Naruto: I, Shikotsumyaku, Byakugan Princess

Chapter 207 Hero Zabuza

The Bridge of Heroes was gradually swallowed by the fog, and the warm golden light was still blocked by the mist, unable to advance or retreat.

The waves rolled and crashed against the rocks, splashing water and white foam more than two meters high, and a gust of wind brought a salty and bitter taste.

On the way back, the leader was changed.

Sasuke, carrying a katana, led the way, while Kakashi and Hairi walked in the middle, striding leisurely.

Naruto, who is usually the most enthusiastic, followed at the back of the group, hunched over, head drooping, and occasionally glancing back at the direction of the Land of Waves, looking very unwilling.

“Naruto, although this mission was canceled, the deposit for an A-rank mission is over 100,000 yen. We can earn that much money just by going around and taking down a few small fry. Plus, there's the compensation from Tazuna. We're not losing out.”

Helpless, Kakashi gently comforted Naruto. Unlike the usual three-person genin team, the only girl in the class was not lively and could not play a role in setting the mood, so he had to take on this task.

“I know… I’m just really worried about Uncle Tazna.”

As he spoke, Naruto looked back once more at the bridge that had long been swallowed by the fog. He didn't care about the mission or the reward; he knew that Tazuna's journey might be fraught with danger, and he hoped that the other party would come to his senses before they went too far.

However, it was precisely because of this kindness that he discovered the approaching anomaly ahead of time!
It was an indescribable mist, exceptionally thick, with a light gray center. At this moment, the mist contracted and slowly outlined a human figure, rapidly approaching them!
"Enemy attack!"

Naruto suddenly roared, his whole body instantly excited. He put his brass knuckles on his fists, his fingers rubbing and flicking, and a piercing wind-style chakra had already clung to them.

This is a wind-style ninjutsu developed by imitating and creating a version of Hai Ri's lightning chakra mode. He named it 'Wind Release Chakra Mode'.

Of course, this name is just a beautiful vision. Lightning Release Chakra Mode is a unique technique of the Yotsuki clan of Kumogakure, and it's not so easy to imitate.

Wind Release is more destructive to the human body than Lightning Release. He cannot withstand the sharp wind with his own body, so he can only use weapons to assist in its execution. Naturally, the effect is far less powerful than Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

Just as Naruto sounded the alarm, Sasuke and Kakashi also spotted the humanoid mist. The tomoe in their three Sharingan eyes spun around, but they could only see the chakra light within the mist and couldn't see through it at all.

Hui Li didn't do those futile efforts.

Even the Byakugan can't see through the fog, so the Sharingan is no exception.

Just as everyone was watching anxiously, the fog contracted again, as if it was being absorbed by the person inside, until the fog completely dissipated, and a tall, strong man carrying a large sword walked out.

The man had pale skin, no eyebrows above his eyes, and the distinctive headband of a rogue ninja on his forehead. The lower half of his face was wrapped in bandages, and he resembled Kakashi somewhat. Hui Li recognized him at a glance; it was none other than the Hidden Mist Demon—Momochi Zabuza.

"I meant no harm, I just had something to talk to that girl about."

Raising his hands, Zabuza nervously stared at the silver-haired blind woman in the crowd, as memories of his death began to assault his mind.

"Don't be nervous, he's Zabuza, the one Uncle Tazuna mentioned."

After stopping the group that had entered a fighting stance, Hui Li stepped out of the crowd. She had already noticed that the other party had been following them suspiciously, but she didn't know what they wanted to do, so she didn't make a move to alert them.

Upon hearing Zabuza's name, Naruto's eyes immediately lit up with admiration.

This is a heroic ninja who protected a country!
"what's up?"

As they got closer, Zabuza became even more certain that the girl in front of him was the mutated monster with bone arms that he had encountered in the Land of Water!
"Are you from Konoha?"

"You chased me all the way up from under the bridge, and this is all you wanted to ask?" Hui Li didn't know what Zabuza wanted to do. Her first meeting with him was far from friendly. He slashed her with his sword and shot her in the eye with a senbon needle. Although she wasn't seriously injured, she remembered that grudge clearly!

Kakashi was somewhat speechless.

The enemy had been following them since the cross-sea bridge, and he hadn't noticed anything amiss. Although the foggy weather had played a part, his ability to stealthily track them was truly worthy of the name "Demon Man."

Having already experienced the other party's perception ability, Zabuza was not surprised. He simply stared at Kairi's slightly immature face and slowly said, "I have been following you ever since you left Konoha. I was just surprised that the orphan of the Kirigakure Taketori clan had actually joined Konoha."

"Kirigakure Taketori?"

"Is it the Kaguya clan, who were as famous as the Hyuga, Uchiha, and Senju clans during the Warring States period?"

