Genjutsu

Suien Waterfall Ninja thought that the Konoha Ninja girls and boys were young and easy to bully, and wanted to wipe them out without hesitation.

However, Konoha already suspects that Takigakure Jinchūriki, so what's the point of killing the two messengers?

The Takikage had managed both Takigakure and the Land of Waterfalls for many years; he couldn't possibly be unaware of basic political common sense. If Konoha envoy died mysteriously after visiting Takigakure, regardless of the circumstances, Konoha would undoubtedly place their suspicions first on Takigakure.

That would only give Konoha an excuse to cause trouble.

There's an uninformed organization called "Akatsuki" eyeing them covetously, and they're provoking Konoha —it's a foolish idea that's utterly reckless.

"Suien's thinking is too simplistic," Takikage muttered to himself. "A Jonin his actions and his way of thinking; he's even less imposing than that Konoha envoy from earlier."

"What do you think, Kaede?" he asked, turning to another Waterfall Ninja.

The Waterfall Ninja from Takigakure looked to be in his fifties, in the final days of his prime as a ninja, and his appearance and demeanor were much more mature than Suien's.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "Suien is still young, and the village doesn't have enough tasks to train him..."

"That girl from Konoha is about ten years older than Suien, but she looks much more capable," Takikage, shaking his head. "Now you can see the difference between our village and the great ninja villages. Even without considering strength, just looking at their spirit, the difference is obvious. Konoha can entrust such a young ninja with this mission. If it were me, I wouldn't dare let Suien carry out such an important mission."

Feng remained silent.

A female ninja nearby whispered resentfully to her companion, "Maybe Konoha just wants to send a pretty girl to seduce the village. Hmph... I've heard that Konoha's female ninjas are all experts in medical cosmetology and makeup. They can transform an ordinary-looking woman into someone more beautiful than a fairy, bewitching all the men. Pshaw, we don't even know what she looks like in real life!"

"If she can use these evil spells, her true appearance must be terrible; she's probably an ugly woman." The girl next to her whispered disdainfully, "That girl's skin just now was so obviously fake; how could a normal person look like that!"

That said, the pursuit of beauty is a fundamental human instinct, and the four great evil arts of Asia on Earth also exist in the ninja world. Medical aesthetics—corresponding to plastic surgery, makeup, and photo retouching—while not reaching the effects of Photoshop or image editing software, is still widely popular. In short, the techniques of the Shinobi World can also transform Luo Yufeng into a great beauty.

By the way, Orochimaru has perfected the art of sex reassignment surgery, and he has been living in a woman's body for several years now.

Takikage glanced towards the direction where they were having their secret meeting, giving them a disapproving glare. The two female ninjas immediately fell silent, no longer daring to whisper.

"We're discussing serious matters, stop whispering!" Takikage reprimanded the two men with a stern face. Their dismissive attitude angered him. He continued, "Our village has too little interaction with the outside world. A few years ago, when we participated in the Chunin Ninja Exams, other ninja villages could occasionally advance to the third round, but our village hasn't even reached the finals for several years!"

At this point, his expression turned grim.

Even the Waterfall Ninja's prized Waterfall Clone Technique has been repeatedly broken by Genin other villages, as if everyone already knows how to counter this Ninjutsu. However, the endless stream of new Ninjutsu from the outside world is giving the newcomers of Takigakure a headache.

He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "I've been thinking about this for a long time. Why is this happening? That Konoha envoy might be exaggerating, but we have to admit that the village is showing signs of falling behind the world."

Takikage glanced around and demanded sharply:

"How long has it been since we created a new Ninjutsu?"

"How many of us have never left the Land of Waterfalls, or even the Takigakure, in our entire lives?"

"And how many ninjas have never seen blood, or even experienced a proper real battle?"

The surrounding Waterfall Ninja remained silent, speechless.

Some people feel guilty, while others just lower their heads and pretend to feel guilty, while secretly harboring resentment. These problems are actually the consequences of Takikage's policies.

The one who should really be questioned is Takikage!

Some people also complained about the two female ninjas who had been whispering in each other's ears: if it weren't for them, Takikage wouldn't have suddenly gotten angry; women's jealousy is really terrible. In the beautiful and resourceful Konoha, any female ninja you pick out would be a stunning beauty, unlike the poor and remote Takigakure, where there are always some women who are ugly, lazy, and like to cause trouble!

The subordinates had different thoughts, and Takikage couldn't do anything about them. Unlike other ninja villages, Takigakure had always lived in seclusion in the Yamanaka, without much external pressure. It was difficult for them to unite internally, and naturally, they began to scheme against each other. They seemed to be on good terms, but in fact, everyone was a drama queen, and open and covert struggles and office politics were everywhere.

However, Takikage, who had been in the position of Daimyo and Kage for many years and had gradually become bureaucratic, was no less impressive. He seized on the topic he had just discussed and elaborated on it, making up four main points, twelve sub-points, and thirty-six points, and talked on and on for more than an hour.

