It's normal to get a kaleidoscope as a first deposit of six yuan, right?

"Huh? Wait, who is this child...?" The captain rubbed his eyes as he looked at Shiki, who was wearing an Akatsuki robe and staring at him. He then said in surprise, "So she's the little sister who helped us deal with the Sky Ninja last time. I really didn't expect to run into two familiar faces today."

"Ku Ninja? An acquaintance?" Pipa Juzo looked in surprise at Shiseido's direction. So you two knew each other before?

Stop Snow: ...

Seeing the captain's fiery gaze, Zhixue hid behind Pipa Juzo with some lingering fear.

She seemed to remember now; this captain was the same merchant ship captain who had sailed from the Land of Lightning to the Land of Fire. So his business interests were that extensive? He even had a route to the Land of Water. But his gaze always gave Zhixue a strange feeling.

Seeing that Zhixue seemed to be deliberately avoiding him, the captain's smile froze, and his heart felt like it had been shattered. He was almost ready to squat down and draw circles in his eyes.

He's clearly quite handsome, so why did he react like that? We were just having a friendly meal together at the table earlier, weren't we?

The captain seemed somewhat sad as he left, and Pipa Juzo handed a ticket to Shiyuki.

"This captain is a decent guy. He often does some cargo transport work in this area. I met him a few years ago when he defected and I saved his child. But kid, it seems you and him are old acquaintances too."

Pipa Juzo sat on the iron shelf next to him, clearly wanting to hear the story of Shisue.

"Ah, that goes without saying. It was just a simple matter of resolving the maritime attack. Speaking of which, after infiltrating the Land of Water, are we going to go straight into Kirigakure to gather intelligence?"

Hearing Zhixue mention this, Pipa Juzo also got a headache.

"The specific mission requires doing this, but infiltrating a great ninja village to steal information is no easy task, especially in the Blood Mist Village, which is skilled in hiding and assassination. If we are not careful, we may really be stuck there forever." Biwa Juzo closed his eyes and said regretfully, recalling the village with bloody memories.

"Hmm... Is it really that difficult to infiltrate a major ninja village to steal information?" Zhi Xue thought back to Konoha's defenses. It wasn't that they were nonexistent, but they weren't that difficult either. In fact, Kabuto Yakushi had been infiltrating Konoha for so many years without being discovered.

Pipa Juzo looked at Shiki strangely, his expression as if he were wondering: So... you went to steal it?

"Um... don't look at me like that. I'm just trying to steal ninjutsu scrolls to get stronger. I'm not good at being a spy." Zhi Xue explained, spreading her hands.

"Alright, if you don't really want to tell your story, then forget it. Once we enter the Land of Water, just stick close to me. For now, you can wander around and play. I'm going to buy some fruit." Juzo Biwa stood up from the iron rack and then took a money pouch out of his pocket.

"it is good."

It seems that because of his missions in the Akatsuki organization, his purse has become bulging, and he can finally buy some fruit on the shore. If he waits until he gets on the ship, the price will be much higher.

Watching the departing Pipa Juzo, Zhixue slowly walked to the nearby beach. Feeling the whistling cold wind, Zhixue took out the fluffy coat that Zhishui had draped over her earlier from her system space and put it on.

Looking at the endless coastline and the seashells washed ashore by the waves, Zhixue exhaled a breath of hot air.

"It's a pity it's winter now. If it were summer, this place would be so lively!"

As Zhixue was still admiring the coastal scenery alone, a system notification interrupted her moment of tranquility.

Ding! The system panel has been updated. Please check it.

"The supplementary part?" Zhi Xue thought for a while, and finally decided to open it and take a look. Then she saw the extra 5 points of intelligence and 1 point of talent on the 100 cards, and a tic appeared on her forehead.

Intelligence: 5~8 (IQ fluctuates depending on individual circumstances; prone to making foolish mistakes in daily life, but will remember solutions in crucial moments.)

Talent: 10 (Sharingan +5, Hashirama Cells +4.)

Is she really that bad? (Annoyed)

Chapter 145, Hidden Mist Village

Under the setting sun, Zhi Xue sat on a wooden crate outside the merchant ship, enjoying the sea breeze, peeling a slightly unripe orange in her hand.

Sitting on a boat... drifting along, you can't feel the solid ground beneath your feet, but it's like the wind brushing against your cheeks, and you can clearly feel the breath of freedom—a feeling you've never experienced in Konoha.

Pipa Juzo opened the cabin door, looked out at the boundless sea, and sighed.

