26

He vanished and appeared in front of Mei separating her from the guards by killing them in an instant.

Dressed in a blue kimono that outlined her figure, tied with a black ribbon that covered her torso and waist, along with black sandals, bearing resemblance to those worn by her ancestor. She didn't say anything; and jumped at him once he stopped moving with her Kekkei Genkai Boiling release: Unrivaled strength Jutsu.

Ghost blurred while dodging her attack, readjusting his position, awaiting her declaration if she had any.

Livid thoughts crossed her psyche, angered yet love-struck at the same time, Mei Terumi stare at Ghost, yet she remained quiet, her facial expressions not daring to discern her expressions to the world around her. She is not willing to lose here, especially not to him. Anyone but him.

"Is it your real face..?!", She asked narrowing her eyes, "I must say, you look good...!"

Ghost shrugged wordlessly...

"Do you have anything you need to get out of your chest before we do this?", She asked him one more time.

"Oh, I have one thing", Ghost said without a tinge of enthusiasm as a massive shock wave erupted from his chest, running across the entirety of his body as it destroyed the immediate area around him. And the hidden guards flew back.

"I guess that counts as their idiocy", She sighed before she addressed Ghost, "They do not understand your demonic sensory prowess. But I am different...", she uttered, before gliding at nigh-instant speeds.

In that instant, Mei's right hand had become a lava fist, using Taijutsu against Ghost is very very important. Otherwise, there is literally no way to hurt this freak.

"With all courtesy, you are faster and swifter than them. You are even far more skilled and stronger", Ghost said without a single movement, "But I don't see how you are different", He observed Mei's seemingly magnanimous feat, but showed no surprise in the slightest.

Reaching her level is hard, but the action was undeniably simple. Increasing the body's speed and strength can be done in various ways. It just requires hard work. Gai is a perfect example.

Ghost used his left hand's thumb to push his sword outward, his action was akin to opening a lighter. The movement was executed at a speed effortlessly matching Mei's own, as his blade suddenly rose from its sheath and its hilt clashed with his opponent's lava fist. The collision caused a small burst of shockwave to burst away from both combatants.

Ghost had his sword pushed back in its sheath with force, he didn't even take back a single step, as for her, she slid back and slammed onto the wall with a grunt.

"What's wrong? I was using my weak hand, you know?"

The clash from his blade proved that this was a mismatch, she definitely was not his match in terms of strength and Taijutsu. But what else could she do, Ninjutsu does not work on him, Genjutsu does not work on him. Poison does not work on him. Seal does not work on him. What does even work?

She could try to surprise him by using earth release: Headhunter Jutsu or something like that to try attacking from behind. But he is a freaking sensor. With sensory prowess that even surpasses the greatest in history.

And this is not even counting his speed, his otherworldly Kenjutsu skills, and his ability to phase through everything. His mastery over Genjutsu is nothing to sneeze at either.

'Is there even a way to beat this monster?!'

Her teeth grit in anger before returning her gaze to the man she hates and loves at the same time, "How did you manage to escape?!"

Ghost smirked, "It was mere child's play. If I didn't wish it, forget about torturing me, you guys couldn't have even touched me, let alone bring me here. Though I must say, your village torture department is quite lacking, Kumo's was far more terrifying. They ra..ped me and stabbed me with acid-filled knives over and over again, in my eyes, crotch, thigh; they literally stabbed me everywhere you could think of... I couldn't even drink water for quite some time once I get out of there. It was a tough time in my life I must say..."

"...", She looked at him for some time before taking a deep breath, "So whatever happened till now was part of your plan?..!!!"

Ghost laughed, "You caught up so fast, I am impressed"

She rolled her eyes as he continued amusedly, "I used you from start to finish Mei, I used you to get into Kirigakure, I used you to hide my killings, I used you to get into this prison, and I used you to bid me enough time to fulfill my objective. Oh my foolish and naive princess, wake up..."

"..."

"What did you think? You will kiss me and I will get distracted enough for you to stab me? or did you think that I would fall in love with you after living with you for nearly a year..!!! Do you have any idea just how many women I have slept with till now?!.. I have seduced girls far beyond difficult. A pitiful, foolish, and weak girl like you can never hurt me princess", His amused voice turns into disdain.

"You sure like to speak a lot", she uttered, unsheathing her knife from the hustler, "Indeed, I was a fool to ever laid my eyes on you...", She smirked in disdain, "You aren't much of a human anyway, so I doubt a monster like you has ever experienced such feelings"

"I have not", Ghost obliviously responded, uncaring for the opponent before him.

Ghost looked at her impassively as his body suddenly flared with an incredible volume of chakra that prompted him to lean forward slightly and use his feet to push off the ground.

The culminating force caused the ground beneath him and behind him to erupt in debris. At the same moment his feet moved, Ghost drew his blade with momentum-enhanced speed with the intent of bifurcating Mei using a diagonal slash that would cut from her waist upwards.

In a blur, the distance between the two adversaries was covered, all thanks to Ghost's impeccable speed. Less than a moment later, the sound of metal striking each other could be heard between the two, as during that instant, Mei had barely blocked the attack with her Kunai credit to her skills and his mercy otherwise, this sword attack would have cut through the Kunai in an instant...!!

She grunts as she flew back and slammed onto a wall yet again. This guy is seriously hella strong. Her hand was numb in just one attack.

"You are so strong", She laughed as she wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, "However, what does that even matter?!.. beneath that... shell of a human being, I see a man who is so invisible to the world that no one could validate his existence or his purpose in life"

She said as she gets ready yet again, "Ghost. That's what you are. Someone that does not belong to this world of the living. No one acknowledges your presence. No one ever will. Whatever you do, is for nothing"

"It's the path I chose for myself, Goodbye princess. It's time we separate our ways"

"Wha-

Before she could say anything else. An explosion took everyone by surprise.

Boom!!!!

The glasses shattered, and the control room right beside them blasted. Destroying everything with the appearance of flames.

She covered her face to block the incoming shreds of glasses and debris that struck her arm nearly everywhere on her body; when she removed her hand and saw beyond the dust cloud, he was not there anymore.

"Terumi sama", Wardens with the guards and officers came in as they saw the beaten and abused Mei.

"What happened?", The warden asked

"Where is Ghost?", Mei asked

"Ghost? He was here?"

She nodded.

"One of you secure the recordings as much as you can, these might be the only clue we could have on him, Rest, he could still be nearby, search for him, do not let him play that melody again", The warden ordered

"Yes"

Mei joined those who went searching for him. However, they felt lightheaded as the sweet melody yanking everyone's life in this prison chimed again.

Mei Terumi, alongside everyone, fell while on the stairs hitting the back of her head on the railings; getting a bloody head, her vision blurred as the melody sounded closer. She could only raise her hand weakly when she saw a pair of boots strolling towards her.

"I wish I could end it right now, but I can't, I wish I could live with you forever, but it's impossible...!", Ghost sang as he walked down the stairs, "I really wish I can turn back time...!"

She could not hold it any longer and her hand fell to the floor. Her eyes closed.