"Haaah..."
Yagura let out a long yawn.
It was already his eighth one since they set off. They had only been on the road for an hour.
Ringo Ameyuri and Mukumo exchanged puzzled glances.
They had noticed earlier in the morning—the heavy dark circles under Yagura's eyes were impossible to miss.
Mukumo asked with concern, "Didn't sleep well last night?"
"Mmm. Yeah."
Yagura rubbed his eyes, trying to chase away the lingering fatigue. He forced a smile.
"Had a nightmare. Woke up in a cold sweat and couldn't sleep after that."
Ringo Ameyuri clicked her tongue in amusement. "A nightmare that actually scared you? That's a first."
The Yagura she knew feared nothing. A little demon, always charging forward without hesitation.
"Well..."
Yagura's gaze flickered toward Jinin ahead of them. His expression darkened slightly.
"I dreamed of someone chopping off my head with an axe."
Ringo Ameyuri & Mukumo: "???"
They instantly caught onto the implied accusation but didn't dare bring it up in front of Jinin Akebino. Instead, they quietly kept their speculations to themselves.
What exactly had happened last night while they were asleep?
Did Jinin Akebino give Yagura trouble?
"Enough! Stop pretending!"
Jinin Akebino, ever straightforward, turned back and snapped at the two mischievous brats.
Receiving the scolding, they grinned obediently and said nothing.
They knew nothing, absolutely nothing~
With the mission completed and still a month before the Chunin Exams in Konoha, there was no rush.
Their pace was far more leisurely now, a stark contrast to their initial departure. They walked when they felt like it, rested when they wanted, and when night fell, they would find a nearby town and stay in an inn.
Rather than looking like shinobi on an important mission to bring glory to their village, they seemed more like a group on an all-expenses-paid vacation.
Of course, Yagura, Ringo Ameyuri, and Mukumo all deeply suspected that Jinin simply wanted to find more places to buy alcohol.
Not that they minded. This relaxed pace meant Yagura had time to teach Ringo Ameyuri Lightning Release techniques.
"You need to focus your chakra into every muscle and blood vessel in your legs, then convert it into Lightning Release chakra. Don't use too much at first—just a little. Then, Bang! Your speed will increase instantly."
What the hell does that even mean?!
Ringo Ameyuri groaned in frustration. "What do you mean 'Bang!'? Are my legs supposed to explode?!"
"Something like that. But try not to actually explode."
"...Thanks for the warning."
Famous shinobi and geniuses in the world of shinobi always end up with titles.
Word of Ringo Ameyuri's talent in Lightning Release had already started to spread within her circles.
After observing her fundamentals, Yagura was convinced that the title was well-deserved.
Her ability to manipulate the nature transformation of Lightning Release was exceptionally strong.
To put it simply, if Yagura's mastery of Water Release was at an EX level and his Lightning Release was at A, then Ringo Ameyuri's mastery of Lightning Release was A+.
Since she had both talent and motivation, the rest was easy.
A willing teacher and an eager student—her progress was astonishingly fast.
Naturally, this was due to my excellent teaching skills. (Hands on hips, feeling proud.)
Yagura even explained the principles behind Chidori and Raikiri to her, but after careful consideration, Ringo Ameyuri decided they weren't suitable for her.
After all, she fought with twin swords. She didn't have a free hand to use Chidori.
Well... fair enough.
But she did say she might give Chidori Stream a try when she had time.
...
Before long, a response arrived from Kirigakure regarding the S-rank mission.
It contained a letter personally written by the Third Mizukage.
The letter started with a wave of praise for their strength—after all, they had successfully completed an S-rank mission. Then it went on about how he expected great things from them in the Chunin Exams, blah blah blah.
However...
There was not a single mention of Yagura letting Pakura escape.
Not. A. Single. Word.
It was as if the Third Mizukage was completely unaware that it had ever happened.
Mukumo and Ringo Ameyuri were baffled. They had worried about this for days, only for it to turn out like this?!
Meanwhile, Yagura gave a tight-lipped smile and didn't explain.
Pakura had already fled, while he was still alive and the designated Fourth Mizukage candidate.
Of course, the Third Mizukage knew which was more important.
Even Jinin figured it out afterward—how could the cunning old fox that was the Third Mizukage not understand?
In fact, Yagura had come to another realization in recent days.
The Third Mizukage was giving him an extraordinary degree of freedom.
The Anbu that had been tailing them never pursued Pakura, respecting the decision of their future Fourth Mizukage.
This newfound understanding made Yagura see the old man in a different light.
Putting everything else aside—at least this time, the Third Mizukage had treated him well.
...
After lingering in the Land of Water for several days, the group finally left its shores, boarding a ship bound for the Land of Fire.
Sure, shinobi could run across water, but there was no need to go that far.
Among the Five Great Nations, the Land of Water was the only one that was an island nation.
It had the smallest landmass but the largest maritime territory.
Between the Land of Water and the Land of Fire lay an open sea, not just a river.
So, they obediently took a ship.
Fortunately, it wasn't some tiny wooden rowboat or a wind-powered sailboat. Instead, the Land of Water's only open port offered motorized vessels.
The bizarre technology tree of the shinobi world never ceased to amaze.
...
The ship didn't travel directly to the Land of Fire.
Neither country had open ports directly connecting them.
Between the two nations lay countless tiny island nations.
Small populations, small territories—landowners simply claimed islands and declared themselves kings.
Most of these so-called "countries" were too poor to be worth conquering. Both the Land of Water and the Land of Fire ignored them, allowing them to exist.
Near the Land of Fire, was the only such nation with an officially recognized port open to both sides.
After an overnight journey, the ship reached the port the next morning.
The weather was exceptionally clear. Sunlight streamed down in a way that was almost blinding.
Yagura was the first to step off the ship.
He squinted against the dazzling sunlight, raising a hand to shield his eyes. This was something he had never experienced back in the Land of Water.
Port workers directed passengers out of the harbor.
The port wasn't particularly large. A few steps took them past the main gate.
Beyond it, street vendors lined the roads, and shipyards and repair docks were scattered around the area.
Yagura glanced around, taking in the surroundings. "So, what's our next move?"
Jinin answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What else?"
The grin on his face was anything but kind, and the three Genin all felt an impending sense of doom.
No need for explanations. They already knew.
Just like how Team Kakashi had once sprinted from the Land of Fire to the Land of Wind—
A shinobi is one who endures everything.
So quit standing around—
Start running.
...
Sunagakure
After days of arduous travel, a severely wounded Pakura finally made it home.
To prevent panic among the villagers, she was secretly escorted by Sunagakure shinobi upon receiving orders from the higher-ups.
She was immediately taken to the village's top-tier medical facility—
Sunagakure's finest hospital, where she received priority, state-of-the-art treatment.
The Third Kazekage was informed the moment she returned.
Once her treatment was complete, he made time to visit her personally.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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