Target: Land of Water

On the sea.

Two figures raced across the water's surface, heading swiftly toward the Land of Water.

"Chief, what's the rush? Taking a boat would've been so much more comfortable."

"This seawater's made my hair stick together."

Akabane had never looked so bedraggled. His soaked black hair had been clumped into rough, stiff strands by the sea salt, like dried grass.

Even his flowing red highlights were now plastered flat against his scalp.

Every jolt from running only tangled his hair even tighter.

The seawater splashed onto his skin was quickly stripped away by the sea wind and high salt content, leaving what felt like an invisible crust of salt clinging to him.

Running across the constantly heaving ocean, with no point of support, demanded extremely precise chakra control. He had to remain intensely focused; a single lapse could send him into the water.

No wonder Akabane was complaining.

Shien reached back and knocked Akabane on the head. "What are you complaining about? Do you think we came out here to play?"

"The sooner we get to Hidden Mist and find them, the sooner we can go home."

Now that he was clan chief, he had to stockpile more talented people for the clan to deal with the rice-carrying years, the Fourth Shinobi War, and the alien invasion to come.

If he lacked the strength, then naturally he had to lie low. But if this trip paid off big, the first thing he would do upon returning was deal with that dead bastard Danzo!

"Does Hidden Mist really have that many promising talents?" Akabane asked skeptically.

Shien gave a grunt.

"Hidden Mist is a land rich in talent too. Unfortunately, something went wrong with Yagura Karatachi. Those elites either died or fled. If we get there early enough, we'll definitely gain something."

Shien found it amusing just thinking about it.

The Hozuki Clan, Water Clan, and Kaguya Clan all died out, were wiped out, or fled during this period.

In the end, Hidden Mist became a village of nobodies, worse even than Hidden Sand.

If Zabuza had lived and become Mizukage, he would've been better than trash like Chojuro.

After all, Zabuza had punched the Nine-Tails jinchuriki and kicked around Indra's reincarnation, fighting the Sixth Hokage from one end of the bridge to the other.

By himself, he had redefined the industry standard for "Hidden Mist rogue ninja."

The standard equipment was the Executioner's Blade, and the required sidekick was a pretty young man with a Kekkei Genkai.

At that thought, Shien's eyes lit up.

I want to see just how beautiful Haku really is!

Looking at the faint outline at the far end of the sea, he said, "We're almost there."

In the dense forest leading to the coast of the Land of Water.

A fierce battle was underway.

More precisely, a group of masked Hidden Mist ninja was hunting down three people—two men and a woman.

"Hiramekarei Release!"

A white-haired youth with a defiant look on his face roared.

The two circular holes in the strange weapon he held released gas, and the entire weapon began to glow. A mass of condensed chakra blasted outward.

Boom!

The ground shook violently as three Hidden Mist ninja screamed and were flung backward.

"Don't get close! They're low on chakra and won't last long! Harass them from range!"

"Yes!"

The remaining Hidden Mist ninja took out kunai with explosive tags attached and hurled them at Mangetsu Hozuki.

Mangetsu could have dodged, but there were two burdens behind him.

His younger brother, Suigetsu Hozuki, and a brownish-red-haired girl who was coughing up blood.

"Damn it!" Mangetsu swung Hiramekarei, intercepting every explosive-tag kunai in midair.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Although Mangetsu blocked every attack amid the violent explosions.

The chakra consumption was enormous.

"Big Brother Mangetsu... take Suigetsu... and leave first!"

The girl braced herself on two strange long blades shaped like hooked sickles. Her breathing rasped like a bellows, and bloody foam stained the corners of her mouth.

"Shut up! Save your strength! Worst case, we die here!"

Mangetsu roared without looking back, smashing aside two more explosive-tag kunai with Hiramekarei.

Watching Mangetsu shield her with his body, light flickered in the girl's eyes.

She coughed and spat out another mouthful of blood before speaking to seven-year-old Suigetsu beside her.

"Suigetsu, don't be afraid. Help too. Use your water gun and get them all wet!"

Suigetsu looked at his brother standing in front of him, then at Sister Ameyuri, who was barely hanging on beside him.

Overcoming the fear in his heart, he formed his hands into the shape of a pistol.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A large number of water droplets shot from Suigetsu's hands.

"What the hell is that?"

A Hidden Mist ninja looked at the water splashing onto him and sneered disdainfully.

"Are you trying to have a water fight with me?"

But the captain beside him glanced at Ringo Ameyuri across from them. His expression changed drastically beneath his mask, and he immediately leaped out of the encirclement with two subordinates.

"Lightning Release: Kiba!"

Ringo Ameyuri erupted with electricity, launching a round lightning ball into the air from the Lightning Blade Kiba.

The Hidden Mist ninja who had just been sprayed by little Suigetsu's water gun were instantly struck by lightning radiating from the sphere.

Black smoke rose from their bodies as they collapsed.

"Urgh..." Ringo Ameyuri had drained the last of her chakra again.

She spat out a mouthful of blood and fell flat on her back.

Although she had taken out seven Hidden Mist ninja in one blow, there were still six remaining.

"Keep attacking! They're out of chakra!"

The Hidden Mist ninja gave a low shout and charged Mangetsu again.

Two of them attacked from the left and right, striking Hiramekarei.

The tremendous force drove Mangetsu back repeatedly. Then, someone from the side swung a blade at Mangetsu's hand.

"Ameyuri!" Mangetsu could no longer hold onto Hiramekarei.

Mangetsu instantly liquefied, pulling free both hands.

"Water Gun Technique!!"

Bang!

With his hand shaped like a pistol, he fired a bullet-like stream of liquid from his fingertip, instantly piercing the person before him.

But the opponent turned into a puddle of water in an instant and fell to the ground.

A ring of water rose and spun from the ground, trapping Mangetsu within it.

Water Release: Water Prison Technique!

Damn it! This might be it!

He watched helplessly as his younger brother and comrade were about to die here, unable to stop himself from roaring, "You traitors! Lord Mizukage won't spare you once he returns!"

The Hidden Mist captain pursuing them gave a scornful laugh. "Hmph, Yagura Karatachi became a puppet long ago, and you're still counting on him?"

As he spoke, he waved a hand at his four remaining teammates.

"Kill Ringo Ameyuri and Suigetsu. Then immediately take the Lightning Blade and Hiramekarei back to report."

"Yes!"

The Hidden Mist ninja sprang toward the two of them.

At that critical moment, a fireball crashed down from the sky with a boom.

It struck the ground directly in front of the Hidden Mist ninja.

The Hidden Mist ninja staggered back several steps. Then, someone wielding twin flaming blades flashed past from behind them.

Even the flames in the surrounding air seemed to have been ignited.

Slash!

Slash!

Two bloodlines instantly appeared across the necks of two Hidden Mist ninja.

Akabane flicked the twin blades in his hands and said to the two remaining Hidden Mist ninja, "Don't worry. I'll send you off in the most magnificent way possible."

"Who are you?!" The Hidden Mist captain was still maintaining the Water Prison Technique on Mangetsu, and he was both shocked and enraged.

"Of course, I'm the one here to kill you." A voice sounded beside his ear.

The Hidden Mist captain felt incomparable terror. He turned around and saw only a pair of blood-red eyes. Then his vision went dark, and he knew nothing more.