I Will Not Remove My Mask

Sarutobi sat at his desk, his brows locked in a tight frown as he stared at the stack of urgent intelligence reports from the border. His heart was heavy with frustration, and he felt as if his head were about to burst.

The unfolded pages detailed a large group of unidentified foreign ninja wandering and lingering along the borders of the Land of Fire.

Recalling the Nine-Tails' rampage from two days prior, Sarutobi had acted decisively to force the beast out of the village, yet Konoha had still suffered varying degrees of severe damage and destruction.

Now, with Konoha in the midst of rebuilding, both manpower and resources were stretched thin, making it impossible to spare more ninja to conduct an in-depth investigation at the border.

Just as Sarutobi was filled with anxiety, racking his brain for a solution, a loud "bang" echoed through the room as the heavy door to the Hokage's office was shoved open.

Sarutobi jumped in shock, instinctively standing up as he looked toward the entrance, where a figure strode into the room with long, confident strides.

It was Shi Xiu, walking with his head held high, an invisible pressure radiating from his entire being.

Seeing this, Sarutobi dared not be negligent. He hurried forward, his face full of awe, and spoke respectfully, "My Lord Shi Xiu!"

Shi Xiu gave a slight nod, his gaze falling upon the intelligence report on Sarutobi's desk.

He cast only a fleeting glance at it, his expression remaining as calm as water, as if the crisis before them were not worth mentioning at all.

Then, Shi Xiu spoke slowly, his tone casual, "Monkey, it seems some people can no longer hold back and have started to stir."

Hearing this, a surge of wild joy rose in Sarutobi's heart, but he managed to suppress his excitement, asking with a hint of hesitation and uncertainty.

"My Lord Shi Xiu, could it be... that you intend to head to the border yourself?"

Shi Xiu looked up, meeting Sarutobi's gaze directly, the corners of his mouth curling into an imperceptible smile.

He chuckled twice, the sound crisp and clear, and replied with an air of ease.

"That's right, I do intend to take a trip to the border; it's been a long time since I've stretched my legs. However, I will need to take a few people with me."

Upon hearing this, a look of difficulty appeared on Sarutobi's face as he spoke slowly.

"My Lord Shi Xiu, it is truly difficult for me to spare much manpower right now. As you know, the village is currently swamped with various affairs, and many of our ninja are already on assignment."

Hearing this, Shi Xiu turned his gaze toward Sarutobi, a look of speechlessness crossing his face as he shook his head slightly and said.

"Stop the act, Monkey. I didn't say I needed many people; just have Kakashi brought to me."

After saying this, Shi Xiu lowered his head slightly, as if lost in thought. After a brief pause, he added, "Oh, and add Nara Luling to that. Just the two of them will do."

Sarutobi, having heard Shi Xiu's request, feigned a look of great difficulty, his brows furrowing as he fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

After a while, he nodded in agreement. "Very well, My Lord Shi Xiu. Since that is your decision, I shall have them brought here at once."

With that, Sarutobi immediately summoned an Anbu member and whispered a few instructions.

Before long, two Anbu figures wearing cat masks flashed into the room.

Sarutobi looked toward them and said in a deep voice, "Kakashi, Nara Luling, there is an important mission for you both. You are to accompany My Lord Shi Xiu to the border of the Land of Fire to intercept a mysterious unit of ninja. This is an S-rank mission; you must obey My Lord Shi Xiu's orders!"

Kakashi was taken aback by the mission assignment. He turned to look at Shi Xiu standing to the side, a trace of confusion in his eyes.

Nara Luling was even more astonished, thinking to herself, An S-rank mission, and they're only sending the three of us? What is going on...

However, after exchanging a glance, Kakashi and Nara Luling tacitly said nothing more.

At that moment, Shi Xiu reached out without hesitation and placed his hands on the shoulders of Kakashi and Nara Luling.

Both Kakashi and Nara Luling felt a surge of doubt and turned their heads in unison, their gazes fixed firmly on Shi Xiu.

"Flying Thunder God!"

In an instant, before Kakashi and Nara Luling could even react, they felt the scenery before them blur into nothingness.

In the blink of an eye, as their vision cleared, the three of them were already standing in the middle of a dense forest.

Nara Luling was stunned, quickly scanning the unfamiliar and lush surroundings, her heart filled with silent amazement.

In contrast, Kakashi stood as if frozen by a binding spell, staring blankly at Shi Xiu, his expression solidified beneath his mask.

After a long while, Nara Luling finally recovered from her initial shock.

She widened her eyes, surveying the surrounding forest in disbelief, and then asked Shi Xiu with a hint of hesitation.

"My Lord Shi Xiu, could it be... that we have already arrived at the border of the Land of Fire?"

Shi Xiu nodded slightly in confirmation.

But at this moment, the silent Kakashi could no longer suppress his confusion and shock.

With his brows tightly knit and his eyes filled with a questioning intensity, Kakashi blurted out to Shi Xiu, "How are you able to use the Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Shi Xiu turned around slowly, his gaze as calm and waveless as a cold pool, yet that very calmness caused Kakashi to feel as if he had plunged into an icy abyss.

In that instant, Kakashi felt as if he had been locked onto by a ferocious beast; the fear and trembling originating from the depths of his soul caused his body to shake uncontrollably.

Terrified and with his legs turning to jelly, Kakashi stumbled and sat hard on the ground.

However, Shi Xiu merely glanced at him indifferently, making no further move.

The corners of Shi Xiu's mouth curled slightly as he said in a casual tone, "You will know soon enough." With that, he turned and continued to walk forward.

But after taking only two steps, Shi Xiu stopped again.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on the two behind him, and said, "Take off your masks."

Hearing this, Kakashi froze for a moment, a wave of hesitation washing over him.

For members of the Anbu, their masks were tools used to conceal their identities; having to remove one in front of others at this moment truly made him feel somewhat conflicted.

In contrast, Nara Luling, standing to the side, appeared quite composed and generous.

She gently raised her hand and removed the mask from her face without a moment's hesitation.

After all, before embarking on this mission, Nara Luling had a vague premonition—if nothing went wrong, she likely wouldn't have many opportunities to reveal her face in public.

Furthermore, before their departure, the Third Hokage had specifically instructed her that she must obey the orders of Lord Shi Xiu no matter what.

Therefore, Nara Luling did not hesitate in the slightest, reaching up to remove her mask with lightning speed. In that very instant, it was as if time itself had come to a standstill.

As the mask was removed, a breathtaking face was revealed to everyone present.

Nara Luling's skin was as fair as the first snow of winter, delicate and flawless; her eyes were like obsidian in the deep night sky, shimmering with a bright and brilliant luster that made one unable to pull themselves away; her petite, exquisite nose was slightly upturned, giving her an incredibly playful and adorable appearance; and the tear mole near her crimson lips was the finishing touch, adding a hint of subtle, alluring charm. Such a face could truly be called the pinnacle of pure, captivating beauty.

Standing to the side, Shi Xiu witnessed this scene, and a flicker of imperceptible astonishment couldn't help but flash through his eyes, though it vanished in an instant, well-hidden by him.

At the same time, Kakashi, who had remained silent throughout, saw Shi Xiu's reaction and also silently removed his own mask. His cold, stern face, paired with the jagged scar over his left eye, exuded a unique sense of handsomeness and charm.

However, when Kakashi noticed Shi Xiu casting a curious gaze toward his face mask, he spoke up without hesitation, his tone firm and decisive: "I will not remove my mask!" The statement was exceptionally resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.