Chapter 223: The Village of the Bloody Mist

"I didn't think Sakumo would entrust such an important mission to them."

Tsunade lay on her side in Kawakaze's arms, her lazy eyes betraying a hint of contentment. She idly extended her index finger, drawing circles on Kawakaze's belly. Her half-covered delicate body was faintly visible.

"Don't always treat them like children," he said. "When we were their age, we weren't as capable as they are."

The tickling sensation on his belly kept provoking Kawakaze's nerves. He patted Tsunade's arm gently, sensing her concern. In truth, he felt the same. When Minato and Nawaki led the team to the Land of Earth, he had been equally worried. Fortunately, the team not only completed the mission successfully, but Nawaki also brought back Misaki. It had been a happy ending for everyone.

"That's you. When I was a kid, I was awesome." Tsunade looked up at Kawakaze with an arrogant expression, unwilling to admit otherwise. "Idiot Jiraiya and Orochimaru were no match for me."

Kawakaze smiled. "Haha, okay. You're the best."

He didn't know who was truly the strongest among the three when they were young. The only thing he remembered clearly was that during the bell-passing exercise, Jiraiya had been buried in the ground by Hiruzen Sarutobi. That question could only be answered by Hiruzen himself.

In any case, he wouldn't bother with the truth or falsehood of it. All he knew was that he would always follow Tsunade's lead.

"Sigh, I wonder where they are now?"

Tsunade shifted the conversation back to the topic, her unease still apparent. Nawaki was her younger brother, and Minato and the others were beloved disciples of Kawakaze. The three Anbu members were also rare elites. She didn't want anything to happen to any of them.

"Don't worry," Kawakaze reassured her. "Minato has the Flying Thunder God Technique. Even if he can't win, he can still escape."

"Nawaki can fly too, and in the Land of Water, his Water Release techniques are even more powerful. You know about Nagato's Rinnegan—if he's in a desperate situation, the force of his explosion will definitely attract attention."

"Don't underestimate Konan because of her age; her paper-slip ability is incredibly troublesome. And Yahiko can also exert even greater strength in the Land of Water."

Kawakaze praised each of the young shinobi, one after the other, trying to comfort Tsunade. Even if he didn't know Nawaki's subordinates well, he would have praised them regardless. As he spoke, he found himself feeling more confident. For the Minato Team, a mission like this was probably a piece of cake.

"You do have a point. I was worrying for nothing." Tsunade nodded, Kawakaze's reassurances easing her mind. After all, young eagles had to spread their wings and fly. Protecting them forever wouldn't help Minato or the others grow stronger.

"Just trust them. Maybe tomorrow, they'll show up in front of you with the Yuki Clan," Kawakaze joked, though even he didn't think they'd return that quickly.

"They will come to Konoha, do they really think they have a choice?" Tsunade replied, exuding confidence. "Even if I gave them an outhouse to live in, they'd have to smile and say thank you."

Her tone was full of domineering confidence, as if she could already see the Yuki Clan members bowing before her.

"Lady Hokage is truly amazing." Kawakaze chuckled. "Well, I'm rested." He grabbed Tsunade's hand that had been resting on his stomach.

"Aren't you afraid of kidney deficiency?" Tsunade shot him a sidelong glance. This guy really was hopeless.

"But you can take care of me, right?" Kawakaze replied without hesitation, rolling over to pin her beneath him.

"Ooh, be gentle..." Tsunade murmured, as the bed began to rock. Kawakaze, undeterred, continued his mission of ensuring the Hatake Clan's future prosperity.

...

A few days later, Minato and his party boarded a cargo ship at the border of the Land of Fire, heading toward the Land of Water. The ship belonged to an intelligence officer from Konohagakure, a man who frequently traveled between the two countries. This time, he had also delivered a secret report back to Konoha.

"Uncle Hiroki, I heard that the situation in Kirigakure is very strange right now?" Minato asked. He had already removed his mask, and the group was dressed as shop assistants to blend in.

"Well," Hiroki began, "The Third Mizukage has undergone a drastic change in personality in just a few years of rule. His governance is incredibly cruel, and his methods of training Shinobi are excessively bloody."

"Before becoming Shinobi, they are forced to kill one another, and only the last ones standing survive. Those who come out of this training are all cold-blooded."

"What's more, he persecutes Clans with Kekkei Genkai. That's the reason the Yuki Clan sought Konoha's help. In the Land of Water, people now call Kirigakure the Village of the Bloody Mist."

