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Juzo Biwa instantly took two steps back, looking at Mangetsu Hozuki in near disbelief.
Splash! Mangetsu Hozuki's entire body melted into a pool of water, rolling directly onto his severed lower half.
The white liquid rapidly bonded together like wet clay. In an instant, Mangetsu Hozuki stood under the tree again, seemingly unharmed.
Penetrating wound!?
It even pierced through the Executioner's Blade. Juzo Biwa grimaced, clutching the wound on his body.
The blood that splashed out from piercing Juzo Biwa, just a tiny speck landing on the Executioner's Blade, rapidly repaired the small hole on the sword.
"It's just like a high-pressure water gun...! If you were Mizukage, you'd actually have some skill... huh?!"
In the instant Juzo Biwa looked down while clutching his wound, Mangetsu Hozuki's figure vanished from the spot.
A chilling dew suddenly fell from the tree behind Itachi. Itachi quickly turned his head towards Mangetsu Hozuki, who abruptly dropped from the tree.
To avoid looking into Itachi's eyes, this kid simply melted his head into a puddle, holding a kunai and charging straight down.
Wherever there's water, this guy can move unpredictably.
This geographical location, plus their limited knowledge of the new Mizukage.
Itachi took a slight step back, the Sharingan in his eyes spinning rapidly, the three tomoe about to coalesce.
"—Close your eyes."
Hatake Kuroshi barely steadied himself on the tree branch, clearly enunciating the cursed words at an even pace.
This voice was distinctly different from his usual speaking voice, slightly hoarse yet carrying a forceful command.
An oppressive pressure instantly descended. Cursed energy wrapped around the words, instantly surging outwards!
Even the surrounding lush trees rustled in response.
The few people present could hardly avoid this pressure; the two words clearly drilled into their minds.
All other sounds became inaudible. In that instant, where time itself seemed to almost stop, this was the only command their minds could accept.
Several people closed their eyes irresistibly. The Mangekyo Sharingan about to form in Itachi's eyes was also forcefully shut.
Splat!
Thud!
After two muffled sounds, one near, one far, the oppressive feeling instantly vanished.
Mangetsu Hozuki, still liquefied, face-planted onto the ground like a puddle of jelly hitting the floor.
Leaning against the nearby tree, he sat up, rubbing his head and muttering.
"Ouch ouch ouch..."
"What just happened?"
Juzo Biwa groggily opened his eyes. He seemed to remember hearing someone shout 'close eyes,' and then he uncontrollably shut his own.
Whether Kekkei Genkai or some unknown secret technique, doesn't this ability essentially force people to act?!
If there were no limitations, wouldn't it be a bit too terrifying?
Itachi couldn't help reaching up and pressing his right eye.
No one would randomly tell them to close their eyes. That person must have realized I was about to use the Mangekyo Sharingan.
That sentence was undoubtedly directed at me.
Forcefully interrupting me, stopping me from using Amaterasu!?
"Can it be done just by speaking?"
"Kirigakure really produces all sorts of secret techniques..."
Itachi's gaze darkened, then he turned to look at the technique user behind him.
However, a somewhat familiar smiling face emerged. Itachi's gaze froze incredulously, looking the person before him up and down in disbelief.
Hatake Kuroshi waved naturally at Itachi, the smile on his face unwavering.
"Yo! Itachi-chan~"
Before Itachi could respond, the bushes behind Hatake Kuroshi suddenly rustled, followed by a complaining voice.
"What strange technique were you using just now? Why did I suddenly close my eyes? Falling from the tree really hurts..."
Shisui scratched his head somewhat annoyed, poking his head out from the collapsed bushes, clearly affected by the earlier battle.
A few leaves still clung to the top of Shisui's head. Then his gaze also fell upon Itachi standing opposite.
"Eh? Itachi? What are you doing here?"
Juzo Biwa and Mangetsu Hozuki watched the suddenly shifted atmosphere, two question marks appearing confusedly above their heads.
Why do these two look so chummy with an S-rank missing-nin?!
"Are you guys close?"
"I thought sensei asked me to watch them because he wanted to bring the missing-nin back."
Mangetsu Hozuki suddenly popped his head out during the brief silence among the three, curiously looking Itachi up and down.
"Sensei?!"
Juzo Biwa stabbed his Executioner's Blade into the ground, leaning most of his weight onto it, raising an eyebrow as he listened.
To be able to put a ten-year-old kid into the Mizukage position, this teacher's abilities are quite something.
And that strange voice just now, should also be this teacher's ability.
So weird, feels weird in every sense.
Although Juzo Biwa wanted to leave this troublesome place quickly – after all, he had just fought fiercely with the new Mizukage, and now the teacher showed up – it felt like there was no escaping today.
