pertwk Chapter 134 Meeting with Mei Terumi!
Chapter 134 Meeting with Mei Terumi!
Chapter 134 Meeting with Mei Terumi!
A residence near the Mizukage Building in Kirigakure.
The fog outside the window never dissipates, shrouding the entire village in a hazy gray-white hue.
Mei Terumi sat by the window, holding a cup of tea that had gone cold, her gaze fixed on the gray sky outside, lost in thought.
A petrel flew through the thick fog and landed precisely on the windowsill.
It shook the water droplets off its wings, tilted its head to look at Mei Terumi inside the room, and chirped twice. Its clear chirping was particularly distinct in the quiet room.
When Mei Terumi heard the familiar voice, she looked up and saw the seagull on the windowsill, and a smile immediately appeared on her face.
She put down her teacup, got up, walked to the window, and opened it.
The seagull spread its wings and leaped into the house, landing steadily on her shoulder. It gently pecked at the small bamboo tube on its leg with its beak, then handed it to Terumi Mei.
"This guy has finally contacted me again." Mei Terumi held the small bamboo tube, her tone a mix of joy and reproach. "I wonder what it's about this time."
She and Izumi have been in contact for some time now. They exchange information and each gets what they need.
Izumikawa would tell her about major and minor events in other countries, while she would relay the changes within Kirigakure to him.
This tacit exchange, which started as a transaction of mutual benefit, gradually transformed into something that is hard to define or explain.
At least for Mei, receiving a letter from Izumi was a rare bright spot in her dull and oppressive life in Kirigakure.
Currently, as a ninja with two bloodline limits, Boil Release and Lava Release, her situation in Kirigakure is neither good nor bad.
Fortunately, she was not born into one of the bloodline families that were purged, and she had no connection with any of her clansmen, so she would not be a target of the purge for the time being.
The bad thing is that she herself is a bloodline limit holder, and in this era where the conflict between ordinary ninjas and bloodline limit ninjas is becoming increasingly intense, her existence itself is a sensitive issue.
Although the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, abolished many of the extreme policies of the "Village of Blood Mist" shortly after taking office, he still failed to stabilize the situation in Kirigakure.
The conflict between ordinary ninjas and bloodline ninjas has a long history, with the seeds of conflict sown as early as the time of the Third Mizukage, and it has finally erupted completely.
Internal strife, assassinations, purges—every day people die, every day families are torn apart.
Mei Terumi watched all this with worry in her heart, but she was powerless to change anything.
She was just a Jonin, lacking sufficient prestige and strength to mediate the conflict, let alone sway the Mizukage's decision.
In this situation, Izumi's letter became almost the only news that could truly make her happy.
Terumi Mei sat back down by the window, carefully pulled out the stopper from the bamboo tube, and poured out a small, secret letter.
She unfolded the letter, her gaze quickly sweeping over the familiar coded messages, her expression gradually shifting from joy to complexity.
Joy and worry were intertwined, and his brows furrowed slightly.
"He's back—"
Mei Terumi murmured to herself, bringing the secret letter close to the lamplight, watching the words curl, blacken, and turn to ash in the flames.
She loosened her fingers, and ashes drifted through her fingers, scattering on the windowsill, where they were quickly dampened by the mist seeping in from the window.
She stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the village shrouded in thick fog.
"But why did he come back at this time—?"
Mei Terumi was somewhat worried. She knew that Izumi was a survivor of the Kaguya clan, which was one of the bloodline clans that had been wiped out by Kirigakure.
She wasn't sure if Izumi had returned for revenge or for some other purpose.
Neither of these approaches is a good time at this critical juncture.
With internal strife still raging and the purges by bloodline ninjas continuing, suspicion and murderous intent permeate every corner of Kirigakure.
If Izumi were to enter the Land of Water at this time, he could easily become the target of everyone's criticism if he were not careful.
Even if he is powerful, he may not be able to escape unscathed.
Mei Terumi sighed softly, lifted the seagull off her shoulder, and placed it on the windowsill.
Haiyan tilted her head and looked at her, seemingly sensing her emotions, and called out softly.
"It seems I'll only know the specifics after meeting them in person." She stroked the petrel's feathers and said softly, "Go back and tell him I'll go."
The petrel seemed to understand, spreading its wings and leaping into the mist, quickly disappearing into the gray sky.
Terumi Mei closed the window, leaned against the window frame, crossed her arms, and stared at the flickering lamplight inside the room.
The firelight cast interplay of light and shadow on her face, revealing a complex mix of worry and anticipation on her delicate features.
"Izumi River—" she murmured the name, her tone tinged with complexity.
Outside the window, the thick fog persisted.
The agreed-upon location was an abandoned port on an uninhabited island in the southeastern part of the Land of Water.
This used to be the dock of a small fishing village, but now only a few collapsed stone houses and a section of pier covered with vines remain.
Thick fog lingers year-round, shrouding the entire island in a grayish-white hue, while waves crash against the reefs.
Mei Terumi arrived half an hour early. She was dressed in dark casual clothes, without any headband or insignia to indicate her identity. Her long hair was simply tied back, revealing her fair neck.
She stood at the end of the pier, arms crossed, her gaze piercing through the thick fog, looking at the blurred horizon on the sea.
The sea breeze stirred her clothes, causing them to flutter gently in the mist.
She didn't have to wait long.
On the sea, a colossal skeletal dragon slowly emerged from the thick fog, its bone wings unfurled, gliding silently towards the sea like a ghost traversing time and space.
The dragon landed on the open ground beside the port ruins, its bony claws digging into the damp soil with a dull thud.
A portal opened in the dragon's belly, and a figure leaped out, landing steadily on the ground.