His hometown lies across the sea, but he is now unrecognizable. His past memories are gradually shrouded in a thick fog of blood, becoming blurred and filled with slaughter and evil.

"Kid, do you really like the wind that much?"

"Aren't you out here for some fresh air too?"

Pipa Juzo came to Shisue's side and found a seat to sit down.

"I just came to see you. After being lonely for so long, it's not easy to find a teammate to keep me company, so I can't help but want to take a look at you."

Zhi Xue glanced at Pipa Juzo with a sidelong look, then threw the remaining orange peels into the sea.

"Uncle, weren't you once one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist? And now you've joined the Akatsuki, so why do you feel lonely?"

Upon hearing Shisue's voice, Pipa Juzo covered his cheeks with a self-deprecating laugh.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist... To put it nicely, they are the most powerful assassination organization in the Land of Water, specializing in carrying out various high-difficulty missions issued by the Mizukage. But in reality, they all live their own lives. Although they are coordinated in action and tactics, they are basically not on the same page, let alone have any feelings for each other.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. It's getting late, so let's go back and rest early. The sea breeze is cold at night, and your skin can easily get frostbite." Pipa Juzo returned to the cabin, and Shiyuki, after enjoying the scenery for a while, also went back to her room and fell asleep.

After spending three or four days at sea, they finally arrived at the port of the Land of Water. While the workers were unloading cargo, the two of them secretly slipped away.

Arriving at the coast of the Land of Water, the morning air was still shrouded in a light mist, but this didn't seem to affect their lives much. Shiki, who had just disembarked, wandered around looking at various new things, such as different kinds of seafood and unique snacks. However, it seemed that the ordinary people living here were quite afraid of the passing Kirigakure ninjas.

Watching a group of Hidden Mist ninjas run past from the rooftop, Juzo Biwa, disguised using the Transformation Technique, also loosened his tie.

After watching the Hidden Mist ninja walk away, Juzo said to Shiyuki, "This is the coastline of the Land of Water, so the defenses are naturally quite strict. However, they will ease up considerably as we gradually go deeper inland."

"Do you need me to find a place so I can fly you there?" Zhixue looked up and asked Pipa Shizang.

"Ah, that might be a good idea..."

Ten minutes later, before the fog had dissipated, Zhixue took Pipa Juzo's hand and flew up several hundred meters into the sky, soaring into the clouds. At this height, even ninjas would have a hard time finding their tracks.

After flying for more than ten kilometers using the Light and Heavy Rock Technique, Zhixue landed in a mountainous area and continued her mission.

……

Outside the Hidden Mist Village…

There seemed to be more than twenty explosive tags of various sizes buried in a grove of trees, along with various kunai traps. Several members of the ANBU were carefully checking the various traps and the sturdiness of the surrounding barrier.

"Lord Mizukage, the traps have been set up, but shouldn't we inform the surrounding villagers and ninjas? What if they accidentally step on them..." The ANBU had barely finished speaking when he saw Yagura's cold eyes fixed on his position. An immense pressure made his entire back soaked with cold sweat.

"This is to be used to entertain the enemies who attack Kirigakure. The first thing is to eliminate intelligence problems. To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive yourself, understand?"

“I understand…” The ANBU member retreated, trembling all over.

Yagura watched the departing Anbu and the traps around him blending seamlessly into the environment. He then turned to gather his ninjas, figuring those two would be arriving in the next few days. He planned to use numbers to overwhelm the enemy. Whether anyone would accidentally step on a trap was not his concern. All of this was for "that person's" benefit; the number of ninjas who died was irrelevant.

A faint red light flashed in Yagura's eyes as he quickly ran towards the village.

……

After arriving in the Land of Water, Shiki and Juzo Biwa used their flying abilities to cross several islands and travel for another half a day before finally reaching the villages surrounding Kirigakure.

Sitting on a stool in the wooden house, Kirigakure unfolded a map of Kirigakure on the table.

"Look, this library is where we need to enter. However, because it is located not far from the Mizukage Building, we need to be extremely careful and try to retrieve the information without alerting the Anbu."

"As for how we get into this village... we can go through the western side where their defenses are relatively weak. There is a small waterfall here, and the village's water supply is usually brought in from here. Although there is a special department that tests the water quality every few minutes, compared to other places, this is the easiest place to break through."

Zhi Xue tilted her head to one side of the table, looked at the large blank area around the waterfall on the map, and pointed, saying, "Are fruits and vegetables grown here?"

Looking in the direction Zhixue pointed, Pipa Juzo also spoke up: "There is a small forest and a pond here. It used to be where the Third Mizukage trained the ninja troops, but it has been abandoned now. According to the information I have gathered, it seems that this place has no other use recently. If we are careful, we can sneak in."

