Just as the team was traversing a severely weathered yardang landform and entering a relatively flat Gobi Desert, an unexpected change occurred!
In the previously empty, scorching air, the light suddenly rippled and distorted violently, like waves on water!
Immediately afterwards, a figure appeared out of nowhere, as if stepping out from behind a transparent curtain, and suddenly appeared about fifty paces in front of the group, blocking their way.
It was a woman. She was tall and slender, wearing a long, wide-sleeved dress that seemed out of place in the desert environment, as if it were woven from some kind of pale blue flowing clouds. The hem and cuffs of the dress fluttered slightly in the heat, yet not a speck of sand touched her.
Her face was covered by a light veil of the same material, embroidered with strange silver patterns, revealing only her eyes. Those eyes were not the dark color commonly seen in Sunagakure, but a translucent light amber color, as if containing wind and sand. Her gaze was calm and still, yet it carried a sense of indifference and detachment, as if looking down upon someone.
She walked barefoot on the scorching sand, seemingly oblivious to the heat.
She stood there quietly, as if she had existed in this Gobi Desert since time immemorial, blending into the surrounding environment in a strange yet harmonious way.
The Sunagakure team instantly went on high alert! Everyone who could still fight stopped immediately, quickly spread out, shielding the wounded in the middle, drew their weapons, grabbed their ninja tools, and pointed them at the uninvited guest with hostility and vigilance.
Baki, Ryoma, and Iwa immediately stepped forward, forming a triangular formation that subtly surrounded the woman, their Chakra ready to be unleashed.
The timing and manner of their appearance were too bizarre; they were definitely not benevolent.
"Who goes there?!" Baki demanded coldly, his hand already on the Ninja Blade behind his back.
The woman ignored Baki's questioning, and didn't even linger her gaze Jonin the three Sunagakure. Her gaze passed over the crowd and landed precisely on Shira, who was being protected by Asuka and Sasori on a stretcher.
A subtle, almost imperceptible ripple seemed to flicker in those indifferent amber eyes, as if they had confirmed something.
He stayed.
The woman spoke, her voice clear and melodious, yet carrying an ethereal quality that seemed inhuman and unquestionable, as if stating an established fact.
She raised her hand, her slender index finger, through the veil, faintly touching the unconscious Shira.
"Don't even think about it!" Asuka shouted sharply, standing firmly in front of Shira's stretcher along with Sasori.
Baki's eyes flashed sharply. "Who are you? Why are you blocking my way and demanding my wounded Sunagakure soldiers? If you don't reveal your identity and intentions, don't blame us for being impolite!"
The woman seemed to shake her head slightly, as if she felt a hint of impatience with the Sunagakure Village's reaction. "This is none of your business. I must take this person with me."
"Arrogant!" Iwagami Jonin the most volatile temper, was now even more furious due to his serious injuries and exhaustion. He roared and was about to attack.
However, just as Yan was about to rush out, the sand behind the woman, which had been empty, suddenly bulged slightly, and then several dark figures darted out like lightning!
That's not a person, it's a living creature!
A desert emperor scorpion, nearly two meters long and entirely crimson with a tail hook that gleams with a chilling blue light, is ferocious and terrifying; a Golden-Scaled Sand Snake, its body like flowing gold, its head triangular, hissing and flicking its tongue;
There were also three fist-sized, glossy black Iron-Devouring Sand Ant with sharp mouthparts! These venomous and ferocious insects, feared by anyone in the desert, were now meekly circling behind the woman.
Like the most loyal guards, their cold compound eyes or vertical pupils locked onto the Sunagakure members, exuding a dangerous aura.
What's even more unsettling is that these creatures are faintly surrounded by a pale blue aura, the same color as the woman's dress, clearly indicating that they are not in a natural state.
"Controlling Summoning Beast? Or..." Ryoma's eyes turned serious as he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
The woman said no more, only waving her hand gently.
"Hiss--!" "Sizzle!"
The Emperor Scorpion's tail hook pierced towards the rock like lightning! The Golden-Scaled Sand Snake transformed into a golden light, rushing straight towards Baki's face! The three Iron-Devouring Sand Ant split into three groups, attacking Ryoma and the other Chunin who were still Chunin to fight!
They were incredibly fast, moved at bizarre angles, and carried a strange energy fluctuation that was different from Chakra and caused a slight tingling sensation on the skin!
"Attack!" Baki shouted, instantly unleashing his Wind Release to cleave the Golden-Scaled Sand Snake's attack. However, the sand serpent was incredibly agile, twisting in mid-air and spitting out venom!
Yan roared and punched the Emperor Scorpion, but the scorpion's hard shell and immense force made his arm go numb and his wound reopen.
Ryoma's blade flashed like snow, slashing at an Iron-Devouring Sand Ant. The ant neither dodged nor avoided the blow, taking the hit head-on with a metallic clang. It was only sent flying, leaving a white mark on its carapace before it flipped over and got up again!
Other Sunagakure also fought against these controlled desert creatures, but as soon as they engaged in combat, they felt immense pressure!