But seeing the atmosphere suddenly calm down, Juzo Biwa couldn't bring himself to tell Itachi to run.
Good heavens, what's going on with this atmosphere? The shift is a bit too sudden.
"Of course, we're close friends! Even better than friends~"
"I'm not some big shot anyway, why would I capture missing-nin?"
Hatake Kuroshi casually slung an arm around both Itachi and Shisui, who had become somewhat restrained since being recognized.
He introduced them to the two standing beside them.
"Sugoi!! As expected, only someone as amazing as an S-rank missing-nin can be friends with sensei."
Little stars instantly flew out of Mangetsu Hozuki's eyes.
He really gets excited just seeing sensei.
Just moments ago, his attacks were almost all fatal, sticking close to them in battle, showing considerable ability as Mizukage.
Now he's like a child of appropriate age, idolizing his teacher.
This strange sense of disparity feels so incongruous.
Itachi and Juzo Biwa simultaneously looked at Mangetsu Hozuki, silently complaining internally.
"Talk about a unique perspective."
Shisui sighed somewhat helplessly, lightly patting Hatake Kuroshi's shoulder.
"Maintaining distance from people is also important. Even with close friends, you're being too intimate."
"Looking like this, you seem way too much like you're embracing someone on each arm."
Hatake Kuroshi suddenly withdrew his arms, making a reluctant face and drawing out a "Tch—".
Itachi's expression softened considerably beside him, asking with a hint of a smile.
"But why did you guys come to Kirigakure?"
"Just felt like coming! Besides, that place is built quite nicely."
"I came here not long after you went to Akatsuki."
Hatake Kuroshi casually pointed towards Kirigakure, where scattered lights flickered in the distance.
"Although it feels a bit unbelievable, if you were the one who did it, it's surprisingly reasonable..."
Itachi remembered passing through Kirigakure with Juzo Biwa during the day, recalling the bustling scene inside.
Though unaware of Kirigakure's previous state, judging by Juzo Biwa's reaction then, the place must have undergone immense transformation in a short period.
Hatake Kuroshi and Shisui excitedly recounted recent events to Itachi.
Although none were in the village anymore, the personalities of these two hadn't changed at all, still bickering like before.
Itachi didn't interject much; he didn't have much to say either. Just listening to the two talk was interesting enough.
As a missing-nin, he usually didn't need reasons for anything he did.
A mission was a mission; he was just a tool to complete it.
So most of the time in Akatsuki, Itachi looked like an emotionless, 'three-no's' (no mouth, no heart, no expression) youth.
"You guys are still like this. That's really great."
Itachi felt a wave of emotion, took a deep breath, and smiled lightly.
"What's wrong, Itachi? Are you, the youngest one here, acting mature?"
"Ah, could it be because your colleague is present, so you have to maintain your image—?"
Itachi, single-handedly, managed to draw all the firepower onto himself.
Whether Itachi or the previous Mizukage, it seemed proximity to Hatake Kuroshi naturally made them relax.
The sense of distance separating them from others would disappear.
In a sense, Hatake Kuroshi was also a genius at making friends.
"Achieving in less than a year what others couldn't do in decades, you're quite something."
Juzo Biwa used to work under the Mizukage, after all.
Hearing this, whether it was Mangetsu Hozuki becoming the child Mizukage, or the overall construction and policy improvements here, Hatake Kuroshi must have been pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Although outwardly proclaimed as just the Mizukage's teacher, he was actually the true mastermind behind Kirigakure.
But frankly, for him now, whoever was Mizukage didn't matter, as long as the almost suffocating rule of the Bloody Mist was over.
And honestly, mastermind or not, judging by the current situation, Hatake Kuroshi was clearly governing this place quite well.
Although saying he single-handedly lifted the Land of Water's economy and people's livelihood might be an exaggeration, hearing this, it seemed Hatake Kuroshi had his hand in various aspects.
"Oh~ What's the meaning of praising me now? Do you want to come back and help build Kirigakure?"
Hatake Kuroshi suddenly tilted his head with a beaming smile.
"When I became a missing-nin, I never thought of returning here."
"Just seeing my old home changed for the better, casually praising you is all."
Juzo Biwa shook his head somewhat inexplicably.
Forget building Kirigakure; if Itachi left alone now, he'd likely be immediately captured for intel and then dumped in the wilderness.
Even if the architecture and customs changed, they wouldn't show mercy to missing-nin, right?
Mangetsu Hozuki and Hatake Kuroshi exchanged a look. Mangetsu then stood on tiptoe before Juzo Biwa.
"But you've basically been caught by us now."
"If you hand over the Executioner's Blade, we'll cancel your S-rank missing-nin pursuit status and let you come back."
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