While It's Hot?

Thump—thump—thump—

The view opened up.

Like parting clouds to reveal the moon.

The people in the carriages could gaze out at the Earth Spider tribe's territory, a mile away down the slope.

It was a mountain village.

Its area was not as large as Kikyo City.

A tall watchtower stood at the village entrance, with sparse lights. The village was flanked by two forests on either side.

Tranquil and peaceful, the village blended with the night, the soft moonlight outlining a scene of seclusion.

Upon seeing the village, the caravan members felt a slight release of the tension that had been gripping them.

Thud—

On the first carriage, Hotaru's small body suddenly trembled. Her face rapidly turned as pale as paper, her cherry lips quivering. All her strength seemed to drain away.

"Mmm—"

Hotaru's brow furrowed. Limp as if boneless, she let out a soft moan before collapsing onto Ingetsu, who was opposite her.

"..." Ingetsu raised an eyebrow slightly.

Before he could react, Kurenai Yuhi, who had just stood up beside him, moved. With a whoosh, Izumi darted out like a leopard, catching Hotaru. As she examined the girl, she exclaimed inwardly:

Is she faking it?

But the girl's body truly had no strength, limp all over.

That was Izumi's first impression.

"What's wrong?"

Nonō, a medical ninja, saw a patient and her professional instincts kicked in. She adjusted her round-framed glasses and took the girl from Izumi.

The other women all looked at Hotaru, who had been fine just moments ago, with confusion. They kindly began to examine her.

"She's fine."

Ingetsu said calmly, withdrawing his gaze to look towards the Earth Spider village they were about to reach.

The others looked puzzled.

"Strange, how did this girl's Blood Essence suddenly become so weak? But it's nothing serious. The captain is right, feeding her a Ration Pill should do the trick."

Nonō reached into her pocket and pulled out a packet of Ration Pills from beneath her black and white nun's habit. She took one out and placed it in Hotaru's mouth.

Ingetsu didn't stop Nonō's kind gesture. He still needed Hotaru to guide them, and he already knew the reason for the young girl's condition.

The expressions of the others gradually relaxed.

They had mainly been worried about the caravan being attacked.

Ingetsu glanced back towards the rear of the caravan.

He had made a move earlier.

Without paying attention.

He had drained the Chakra from these people. Just then, something unusual happened behind the second carriage.

Thump—thump—thump—

Sounds of falling echoed one after another.

Sōsen watched in disbelief as a guard he had kicked earlier suddenly knelt before him, then collapsed in the middle of the carriage bed. Startled, he took two steps back and exclaimed:

"I kicked you once, and now you want to extort me?"

Sensing something was wrong, Sōsen immediately peered around the surrounding carriages. He was shocked to discover that everyone on the carriages had knelt down, accompanied by groans of pain:

"Ugh... my head suddenly feels so dizzy..."

"I can't seem to use my waist!"

"I'm so tired..."

Listening to their cries, Sōsen's eyes suddenly twitched, his scalp tingling. Before he could even process what was happening, a feeling of powerlessness crawled up his legs like ants from his toes.

His body felt completely hollowed out, not a drop of strength left. He directly fell onto one of the guard members, unable to move, so exhausted he just wanted to bury his head and sleep.

Gulp—

The horses, driverless, stopped automatically. The caravan was disrupted.

"Eh???"

Nonō looked at the "driver" lying on the ground in front of their carriage with surprise, feeling dejected and confused: How did this become contagious?

"Something seems really wrong!"

Kurenai Yuhi looked at Ingetsu.

Uchiha Mikoto, Izumi, and Nonō turned their heads one after another to look at the silent Ingetsu.

They sensed something.

The women's delicate eyes sparkled like brilliant stars, while Ingetsu remained expressionless, replying, "It's nothing."

These people just needed to sleep, or eat a Ration Pill, and rest for a while. Once their spirits recovered and their physical fatigue dissipated, they would be fine.

Previously, these people had been drained by Yachihoko, their adrenaline surging, in a state of high-intensity tension and unease, completely unaware that their physical strength and spirit had merged into Chakra and been instantly drawn away.

When they relaxed.

The delayed fatigue of their bodies surged, plunging them into a state of collapse.

"Is it... really nothing?"

Hotaru leaned into Izumi's embrace, slowly raising her head, blinking her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, as she gazed at Ingetsu.

