Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 253 Within the Blood Mist, a Morbid Shadow

The thick fog at sea showed no signs of dissipating for several days.

The Takaya Trading Company's warships slowly entered the main island port of the Water Country.

After the Hidden Mist Messenger brought back the trade treaty, the Third Mizukage compromised.

He accepted Sosuke's offer to provide food and steel at 20% below market price.

However, the Third Mizukage demanded that the actual controller of the Takaya Trading Company personally travel to the main island of the Land of Water to sign this long-term agreement.

This was a real test of courage, but Sosuke agreed nonetheless. He personally traveled to the Land of Water.

The air here is very humid.

This dampness is different from the rain in the Land of Rain. It's filled with a sticky, fishy, salty smell, as if it can seep into your bones through your pores.

Sosuke stood on the deck and tugged at his slightly damp collar.

"The climate here is really unbearable."

He complained.

His rapid metabolism makes him extremely sensitive to changes in the environment. The dampness caused his left eye socket to itch.

"Yakura".

Sosuke called out.

A faint orange-red flame lit up beside him.

Yekura stepped forward, controlling the temperature of the Scorching Release technique to bake the air around Sousuke.

"laugh""

The moisture on Sosuke's body evaporated, turning into white steam that dissipated.

"Much more comfortable. Your skills are really useful as a portable dryer."

Sosuke was very satisfied.

Ye Cang remained silent, her face cold. She was willing to be a drying machine as long as she was paid.

The boat docked; we had arrived at Kirigakure Village.

The port lacked the hustle and bustle of the Imperial Palace. It was deathly silent.

Two rows of masked members of the Shadowy Force stood on the dock. They lay silently in the thick fog.

"Your Excellency Takaya."

A member of the secret service stepped forward, his voice flat and even.

"Lord Mizukage is waiting for you. Please follow me."

Sousuke walked off the gangplank.

Following behind him were Hyuga Katsu, Pakura, and Uchiha Mikoto.

three people.

The group walked through the streets of Kirigakure.

The buildings lining the streets are mostly domed stone houses with small windows and tightly closed doors.

Occasionally a few villagers would walk by, their eyes blank and their steps hurried.

"The atmosphere here is so oppressive."

Mikoto walked beside Sousuke and said softly.

Although her Mangekyou Sharingan was not activated, her sensitivity to Yin Release chakra allowed her to clearly sense the atmosphere of the village.

"You'll get used to it. This is the Land of Blood Mist."

Sosuke looked at the Mizukage Building in front of him.

A cylindrical building stands at the highest point of the village.

Sosuke and his group were led into the top-floor office.

The room was dimly lit.

A man sat behind the desk.

The Third Generation Mizukage.

His face was gaunt, his cheeks were sunken, and his eye sockets were dark.

There was no brilliance to be found in the village, only exhaustion.

He looked like a patient with a terminal illness.

"You are Sousuke Takaya."

The Third Mizukage's voice was very hoarse.

"Nice to meet you, Third Mizukage."

Zongsuke bowed slightly.

The light from the water shadow didn't linger on Sousuke for long.

It passed over Sousuke and landed on the three people behind him.

Hyuga Katsumi, Yokura, Mikoto.

Sosuke keenly noticed the change in Mizukage's eyes.

That was—disgust.

It's like someone with OCD looking at three dirty things.

"You've collected quite a complete set of monsters from Konoha."

Shuiying withdrew her gaze and coldly uttered a sentence.

Mikoto frowned slightly, and Yekura's eyes turned cold. Hyuga Katsunori remained expressionless, not even lifting an eyelid.

Zongsuke's heart moved.

According to the information from the Takaya Trading Company, the Third Mizukage was an extremely xenophobic person and had a deep aversion to bloodline ninjas.

Now it seems that this was indeed the case.

"They are my companions."

Sosuke pulled out a chair and sat down opposite the desk.

Only then did he see clearly what was on Shuiying's desk.

On the Mizukage's desk lay neither ninjutsu scrolls nor intelligence reports.

Those were some blueprints.

Cross-sectional views of gears and bearings, as well as complex hydraulic machinery models. There are also several nautical charts marked with ocean currents and wind directions.

The highest leader of a ninja village had his desk covered with engineering drawings of physics and mechanics?

"Lord Mizukage seems to be very interested in machines," Sousuke said with some curiosity.

"Compared to those monsters that rely on bloodline mutations and go berserk at the drop of a hat—"

The Third Mizukage said calmly.

"Machines are the most honest things."

"Sousuke Takaya, I agree to your trade terms. But I have other conditions."

He got straight to the point.

"Your merchant ships are equipped with improved siege crossbows. Moreover, your men used a sonic weapon that can cause people to lose their balance during naval battles."

"I'm very interested in these two things."

Shuiying's eyes were filled with fervor.

"I want to buy it."

"Buy in bulk."

Sosuke was taken aback.

He had initially thought the Mizukage only wanted to buy food and steel. But he hadn't expected the Mizukage to also want his weapons.

"Lord Mizukage."

Sosuke leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced.

"These heavy machines and sonic weapons are extremely expensive. The Land of Water's current financial situation—it seems—cannot afford such a large order."

Money is not a problem.

The Third Mizukage sneered.

"Since you've given me cheap food and steel, the village can save a lot of money."

"I will use all of this money to buy your weapons."

"If that's not enough, the deep sea of the Land of Water is full of pearls and rare minerals that you in the Land of Fire can't find. I'll send people to retrieve them."

They used all the money meant for saving lives to buy weapons for killing.

What does he want to do?

"May I ask a question?"

Sosuke looked at the water reflection.

"Whom do you intend to use all these heavy weapons and sonic weapons against? Konoha? Or Kumogakure?"

Such bulky machinery is unsuitable for long-distance sea expeditions.

"Who are we going to deal with? I'm not afraid to let you know."

The Third Mizukage laughed.

He stretched out his withered finger and pointed out the window.

This village is shrouded in thick fog.

"Deal with them."

The sound of the water's reflection was icy.