The towering peaks rose into the clouds. Thunder rumbled amid the mist shrouding the mountainsides, announcing to the heavens that this was the Land of Lightning.
Endless mountain mist gathered in the wind, growing denser. A vast shadow fell over the earth, bringing a moment of coolness to the path below the mountainside.
Cool shade settled on his shoulders. Rikusei lifted his head and watched the thick clouds drift with the wind, a note of approval flashing in his eyes.
No wonder the Hidden Village was named after clouds—it was certainly direct. He glanced at Uchiha Madara beside him, now disguised and looking completely different, and mused that the name was just like the one he had come up with: concise, clear, and fitting.
His gaze lowered toward the strange buildings, faintly visible in the distance. He knew they were nearing their destination.
The terrain began to open up. A huge checkpoint connected the widely separated foothills, where travelers entering the village and wagons loaded with cargo were inspected.
The place was bustling, but it still couldn't compare to Konoha, where carriages flowed like water and horses streamed like dragons. Perhaps the narrow mountain roads and unusual terrain had held them back.
Footsteps sounded outside the checkpoint. The shinobi sitting in the pavilion stopped chatting and stood up. Seeing a tall man and a small boy approaching, he noticed the long scroll on the boy's back, a clear sign that they were shinobi, and grew more serious.
"Your identities? Where are you from? What are you doing in Cloud Village?"
The three questions came fluently. Since the village was founded, he had seen countless wandering shinobi like these two. They seemed normal enough; some of the more outlandish ones practically covered themselves in Ninja Blades and scrolls to make sure