to submit to the dark laws of the underworld. His blade is no longer aimed at his former beliefs, but at the bloody missions he undertakes for the sake of glittering money.
A clear interest arose in Yuan Tuoye's heart; subduing this person might be exactly what he needed right now.
As his gaze swept across the scroll, images of the distant Land of Snow, the Snow Village nestled in a frozen wasteland, involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
The ninja guarding this place—Minamoto Takuno's lips curled down almost imperceptibly; he was far too weak.
Even the so-called "strongest" Wolf Fang Avalanche, its power is as dependent on the environment as the fragile glaciers of the Snow Country.
Once he left that snow-covered region and lost the advantage of the terrain, he was at best a special Jonin struggling to pass the mark.
As for the Snow Village—a fortress that housed many of his important secret experiments—its defenses could not be so weak and ineffective.
It needs real power, a pillar strong enough to deter villains and ensure absolute safety.
In fact, the first figure to emerge in his ideal blueprint was not Zabuza Momochi, but the more terrifying existence, Kisame Hoshigaki.
That man, like a deep-sea shark, possessed perfect strength and loyalty, even when twisted.
However, this idea was quickly extinguished by the cold water of reason.
A hint of seriousness flashed in Gen Takuno's eyes. Kisame Hoshigaki had already been firmly persuaded by the will of "Uchiha Madara" and was deeply rooted in the vortex of Kirigakure.
Trying to subdue a pawn already controlled by the mastermind behind the scenes? It's an impossible task.
At this moment, he bears the heavy responsibility of monitoring the Fourth Mizukage who is being controlled.
After all, Obito Uchiha couldn't stay in Kirigakure forever; he needed reliable informants there.
This guardianship of destiny will only change when Itachi Uchiha is finally forced to join Akatsuki, at which point Kisame's mission will seamlessly take over.
He went from guarding the Mizukage to guarding that genius, desperate ninja.
To be imprisoned in the shackles of others for life—thinking of this, Yuan Tuoye let out a barely audible sigh.
Ironically, it was this shift in destiny that restrained Kisame, giving Mei Terumi and the others an opportunity to expose the massive illusion cast upon the Mizukage.
Without this entanglement, Mei Terumi, the strongest of the new generation of Kirigakure at the time, would probably have been defeated by Kisame.
A faint, almost imperceptible sense of regret swept through my heart, for Kisame's fate, and for that power that was so hard to grasp.
However, Gen Takuno's gaze returned to the name of Momochi Zabuza, and after a moment of scrutiny, his mind had already shifted.
This person is enough.
The man who could fight and battle with "Copy Ninja" Kakashi Hatake outside of Konoha, and even once pushed him into danger, is undoubtedly strong and firmly stands above the level of elite Jonin.
As a ninja skilled in water-style techniques, if he were to be rooted in the frigid soil of the Land of Snow, given time, he might be able to adapt to the unique icy environment, and his combat power might even reach a higher level.
Moreover—Yuan Tuoye's fingers unconsciously tapped on the cold tabletop, his eyes gazing out the window, as if piercing through the barriers of space, landing on the desolate Snow Village.
In a place so barren that not a blade of grass grows and so scarce in resources that it is daunting, how many truly legendary figures would cast their scrutinizing gaze upon that desolate land?
Thinking about it this way, with his strength, leading the Snow Village ninjas to carry out missions and expand their territory would be far more efficient than it is now.
A leader with exceptional strength can make the survival and development of the entire village much easier.
In the blink of an eye, the difference between self-interest and self-interest becomes clear.
Yuan Tuoye's gaze finally settled on the most ordinary-looking label at the end of the scroll.
Finding Zabuza Momochi is not difficult in itself. He is a bounty hunter now, and we can easily lure him out with enough money. There is no need to go through any more trouble.
"Then let's go and meet this wandering demon of the mist."
The night was as dark as ink, pressing heavily on an abandoned house, the air thick with the damp smell of mildew and dust.
The room was so dimly lit that only a faint moonlight shone through a broken window.
