Chapter 256

Afterward, Ryosuke stopped thinking about it and instead focused his gaze on the scene in the mirror.

"Three months, do you know how I spent these three months?!"

If someone were to ask Momochi Zabuza, he would definitely cry out and complain to this person incessantly.

Since the mission to the Cloud Village was successfully completed, Momochi Zabuza had been full of joy, thinking he would receive commendation from Mizunuki Ryosuke and elevate his status in Lord Mizukage's heart.

But who would have thought that the "commendation" Zabuza received upon returning to the Hidden Mist was something he found truly unbearable.

Recalling that day, Zabuza's eyes instantly became a bit hazy.

If he had known he would experience three months of such a life, he wouldn't have agreed so readily back then.

Thinking of that "smile" that was like a devil's, Zabuza shed tears of regret.

Three months ago.

"Zabuza, you did well this time."

"I've decided to reward you well!"

Mizunuki Ryosuke looked at the travel-worn Momochi Zabuza before him and nodded with satisfaction.

"Thank you, my lord!"

Hearing Mizunuki Ryosuke say this, Zabuza immediately replied with excitement.

The Mizukage's reward, elevating his status in the Mizukage's heart—this was exactly the reward Momochi Zabuza dreamed of.

Now, everything in Mizunuki Ryosuke's words was equivalent to telling him that his efforts had not been in vain!

"Don't be in such a hurry to get excited."

"Because this 'reward' might not be as easy as you imagine."

Mizunuki Ryosuke looked at Zabuza with a calm and scholarly smile.

"Never mind a reward."

"Even if I have to go through fire and water for you, my lord, I will not refuse!"

How could Momochi Zabuza let such an opportunity to show his loyalty slip by?

Having received the true teachings of the two seniors, "Number One" and "Number One," Zabuza's skills in this area had also progressed by leaps and bounds.

"Very good!"

Seeing Zabuza like this, the smile in Mizunuki Ryosuke's eyes became even more apparent.

Subsequently, an ice clone of Mizunuki Ryosuke took Momochi Zabuza to the Lake of Mist.

"My lord, what is this..."

Zabuza asked the ice clone with some confusion.

Although it was only an ice clone of Mizunuki Ryosuke, Zabuza's tone remained very respectful.

"Zabuza, I know your loyalty in my heart."

"In my heart, I have always been cultivating you as a pillar of the Hidden Mist."

Mizunuki Ryosuke's ice clone said slowly to the somewhat puzzled Zabuza.

"I will never forget your kindness, my lord!"

Hearing this, Zabuza was moved to tears on the spot; these words from the ice clone undoubtedly indicated Mizunuki Ryosuke's recognition of him.

"But there is one thing, I think you are clear about in your heart."

"For a ninja, talent and strength determine a ninja's upper limit."

"If I'm not mistaken, your strength should have hit a bottleneck by now."

Mizunuki Ryosuke said in a low voice, a hint of solemnity flashing in the ice clone's eyes.

Hearing this, Zabuza clenched his fists with some unwillingness.

Unlike Hoshigaki Kisame and Kaguya Yuta, whose strength had almost always remained in a state of high-speed growth.

Zabuza's current strength had fallen into a bottleneck, and the speed of growth was extremely slow.

Kaguya Yuta, bearing the bloodline of the Six Paths, was an elite born from the most excellent bloodline of the Kaguya clan.

Previously, Kaguya Yuta already had the reputation of being the "First Genius of the Kaguya."

And Hoshigaki Kisame, although he didn't have any special bloodline, his performance in the original work was enough to explain everything.

That is, Hoshigaki Kisame—is a monster!

The title of "Tail-less Tailed Beast" didn't come for nothing.

In contrast, Zabuza, the first small boss in the early stages of the original work, had much inferior strength.

And this was also caused by the problem of his own talent.

Did Zabuza have talent? The answer is of course yes; in the original work, whether it was his ability to kill his way out of thousands of Mist ninjas and inherit the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, or his courage to retreat unscathed after assassinating Yagura Karatachi.

All undoubtedly showed that Zabuza was an extremely excellent talent.

Although the ninja world is vast, Zabuza's excellence could be called an "elite" in the ninja world, but the reality is that in the eyes of higher-level ninjas, he was not excellent enough.

"Kage level," just two short words, but for most ninjas, it was a chasm.

And Zabuza was undoubtedly one of those who fell before this chasm.

In fact, this is also a problem faced by most ninjas, which is—the limitation of talent and resources.

But nothing is absolute; in Mizunuki Ryosuke's view, Momochi Zabuza's talent was not bad.

What he lacked was just an opportunity to let him transform.

In the original work, Momochi Zabuza had the title of "Demon," which was because as long as he entered a combat state, dark red blood mist would emanate from his body (it was purple after the Reanimation Jutsu).

This ability was not a coincidence; it should be a bloodline talent of Yin-Yang Release, but Zabuza hadn't fully utilized it.

And what Mizunuki Ryosuke had to do now was to stimulate Momochi Zabuza's bloodline.

In other words—he wanted to help Zabuza break through the bottleneck before him!

Facing the silent Zabuza, Mizunuki Ryosuke's ice clone smiled.

Because he saw unwillingness and a thirst for improving strength in Zabuza.

And this was also the main reason why Mizunuki Ryosuke had always encouraged his few confidants to compete.

It was to cultivate the determination and will of the three not to be willing to stay in place.

"Zabuza, starting from today, I will conduct special training for you."

"This will be the most unforgettable devil training of your life."

"Under such training, you might die, or be crippled."

"You might also become stronger than before, reaching a level you have always dreamed of."

"Before accepting, I hope you consider it clearly."

Mizunuki Ryosuke said slowly, and as he spoke, a vast and chilling pressure spread from the ice clone, suppressing Momochi Zabuza.

"My lord, no need to consider, I want to become stronger!"

Hearing this, Momochi Zabuza did not hesitate at all and responded directly to the ice clone, his tone full of determination.

Zabuza stared at Ryosuke's ice clone without giving an inch, his eyes full of resolute determination and the will to become stronger.

"Very good!"

"Then, the training begins..."

The ice clone smiled coldly and began Zabuza's three-month hellish life.

(Zhao Lihao)

Today, Momochi Zabuza, who was training, received news from Kuroshima Morita.

"Lord Zabuza, an order from Lord Mizukage."

"He wants you to set off now to the Hidden Mist central training ground and take care of the Cloud ninja who is provoking there."

A member of the Jonin squad conveyed Mizunuki Ryosuke's order on his behalf.

After hearing this, Zabuza showed an excited and understanding expression.

"Lord Zabuza, Lord Mizukage also said."

"If you can't take this kid down, I'll take you down."

"This is the original wording; I am only conveying it on his behalf."

Hearing this sentence, Zabuza shivered directly, and a burst of killing intent instantly emanated from his eyes.

"Go back and tell Lord Mizukage."

"Say that no matter what, I will definitely kill that kid!"

Saying this, coldness emanated from Zabuza's body; at first glance, he looked just like a fierce ghost wandering in the human world.