These creatures were not only physically strong and fearless, but their attacks also carried a strange energy that could erode Chakra and spirit, leaving the already wounded and Sunagakure Chakra struggling to defend themselves and facing constant danger!
In the blink of an eye, two people were swept by the scorpion's tail gust. Although they were not directly hit, they were still dizzy and staggered backward.
The woman watched the unequal battle silently, her amber eyes deepening with disappointment. She seemed dissatisfied with the performance of these Sunagakure, especially the Jonin.
"Never mind." She seemed to sigh softly, her voice barely audible.
She raised her hand again, this time not with a light wave, but with her five fingers slightly spread towards the area where the Sunagakure members were, and then gently brushed it to her side and behind—towards the Land of Wind.
There were no Hand Seals or incantations.
"Call--!!!!!"
A gust of wind, so large it seemed to appear out of nowhere, rose up from the ground without warning!
This wind was not chaotic, but rather a condensed, tangible blue ribbon that gently yet domineeringly swept up all the Sunagakure, along with their ninja tools, the wounded, and even the sand and stones beneath their feet, except for those near Shira stretcher where Zilu was!
"What?!"
"Careful!"
"Ugh!"
Amid cries of alarm, Baki, Ryoma, Yan, and the others struggled with all their might to steady themselves and fight against the wind, but severely injured and exhausted, their efforts seemed futile in the face of this wind force that seemed to possess the might of heaven and earth.
The gentle yet irresistible wind pushed them forward, like autumn leaves being blown by the wind, rapidly "drifting" towards the heart of the Land of Wind!
" Shira--!!" The Asuka's eyes widened in horror as it stretched out its hand in vain, trying to grab onto something, but was carried further and further away by the gale.
The Sasori roared, shooting out Puppet Strings, but they couldn't even reach the edge of the stretcher.
Reppu stared intently in the direction of the woman and Shira, his eyes filled with blood-red anger and resentment, but he could only watch helplessly as the distance between them rapidly increased.
Baki tried to Hand Seals in the raging wind, but found that his Chakra flow was sluggish and that the surrounding Natural Energy seemed to be controlled by the woman, forming an absolute suppression.
He could only stare intently at that slender figure and the unconscious Shira behind her, imprinting her appearance and abilities deep into his mind.
In just a few breaths, dozens of Sunagakure, along with their wounded and equipment, were blown several miles away by this incredible gale, landing behind a sand dune far from the woman.
The wind dissipated just in time, setting them down safely. Apart from being disheveled and frightened, none of them sustained any new injuries from this "teleportation."
But when they struggled to their feet and rushed to the top of the dune to look out, the distant Gobi Desert was deserted, except for the slowly settling dust.
The woman, the Shira, the stretcher, and the desert creatures—all vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.
There was only the vast Gobi Desert, the scorching sun, and the howling wind carrying the endless shock, anger, bewilderment, and deep sense of powerlessness of the Sunagakure people.
Baki stood atop the sand dune, gazing at the empty space ahead, his face turning incredibly grim for the first time.
He slowly raised his hand, looking at the tiny blue light spots remaining on his fingertips when he had just tried to mobilize his Chakra — Natural Energy with a peculiar mark, manipulated by the other party, was slowly dissipating.
"It's not Chakra, it's Natural Energy?" Ryoma walked to his side, his voice unusually solemn.
Yan slammed his fist into the sand, creating a deep crater, and roared, "Who is that woman?! Where did she take Shira?!"
No one could answer. Only the wind howled, whipping up dust that quickly buried all traces of the battle and the departure.
Asuka slumped onto the sand, staring in the direction where Shira had disappeared, tears finally streaming down her face, mingling with the blood and sand.
Sasori stood silently beside him, holding his broken puppet, his eyes vacant.
Sada lay on the stretcher, closing his eyes in agony.
Reppu slowly walked to Baki's side, his voice hoarse and dry, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. " Jonin Baki, Shira, he..."
Baki withdrew his gaze, the gloom in his eyes replaced by a deep contemplation.
He glanced at the distraught crowd, then looked back at the road ahead—the border that had just witnessed a bloody battle, triggered an unknown energy disturbance, and now saw the appearance of a mysterious powerful figure.
"Let's go back to the village first." Baki's voice returned to its cold tone, but now carried an undeniable decisiveness.
"Classify everything that happened here, especially the information about that woman and Shira being taken away, as top secret and report it directly to Lord Kazekage."
" Reppu, your squad will be under my direct command after returning to the village. No one is to divulge this matter until Lord Kazekage gives clear instructions."
He paused, then looked towards the depths of the Land of Wind, towards the direction of Sunagakure ).
" Shira's situation might not be a bad thing. That woman is very strong, stronger than we can understand. Perhaps there's another reason she took Shira away."
Even he himself couldn't convince himself of this. But now, there was nothing they could do but send the intelligence back as quickly as possible.
The remnants of Sunagakure, bearing even deeper wounds, embarked on their journey home once more.