Escaping the Mist Ninja starts with backstabbing your teacher.

"These days, the matter of the Third Mizukage is taboo in the village!"

Faced with Ao's warning, Mei Terumi's face turned pale. Although she didn't say anything explicitly, her words had made her point clear.

I wonder if the villagers have discovered that the Third Mizukage has been controlled, which is why the village has become what it is today.

Mei Terumi now completely trusts Izumi's words. She never imagined that Kirigakure, one of the five great ninja villages, would be nothing more than a plaything in someone else's hands.

so horrible!

What kind of person could do something like this so quietly?

Looking at the frightened Mei Terumi in front of him, Qing sighed inwardly. It wasn't that he deliberately scared her, but that he wanted to protect her.

The Third Mizukage died under mysterious circumstances, and some people in the village were uneasy and secretly investigated the cause.

Mei Terumi was only asking about the village's past appearance when she was already being watched. If he hadn't found out about this and come directly to her, she would have been in trouble.

If we allow the other party to continue their investigation, we will definitely get involved, and then there will certainly be trouble.

Ultimately, she's still too young. Mei Terumi, as a genius of Kirigakure, shouldn't get involved in this kind of thing and be affected.

Anyway, just know this and that's enough, don't continue.

"Yes, I understand, Senior Qing!"

Hearing that Terumi Mei had taken it to heart, Ao breathed a sigh of relief and nodded slightly.

A genius, arrogant and eccentric, he feared that Terumi Mei was stubborn and wanted to continue the investigation.

He had already lost a talented disciple, and the wound in his chest still ached. He didn't want other ninjas with potential to go astray.

Ao glanced at the documents on the table but didn't take them away. He figured that if he told Terumi Mei what to do, she would understand what to do next.

So he turned and headed towards the door, but just as he was about to leave, he paused slightly, as if he had thought of something. He frowned and said in a low voice, "What are you investigating?"

The same words, in different contexts, raise completely different questions. What he wanted to ask now was why Mei Terumi had suddenly started investigating this matter.

He turned around, his one eye slightly narrowed, staring at the girl in front of him. After a moment of contemplation, he sighed softly, "Never mind, forget I asked."

Seeing that Ao seemed genuinely prepared to let her go and stop pressing the matter, Terumi Mei stepped forward and called out, "Wait, Ao-senpai!"

After much deliberation, she felt that this matter should not be kept from Senior Qing, as she was not yet able to bear the weight of the truth.

Moreover, she felt that Senior Qing was trustworthy, after all, it involved Quanchuan's affairs, and he did not kill Senior Qing.

Since Senior Qing noticed it but didn't ask any questions or show any hatred, then there must be no problem.

Mei Terumi is very decisive and has a keen sense for these things, seeing through the somewhat complicated relationship between the two.

"Senior Qing, there's something I need to report to you. Is this alright?"

The girl looked up, her resolute gaze meeting Qing's, enduring his scrutiny and the pressure of being a Jonin.

Seeing this, Qing admired Mei Terumi's decisiveness and reaction. After sensing the surroundings and confirming that there were no eavesdroppers, he finally nodded slowly.

"Can!"

After receiving confirmation, Mei Terumi took a deep breath and said, "The story goes like this, it all started before..."

She recounted how she received Izumi's contact, how she secretly went to meet him alone, and what she overheard.

These words left Ao speechless with shock. The matter concerning the Third Mizukage was something that neither he nor the higher-ups in Kirigakure could comprehend.

Some high-ranking officials even thought the other party was crazy to make such a foolish policy and order. Even so, they never thought of another aspect.

After all, no one could have imagined that the Mizukage, who had already reached the pinnacle of the ninja world and was one of the five great ninja villages, would be controlled by someone.

How did Izumikawa know about this? Did he encounter something?

"So... is this why you're searching for the deeds of the three Mizukage and investigating the differences between the old and current villages?"

"yes!"

Terumi Mei nodded in acknowledgement.

Ao picked up the documents on the table again, his one eye quickly scanning the comparison of the two pieces of information, comparing the changes in the Third Mizukage's personality before and after the major personality shift.

No mistake, no mistake. If that's the case, all those doubts will be resolved, but another problem will arise.

Who is it?!

Who has this ability?

Able to control the Third Mizukage!

Qing's emotions fluctuated constantly. After putting down the documents, a hint of fatigue appeared in her eyes.

Gently touching the eyepatch over his right eye, his voice was slightly hoarse as he said, "So... so that's why he chose to defect?"

"But why, why didn't you choose to tell me?"

"Even though I'm his teacher, I would never reveal this information, even if I might not trust him."

Seeing this, Mei Terumi couldn't help but say, "Senior Ao, perhaps he's doing this so as not to burden you, considering you are his teacher!"

"He chose to bear this secret and the name of a rogue ninja, all in order to find out who was controlling the Third Mizukage."

Qing took a deep breath, calming herself down. Her eyes were somewhat lost in thought, and she felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She said casually, "Perhaps."

"Geniuses always have some quirks, their own ideas, and they like to shoulder some missions alone."

He felt a bit tired, and there were things he wanted to say, but it wasn't appropriate in front of the younger generation, so he could only swallow those words back.

After regaining some composure, he spoke again: "Don't tell Izumi about what you've told me."

"Since he trusts you, just tell me what support and assistance he needs, and I will help you."

"The village should make a decision about the next Fourth Mizukage soon."

Ao's single eye flickered with a hint of something. He also had someone who supported the selection of the Fourth Mizukage: Yagura Karatachi.

Back when the Tailed Beasts destruction plan failed on the battlefield of Kirigakure, the Three-Tails died and was reborn, and was captured again.

The current Jinchuriki of the Three-Tails is Yagura Karatachi, who possesses the strength and prestige to become the Fourth Mizukage.

"As for what Izumikawa is asking for, I will give you those documents. You should not get involved in these matters now."

"Once the situation in the village stabilizes, I'll need your help to meet with Izumikawa. There are some things I need to ask him in person."

"Don't worry about what I might do to him, after all, I'm still his teacher."

"Since he needs the eye roll, let him use it."

"I'm also curious to know who has the power to control the Third Mizukage."

Mei Terumi nodded slightly; at this moment, she still couldn't get too involved in this matter.