After taking a Ration Pill, her cheeks regained their color, but seeing her clansmen in such a state, a worried expression appeared on her face.

Nonō lifted the hem of her black nun's habit, supporting herself with one hand on the cart bed, and climbed over the carriage.

Her long skirt spread out like a puffy umbrella, then gathered, encasing her long legs.

She slowly squatted beside the two drivers, and after checking them, she answered in place of her now taciturn captain: "They're fine. Their symptoms are the same as yours. They'll be alright after a little rest."

Hearing this, Hotaru finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Under the moonlight.

At the end of the caravan.

Pat-pat--

A jumping sound echoed. Two Uchiha squads of four each met up and Shunshined towards the front of the caravan.

The eight of them had annihilated the ninjas from the other two mountain paths. They looked slightly fatigued now, their previous valor gone.

"What are you carrying?"

Nanfeng's expression was astonished. He and the team behind him immediately noticed Tamao upon seeing the other squad.

Tamao was carrying a female ninja dressed in a black tight-fitting outfit, with a voluptuous figure, long hair cascading down, wearing a mask that concealed half of her beautiful and fresh face.

"Oh, this is a gift I brought back for Big Brother!" Tamao replied earnestly.

While leading his team to eliminate Root Organization members and other ninjas, he had a pleasant surprise to find a female ninja among them, and she was quite good-looking. So, he kept her alive and brought her back.

Compared to the "Hotaru" he had captured earlier, Tamao felt that this female ninja's figure was similar to Mrs. Mikoto's, and Big Brother would probably like her.

"..." Nanfeng.

Tamao was indeed clever. No wonder he came back empty-handed; something felt off.

The Uchiha passed by the caravan and saw everyone lying on the ground. Their faces were solemn, and their right hands pressed against the Ninja Swords on their backs.

Nanfeng said gravely, "What happened?"

"Oh, judging by their appearance, they were probably just scared unconscious by Big Brother's swordsmanship. Look how soundly they're sleeping."

Tamao explained.

One dared to ask, the other dared to answer.

The team left the hill and saw Ingetsu and the others safe and sound in the first carriage.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. With a few leaps, they arrived beside Ingetsu and the others.

"Big Brother, the mission was completed successfully. This is the woman I brought back for you!"

Tamao chuckled, placing the female ninja he was carrying in the middle of the cart bed. He then looked up at Ingetsu, as if seeking praise.

Kurenai Yuhi, Izumi, and Mikoto looked at Tamao with strange expressions.

Hotaru's face showed horror; she felt that this scene was a bit familiar.

"..." Ingetsu glanced at the female ninja with closed eyes in the cart bed and said calmly, "She's dead."

"Huh?"

Tamao's eyes widened in surprise. He looked down at the female ninja, nudged her shoulder, and then reached out to remove her mask.

A delicate face appeared.

The female ninja remained motionless, her eyes tightly shut, with black blood lingering at the corner of her mouth. She had clearly poisoned herself.

"No, why did you die? I carried you all the way back. Did I give you permission to die?"

Tamao drooped dejectedly, full of frustration.

An Uchiha muttered in a low voice:

"You spent the entire journey instilling in her the idea of serving Captain Ingetsu well, indirectly describing the captain as a pervert. If I were a woman, I'd want to die hearing that."

Tamao's baby face showed his helplessness. After a moment's thought, he looked at Nanfeng and sighed, "Nanfeng, look, you brought her back, so we can't waste it. Why don't you just make do and, while you're at it..."

Nanfeng angrily retorted, "Get lost!"

"Heh... no romantic bone in your body." Tamao ignored him and looked at his older brother.

Ingetsu's head was covered in black lines. He walked over to Tamao, reached out, and patted his shoulder. "Bury the person. You did very well this time."

Hearing the praise, Tamao immediately grinned and nodded heavily, his mood instantly improving.

"Don't do this next time."

Ingetsu finished his sentence.

Tamao immediately deflated.

Seeing that the Uchiha were unharmed, Ingetsu didn't give them time to chat. He planned to enter the Earth Spider tribe's territory with only Hotaru, leaving the caravan members behind.

A mission prompt suddenly appeared in his mind.

[Side Quest]: Not a single one can be left behind.

[Options]:

1. Bring the caravan back to the Earth Spider village.

[Reward]:

Storage Space increased by 100 cubic meters.