Hiroki, a middle-aged man with a pot belly, appeared every bit the wealthy merchant, adorned with a large, thick gold chain around his neck. As he described the grim state of Kirigakure to the group, his brow furrowed deeply. The situation there was appalling.

"If that's the case, doesn't anyone resist?" Nawaki asked incredulously. Compared to this, Hiruzen was very kind.

"How could they not?" Hiroki sighed. "But they were all smaller Clans without much power. Their resistance only led to their destruction." His voice carried a heavy tone of sympathy. Being born in such a village was truly living in hell.

"So did the Yuki Clan resist?" Konan asked curiously. She could understand the pain of losing one's family.

Her voice carried a sharp edge as her impression of the Third Mizukage darkened further. To her, such a man deserved nothing less than death.

"They?"

"It's truly sad to say, but they can only blame themselves for being born in Kirigakure," Hiroki said with a sigh. "The Yuki Clan had always endured in silence, managing to survive in Kirigakure. But unfortunately, this generation produced many talented individuals. The number of Ice Release users has also increased."

"Isn't that a good thing for any Clan?" Hiroki asked rhetorically, pausing as everyone nodded in agreement.

"This, however, caught the attention of the Third Mizukage. Perhaps he felt they were becoming too much of a threat. Overnight, he ordered a large-scale siege against the Yuki Clan." He shook his head. "It was truly tragic!"

Hearing this, everyone understood the situation clearly. The Yuki Clan hadn't sought to rebel against the village but had been forced into their current position. They had no other choice.

If the Clan were truly malicious or villainous, accepting the mission to rescue them would have been hard to justify. In such a case, they might have simply lingered for a while and then returned. After all, this mission wasn't mandatory.

"This would never happen in Konoha," Nawaki said firmly, his voice full of conviction. "My sister would definitely treat them well."

"That's right. Konoha is nothing like Kirigakure," Hiroki added with a smile, his tone warm, he felt a strong sense of belonging to Konoha.

...

Hiroki, a seasoned businessman and naturally talkative, had spent years in his trade. After discussing mission-related matters, the group chatted casually for a while.

"Okay, you guys get some rest," Hiroki said as he stood up. "I'll let you know when we're almost there."

"Okay, you take care," Minato replied politely.

The group admired these intelligence operatives who risked their lives for the village. Though not always the strongest, they possessed unwavering dedication and a willingness to sacrifice everything for Konoha.

The journey from the Land of Fire to the Land of Water was long, and a week passed quietly. As they approached the Land of Water, the fog on the sea grew denser. Without skilled sailors, it would have been easy to lose their way. Life aboard the ship was far less comfortable than on land, but none of Minato's team showed signs of seasickness and maintained their combat readiness.

In contrast, in the original story, Guy suffered so severely from seasickness that he could barely stand, let alone fight.

One day, a knock came at the cabin door where the group was staying.

"Guys, we're almost there. Get ready," Hiroki announced briefly before leaving to attend to other matters.

"We're almost there," Minato said as he stepped out of the cabin and onto the deck. The faint silhouette of the harbor was now visible through the thick fog.

The ship's crew was busy unloading cargo, and Minato addressed his team firmly. "I'll repeat this one more time: this mission's priority is your safety. Do you all remember?"

"Yes," the six team members responded in unison.

"Get to work," Minato instructed.

He took the lead, lifting the heavy cargo, and the team quickly followed suit. Their movements were smooth and practiced, blending seamlessly with the other workers.

After a while, the ship slowed down as it prepared to dock. The port was bustling with activity, with porters moving back and forth.

Once Hiroki disembarked, he negotiated with the port officials and gave the order to begin unloading the cargo. Minato and the others naturally followed the other workers, blending in as they unloaded the ship's goods onto the dock.

Because Konan and the others were young, they used the Transformation Technique to alter their appearances. Otherwise, they would have drawn suspicion. While using child labor might not raise eyebrows, having little girls of her age working would certainly attract attention.

It would have been especially odd for someone like Konan, who moved skillfully and energetically despite her apparent youth. If that didn't raise suspicion, it would be strange indeed.

It wasn't until noon that they had a chance to eat something. By evening, all the ship's cargo had been unloaded and neatly stacked at the port, ready for collection.

After Hiroki completed the handover with his regular customers, he led the group to a portside restaurant to stay for the night. While trade was permitted in the Land of Water, it was strictly controlled. Visitors like them were allowed only one night in the port, ostensibly to support the traders traveling back and forth. Constantly being at sea was unpleasant, so the brief time ashore was a relief.

