Naruto Uzumaki

"I understand."

Kazan accepted the mission in Rōran.

He planned to see whether he could turn the Forest of Death into the Shinobi World's Fourth Sacred Land.

"Going out on another mission?"

"Yeah. Something urgent came up."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Pretty dangerous. For them, since they'll be facing me."

Kazan thought for a moment before answering in all seriousness.

His straight-faced reply made Kurenai laugh.

It was true. There were hardly any places in the Shinobi World Kazan couldn't go.

She had let worry get the better of her.

"Then come back soon. I'll wait for you in the village."

As soon as she said it, the exchange felt strangely familiar.

Oh, right.

Whenever her father left the village on a mission, her mother said much the same thing.

Her cheeks suddenly flushed. Fighting her embarrassment, she straightened his collar.

"Be careful. And don't go running off to other villages again."

"Got it. I'll be off, then."

Kazan walked to the edge of Hokage Rock and launched himself into the air.

Boom!

A massive sonic boom rang across Konoha as Kazan broke through the Barrier and sped toward Rōran.

He flew so fast that he crossed into the Land of Wind in less than a day.

"Nothing but desert as far as the eye can see."

No wonder Rasa and the others had spent their lives trying to escape the desert.

Resources here were scarce. If Konoha hadn't remained vigilant, the Sand Shinobi would probably have swallowed the Land of Rivers long ago.

One-Tail should still be in the Land of Wind. Should I take him down while I'm here?

He was thinking about the Hidden Achievement tied to the Nine Tailed Beasts.

He had either beaten Two-Tails, Three-Tails, Four-Tails, and Five-Tails senseless or killed them. That left One-Tail, Six-Tails,