Hearing Terumi Mei say she was going too,
Uchiha Ci was stunned for a moment.
Though he was bold, he wasn't stupid. Naturally, he wouldn't think Terumi Mei, a genius of Kirigakure, was like his little brother Hidan—attracted by his craziness and wanting to follow along.
During this period,
Kirigakure was engaged in a small-scale conflict with Sunagakure, which had lost its Third Kazekage.
Rasa and Pakura's competition for military achievements to become the Fourth Kazekage also occurred around this time.
Additionally, Iwagakure, long at odds with Kirigakure, would soon cross the sea to attack Kirigakure.
A battle would break out that would beat Kirigakure to the point of nearly losing all voice in the Third Great Ninja War—
The Battle of Green Lair Reef and Mist.
Yet strangely, during this turbulent time, Terumi Mei, Kirigakure's genius, was neither in the village nor on the battlefield.
Instead, she appeared incognito in the Land of Hot Water.
Moreover, she seemed to have her eyes on the Evil God Cult, wanting to obtain something from it.
Uchiha Ci couldn't help but frown slightly, looking at Terumi Mei.
He felt an undercurrent quietly surging beneath the already chaotic Land of Hot Water.
Facing Uchiha Ci's direct gaze, Terumi Mei's face flushed slightly. She quickly turned her head away and explained:
"What are you looking at?"
"Don't get the wrong idea. I targeted the Evil God Cult before you did, and I also have a goal I must accomplish."
Terumi Mei's tone lowered, a solemn light shining in her clear green eyes.
"I have to find someone."
"If I can't find him, my hometown may face a crisis."
Uchiha Ci pondered for a moment but, due to incomplete information, couldn't figure out who Terumi Mei was looking for at this time.
However,
It was clearly deep water, not something a weak genin like him could handle.
Even if Pants-Kun (Pantsuto) came, he couldn't grasp it either.
Moreover, little brother Hidan was now stuck to him like glue. With Terumi Mei around, she might help look after him.
Uchiha Ci had the Super Death Combat Barrier and wasn't afraid of Terumi Mei hindering his battle.
When the time came, he only needed to shout:
"Welcome to the world of manliness!"
Then slap the ground, whoosh, push all his teammates away, and face the enemy alone.
Under the enemy's horrified gaze, he'd activate the forbidden Fire Release: Chakra Mode with a backhand!
This meant even the Great Sage Immortal would find it hard to save him!
Uchiha Ci thought happily, running through the script over and over in his mind.
No matter how he looked at it, it was a dead end.
After thinking it through, Uchiha Ci looked the two over and finally nodded helplessly.
"Fine, let's go together then."
Hidan and Terumi Mei looked at each other and couldn't help but smile.
However, at that moment,
"Since everyone is going, why not count me in too?"
A dull voice sounded from behind.
The three turned in surprise, Hidan even exclaiming:
"Mr. Shennong?"
The one who spoke was Shennong, who had been silent all this time, as if he didn't exist at all.
"I'm a medical ninja, so I should be able to help."
Wearing a brown pullover hat, a light yellow coat, and with a huge red dot on his forehead, Shennong walked over slowly, his eyes calm, his tone even.
Uchiha Ci immediately narrowed his eyes, looking coldly at Shennong.
The leader of the Hidden Sky Village, disguised as a doctor traveling the ninja world, had been following them—clearly with ulterior motives.
As a doctor, there was no reason for the villagers to drive him away.
Yet he still followed the three out—to be precise, he followed Hidan out.
There was no scheme here? Uchiha Ci wouldn't believe it even if beaten to death.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Shennong. I'm grateful you healed my injury, but the Evil God Cult isn't a safe place. For your safety, it's best you stay behind."
Uchiha Ci refused decisively.
"Uchiha Ci, right?" Shennong frowned slightly, exhaling softly.
"You don't need to be so cautious. We have no enmity, and I won't pose any threat to you."
He glanced at Terumi Mei beside him and said calmly:
"Like this young lady, I also have something I must accomplish."
"All I need is some information to confirm results. Whatever you do, I won't intervene. I'll only observe from the sidelines."