Since disembarking, Hiroki hadn't shown any particular favor to Minato's group. He hadn't even spoken a word to them. The team followed the waitstaff to a restaurant where they were assigned to large dormitories. It was clear Hiroki had arranged this deliberately, as the entire group stayed together in one room. With eight people total, the arrangement was perfect.

Some of the crew members took the opportunity to enjoy themselves after reaching shore—gambling, seeking out women, or finding other ways to vent the loneliness and monotony of life at sea. Minato and his team, however, returned to their room after eating and avoided these activities.

Late that night, the group prepared to begin their next move.

"Let's go," Minato called, taking the lead as he stepped out of the room. The others followed closely behind him.

Under the cover of night, the eight of them concealed their movements as they left the harbor and ventured deeper into the Land of Water. Inside their previous lodging, eight sleeping shadow clones remained in their place.

"I can't sense the shadow clones anymore," Konan said, stopping after they had traveled an unknown distance.

"Let's rest here, then. We'll set off again tomorrow," Minato decided quickly. Though he was far from reaching his limit, he understood that Konan, being younger and having less Chakra, might need a break. Not everyone could use clones on a large scale like Naruto could—that was a unique ability.

"Be careful and stay hidden," Nawaki reminded them as he found a thick branch to hide under. You could never be too cautious in another country, especially on a mission.

"Yes," everyone replied, dispersing to hide. Spending the night in a tree was a basic skill they had all mastered.

They didn't speak a word all night, and soon it was morning the next day.

After waking up, the group washed up and had a proper meal before returning to the port to board the ship in an orderly manner. Hiroki stood to the side, counting the passengers, while a staff member from the Land of Water supervised him.

"...Eighty, eighty-one," Hiroki said as he finished pointing out the number of people. "Sir, we're all here," he reported to the staff member.

"Well, I wish you a safe journey," the staff member replied with a polite smile, marking a check in his notebook. It was clear they had worked together many times before.

"Haha, I'll be going then," Hiroki said casually, even patting the staff member on the shoulder before heading toward the ship.

As the cargo ship slowly backed up and began turning around, Hiroki made his way to the cabin where the shadow clones of Minato and his team had been stationed. Inside, the eight clones stood in a neat line.

"Uncle Hiroki, are we safe now?" Minato's clone asked the moment Hiroki entered.

"Well, where are you now?" Hiroki replied with a nod, satisfied that everything was proceeding as planned.

"We're not sure, but we're pretty far from the port," Nawaki's clone said, letting out a yawn.

"Ah, I can't hold on much longer," Konan's clone added with a faint smile, her voice fading just before she dissipated.

"Haha, you guys be safe," Hiroki chuckled, amused by Konan's antics. "I won't keep you from your mission."

He waved at the clones before turning to leave. By the time he locked the cabin door, it was already empty. His part of the mission was complete—now, it was up to Minato and his team to see it through.

As the clones' memories merged with the originals, Minato and the others gathered beneath the tree.

The night had passed, leaving them damp with dew and looking rather disheveled. They ate some dry food to stave off their hunger, knowing the days ahead would not be any easier. Avoiding crowds and staying undetected was their top priority.

After quickly finishing his portion of dry food, Minato took out a map to confirm their location. He spoke slowly and clearly.

"We've completed the first step. Next is to find the Yuki Clan. We're still far from the location described in the intelligence. When we get close, keep an eye out for this kind of mark."

Using a tree branch, he drew a distinctive symbol on the ground—the Yuki Clan's signal for help.

"Just a bunch of scribbles. I remember it," Nawaki remarked, glancing around. "How about you?"

With Minato leading the group, Nawaki felt little need to worry. He simply followed orders.

"Got it," the others responded in unison.

Konan, meanwhile, was hurriedly eating her dry food and nearly choked in the process.

"Eat slowly; there's no rush," Minato said with a doting smile as he looked at his little junior.

"I'm done," Konan replied with a cute smile, opening her mouth to show she had finished.

"Good. Let's go," Minato said, putting away the map.

The group took off, running north. They moved quickly through the forest, heading toward the Yuki Clan's location.

Far away, the Yuki Clan was nearing the brink of despair. With no sign of rescue for so long, their situation was becoming increasingly dire. The relentless search by the Kirigakure Anbu had left their living space severely restricted. It was only a matter of time before they were discovered, and it remained uncertain whether they could hold out until Minato and his team arrived.