"Squeak—" The door hinges let out a piercing groan.
A tall figure, wrapped in blood-soaked bandages and reeking of blood and medicine, forced his way in.
It was none other than Zabuza Momochi, the "Hidden Demon of the Mist".
His brows furrowed into a tight knot, and his sharp gaze, like that of a falcon, swept swiftly across the cramped space.
Soon, his gaze settled on the only figure sitting at the back of the room.
The man leaned lazily against the only dilapidated sofa, his face covered by a fox mask. In the dim light, the mask's empty eye sockets and frozen smile looked particularly eerie and sinister.
"Hmph," Zabuza hissed, his anger barely concealed, "You're the one who commissioned this mission?"
His voice was low and hoarse, filled with impatience.
"That's right."
The voice coming from behind the mask was so calm and even, as if it had been manipulated, that it was impossible to tell whether the person was male or female, adding to the mystery.
Zabuza's brows furrowed even more, his disgust for this pretentious client deepening. He suppressed his anger and asked.
"Enough with the nonsense, what exactly is the task?"
"The mission—" The fox mask tilted slightly, its empty eye sockets seeming to pierce Zabuza's heart, its voice still flat and even, "—I need your loyalty."
"Loyalty?!"
The air froze instantly! Zabuza's pupils shrank to pinpoints, and his entire body seemed to burst into flames at that moment.
A surge of anger, fueled by utter humiliation, rushed to the top of his head!
"What a joke!!" he roared like a wounded beast. "I'm a demon from Kirigakure! You expect me to pledge allegiance to a coward like you? You're asking for death!"
Zabuza's rage turned into violent action! His right hand flashed out behind him, and a sharp metallic clang shattered the silence!
He gripped the massive, blood-red cleaver tightly with both hands!
Without the slightest hesitation, he used all his strength to swing the knife in a heavy silver arc, accompanied by a whistling sound that tore through the air, and ruthlessly slashed at the waist of the strange figure on the sofa!
This strike, imbued with the killing intent of a "demon," was powerful enough to easily cleave steel!
However, faced with this ferocious and unparalleled strike, Gen Takuno merely raised his right hand casually.
"Buzz—"
A subtle spatial fluctuation flashed by, and a pitch-black kunai appeared between his fingers without him even noticing.
The kunai was precisely lifted, blocking the trajectory of the massive, decapitation sword as it cleaved downwards.
"clang!!"
A deafening metallic explosion suddenly erupted! A powerful shockwave rippled through the air!
An astonishing scene unfolded! That tiny kunai, like a towering, immovable mountain, stood firm against the decapitation sword, which was dozens of times larger and heavier than itself!
The blade could not advance even an inch further! The violent recoil traveled along the hilt, causing Zabuza's arm to go slightly numb, and his heart to churn with turmoil!
"Oh?" Yuan Tuoye's voice was calm and even slightly amusement, coming through the mask. "You couldn't hold back anymore? To draw your sword against your future master is not the behavior of a proper subordinate."
"Who do you think you are! You dare to challenge me?!" Zabuza was both shocked and furious, but his extensive combat experience allowed him to immediately judge that his opponent's strength was by no means ordinary.
A strong sense of crisis instantly overwhelmed his anger! He decisively chose a tactical retreat!
"Whoosh!" Zabuza abandoned the struggle without hesitation, his figure retreating rapidly, smashing through the rotten wooden door, shooting into the thick, impenetrable night outside like a shadow.
He dared not gamble on whether the house chosen by the other party had already been laid with a deadly trap.
Yuan Tuoye stood up unhurriedly and stepped out of the house as if taking a leisurely stroll in his own backyard.
The moment you step out, your vision is instantly taken away, and the world is filled with a thick white fog that makes it impossible to see your own hand in front of your face, like a thick milky paste!
The cold, viscous moisture instantly enveloped him.
"Heh, Water Release: Mist Concealment Technique, huh?" Gen Takuno muttered to himself, his tone revealing no trace of panic.