Kakashi looked at Haili in surprise. According to the Hatake clan's internal records, the Taketori clan was a prominent clan during the Warring States period, and its status in Kirigakure was equivalent to that of the Hyuga clan in Konoha.

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other in disbelief. They had never heard of this unfamiliar surname before, but the names Senju and Uchiha were well-known. In fact, the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan was standing on the field. No wonder Hai Li's talent was so fierce. Did he have such a powerful background?
The two suddenly realized that Hui Li's extraordinary talent seemed to have a reasonable explanation.

"What do you want to say?"

Upon hearing the mention of the bamboo twig, Hairi's voice turned icy cold as she stared intently at Zabuza. The red barrier flickered slightly, and an uncontrollable aura of terror began to spread outwards.

"I……"

As if his throat were frozen by frost, Zabuza's muscles involuntarily tensed and contracted. His sense of danger kept sounding the alarm, and the extreme fear made him tremble all over, unable to speak for a moment.

This guy is even stronger than he was five years ago!

"I... I am just a clone of the mist. I have no ill intentions in revealing your identity; I simply want to make a deal with you."

After a long while, his brain, which had been overwhelmed by fear, finally regained its rationality. He suppressed the escape signals constantly being released by his brain and finally managed to stammer out a complete sentence.

Hui Li remained silent, staring intently into Zabuza's eyes, emanating waves of fear that even silenced the chirping of insects by the roadside.

a long time.

Call ~
The pale red barrier finally stopped trembling, and the invisible aura of fear subsided. Kakashi and the other two exhaled a breath of stale air in unison.

They also felt that inexplicable fear, but being behind Gray Glass meant they weren't directly exposed to the impact of its aura, and since it wasn't the first time they'd faced this power, they had some resistance.

"What deal?"

Mentioning the past of the Bamboo Clan's extermination, Hui Li's mood was not pleasant, and even the simulated Hidden Sense Gate Formation could not stop the violent emotional fluctuations.

"Kurosuki Raiga is no benevolent man. He will kill anyone who dares to oppose him. The Tazuna family will be buried by him. I hope you can kill him!" With his pounding heart calming down, Zabuza finally revealed his purpose.

"benefit."

Gray Glass remained indifferent.

Raiga Kurosuki was a devastating blow to the Land of Waves, but in her eyes he was nothing more than a minor character that could be dealt with with a shadow clone. She only cared about what benefits Zabuza could bring.

"You're looking for Bai, right!"

Zabuza glanced at Hairi tentatively, his eyes filled with apprehension, yet also with a certain indescribable anticipation.

Sensing that complex emotion, Hui Li frowned. Zabuza had indeed started tracking them a long time ago, and even knew the details of that interrogation.

Tazuna's successful arrival in Konoha was undoubtedly due in part to the other party's help.

It's been several years since we last met, and we don't know if the other party has improved in combat, but their stealth ability is much stronger than before.

In short, very sneaky!

"Haku is the last surviving member of the Yuki clan. After Kirigakure captured them for experiments, the Ice Release bloodline limit was declared extinct. She may be the only one who has awakened Ice Release." Zabuza quickly added two more sentences to raise the price.

experiment?

The information that the other party inadvertently revealed stirred something within Hui Li. She had always wondered where the ice-style chakra she used when she devoured the flesh of the Three-Tails came from.

Roshi learned Lava Release from the Four-Tails Son Goku, and Gaara and Shukaku can also use Magnet Release. If the Three-Tails knows Ice Release, then the Fourth Mizukage, as the Three-Tails' jinchūriki, should also be able to use Ice Release ninjutsu.

But the truth is that he never used Ice Release even once.

After Hui Li absorbed the Nine-Tails' chakra, she inherited a portion of the Nine-Tails' abilities, except for the Tailed Beast Ball.

However, she did not inherit any of the Ice Release contained in the flesh of the Three-Tails. Even her Wind Release was a nature transformation she had cultivated herself, and it was far less free than when she controlled Water Release.

This situation is obviously not common sense.

Zabuza's words now illuminated a beacon of light in her heart, suggesting that the unusually fierce Ice Release chakra might not be the power of the Three-Tails, but rather the remnant of an experimental subject from the Snow Clan!

Even the question remains: was there residual Ice Release chakra in the flesh of the Three-Tails, or was it a remnant of the Three-Tails' chakra left over in the Snow Clan...?

She suddenly became hesitant to continue thinking.

The Three-Tails was sealed inside the Fourth Mizukage for many years and was also controlled by Obito. It's possible to extract some chakra from it, but the probability of cutting off its flesh for experiments is probably not high!
Who knows... I really can't eat just anything from now on!

Looking at the ever-changing expression on the face of the woman, Zabuza remained calm and collected, but the emotional glowing spots constantly appearing above his head betrayed his inner anxiety.

