"Come on, don't be shy. You lot, go ahead and kill yourselves for my entertainment!"
In front of everyone, Ye Wudi cradled Hinata with one arm while gesturing at the four Root ninja before him, signaling them to hurry up and get on with it.
His eyes even gleamed with excitement and anticipation.
He was rubbing his hands together.
From the look on his face, he really did intend for them to commit suicide here tonight.
Those four Root ninja, who had initially thought they might still get away, now looked utterly grim.
One of them, desperate to survive, tried to threaten Ye Wudi.
"Hey, do you even know who we are? If we really die here because of you, there's no way you'll get away unsca-"
Body Flicker Technique!
Before the leading Root special jonin could finish his sentence, Ye Wudi had already appeared behind him.
His hands formed the Tiger Seal, pressed right against the man's spine.
"What was that you just said?"
"I'll give you one chance to rephrase that. Just one. Choose your words wisely."
Gulp.
Seeing Ye Wudi's expression, the Root special jonin instinctively swallowed hard.
"I... I meant to say you..."
Konoha Secret Taijutsu: Ultimate Move One Thousand Years of Death!
Pfft!
Before everyone's eyes, Ye Wudi's hands shot forward, infused with chakra.
Then came the sound:
"Ohhhh!"
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received 999 points of negative emotion from a Root special jonin!
Pfft!
As that satisfyingly high-pitched squeal echoed out, Ye Wudi pulled out a tissue with mild disgust and began wiping his hands.
"Tch. I even gave you a chance, and you still stammered around like an idiot."
"You really thought you could threaten me? Go eat crap."
He turned, looking at the remaining three Root special jonin.
His eyes were filled with disdain as he once again began forming the Tiger Seal.
"Four grown men struggling to maintain a measly barrier, and you call that strength? Clearly you're all running on fumes."
"Go home and eat something nourishing before your wives start resenting you and looking for someone else to warm their beds."
"Oh right! I know this great traditional herbal remedy called Six-Flavor Rehmannia Decoction. Here, I'll recite it for you. Memorize it... and then go die."
You're giving us the recipe and then telling us to die?
What's even the point of that?
Just as the three Root jonin began to feel equal parts baffled and furious...
Hyuga Hiashi and the three ANBU nearby suddenly pulled out pen and paper from who knows where, earnestly jotting down the ingredients as if taking notes during a lecture.
The three Root jonin were instantly petrified.
They looked like a leaf boat adrift at sea.
You bastards. Not only are you not stopping this madman, you're actually writing down the damn recipe?!
Damn it, it's all this bastard's fault!
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received 999 points of negative emotion from a Root special jonin!
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received 999 points of negative emotion from a Root special jonin!
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received...
So much negative emotion?
What a rush!
With the voices echoing in his head, Ye Wudi was thoroughly delighted.
For a moment, he actually felt reluctant to kill the remaining three.
After all, if he relied solely on milking Sasuke and Sakura, the two perpetual motion machines, for negative emotions...
It could take forever to accumulate enough points for the next draw.
Letting the tiger return to the mountain might not be such a bad idea.
...
Just as Ye Wudi was entertaining that thought, the three Root jonin before him had already begun to harbor a faint, chilling killing intent in their eyes.
If this little bastard had no intention of letting them go, they might as well go down fighting.
With their combined strength, they could at least take one down with them.
One would be fair, two would be a win.
If they killed Ye Wudi... that would be divine justice!
With that resolve, chakra began to surge within their bodies.
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received 999 points of negative emotion from a Root special jonin!
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received 999 points of negative emotion from a Root special jonin!
Just as they were about to go all out...
Ye Wudi, like Hyuga Hiashi with his Byakugan, instantly noticed the shift.
Before Hiashi could act, Ye Wudi said something that stunned everyone present.
"I gave you the recipe. You can go now."
"What?"
"What?!"
Everyone who was still conscious wore the same expression of utter disbelief.
Ye Wudi had the upper hand. Yet he was letting them go?
The ANBU trio were silent at first, but then slowly nodded in understanding.
"After all, he's just a teenager. It's normal to feel compassion at times like this."
"Captain, you're right."
...
But unlike the ANBU, Hyuga Hiashi had a different interpretation.
He believed Ye Wudi had sensed that the three Root ninja were about to make a desperate move.
And to avoid a complete fallout between the Hyuga clan and Root, he chose the smarter path.
Truly, he hadn't chosen the wrong son-in-law.
"This kid... not bad."
"What did you say, Clan Head?"
"I said this kid is..."
"What? Still here? I said you could leave!"
Just as Hiashi was explaining, Ye Wudi furrowed his brows and cut in again.
"I just think it'd be a waste if you died here. That's all."
"Uh... okay, we'll go."
Seeing that Ye Wudi really intended to let them go, the three Root ninja didn't hesitate. They turned to flee.
But just as they were about to release their chakra, Ye Wudi used Body Flicker again.
Splitting into three, he blocked their path.
"You're not thinking of going back on your word, are you?"
"Relax. I'm not a bad guy. Actually, I'm a really nice guy."
...
If you're what counts as a nice guy, then there are no good people left in this world!
Facing their scornful glares, Ye Wudi merely smiled.
"See, it's like this. I have a friend who's... quite interested in your wives. If you get the chance, you should introduce them to him."
"His surname is Cao. First name... Zei."
Pfft!
Hearing that, the Root ninja froze.
And poor Hyuga Hiashi, who had just been defending Ye Wudi to the elders, now stood frozen as well.
Your friend? Yeah right!
That Cao Zei friend is obviously you!
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received 999 points of negative emotion from a Root special jonin!
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received 999 points of negative emotion from Hyuga Hiashi!
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've received...