A Spy from the Land of Fire

The Land of Water is an archipelago.

There are more than ten large islands, and countless small islands.

"Damn, why is it so foggy?"

Even with her head above the water and Enhanced Vision eyesight at its peak, Katsuki could only see about three or four hundred meters away.

"Just like the Land of Rain, this damn climate is truly incomprehensible. No wonder the Shinobi World doesn't have meteorology; just explaining this bizarre weather phenomenon would probably kill a bunch of research experts."

This world not only possesses superhuman strength, but its scientific and technological research level is also quite impressive. Recently, Konoha's science research team has developed a complete set of monitoring equipment, and they seem to be planning to test its effectiveness during the Chunin Ninja Exams. If the results are good, they plan to install these electronic eyes throughout the village.

"This technology tree is beyond belief..."

Whenever Katsuki thinks about these unscientific scientific research findings, she always feels awkward, but she can only sigh in her heart. She is still happy to use scientific research results such as refrigerators and washing machines.

As she estimated that she was getting close to the islands, Katsuki used Mind's Eye of the Kagura to seal her Chakra and swam with her bare body, dodging several patrols at sea. Finally, she saw the reefs and beaches through the thick fog.

Quietly swimming into the reef area, she climbed onto a large rock. Instead of blindly rushing towards the island, she recalled the simple map in her mind. Then, Mind's Eye of the Kagura, and the outline of the island slowly overlapped with the map.

"Aomori Island?"

Having determined her location, Katsuki had a better understanding of the situation. She continued to use Mind's Eye of the Kagura to investigate the activity along the coast and discovered streams of Chakra moving in a regular pattern, which were clearly the border guard forces of the Mist Ninja.

There were quite a few people patrolling, and the guards were very tight. It was reasonable to assume that there were sensory ninjas among them. If he dared to reveal his Chakra fluctuations, he would probably attract these hyenas very quickly.

"But even the tightest defenses are useless against me."

Katsuki wrung out her wet clothes, trying to squeeze out as much water as possible, and leisurely stepped onto the soft sand. She calculated the gaps between the patrol teams in her mind, and swaggered onto the island.

Aomori Island is the fourth largest island in the Land of Land of Water archipelago, with a population of over 50,000 and four towns.

"Hey, have you heard? There's been fighting again on Mist Island recently, and a lot of people have died. It's horrific."

"Huh? Didn't they say there was a truce last month? How come they're fighting again?"

Inside the tavern, a group of idle samurai drank during the day, chatting about recent events. Boasting and joking were their daily routine. The rise of ninjas had left samurai with no place to live. Apart from the samurai in the Land of Iron who had learned to use Chakra, samurai in other places had long since declined, reduced to guarding other people's homes and only able to find a sense of existence in taverns.

The samurai, who were now engaged in lively conversation, sat in the center of the tavern, shouting at the top of their lungs, looking around as if they felt incredibly powerful.

Katsuki sat alone in a corner, with several dishes of cooked food and fried skewers on the table. He drank and ate while listening to the samurai boast.

"So what if there's a ceasefire? It would be strange if the two princes didn't fight as long as the lord hasn't established an heir! Or rather, as long as the lord is still alive and unwilling to kill one of his sons, this war will continue!"

The drunken samurai shouted loudly and recklessly, seemingly unfazed by the few patrons and the owner around him. He received no cheers or surprised glances from others, which made the samurai click his tongue in boredom.

"Have you heard? Another butcher has appeared in Mist Ninja. They say he's one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and he single-handedly took down three Jonin the Yuki clan on the front lines..."

"Really? The Seven Ninja Swordsmen... those butchers are really making waves lately!"

"I hope those butchers don't come to Aomori Island."

"Haha, no, no, our Aomori Island is Kaguya Clan's territory. The Mist Ninja can't even reach here. Besides, the two lords' battle is all on Mist Island. Such powerful guys as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen wouldn't leave Mist Island."

Mentioning the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would make the drinkers perk up their ears. As a group of top-notch Mist Ninja from Kirigakure, they were known for their secretive style. Even the people of the Land of Water didn't know who the Seven Man Group were. Such exciting and imaginative topics have always been excellent conversation starters at the drinking table.

Katsuki glanced around thoughtfully. The situation in the Land of Water seemed more complicated than he had imagined. It sounded like a civil war had recently broken out again, and judging from the way he spoke so confidently, it didn't seem like he was lying. Of course, the details were probably mostly exaggerated and not worth considering.

However, compared to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Katsuki was more curious about the Kaguya Clan, as according to his memory, they were a clan that possessed the Kekkei Genkai Shikotsumyaku.

"Friend, you look a bit unfamiliar!"

A young man with white hair and green eyes sat casually opposite Katsuki, his emerald green eyes fixed on Katsuki, scrutinizing her intently.

"You've just arrived in Hachinohe Town today, haven't you? I've never seen you here before... May I ask where you're from?"

The tavern had quietly quieted down. The samurai put down their cups, quickly paid their bills, and left. Just as the white-haired man sat down, only Katsuki remained as the patron in the tavern.

"A place that's quite far away."

Katsuki took a sip of the wine; the alcohol content here was low, and the taste was refreshing.

"Quite far?" The man narrowed his eyes, his deep red eyebrows twitching slightly. His emerald eyes held a chilling aura, and a smile played on his lips. "So what brings you to Hachinohe Town? Business? It's not common to do business empty-handed, especially without a companion. Or perhaps tourism? We have plenty of places to have fun in Hachinohe Town, but seeing you sitting here drinking in broad daylight doesn't seem quite right..."

"Oh, I see!" Katsuki put down her wine glass, looking at the other person with amusement. "So, what do you think I do?"

"... A spy, huh? But it's rare to see a spy as open and honest as you. Those cold-blooded ninjas from the Mist Ninja wouldn't be so flamboyant... I'm very curious about your identity?" the man chuckled.

Five white-haired men and women were outside the tavern, evacuating the surrounding pedestrians. The tavern owner had long since disappeared, running away incredibly fast!

"Well, it sounds like you guys have a really bad relationship with the Mist Ninja! Can you tell me your name?" Katsuki shook the sake bottle and emptied the contents.

"Rokuro Kaguya," the white-haired man replied gently, then asked, "I've told you my name, but what is yours, my friend?"

"Katsuki, Uzumaki Katsuki, a spy from the Land of Fire," Katsuki said with a smile.