"Hmm... something feels off here? Could there be a trap?" Zhi Xue looked at the blank area on the map and had a feeling that something was going to happen.

Faced with Zhixue's question, Biwa Juzo shook his head. Even if Kirigakure is a bad village, it is still a major ninja village. They wouldn't set up a danger right at their doorstep, would they? Besides, there are patrol personnel who regularly patrol the area.

"Alright then, if that's the case, let's get moving." Zhi Xue and Biwa Juzo nodded, but just as Zhi Xue was about to leave, Biwa Juzo pulled her back.

"Hmm? Is there anything else?" Zhixue asked, looking at Biwa Juzo with a puzzled expression.

"Spray some on." Pipa Juzo took a small white spray bottle out of his pocket.

Xiaoxue exudes a faint fragrance, which can only be detected upon close inspection, but it's best to remove it just in case.

Chapter 146, Three-tailed Jinchuuriki

"Why does it smell faintly fishy here? Is it because the fishing industry is very developed here?" Zhixue asked curiously as she and Pipa Juzo stealthily made their way through the forest.

“No, it’s a faint smell of human blood,” said Juzo Biwa, frowning.

Stop Snow: ...

The Blood Fog Village truly is a village of "blood" fog.

As Pipa Juzo smelled the faint scent of blood in the air, his mind began to ponder.

Although Kirigakure is known as the Village of the Bloody Mist, that's just another name for its brutal rule; normally, the air outside the village shouldn't have that smell...

"I'll go scout ahead first. You stay here and wait for me to come back," Pipa Juzo informed Shisei. He had originally planned to go a little further into the depths of the forest before heading out, but this strange phenomenon made him feel uneasy.

But just as Pipa Juzo was about to run away, Shiki pulled him back.

"Don't go, my little snake should be back soon." Zhixue shook her head, tugging at Pipa Juzo's clothes.

As soon as Zhixue finished speaking, a small green snake emerged from the fallen leaves, crawled up Zhixue's clothes, and onto her fingers, hissing as it spoke.

"How about it?"

“Hmm… This road is blocked by many explosive rune arrays. Let’s take another route. Or I can go in by myself, and you can stay behind as backup.” Zhi Xue pointed to the three tomoe spinning in her pupils and said.

Although the traps there were very dense, the Sharingan could easily see through them, and she could easily pass through in just a few minutes and then use the Water Transformation Technique to slip into the interior of Kirigakure.

"That won't do. You're not familiar with this place. If you go to the wrong place or get discovered by the ninjas of Kirigakure, you might lose your life," said Biwa Juzo seriously, hearing Shiyu's intention to sneak in alone.

"You have to believe me, old man, these guys are nothing. I can handle them with one hand... wait, there seems to be something." In Zhi Xue's perception, a thick fog with chakra fluctuations seemed to be sweeping over from several hundred meters away, and there were also blurry figures mixed in with it, probably quite a few in number.

"What did you sense?" Seeing Zhixue's slightly surprised expression, Biwa Juzo suddenly felt a pang of anxiety and asked.

"A very thick fog, and there are people too. It seems we're surrounded. They've already laid an ambush several kilometers away. I should have activated all my senses." Zhi Xue drew her Kusanagi sword, a scarlet light flashing in her eyes.

Because her perception was too strong, which could easily make her dizzy, Zhixue only activated a small portion of it. However, she didn't expect the enemy to seem to have been waiting for a long time, and there were nearly a thousand of them. Zhixue even suspected that Obi-tou was deliberately messing with her, or that he wanted to see the Nine-Tailed Fox attack the village again.

call out!

On an open ground a few hundred meters away, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, carrying a long staff, arrived at the edge of the forest, followed by a squad of ANBU.

"Lord Mizukage, it seems some civilians have accidentally stepped on the trap, thus alerting the enemy. I'm afraid the trap will be difficult to fall into now."

“Useless thing… You can’t even make a mistake with something this simple. Oh well, we’ve already surrounded them. Go and fully activate the barrier we set up earlier. Remember to use the highest power.”

Hearing what Yagura said, the Anbu were also somewhat surprised and said, "Lord Mizukage, if we open it at full power, then the barrier protecting Kirigakure might..."

"Go do as I tell you to, or I'll sacrifice your head to appease the heavens..."

Seeing Yagura's gloomy expression, the ANBU member nodded, trembling, and went to prepare the barrier.

The Land of Water is truly unlucky to have such a brain-dead Mizukage.