Kirigakure

"Lord Orochimaru, what was that B-Rank Mission we just accepted?" Uchiha Matsuri suddenly asked as they walked along the road out of the Land of Fire.

"To the Land of Water, to kill Kunshi Bilan, a missing-nin from the Land of Grass."

Seven days later.

Having lived all their lives in inland Konohagakure, the three had never seen the ocean before. Gazing out at its boundless expanse, Uchiha Matsuri and the others took a deep breath and immediately felt refreshed.

"Ninja Art: Transformation Technique!"

All four of them used the Transformation Technique in unison, changing their appearances and outfits.

As a precaution, ninja usually used the Transformation Technique to disguise themselves when carrying out assassination missions in other countries. It also helped them avoid unnecessary trouble.

The passenger boat slowly made its way toward the island across the water, and the three young ninja couldn't help feeling nervous. After all, this was their first mission since graduating from the Ninja Academy.

The boat slowly pulled in to shore, and the dozen or so ninja and civilians aboard disembarked one after another.

"Let's go," Orochimaru said.

The Land of Water lay in the southeastern part of the world of Naruto. Made up of dozens of islands, it was one of the Five Great Nations, and Kirigakure was where its ninja gathered. Surrounded by mountains and nestled in a deep basin, Kirigakure was shrouded in thick fog year-round.

Walking along the streets of Kirigakure, the Land of Water's ninja village, the three first-time visitors from abroad looked around with great curiosity.

"It's so foggy here! How amazing!" Nohara Shin exclaimed excitedly.

"Hey, that building is so strange. How did they build it on such a steep mountainside?" Kushina Uzumaki said, gazing at a castle in the distance.

Ignoring the two of them acting like "country bumpkins," Orochimaru quietly instructed, "Once we find the target, I'll go in and attack him. You'll provide cover from outside."

"Yes," the three answered together.

The four searched the streets of Kirigakure for over an hour, but couldn't find the slightest trace of Kunshi Bilan.

When they reached an empty, dark alley, Orochimaru formed Hand Seals and pressed his hand to the ground.

"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"

A dozen little snakes suddenly appeared before Orochimaru.

"Lord Orochimaru."

"This is the man. Search for him separately, and be careful not to alert him." Orochimaru showed them a photograph of Kunshi Bilan and gave them their instructions.

The little snakes immediately scattered in all directions.

"Let's go. We'll sit in a teahouse for a while." After putting away the photograph, Orochimaru spoke as he walked off without looking back.

Uchiha Matsuri and the other two glanced at each other but said nothing. They silently followed Orochimaru out of the alley.

After the four left, a figure suddenly appeared in the thick fog inside the alley. A few seconds later, the figure transformed into a Mist Ninja.

"What are those four doing, skulking around like that?" the Mist Ninja muttered in confusion. "I'd better notify Lord Hozuki Shichigatsu."

After waiting in the teahouse for more than ten minutes, Orochimaru received a report from one of the little snakes.

"I didn't expect Kunshi Bilan to be hiding in Kirigakure. If we make a move here, this mission will be at least A-Rank, maybe even S-Rank." After hearing the snake's report, Orochimaru didn't give up on the mission just because his target was hiding in Kirigakure.

Even if the assassination failed, Orochimaru was confident he could escape Kirigakure. As for the three brats with him, if they knew how Orochimaru's former subordinates had died, they probably wouldn't be so calm about carrying out a mission with him.

"Let's go." Orochimaru glanced at the three, then headed out of the teahouse.

Uchiha Matsuri and the others silently followed Orochimaru. Before long, the four arrived at an inn.

"Wait here. I'll take care of the target," Orochimaru instructed in a low voice, leaning toward them.

"Okay."

In a secluded room at the inn.

A man wearing a Grass Ninja Forehead Protector marked with a slash stood in the middle of the room.

The room's furnishings and furniture had all been painted dark gray. Combined with Kirigakure's year-round fog, this gave the room a stifling atmosphere.

"What's taking that old Hoshigaki Muyin so long?" The man clenched his fists and complained impatiently.

"Getting tired of waiting?" A deep, hoarse voice came from behind him. "Kunshi Bilan!"

The man turned around. An simply dressed old man had opened the door and was staring at him with deep-set eyes. His gaze made the man's skin crawl.

"Hoshigaki Muyin, you're finally here. What did the Mizukage say?" Kunshi Bilan complained when he saw Hoshigaki Muyin's late arrival.

"Lord Mizukage wants you to disguise yourself and infiltrate Konoha, where you'll continue providing us with information about the village." Hoshigaki Muyin took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with a lighter. "As for your payment, someone will deliver it once you reach Konoha."

"Hmph! I risked being exposed in Kusagakure to provide you with intelligence, and all I get is this arrangement?" Kunshi Bilan slammed his hand on the table and shouted angrily.

"Hahaha, don't get worked up, my dear Bilan!" Hoshigaki Muyin held the cigarette between his fingers and blew out rings of smoke. "You risked being exposed while providing us with intelligence. All of us in Kirigakure are grateful to you. But since you're now a missing-nin on the wanted list, you no longer have a choice."

"Only Lord Mizukage can continue to ensure your safety." Hoshigaki Muyin glanced at Kunshi Bilan, who had quieted down, and gave a cold snort. "While you're infiltrating Konoha, we'll send two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to protect you. All you have to do is gather intelligence on Konoha."

From their conversation, along with a few other bits of information, it wasn't hard to piece together the events behind Kunshi Bilan's defection.

Kunshi Bilan had been one of the top ninja in Kusagakure, in the Land of Grass, but his greed had led him to secretly work with Kirigakure in the Land of Water, exchanging intelligence. Kusagakure, which was allied with Konoha diplomatically, was an ideal place to gather intelligence on Konoha.

But after working so recklessly with Kirigakure, Kunshi Bilan had begun to worry that he might be exposed. Meanwhile, Kirigakure wanted him to infiltrate Konoha and obtain even more information, but Kunshi Bilan naturally refused. So Kirigakure decided to go all the way and secretly expose him as a spy. With no choice but to flee Kusagakure and become a missing-nin, Kunshi Bilan had no option but to continue working with Kirigakure.

"What a brilliant win-win plan," a chilling voice suddenly said.

"Who's there?" Kunshi Bilan and Hoshigaki Muyin both turned around instinctively.

"Hehehehe." Beside a wardrobe, Orochimaru gradually materialized.

"He's this close, and I couldn't sense his chakra. Terrifying." Hoshigaki Muyin took the cigarette from his mouth, tossed it to the ground, and ground it out beneath his foot.

"Kunshi Bilan, I didn't expect you to be working with the Mist Ninja, secretly gathering intelligence on Konoha." Orochimaru's face held a playful expression. "Looks like this mission won't be so simple."