Sarutobi sat upright behind his desk, brows furrowed as he stared at the stack of intelligence reports rushed in from the border. He was so troubled he felt his head might burst.
The reports laid out on the desk said that a large number of unidentified shinobi had appeared along the Land of Fire's border, wandering around the area.
Thinking back to the Nine-Tails' rampage two days earlier, Sarutobi had acted decisively and pushed the Nine-Tails out of the village in time. Even so, the village had suffered considerable damage.
Konoha was now in the midst of rebuilding, and both manpower and supplies were stretched thin. They simply couldn't spare any more shinobi to conduct an in-depth investigation at the border.
Just as Sarutobi was fretting and racking his brains for a solution, a sudden BANG! rang out as someone flung open the Hokage's heavy office door.
Sarutobi started in surprise and instinctively rose to his feet. He looked up to see someone striding into the room.
It was Shi Xiu. He strode in with his head held high, radiating an invisible pressure.
Seeing him, Sarutobi hurried forward without delay, his face full of reverence. "Lord Shi Xiu!"
Shi Xiu gave a slight nod, his gaze naturally falling on the report lying on Sarutobi's desk.
He merely glanced at it, his expression still as calm as water, as though the crisis before him were of no importance.
Then Shi Xiu spoke in a casual tone. "Monkey, looks like some people can't hold back anymore. They're starting to stir."
Sarutobi felt a surge of joy at those words, but he still did his best to contain his excitement. In a hesitant, uncertain tone, he asked,
"Lord Shi Xiu, could it be... that you're planning to go to the border yourself?"
Shi Xiu lifted his head and looked Sarutobi straight in the eye, the corners of his mouth curving into a barely perceptible smile.
Then Shi Xiu chuckled, his voice clear and bright. He answered with an easygoing air,
"That's right. I'm planning to take a trip to the border. It's been a long time since I've stretched my legs. But I'll need to bring a few people along."
Sarutobi looked a little troubled at that and slowly replied,
"Lord Shi Xiu, it really is difficult for me to spare many people right now. As you know, the village has been busy with all kinds of matters lately, and many shinobi are already assigned to missions."
Shi Xiu turned to Sarutobi, the corners of his mouth lifting in an exasperated smile. He shook his head lightly and said,
"Monkey, cut the act. I didn't say I needed a lot of people. Just call Kakashi over."
After speaking, Shi Xiu lowered his head slightly, as if considering something. After a brief pause, he added, "Oh, and Nara Luling, too. Just those two will do."
Hearing Shi Xiu's request, Sarutobi deliberately put on a deeply troubled expression. He furrowed his brow and fell into brief thought.
After a while, he nodded in agreement. "All right, Lord Shi Xiu. If that's your decision, I'll call them over right away."
As he spoke, Sarutobi summoned an Anbu member and quietly gave him a few instructions.
Before long, two Anbu wearing cat masks swiftly entered the room.
Sarutobi looked up at the two of them and said gravely, "Kakashi, Nara Luling, I have an important mission for you. You'll accompany Lord Shi Xiu to the border of the Land of Fire and stop a mysterious unit of shinobi. This is an S-rank mission. You must obey Lord Shi Xiu's orders!"
Kakashi was a little surprised by the assignment. He turned to look at Shi Xiu standing nearby, confusion showing in his eyes.
Nara Luling was even more astonished. She thought to herself, An S-rank mission, and they're only sending the three of us? What's going on...?
However, Kakashi and Nara Luling only exchanged a glance. Neither of them said anything more.
Just then, Shi Xiu reached out without hesitation and placed one hand on each of their shoulders.
Kakashi and Nara Luling immediately grew suspicious. They turned around in unison and stared straight at Shi Xiu.
"Flying Thunder God!"
In an instant, before Kakashi and Nara Luling could even react, the scenery before their eyes blurred.
In the blink of an eye, their vision cleared, and the three of them were standing in a dense forest.
Nara Luling looked astonished as she quickly surveyed the unfamiliar, lush surroundings, marveling inwardly.
Kakashi, by contrast, stood frozen as if under a paralysis spell, staring blankly at Shi Xiu. His expression beneath the mask had stiffened.
It took Nara Luling quite a while to recover from her initial shock.
She widened her eyes and studied the surrounding forest in disbelief, then asked Shi Xiu hesitantly,
"Lord Shi Xiu, have we... already reached the border of the Land of Fire?"
Shi Xiu gave a slight nod to confirm it.
But just then, Kakashi, who had remained silent until now, could no longer suppress his shock and confusion.
Kakashi furrowed his brows, a hint of accusation in his eyes. He blurted out to Shi Xiu, "How can you use the Flying Thunder God Technique?!"
Shi Xiu slowly turned around. His gaze was as still as a cold pool, yet that calm look made Kakashi feel as if he'd fallen into an icy abyss.
In that instant, Kakashi felt as if a ferocious beast had locked onto him. The fear and trembling that rose from deep within his soul made his body shake uncontrollably.
Terrified, Kakashi's legs gave way. He stumbled and fell straight down onto the ground.
Shi Xiu merely glanced at Kakashi, making no further move.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he said in a casual tone, "You'll find out soon enough." Then he turned away and continued forward.
But after only two steps, Shi Xiu suddenly stopped.
He turned his head slightly and looked at the two behind him. "Take off your masks."
At those words, Kakashi froze slightly, hesitation rising within him.
For an Anbu member, a mask was a way to conceal his identity. Taking it off in front of someone else left him feeling rather reluctant.
By contrast, Nara Luling stood calmly and confidently beside him.
She raised a hand and removed her mask without the slightest hesitation.
After all, before setting out on this mission, Nara Luling had a vague feeling that, unless something unexpected happened, she probably wouldn't get the chance to show her face in public.
Besides, before they left, the Third Hokage had specifically instructed her to obey Lord Shi Xiu's orders no matter what.
So Nara Luling didn't hesitate at all. She swiftly reached up and took off her mask. In that instant, time itself seemed to stand still.
As the mask came off, a face of stunning beauty was revealed.
Nara Luling's skin was as pale as fresh winter snow, smooth and flawless. Her eyes were like black jewels set against the depths of the night sky, shining with a brilliant light that drew people in. Her delicate nose tilted up slightly, giving her an adorable, playful air. And the beauty mark beside her red lips was the perfect finishing touch, adding a hint of alluring charm. Her appearance was the very pinnacle of innocent sensuality.
Seeing this, a trace of barely perceptible admiration flashed through Shi Xiu's eyes. It vanished in an instant, hidden away with great care.
At the same time, Kakashi, who had remained silent, saw Shi Xiu's reaction and quietly took off his own mask. His stern face, paired with the jagged scar over his left eye, gave him a distinctive handsomeness and charm.
However, when Kakashi noticed Shi Xiu looking at his face covering with curiosity, he spoke at once, his tone firm and unyielding. "I won't take off my mask!"