Two days later, at dawn, the Sunagakure was shrouded in a light blue mist. Shira, Maki, Shūji, and Ishikawa gathered on time.
Everyone changed into thick, gray-white windproof jackets and carried bulging backpacks filled with special equipment for snow operations.
Shira's forehead was smooth, and the brand-new Sunagakure Jonin Forehead Protector was neatly tied behind her right waist, close to her ninja tool pouch.
This is his preferred position, one that won't wobble or get in the way during vigorous activity, yet he can still reach it at any time.
"Set off."
With Shira's concise command, four figures, facing the rising sun, swiftly sped out of the village and disappeared into the desolate Gobi Desert in the northeast of the Land of Wind.
The journey will not be described in detail. A few days later, when the salty smell of the sea breeze replaced the dryness of the sand, and when the horizon was replaced by the boundless blue, the chaotic yet vibrant hustle and bustle of Sea Roar Port came rushing in.
Beside the pier, the three-masted sailing ship known as the " Northern Merchant " was making its final preparations for departure.
Sailors shouted as they moved cargo, and seagulls circled and cried among the masts. Near the gangplank, a small group of people stood out.
The first thing that catches the eye is a head of brilliant blond hair and an orange jacket— Naruto Uzumaki is impatiently pacing in place, muttering something under his breath.
Standing next to him was Sakura Haruno, with short pink hair, helplessly rubbing her forehead.
Wearing a dark blue stand-up collar jacket and with his hands in his pockets, Sasuke Uchiha leaned against a pile of wooden crates, resting with his eyes closed, but the slight tilt of his ear showed that he was not actually asleep.
The one with silver hair, wearing a mask, leaning against the mooring post as if he had no bones, and holding a small orange book in his hand, was naturally Kakashi Hatake.
A little further away stood several well-dressed people who seemed somewhat out of place with their surroundings. One of them, an elderly man who looked like a steward, had a respectful yet worried expression; he was Asama Sandayu.
Standing beside him was a tall woman with an extraordinary air about her. Although she had covered most of her face, her outstanding temperament was still palpable— Fujikaze Yukie, or rather, Kazahana Koyuki.
As Shira and her group approached, Kakashi finally shifted his gaze from " Icha Icha Paradise," his exposed right eye lazily glancing over, lingering on Shira for a moment longer as it swept over Shira group.
I feel like I've seen this person somewhere before.
Naruto also saw Shira and the others. He blinked his bright blue eyes in confusion, thinking the boy walking in front looked familiar. Then, his gaze suddenly fixed on Shira's back—something about that Forehead Protector looked off.
"Hey! Wait! You, you are..." Naruto pointed at Shira, his eyes wide and mouth agape, desperately digging into his memory, "You're Shira from Sunagakure!! Ah! Shira, I've missed you so much! Waaaaaah..."
Shira stopped and smiled at Naruto, nodding. "Long time no see, Naruto."
Naruto suddenly jumped over, circled around Shira as if checking out some rare animal, then stared intently at the Forehead Protector on his waist, his finger trembling as he pointed, "Speaking of which, that Forehead Protector! Are you Jonin?! No way, it's only been a few years, how did you become Jonin?! Are you kidding me?!"
His loud voice instantly attracted everyone's attention. Sakura Haruno also looked over curiously, her gaze falling on Shira's young yet angular face, then at the Forehead Protector that clearly indicated her Jonin status. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she subconsciously smoothed her hair, muttering softly, "Really? Such a young Jonin. And he's quite handsome too..."
Sasuke was leaning against the wooden box, also opened his eyes, his dark eyes calmly looking at Shira. He didn't speak, but his gaze lingered on Shira for a longer time than he would when looking at a stranger.
He could sense that the aura emanating from this Sunagakure boy, whom he had met briefly in Konoha a few years ago, Genin of the genin who had been diligently training back then.
It was a calm and reserved aura, yet it subtly exuded a sense of weight and solidity, especially the Forehead Protector at the waist, which silently proclaimed the leap in strength and status.
Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly as he suppressed his urge to spar with his opponent.
"Oh dear..."
Kakashi finally closed his little yellow book, slowly Earth Flow over, scratched his messy silver hair, and his right eye curved into a crescent moon. "You're Shira? What a surprising reunion."
"If I remember correctly, this isn't the first time we've met, is it? The last time was in a small border town in the Land of Rivers. It's only been a few years, and you're already Jonin?"
Kakashi's tone sounded lazy, but there was no sleepiness in his eyes, only observation and contemplation.
Guy had indeed been talking to him a lot for a while about how hard " Shira of the Sunagakure " was working and how she was a formidable rival to "Youth" in the future, but Kakashi never expected that the growth rate of this "Youth rival" would be so exaggerated.
Shira bowed slightly to Kakashi, her attitude polite yet neither servile nor arrogant. " Kakashi, Jonin, it's been a long time. I've only made some progress, by chance."
He then introduced his teammates, "These are my companions: Chunin Sunagakure, Maki, Shūji, and Ishikawa. We are here on the orders of the Lord Kazekage to assist you in this escort mission."
"Thank you for your hard work, everyone from Sunagakure."
Kakashi waved his hand in return, and then briefly introduced his side, "You should already know the situation. This is Mr. Asama Sandayu, the client, and this is Ms. Fujikaze Yukie. Now that everyone's here, shall we prepare to board the ship? The sooner we set off, the sooner we'll arrive in the Land of Snow."
"Thank you for your trouble, esteemed ninjas." Asama Sandayu stepped forward and bowed respectfully, his gaze lingering for a moment on the Jonin Forehead Protector at Shira's waist, his worry seemingly lessening slightly—an extra Jonin always provides an extra layer of protection.
Although the Sunagakure Sunagakure's Jonin looked a bit too young, there must be a reason why he could become Jonin at his age, which actually lessened his worries a little.
Fujikaze Yukie merely raised her eyes slightly, her gaze seemingly sweeping quickly over the four members of Sunagakure, pausing briefly on Shira before lowering them again and softly humming in agreement.
"Great! I've run into you again, Shira! Although we were training in Konoha last time!"
Naruto, already acting like a familiar friend, patted Shira on the shoulder, his face beaming with excitement, completely forgetting his earlier shock and only feeling the joy of meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land. "This time, we'll definitely be fine together! By the way, have you gotten any stronger lately? How did you become Jonin? Tell me!"
" Naruto! Don't Jonin trouble for Shira!" Sakura couldn't help but speak up to stop him, her face slightly flushed.
Sasuke had already turned around and was walking towards the springboard first, leaving behind a nonchalant comment. "Idiot Naruto, so noisy."
Kakashi sighed, gave Shira a "please bear with me" look, and then called to the clients, "Mr. Sandayu, Ms. Yukie, please board the ship. We should set off."
The group boarded the " Northern Merchant " one after another. The ship slowly left the port and sailed towards the vast northern sea.
The sea breeze is picking up, and the temperature is starting to drop noticeably.
The teams from Sunagakure and Konoha, along with the client's group, officially reunited on the ship sailing towards the icy land.
A new journey, accompanied by howling sea winds and unknown challenges, has begun.