Imperial Guard of the Land of Wind

The wind and sand swept across, obscuring the dim yellow sky. Like a trapped beast that had broken free from its net, it furiously tore at the exposed rocks with scalding grit, emitting bursts of metallic clanging!

Amidst this storm of wind and sand, Qing Xuan hid in the shadows, yet the reflection from the Sunagakure forehead protector still stung his eyes, forcing them shut.

Seven or eight kunai were embedded in the sandy ground. The howling wind covered the bodies of several Genin nearby with a thin layer of sand.

Blood, baked black and brown by the scorching sand, lay scattered. Yet, within this tempest, a straight, unmoving figure sat cross-legged.

Mysterious Iron knee guards sank into the scalding quicksand. He extended his left arm, using his cloak to shield Qing Xuan from the wind and sand, while his right hand held a large bowl carved from wood, its rim still frosted with ice-cold sheep's milk.

A squad of Sunagakure ninja formed a circle thirty paces away, but none dared to step within the circular blade mark drawn by his Spring Embroidered Sword.

"Uncle!"

Qing Xuan squatted on the ground, annoyed by the glare from the forehead protector.

"When will this ever end!"

"Soon."

Qing Long calmly handed over the wooden bowl. The shadow of his Flying Fish Robe's wide sleeves perfectly covered the reflection from the forehead protector.

Imperial Guard confronting Naruto.

The instigator of such a shocking scene was this six-year-old boy sitting to the side, devouring sheep's milk from a bowl.

ID: Qing Long

HP: 87%

MP: 63%

Status: Lightly Injured, Fatigued, Mildly Poisoned

Affiliation: Imperial Guard of a Film and Television World

Position: Imperial Guard Commander

Weapon: Fourteen Styles of Great Ming [Not Upgraded]

Abilities: Internal Energy [Upgraded to Ice True Qi]

"Which village's ninja are you, exactly?"

The leading Sunagakure Chunin finally couldn't help but ask, the knuckles of the puppet in his hand clicking in the wind.

His gaze subtly swept over the ewe and the many Genin corpses at the other's feet, his teeth clenched.

Qing Long waited for Qing Xuan to finish drinking before putting away the wooden bowl. Even in the wind and sand, his hands remained steady.

"I don't belong to any village."

His faint voice was like a stubborn rock in the desert, yet colder than any stone.

"I only serve my young master."

A rogue ninja?

The Chunin glanced at the other's unusual attire, his eyes lingering on the edge of the Spring Embroidered Sword.

Or perhaps a samurai from the Land of Iron?

"And who is your young master?"

He placed his right hand behind his back, signaling to the Genin in his squad. However, the only reply he received was a stiff, four-word answer.

"No comment."

Attack!

Wind Style: Poison Sand Shower!

Thirty poisoned sand bullets attacked without warning. Qing Long shielded Qing Xuan in his arms and slapped his right hand onto the Fourteen Styles of Great Ming. A Blade Wheel Barrier shot out, instantly clearing the incoming sand bullets. He himself remained as steady as an ancient temple's morning bell.

"Arrogant!"

The Sunagakure Chunin hooked his right hand, and two strands of Chakra Threads slithered through the sand, entangling Qing Long's ankles. Three puppets burst from the sand.

Qing Long's body erupted with protective True Qi, shattering the threads. Simultaneously, a drop of blood fell onto Qing Xuan's face—his left shoulder had been cut by a Wind Blade, a half-inch wound that appeared out of nowhere.

[HP-3%]

"Clang!"

With a dragon's roar, the Spring Embroidered Sword flashed with cold light in the wind and sand. A visible ice-blue blade energy sliced through the three puppets.

[MP-16%]

As wooden parts shattered and fell, another Puppet Beast suddenly lunged from the raging sand, biting into Qing Long's left leg.

The Sunagakure Chunin appeared beside Qing Long, a bloodied kunai in his hand. He looked at the bloodstain on Qing Long's throat with utter astonishment.

"You're not dead?"

But he didn't know that Qing Long was waiting for this very moment.

The Spring Embroidered Sword, carrying a chilling gleam, sliced across his throat, then dismembered the puppet through its joint gaps.