Izumi was wearing a dark robe, and sunglasses concealed his heterochromatic eyes. His white hair stood out starkly in the mist.
He looked up at Mei Terumi standing at the end of the pier, a slight smile playing on his lips, and strode toward her.
"You're here quite early." Izumi's voice wasn't loud, but it reached Terumi Mei's ears clearly in the sea breeze.
Mei Terumi turned around and watched the familiar figure approach.
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, as if trying to glean something from his expression and demeanor.
"You too." She lowered her arms from her chest, her tone calm, yet carrying a subtle complexity. "When did you arrive?"
"Yesterday!" Izumi walked to the pier, stopped beside her, and looked out at the sea with her. "I took care of some small matters."
"A trivial matter?" Mei Terumi glanced at him sideways. "You returned to the Land of Water at this crucial juncture just to deal with some trivial matters?"
Izumi didn't answer immediately, but he felt a pang of nostalgia for the days they had spent together, which was his only decent memory of Kirigakure.
"How have you been lately?" he asked casually, without any sense of distance from not seeing each other for so long.
Mei Terumi sighed softly, withdrew her gaze, and looked back at the sea.
"What else can we do? You know the situation in Kirigakure right now, it's a complete mess."
"With the continuous destruction of major bloodline clans, the remaining bloodline ninjas either defected or went into hiding, with only a few managing to stay safe."
"In the current situation, I, a Jonin with two bloodline limits, am in a delicate position. I dare not stand out too much, nor do I dare to completely retire."
"But you," she paused, her tone now tinged with concern, "the matter of the bamboo troop clan—did you return this time for revenge?"
Izumi turned around, leaning against the railing of the pier, her gaze falling on Mei Terumi's profile.
"Revenge?" He shook his head slightly. "I'm not interested in the affairs of the Bamboo Clan. After all, as long as I'm alive, I can rebuild a new family."
A slight, meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
This caused a flash of embarrassment and annoyance in Mei Terumi's eyes. What kind of indecent things was this guy saying?
"The annihilation of the bamboo troupe is not something that warrants my special trip."
"And I also know that it wasn't truly wiped out; some remnants are still alive."
After all, in the future, Hiashi Hyuga visited with Hanabi, indicating that there were survivors who re-established the Taketori clan.
Mei Terumi looked at him with a mixture of scrutiny and doubt in her eyes.
"Then why did you come back?"
"For two people." Izumi didn't hide anything, "Two children with bloodline limits, Ice Release and Shikotsumyaku."
Mei Terumi frowned slightly, then relaxed, and sighed softly, "It's good that you can take Kirigakure with you now."
After a moment of silence, Mei Terumi said, "So, you've already found them?"
"Found them!" Izumi nodded. "They're with me now, perfectly safe."
He put Yekura and the two little ones into the Kamui Space. Why would he bring any third wheels when he came to meet someone for a secret rendezvous?
Mei Terumi let out a soft sigh of relief, the tension in her shoulders seeming to ease a little.
"So what are your plans next? To stay in the Land of Water, or to leave?"
"We'll see." Izumi turned around and looked at the sea again. "Orochimaru has also come to the Land of Water. We have an appointment to meet."
"After that—I might stay for a few more days, or I might leave immediately."
"Orochimaru?" Mei Terumi frowned again. "That S-rank rogue ninja who defected from Konoha? You're working with him?"
"It's just a trade," Izumi said calmly. "He needs the corpse of a bloodline ninja, and I need some of the technology he possesses. We each get what we need and won't interfere with each other."
Mei Terumi shook her head slightly, her tone tinged with helplessness.
"The people you meet are really...complex."
Izumi smiled but didn't reply.
A sea breeze blew, and thick fog churned on the sea, completely swallowing the distant horizon. The two stood side by side at the end of the pier, silent for a moment.
"Mei Terumi," Izumi suddenly spoke, his tone more serious than before.
"Um?"
"If one day you can no longer stay in Kirigakure, you can come find me."
Mei Terumi paused slightly, then turned her head to look at him.
"Are you trying to recruit me?"
"I suppose so." Izumi didn't deny it. "You're very capable. It's a waste for you to stay in a place like Kirigakure."
Mei Terumi remained silent for a long time before finally shaking her head gently, a bitter smile appearing on her lips.
"Now is not the time. Kirigakure may be in chaos, but it is still my home, and I don't want to leave it when it's at its most difficult time."
Izumi didn't force him, he just nodded. He knew that Terumi Mei wouldn't agree, so he was just playing the emotional card.
Thinking about it this way, I realize how wicked I am!
What a scumbag!
"Suit yourself, but my door is always open for you."
Mei Terumi looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
"Thanks."
"If you can't stand being out there anymore, you can come to me. Maybe I can even protect you!"
Izumi chuckled, "Then I'd better cling to your leg and beg to be taken in."
"You're asking for it!"
Mei Terumi, feeling both embarrassed and angry, punched him, and the two of them burst into laughter.
The two stood there for a while longer, chatting about some trivial matters.
As darkness fell, the fog grew thicker and thicker.
"I should go." Mei Terumi glanced at the sky, turned around, and prepared to leave. "Staying too long will arouse suspicion."
Izumi nodded, without trying to stop him.
"Take care of yourself!"
"You too." Mei Terumi took a few steps, then suddenly stopped, turned back to look at him, and said, "Next time we meet, I hope it won't be in such a desolate place."
Izumikawa's lips curled up slightly as he raised his hand and waved gently.
Mei Terumi's figure quickly disappeared into the thick fog, with only the sound of her footsteps fading into the distance on the pier.
But Izumikawa didn't leave. Instead, he looked in a certain direction and slowly said, "Teacher, it's been a long time!"
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