"If necessary, I can help treat your injuries."
"So, you don't need to be so wary of me."
Finally, Shennong looked calm, a hint of threat in his tone, as he said deeply:
"Besides, if I want to follow, you alone can't stop me."
"Want to try?"
[Shennong not only despises you but also tries to provoke you.]
Uchiha Ci's eyes suddenly sharpened. Without a word,
With a flick of his hand, he took the ninja tool bag from Terumi Mei's waist, drew a handful of kunai, and threw them straight at Shennong's face.
Then, he swept his leg, kicking up a cloud of dust, and charged at Shennong.
Using the dust as cover, Uchiha Ci lowered his body and moved sideways.
The kunai twirled into a blade flower between his fingers.
The stunning, cold flower was held reverse-grip by Uchiha Ci as he stabbed hard at Shennong's temple.
The kunai and dust from the front fell almost simultaneously with the side assassination.
Even an ordinary jōnin would have almost no time to form seals under such a rapid attack.
The crisis bloomed instantly!
Hidan and Terumi Mei were stunned, their eyes wide with horror.
They never expected
Uchiha Ci to so decisively attack the doctor who had healed him.
However, facing such a compound attack, Shennong merely shook his head. A turbulent airflow suddenly erupted from his body.
Forbidden Technique: Physical Rebirth.
Forbidden Technique: Eight Celestial Gates · Sixth Gate · Gate of View · Open!
Then, he tilted his head, dodging the frontal kunai.
He raised his right hand and flicked his fingers.
Thump!
A sonic boom erupted from his fingertips!
It was like a Category 8 gale hitting head-on!
Uchiha Ci felt as if struck by a heavy hammer, instantly sent flying.
A subtitle appeared before his eyes:
[Ding!]
[You bravely attacked Shennong, leader of Hidden Sky Village, and gained a random skill from the opponent: Forbidden Technique: Physical Transformation (Mastery, S-Rank, Incomplete)]
[Your Heart of Steel layers have increased.]
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Uchiha Ci bounced on the ground several times, carving a long trench.
"Pfft! Ugh!" He coughed up a mouthful of blood, feeling his internal organs were misaligned.
Compared to the current top experts in the ninja world, he was still too green.
However,
Before Uchiha Ci could react,
A large hand had already landed on his chest, glowing with a bright green light, slowly resetting Uchiha Ci's dislocated internal organs and healing the torn, open wounds.
This was Mystical Palm Technique, an extremely advanced medical ninjutsu.
Now Uchiha Ci couldn't even say anything.
Uncle, if you want to hit me, just kill me in one slap, okay?
What's the point of treating me afterward?
He looked at Shennong, who appeared calm as if nothing had happened, and asked in extreme frustration:
"Why?"
"Why?" Shennong raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Why didn't you kill me? Why save me again and again?" Uchiha Ci stared at him closely, coldness in his eyes.
"Would you care if an ant punched you?" Shennong shook his head.
Then, he sighed and said deeply:
"If you want to know why? Probably because seeing you reminds me of the past."
"I also have a home I want to return to but can't."
"Oh?"
Uchiha Ci knew the other was referring to Hidden Sky Village, destroyed by Konoha.
It was precisely because his homeland was destroyed that this man sought to gather strength and take revenge on Konoha.
Uchiha Ci sighed and slapped Shennong's hand away, stopping the treatment.
Then, he glared fiercely at the other and showed a cruel smile:
"I'll believe you for now."
"But if you dare attack those two behind their backs, I'll make you die horribly!"
"Believe me, I keep my word."
Forbidden Technique: Physical Transformation—this technique was similar to Tsunade's Creation Rebirth, continuously healing damage taken. The difference was that the Yin Seal consumed chakra, while this technique consumed vitality.
Hence it was classified as a forbidden technique.
With this technique, combined with Fire Release: Chakra Mode,
Uchiha Ci estimated it would give him five more seconds of combat time.
Five seconds—with this near-divine power, it was enough to pierce through the Sky Fortress Angkor, the incomplete Zero-Tails, and Shennong himself.
"Haha." Shennong said nothing, merely thinking Uchiha Ci was bluffing.