The Fourteen Styles of Great Ming shot out two chain blades, entangling one Genin. Amidst the flames of an Explosive Tag, Plum Blossom Darts from his sleeves precisely pierced the forehead of another Genin.

Finally, as the Spring Embroidered Sword pierced the chest of the last Genin, Qing Long stood with his sword, his HP now at 30%.

[Soul Points +300]

[Soul Points +60]

[Soul Points +53]

In an instant, the Soul Points on Qing Xuan's status panel surged.

[Common Character: Sunagakure's Sand Wind's fate has changed, reward: one Bronze Treasure Chest, congratulations to the host for obtaining -- Special Bloodline Points +6!]

[Common Character: Sunagakure's Earth Wind's fate has changed, reward: one Bronze Treasure Chest, congratulations to the host for obtaining -- Beginner Throwing Technique Experience Book!]

[Common Character: Sunagakure's Gray Cloud's fate has changed, reward: one Bronze Treasure Chest, congratulations to the host for obtaining -- Intermediate Puppet Technique Experience Book!]

"Killers get rich rewards!"

This time, the harvest was truly abundant!

But looking at Qing Long's status bar, Qing Xuan's happy smile drooped.

Although summoned beings' data allowed them to ignore vital spot attacks, they would still die if their HP reached zero.

Qing Long's current injuries required him to be unsummoned and healed as soon as possible.

"Clang."

The Spring Embroidered Sword was pulled from the sand beneath his feet, its scraping sound echoing with dragon-like roars.

Before Qing Xuan could react, he felt himself being yanked backward. A kunai glinting with blue light whizzed past his nose, its pungent smell making him gag.

The kunai was poisoned!

With tears stinging his eyes, he followed Qing Long's gaze and saw over a dozen figures rapidly approaching them from atop a sand dune.

It was Sunagakure's pursuers.

Seeing their uniform earth-yellow vests, their strength was at least Chunin level. With Qing Long heavily injured, he definitely couldn't fight them!

The only option now was to flee quickly!

Once they crossed the border...

"Boom!"

An Explosive Tag tied to a kunai shot into the path of the Sunagakure squad, the ensuing explosion of sand blocking their charge.

Ninja clad in dark green vests stepped out from behind the sand dunes. Leading them was a middle-aged ninja with a pineapple-shaped hairstyle, his arms crossed.

"Halt! You are nearing the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers."

His words carried an undeniable authority as his eyes fixed on the leading Jonin of the other group.

"Konohagakure and Sunagakure have long since ceased hostilities. Are you attempting to reignite the war?"

The Sunagakure Jonin was a female ninja. Faced with the Konoha ninja's questioning, she could only slightly lower her stance. Sunagakure was the defeated party in this war and had already retreated from the battlefield. The village had suffered heavy losses, and the newly appointed Fourth Kazekage lacked the authority to command respect. Under internal and external pressures, she dared not provoke another war with Konohagakure.

Even so, her gaze remained fixed on Qing Long. She slowly exhaled and said, "Sunagakure has no intention of provocation. We are merely pursuing a criminal who trespassed into our territory and committed indiscriminate slaughter."

Shikaku Nara frowned as he looked at Qing Long standing in the sandstorm.

His strange attire, the knife mark on his throat, and a child of about five or six years old whose face was obscured by the other's black cloak.

The ninja war was nearing its end. Konohagakure was at a critical juncture with Kumogakure, and the village itself was in a period of rebuilding. There was no need to attract more enemies.

Sunagakure was merely pursuing a fugitive. So be it.

Shikaku quickly analyzed the pros and cons, then glanced at Qing Long one last time before preparing to lead his team away.

However, that one glance made him stop completely.

He saw the boy's face.

"We're not fugitives! I just want to go home!" the boy's tearful voice came at the perfect moment. "My father is a ninja from Konohagakure, please save me!"

Instantly, all the Konoha ninja stopped in their tracks.

A strong premonition grew within Shikaku. "Your father is..."

"Uchiha Ryuu, the younger brother of the Uchiha Clan head, Fugaku Uchiha!"