Chapter 161: Mei Terumi VS The Taketori Clan Leader

In the dense forest, Kimimaro gripped his bone blade tightly as he sprinted towards Kirigakure.

"I must kill all the Kirigakure shinobi. Only then will my clan recognize me, acknowledge my existence, and accept me as one of their own!"

As he made this resolute decision, he noticed two figures in the distance, one large and one small.

Kimimaro's eyes narrowed as he swiftly appeared in front of the figures.

"Who are you? Are you Kirigakure shinobi?" he demanded.

The figures were none other than Zabuza Momochi and Haku.

Kimimaro's sudden appearance surprised Zabuza. Feeling the powerful bloodlust emanating from the boy's frail body, Zabuza instinctively reached for the massive sword on his back. After a few moments of silence, he shook his head and replied, "We are not Kirigakure shinobi..."

Hearing this, Kimimaro quickly withdrew his killing intent and apologized, "I see. My apologies for the disturbance."

Without another word, Kimimaro turned and continued towards Kirigakure.

As he left, Zabuza retracted his hand from his sword and sighed, "That kid is strong..."

Haku turned to watch Kimimaro's retreating figure. There was something familiar about the boy's eyes—an emptiness and longing that mirrored Haku's own eyes before he met Zabuza.

"He's a pitiable soul..." Haku murmured.

With that brief encounter over, Zabuza and Haku continued on their path, leaving the village behind.

After several minutes of running, the silhouette of Kirigakure finally emerged through the mist.

"I'm here!" Kimimaro's eyes gleamed with renewed intensity as he prepared for the impending battle.

He noticed a figure standing at the village entrance. "This time, it's definitely a Kirigakure shinobi!"

Kimimaro tightened his grip on his bone blade and launched himself towards the figure. Just as he was about to strike, the person effortlessly kicked him away.

"Tsk tsk tsk... Kid, I'm not from this village," the woman said, answering Kimimaro's unspoken question.

Kimimaro picked himself up and stared at the woman with long hair cascading down her back. To dodge his attack so easily and counterattack with such precision, she had to be formidable. For the first time, a flicker of caution crossed Kimimaro's mind. Yet, his naivety led him to believe her words.

"My apologies for the disturbance," he said, turning to leave.

The mysterious woman chuckled softly, "No harm done..."

As she watched Kimimaro leap into Kirigakure, she licked her lips with a long tongue. "Interesting. I came here hoping to collect a few Taketori clan corpses for research, but I've stumbled upon an untainted treasure instead..."

She followed Kimimaro into the village at a leisurely pace.

Inside Kirigakure, the village was ablaze, and the air was filled with cries of anguish. Amidst the chaos, Mei Terumi was locked in a fierce battle with the Taketori clan leader and three of his elite warriors.

"Dance of the Seedling Ferns!" ×4

"Damn it! These guys are tough!" Mei cursed under her breath. The Taketori clan's taijutsu was incredibly powerful. Moreover, these four were the strongest in the clan, their coordinated attacks flawless and relentless. Mei found herself unable to quickly overpower them.

"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!" Mei expertly dodged their synchronized attack, positioning herself behind them and unleashing a torrent of corrosive acid.

"Aaagh!!!" One of the warriors couldn't evade in time, and his body was engulfed by the acid, disintegrating into nothing.

The Taketori clan leader jumped aside, his face pale with fear. "As expected of Mei Terumi, you are indeed formidable! But why does Kirigakure, a village led by someone with a kekkei genkai, hunt down my clan members mercilessly? This is unfair!"

Mei shouted in reply, "That era is over! The current Kirigakure does not kill its own without reason. Please, believe me!"

"Hmph! Believe Kirigakure? Don't make me laugh. I only have disappointment for you! As the clan leader, I must avenge my people!"

The clan leader glanced at the two remaining warriors, who immediately understood his command. They removed their shirts, revealing their pale arms, from which sharp bones protruded.

"Mei Terumi, witness the power of the Taketori clan! Dance of the Clematis: Vine!"

The three warriors, wielding their bone spears, surrounded Mei and attacked in unison.

Although Mei possessed two kekkei genkai and a vast array of powerful jutsu, her taijutsu was no match for the combined might of these three warriors. She knew this well from the past few days of fighting and understood she couldn't confront them head-on.

Leaping into the air, Mei gathered an enormous amount of chakra in her throat as she descended.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!!"