Attracted by the light, Hui Li snapped out of her reverie and tried to stop thinking about those random things. If what she thought was true, she probably couldn't count on the Three-Tails, and Haku would be the only Ice Release ninja in the ninja world.

The only person who knows Haku's whereabouts is Zabuza.

"Where is she?"

Without concealing her purpose, Hui Li asked directly.

"If you help me kill Raiga Kurosuki, I'll tell you where Haku is." Thinking of that strong figure, Zabuza's eyes revealed complex emotions.

Why not do it yourself?

Upon hearing Hairi's question, Zabuza knew that she had been moved, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief as he explained, "There is a terrifying enemy chasing me. If I rashly show myself and attract the enemy, the entire country will be destroyed."

"enemy?"

"You deliberately disappeared because you were afraid of being hunted down?" Kakashi suddenly remembered what Tazuna had said before.

It was precisely because Zabuza mysteriously disappeared that the Land of Waves lost its guardian, which is why Tazuna traveled all the way to Konoha to issue a mission.

Morton and the others surrendered and joined the Black Shoku Clan because they believed that Raiga Kurosuki was invincible due to his 'desertion' behavior. Now it seems that there was indeed another reason behind it!

"Yes!"

Zabuza's eyes were cold and sharp, yet he couldn't hide his fear.

"I lingered here for too long, which exposed my whereabouts and attracted the pursuit of unknown enemies. When I sensed that terrifying chakra, I fled the Land of Waves overnight."

Hui Li's eyes narrowed slightly.

She finally understood why the other party had been hiding, but at the same time another question arose in her mind: Zabuza, no matter how weak, was still a genuine elite Jonin. If he could force him to hide his face, then the enemies chasing him must be at least several elite Jonin of the same level.

Or perhaps... a shadow?

Her true form hasn't reached the Super Shadow level yet; she's just a shadow clone. If she were to encounter a Shadow-level expert, she'd likely face a tough battle.

This mission to the Land of Waves might be more troublesome than she imagined!
Thinking of this, Hui Li turned around and looked at Kakashi and the other two who were still in a daze.

The original Land of Waves was upgraded from a C-rank mission to a B-rank mission, but now it is developing from an A-rank mission towards an S-rank mission. She always felt that there was something toxic about the people in Class 7!
"Uncle Tazuna is in danger, let's go save him!"

Naruto's eyes were bright, clearly unaware of the hidden danger. Sasuke touched the katana on his back, itching to strike. Only Kakashi realized the crisis in Zabuza's words, his eyes turning serious.

"Your mission is complete. Return to Konoha as soon as possible. These are my personal matters, and there's no need for me to take risks with you."

After thinking it over, Hui Li decided to complete the mission alone.

She is a shadow clone, so death doesn't matter to her. Naruto is also unlikely to have any accidents with the help of the Nine-Tails, but Sasuke and Kakashi, those two fragile guys, might very well fall in the Land of Waves.

Naruto and Sasuke's eyes immediately dimmed.

They knew that once Gray Glass made a decision, it was almost impossible to change it, which meant that this mission was truly over!

"No, Hui Li, we have to go with you!"

To their surprise, Kakashi, after much deliberation, suddenly spoke up and rejected Hairi's suggestion.

"You'll be in danger," Hui Li warned, frowning.

She couldn't understand why Kakashi, the most cautious and lazy person, would take Naruto and Sasuke on an adventure.

Kakashi said firmly:

"Although it's difficult for the team leader to say, you are undoubtedly the strongest member of the team. If we split up and return to Konoha, we might encounter powerful enemies on the way, which would be even more dangerous!"

"Yes, Hui Li, let's go together!"

Listening to Kakashi's analysis, Naruto, who didn't want to leave in a bad mood, immediately agreed, and Sasuke nodded vigorously.

Kakashi's analysis makes sense. Naruto and Sasuke are much stronger than in the original story, so they won't die inexplicably in the aftermath of the battle. The people chasing Zabuza might not necessarily return to the Land of Waves. In the best-case scenario, they only need to deal with Raiga Kurosuki.

After much deliberation, Hui Li reluctantly nodded amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd:

"Let's discuss the battle plan!"

"Great!"

The boy in the orange shirt and yellow hair jumped three feet high.

The group sat together to discuss plans to save the Land of Waves. Zabuza also sat on the ground, explaining the abilities of the Raito Kiba to them.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi were loudly discussing with Zabuza how to save the Land of Waves. Looking at this absurd yet harmonious scene, Kairi felt as if she were under the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

She suddenly looked up at the sky.

at this time.

As the morning mist slowly dispersed to both sides, the sun broke through the clouds and its dazzling golden light illuminated the Bridge of Heroes, reflecting a golden image on the sea.

The dark figure shrouded in mist finally revealed its full form.

The Land of Waves has lit up!

(End of this chapter)