"Kakashi, does our village often do things like this? Sending people to maintain order in relatively important outposts?"
Bringing order out of chaos isn't easy—it takes a ton of manpower and resources.
"There used to be such practices, but they were never considered common practice. The Land of Fire is simply too large; it requires far too many personnel. As for now..."
Kakashi Hatake said with a bitter smile, "It's already hard enough just to maintain sufficient strength to quell unexpected troubles."
"But Mist is doing exactly this..." Mizuki pointed toward several young ninja nearby. "Even Genin being assigned here is quite unusual."
"Now that I think about it, you're absolutely right—the Fifth Mizukage really is someone with strong capabilities."
Mizuki carefully observed their surroundings. "Whether we've just happened to witness this or whether it was staged for us to see, either way, it's a rather positive sign. And personally, I lean more towards believing it's genuine."
Kakashi Hatake also nodded in agreement. "Therefore, I feel even more confident about this ally. It's definitely good news, Mizuki."
"Hmm."
Looking at Ao, who had already walked ahead, Mizuki quickened his pace.
"Don't keep your master waiting. Hurry up a bit—we might still make it for lunch..."
...
Amidst rolling hills stood numerous steep, vertical rock formations reaching directly into the sky. Surrounded by mountains and shrouded in mist, Mist faintly appeared through the thick fog. When Ao led the Konoha group into Mist, it was almost noon—the time when sunlight should have been brightest. Yet despite this, the midday sun still failed to completely dispel the heavy fog lingering over the village. Wisps of drifting fog resembling rising smoke gave this notoriously feared "blood mist country"—famed for its violent past an indescribable beauty. Such scenery was rarely seen in the Land of Fire, astonishing everyone from Konoha.
"This is Mist—feels totally different from Konoha," Naruto Uzumaki remarked, though his appreciation for landscapes distinct from Konoha wasn't particularly strong.
Leading the way, Ao chuckled. "To us Mist ninja, this is just our usual scenery. For visiting guests, however, it might feel somewhat unfamiliar."
Walking along the path toward Mist's gates, the soft sound of footsteps echoed clearly. A breeze carrying moisture blew gently, swaying branches and leaves beside the road.
"It feels like there are way fewer people here than back in Konoha," Kiba Inuzuka soon shared his observation.
"Well, of course," Ao patiently explained. "Compared to your village, which enjoys uniquely favorable conditions, ours still falls short."
Though it was just a factual statement, you could almost feel the weight of history behind his words.
From watching things over the past couple of days, Mizuki had come to notice something: This Jonin from Mist named Ao seemed, on the surface, to wear traditional formal attire, with a rigid expression and a strict demeanor—an image befitting a respected elder—but in reality, he was about as smooth with people as a brick wall. At times, he spoke without thinking, leaving others feeling uncomfortable.
His rigid way of doing things might have masked his lack of emotional intelligence. At times, his condescending tone rubbed people the wrong way.
Even so, Mizuki didn't intend to offend him. This person likely possessed considerable strength and unique abilities—his Byakugan alone was enough to earn respect from many. However, Mizuki himself was definitely not among those impressed.
In its unprecedented weakened state, a village like Kiri couldn't rely on someone like him to carry it forward. The only one capable of keeping the unstable Kiri standing right now was Mei Terumi. A female ninja who uniquely possessed two Kekkei Genkai (bloodline limits) simultaneously—such a miracle wasn't easy to achieve. Even the Kekkei Tota, which resulted from combining three Chakra Nature Transformations, could be inherited. Others might possibly possess two Kekkei Genkai at once. Originally, Mizuki had searched for Shimon Hiruko, the legendary ninja supposedly partnered with the Sannin, but unfortunately, he never found any records confirming that such an individual truly existed. As for the secret technique "Chimera Technique," which enabled stealing Kekkei Genkai, if it indeed existed, its practitioner would really be someone terrifying.
...
"We've arrived. Lord Jiraiya from Konoha has been waiting for you for quite some time. After such a long journey, please take some time to rest before the formal meeting tonight."
At Konoha's entrance, the Anbu Commander from Kiri stood waiting alongside several subordinates for their arrival.
Ao nodded to the guards at the gate before saying, "I still have matters to handle. What comes next I'll leave in the hands of the Anbu. I'll take my leave first."
With that, he simply turned and walked away.
[What an impolite guy.]
Mizuki couldn't help but scoff at the condescending old man.
"Please follow me," said the dark blue-haired Anbu Commander as he led them through the thinly populated streets toward a relatively luxurious apartment building.
"This will serve as your residence over the next few days. If you have any needs, feel free to ask. Also..."
The Anbu Commander clapped his hands, summoning a young, inexperienced-looking boy.
"This young man will be your guide. If you need anything, tell him. Should you wish to tour our village, he can show you around... Chojuro, what are you hesitating for? Greet the honored guests."
Timidly, Chojuro quickly bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much. And there's no need to be so formal, young man," Kakashi responded with a smile. "Is Lord Jiraiya inside?"
"We aren't certain—we don't intentionally track Lord Jiraiya's movements. Lord Jiraiya goes wherever he pleases in the village and doesn't need anyone trailing him."
"Oh, I see," Kakashi acknowledged understandingly.
"Mizuki cynically assumed it was probably just those kinds of places—like pleasure districts, where it wouldn't be appropriate to follow him."
"Excuse me, may I know your name?" Kakashi asked.
"You may call me 'Sword.' I am the Anbu Commander of Kirigakure."
Saying this, the Anbu Commander with the codename 'Sword' left with his subordinates, leaving behind a timid young boy—Chojuro—who looked rather at a loss.
...
In the Mizukage's office, Mei Terumi was staring in frustration at Ao who stood before her.
"Alright, I can let it slide that you couldn't suppress Kakashi Hatake—but even Mizuki, who's only recently gained some reputation, you couldn't gauge his strength at all?"
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