His eyes, hidden behind the mask, silently changed shape, a pool of blood spreading out, and two jet-black tomoe slowly rotated in his pupils, emitting an eerie red light.
However, even these Sharingan eyes, renowned for their ability to see through everything, seemed somewhat powerless in the thick fog before them.
Although the field of vision is clearer than that of the naked eye, it is still limited to a few feet around the body.
The thick chakra mist was indeed like an impenetrable barrier, greatly weakening the Sharingan's visual abilities.
"As expected of a ninjutsu that can interfere with Kakashi's vision, the chakra it contains is enough to obscure his vision—" he thought to himself, then a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips. "Too bad, it can obscure the Sharingan, but it can't stop my Kagura Mind's Eye—"
"At a level that Zabuza could not perceive, Minamoto Takuno had already silently spread Kagura's Mind's Eye."
This thick fog, which Zabuza considered his home turf and could block his view, was as clear as a daytime map in Gen Takuno's perception network.
The trajectory of that hostile ninja's chakra source moving through the mist was completely visible to him.
Deep within the dense fog, Zabuza held his breath and cautiously crept forward.
He could clearly sense that his target, Genjiro, was still standing in the same spot, seemingly helpless against the ninjutsu he was using.
"What's going on?" Zabuza wondered. "Even if this guy can't see me, doesn't he even adopt a basic defensive stance? Is he scared out of his wits, or does he have something else to rely on?"
The stark contrast made him uneasy, and a sense of vigilance rose in his heart, but the thought vanished in an instant.
His fighting instincts urged him on; whether the opponent was overconfident or luring him in, this was the perfect opportunity to strike!
He suppressed all his aura, and even his heartbeat seemed to slow down for a moment.
As the master of the "Silent Killing Technique" of the former Kirigakure Anbu, Zabuza was like melting snow in the white mist he created, making not a sound.
He moved like a shadow, silently approaching the unsuspecting target.
At the very moment when the optimal attack range is reached!
"Die!" A murderous intent ignited in his heart! Zabuza Momochi activated the Mist Body Flicker! His body seemed to vanish into thin air and then suddenly reappeared behind Takuno Minamoto!
The Executioner's Blade, having gathered all its power and chakra, emitted a terrifying shriek that tore through the air, and with the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, it slashed down fiercely towards Gen Takuno's unsuspecting nape! This was an absolutely fatal blow!
"We succeeded!"
A surge of joy welled up in Zai Buzhan's heart.
However, that heavy, bone-crushing familiar sensation did not come! What came from the decapitation sword in my hand was an extremely empty sense of weightlessness, as if I were cutting through nothingness with all my might!
"What—?!" Zabuza's pupils dilated to their maximum size! He stared in disbelief at "Minamoto no Takuno," whom he had struck, which twisted and disintegrated silently like a phantom in water—
"A clone technique?! When did that happen?!"
A tremendous chill instantly shot from the soles of his feet up his spine! His prized silent assassination technique had been easily outmaneuvered by the opponent using a clone? And where was the opponent's real body?!
The thought had barely formed when... *chuckle*
A sharp, intense pain, enough to freeze one's soul, came precisely from the center of his back, right in front of his heart!
Zabuza's blood seemed to freeze instantly! A tremendous, death-like fear gripped his throat!
He stiffly rolled his eyes, using all the courage he had left to sense what was behind him.
"It seems that the infamous Silent Killing Technique of Kirigakure," Gen Takuno's calm yet despairing voice, this time, rang out clearly and coldly behind his head, "is nothing special."
"—You—" Zabuza swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping, "—Who—is it?"
Large beads of cold sweat instantly soaked his bandages. His prized technique of concealing his vision with mist, combined with a perfect, silent assassination, turned out to be a slaughterhouse tailor-made for his opponent!
In their eyes, I'm probably like a clown dancing with a torch in the fog!
"The collector." Gen Takuno's voice carried a sense of self-assured control. "Remember, he is your future master."
>