I know where he got all this information from.

No ninja village would ever go on and on with a bunch of nonsense, breaking it down into countless fragments and talking on and on.

"In short, the village is currently facing a serious problem of being out of touch with the world," Takikage concluded, still feeling a bit unsatisfied. "This Chunin Ninja Exams, with even the Mist Ninja participating, might be a good opportunity to witness the changes that have taken place in the Shinobi World in recent years and see if what the Konoha envoy said earlier is true."

The Jonin from Waterfall Ninja below the stage nodded in agreement, secretly relieved that the long and tedious speech was finally coming to an end.

"Let's leave this topic here for now." Takikage looked at the relieved ninjas below the stage and added, "Let's continue our discussion on how to deal with Konoha and Akatsuki."

Should we continue?

Several ninjas immediately turned deathly pale.

Even the seasoned Feng began to feel a slight tingling sensation in his buttocks!

The valley where Takigakure is located has extremely beautiful scenery.

In the valley lies a vast, tranquil lake, its waters a clear, emerald green, calm and still, its surface as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the lush, verdant beauty of the valley.

In the picturesque lake scenery, a huge ancient tree stands on an island in the middle of the lake. Its trunk is incredibly thick. From a distance, Sakura Haruno estimated that the thick trunk was at least a hundred meters in diameter!

She had seen many colossal creatures in her life— Gamabunta, Manda, and Sasori of the Red Sand's giant scorpion puppet—all of which were so enormous that standing next to them made one subconsciously feel their own immensity. But compared to this giant tree, they were nothing more than dwarfs; perhaps only a fully-formed Sage Katsuyu could compare?

How many years did it take for such a giant tree to grow? The ninja world is truly full of wonders.

The Takigakure sits on the tranquil shore of a lake, its buildings scattered around giant trees. The trees cast a canopy of shade over the entire village, making it surprisingly cool and shady even in the Natsuhi.

"You'll be staying here tonight," said Taki, Waterfall Ninja named Shibuki, leading the two to the door of a secluded lakeside cabin. "The view from the doors and windows is beautiful; I hope you like it. Well then, I'll be going now."

"Please wait a moment!" Sakura quickly called out to him, "It's too long before our break time, could you show us around? The scenery of Takigakure is so beautiful, I'd like to walk around some more."

"Hmm?" Shibuki turned his head, meeting the girl's faint smile. His face flushed slightly; he found it hard to refuse the beautiful girl's request, and he hesitated before saying, "Well... you can't just wander around the village alone... um..."

"Can't we just enjoy the scenery? Besides, we're not walking around the village alone, you're with us, aren't you? The three of us can go together."

Sakura blinked, looking at Shibuki with a pitiful expression.

Shibuki was momentarily at a loss, even stammering, "B-but... I..."

Seeing Shibuki still hesitating, Sasuke turned his head at the opportune moment, a flash of red in his eyes. Shibuki's gaze wavered for a moment, but when he came to his senses, his attitude changed completely. "Alright, I'll show you the beautiful scenery of Takigakure! It's a view you'll never forget!"

"Come with me!" He patted his chest in agreement to the Konoha Ninja's request, then turned and led the way away.

Behind Shibuki, Sasuke moved closer to the girl, and only after Shibuki had walked a little further away did he whisper, "See? In the end, I still have to rely on my Sharingan."

"Yes, yes, yes," Sakura Haruno rolled her eyes and pouted, "Her Sharingan looks are unparalleled, her charm is irresistible!"

They Sharingan Genjutsu; such a grand display certainly wasn't for sightseeing, although the scenery of Takigakure is indeed beautiful. Waterfalls, giant trees, large lakes, caves, underground rivers, and more—there are countless breathtaking views. If you're looking for a travel destination, it's truly a haven for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Crossing the viewing bridge spanning the lake, the three of them strolled along until they reached the roots of a giant tree. The thick roots were as thick as several people could hug, and they were intertwined and tangled together, weaving a network of countless tunnels, which was fascinating and made people marvel.

After navigating past several children playing hide-and-seek, we swam out of the valley via the underwater river, passed through a karst cave, and over a curtain of water, eventually returning to the waterfall at the entrance.

The magnificent or beautiful scenery along the way did not attract the attention of the three ninjas. One had been watching it for over a decade or two and was already used to it; the other two were ninjas from other villages with ulterior motives, intending to do something nefarious to him, so naturally they had no interest in appreciating the beautiful scenery of Takigakure.

"This will do," Sakura Haruno suddenly said, having found an inconspicuous corner.

"Hmm?" Shibuki turned around in confusion. The girl's pretty smile had faded, and her clear, bright eyes were now calmly looking at him.

"What's wrong?"

Before he could even utter those words, his entire field of vision was filled with a pair of bloodshot eyes.

(Minimum 1/1. I woke up too late, only around noon. There will be one more update tonight. I'll try to do three updates tomorrow.)