Takigakure

Ten minutes later.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for slaying a Jonin, obtaining 500,000 taels.]

Uchiha Mikoto and Nawaki successfully finished off the Sunagakure Jonin. Aside from stealing the kill, Bai Lin did not intervene in the combat.

"We did it!" Nawaki shouted excitedly, his face covered in sweat, yet he could not hide his thrill.

This was his first time coordinating with Uchiha Mikoto to defeat a Jonin in actual combat; for him, it was a massive breakthrough.

Uchiha Mikoto also let out a sigh of relief, walking over to Bai Lin with a hint of anticipation in her eyes: "Lin, how did we perform?"

"Excellent! I give you both a thumbs up!" Bai Lin ruffled Uchiha Mikoto's soft hair, his tone carrying undisguised tenderness.

"The training these past few days wasn't in vain. You have completely adapted to the rhythm of the battlefield. You have earned my approval."

He turned his head to look at the two unconscious Sunagakure Genin, his gaze instantly turning icy: "Wake them up. Ask what the true objective of this squad is."

Nawaki obediently stepped forward to wake the two.

The pair drifted back to consciousness, and upon seeing the cold gazes of the three and the corpse of the Jonin not far away, they were instantly terrified out of their wits, trembling uncontrollably.

"Speak! What is your squad here for? Are there reinforcements behind you?" Nawaki demanded sternly.

A few minutes later.

"Useless trash." Bai Lin's tone was flat, yet his eyes held not a shred of warmth.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for slaying a Genin, obtaining 50,000 taels.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for slaying a Genin, obtaining 50,000 taels.]

Two system prompts rang out in succession. Before the two Genin could even beg for mercy, they were cleanly and efficiently finished off by Bai Lin.

After seeing the Jonin of their squad die, the two Genin had completely broken down, revealing everything they knew to the trio.

However, they were not high-ranking members, so the information they possessed was limited.

The information Bai Lin obtained was that these individuals belonged to a reconnaissance unit, and behind them was a Sunagakure force of nearly a hundred men that had bypassed the Konoha ninja troops to carry out some sort of plan.

"Lin, what do we do now? There is a hundred-man Sunagakure force behind us; you must not be reckless," Uchiha Mikoto asked worriedly.

The scene of Bai Lin charging into an Amegakure unit alone was still fresh in her mind, and she feared he might act on a whim and confront the hundred-man Sunagakure force.

"Relax, I'm reckless, not brainless!"

Bai Lin tapped Uchiha Mikoto on the forehead and replied with a smile.

"Then should we head to the front lines to notify Orochimaru-sensei?" Nawaki asked, feeling a sense of relief upon hearing this.

Bai Lin frowned. His destination was Takigakure, the very village that produced the Hero Water.

After several days of traveling, he was very close; he estimated that it would take about half a day to arrive.

Once consumed, Hero Water could increase a ninja's Chakra by dozens of times, allowing an ordinary Jonin to attain Kage-level strength.

Although the side effects would significantly devour the user's life force and shorten their lifespan.

If too much were taken at once, the body might even burst from being unable to adapt to the surging Chakra.

However, what Bai Lin valued was its functionality; it could largely compensate for the limitations of his own Chakra reserves.

It could be used as a trump card, just like the Cursed Seal and the Sharingan, adding another means of survival on the battlefield.

The three had set out from Konoha and were traveling directly toward Takigakure, which was slightly off the path Orochimaru was taking. If they changed direction now, they could indeed rendezvous quickly.

"Should we change the plan?" Bai Lin fell into deep thought. The Sunagakure unit's plan was still unknown; on one hand, there was his own plan, and on the other, intelligence that would benefit Konoha.

"One can sometimes have both fish and bear's paw." A moment later, a flash of resolve crossed Bai Lin's eyes, and a rebellious smile curled his lips: "Mikoto, Nawaki, we part ways here."

"You two head to report to Orochimaru. From here on, I will act alone."

After so many days of training, it was impossible for Nawaki to just stand by and be blown to pieces under Orochimaru's watch again.

If that happened, Bai Lin could only say that there was definitely someone's shadow involved in it.

If it were part of someone else's scheme, Bai Lin could not guarantee he would be by his side at all times to protect him.

It would be better to test it out now; even if Nawaki were killed again, he, Bai Lin, would absolutely resurrect him.

"Part ways?" Both were stunned, their faces filled with shock.

"You head to Orochimaru and tell him the intelligence about the hundred-man Sunagakure force," Bai Lin said firmly, his gaze sweeping over Nawaki with a hint of warning.

"Nawaki, follow Orochimaru's lead, and don't be as reckless as you were before. Keep your wits about you in all things—some traps cannot be avoided by strength alone."

Naturally, he could not explicitly state Nawaki's future fate, so he could only stop at a hint.

"What about you?" Uchiha Mikoto asked urgently, her eyes filled with worry. "Are you going to confront Sunagakure alone? It's too dangerous!"

"Don't worry, I have no such intention." Bai Lin ruffled her hair, his tone softening slightly, before turning to look at Nawaki: "Protect Mikoto well. If she loses even a single hair, I will hold you accountable."

Nawaki wanted to say more, but Bai Lin interrupted: "No more nonsense, execute the order. Finding Orochimaru as quickly as possible and delivering the intelligence is the greatest help you can provide me."

"I understand!" Nawaki nodded heavily, his face full of solemnity.

The three did not delay any further and parted ways at the forest junction.

Mikoto and Nawaki sped off in the direction of Orochimaru's troops, while Bai Lin turned, transformed into a bolt of blue lightning, and sprinted toward Takigakure.

Half a day later, in a dense forest before a waterfall.

Bai Lin was hiding behind a tree, observing the surroundings with a cold expression.

The torrential waterfall cascaded down from a cliff dozens of meters high, sending spray flying and mist permeating the air, completely obscuring the mountain behind it.

If he were not a transmigrator who knew that the hidden entrance to Takigakure was behind the waterfall, he might not have found this place even after spending several days searching.

"So this is where Takigakure is hidden?"

A hint of approval flashed in Bai Lin's eyes.

"Truly an excellent location! Using nature as a natural barrier, it is no wonder they have managed to protect the Hero Water for so long in these chaotic times."

"Infiltrating during the day is too risky." Bai Lin suppressed his presence, patiently waiting for the right moment.

Time passed until late at night, when all was silent.

Only the roar of the waterfall continued to echo through the valley.

Bai Lin, who had been silently observing from behind the tree, suddenly vanished.

There was no one guarding the exterior; Takigakure seemed to want to avoid drawing any attention to this place.

Bai Lin quickly found the entrance behind the waterfall, and after a careful observation revealed no signs of anyone, he walked straight inside.

The space within was vast, with many pools of water on the ground; this was the secret waterway that led directly to Takigakure.

He took a deep breath, leaped into the pool, and swam along the waterway.