Traveling through Naruto with Heroes of Might and Magic.

After thinking about it, he kept two more unicorns.

The instruction is simple: "Guard!"

This is enough to handle most situations, and it won't be easy for the Konoha leadership to find fault with him.

Then he changed into a set of dark civilian clothes that were easy to move in, and covered the outside with an inconspicuous gray cloak that concealed his iconic Shadow Guard uniform.

Tianzang also dressed similarly.

Princess Tianxin changed into an elegant light gray casual outfit, her eyes still closed, her long hair gently tied up with a white ribbon.

She looks like a blind female ninja with a unique aura.

"Captain, where are we going?" Tianzang asked in a low voice.

He thought the captain really wanted to find a place to go into seclusion.

Qingwu glanced at the system interface: [Natural Energy: 90247]

We are still nearly 10,000 points away from 100,000. Relying on a small amount of natural growth and the settlement of battles to capture rogue ninjas, it may take quite some time.

We need to think of another way.

“Go pick up some work.” Qingwu’s lips curled into a meaningful smile. “And while we’re at it… verify some ideas.”

He didn't say it outright, but in reality, he had been planning this ever since he met Mei Terumi in the Land of Hot Water.

Yes, I'm sure Mei Terumi would be very "happy" if he appeared in the Land of Water.

Based on past experience, aside from war, battles against powerful enemies can quickly increase "level" and "natural energy".

That's right, he's got his eye on—Uchiha Obito! The mysterious masked man who now calls himself "Uchiha Madara" and possesses the Kamui Mangekyou Sharingan.

Obito's Kamui is the ultimate manifestation of space-time ninjutsu, combining offense and defense, and is unpredictable and unpredictable.

Previously, Qingwu lacked confidence, but now with "Sage Mode" and "Mirror Image Technique," even if he cannot defeat Obito head-on, he at least has the ability to protect himself.

Moreover, apart from the Akatsuki, he can't think of anywhere else he could "encounter" a formidable enemy.

Another point is that he had visited the Land of Hot Water many times before, and the Land of Water is not far from the Land of Hot Water in a straight line, which made it convenient for him to carry out his mission.

Of course, he didn't tell Tianzang these things because he was still hesitant about whether to take Tianzang to participate in the coup in the Land of Water.

After all... although Tenzo himself possessed the strength of a special Jonin, coupled with the newly established Drywood Guardians [Natural Contract], his combat power was no less than that of an elite Jonin.

However, the "unknown vortex" in the Land of Water was still somewhat dangerous for him.

"Let's go!"

The three quietly left the base without alerting anyone.

Qingwu summoned two silver flying horses, one for himself and one for Tianzang, while Tianxin Shenji did not need one.

This "fairy" can fly with you, seemingly an application of natural energy, which makes Qingwu extremely envious.

Their first stop was a secret underground gold exchange location within the Land of Hot Water.

Qingwu readily accepted several high-value bounty missions—the targets were all notorious rogue ninjas, and the locations were scattered throughout the surrounding area.

For the next two weeks, Qingwu led the two of them like ghosts, wandering along the borders of the Land of Thunder, the Land of Frost, and the Land of Fields.

With their strength, battles often end cleanly and decisively.

Most of the time, Qingwu and Tianxin Shenji only served as observers, leaving the opportunity for Tianzang to hone his skills in actual combat.

These battles were far less intense than the border wars, but they occurred quite frequently.

Moreover, the targets are often cunning, adept at concealment and escape, making it a good training ground for tracking, reconnaissance, intelligence analysis, and small-scale rapid raids.

For Yu Qingwu, every successful hunt brings experience points and natural energy rewards at the end of the battle.

Although each instance may be small, they add up over time.

Half a month later, Qingwu's natural energy reached 92358, and its level also increased by one level, reaching level 56.

This rate of improvement is still too slow.

However, after two weeks of consideration, he has made a decision.

On this day, Qingwu stood on a cliff overlooking the sea, gazing silently at the misty horizon in the distance.

"Captain, where to next? All the missions are completed."

Tenzo wiped the kunai in his hand and asked with some excitement.

In the past two weeks, he had his first encounter with underground gold exchange shops, which was like opening the door to a new world for him.

The real-world experience not only brought rich combat experience and money, but also made Tianzang plan how to support the orphanage after returning.

"The Kingdom of Water!" Qingwu slowly uttered three words.

"The Land of Water?" Tenzo exclaimed in surprise. "Captain, that's Kirigakure's territory! Our identities are sensitive right now, what if we go there..."

……

Chapter 240 Stimulated

"The Hidden Mist Village is in seclusion, and its internal situation is a mystery. When I was looking for Lady Tsunade last time, I went to the Land of Water."

Qingwu said softly, "As for the sensitive nature of my identity... it's not important. There are some things there that interest me."

"It's too dangerous," Tianzang couldn't help but say.

Over the years, Wuyin has almost completely cut off contact with the outside world. The unknown always makes people feel uneasy.

“So, I don’t plan to let you come along,” Qingwu said calmly.

Tianzang immediately became anxious, "I want to go with you!"

“Tianzang, you stay here.” Qingwu shook his head: “Although I have been there once, it was only to look for people. I don’t know much about the Water Kingdom and the situation is unclear. Too many people would be inconvenient.”

"Captain!" Tianzang was so anxious that tears were about to fall.

Qingwu turned around and said gently, "You stay here to meet me. The timeframe is tentatively set at half a month. If I don't return, you immediately go back to the front line and inform Senior Zhuque of the situation."

He knew it wouldn't be easy to persuade Tianzang, so he came up with this reason.

"But..." Tianzang was indeed unwilling to separate so easily.

"That's an order!" Qingwu's expression hardened. "The backup is just as important. Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Princess Tianxin saw through Qingwu's intentions and said, "If there is any danger, I will use Reverse Spirit Communication to take Lord Qingwu to Dragon Land Cave."

Qingwu looked at her with amusement. If that's the case, he actually kind of hoped to encounter danger... He wondered what kind of expression the White Snake Immortal would have when she saw him appear.

Seeing Tianzang biting his lower lip to suppress his emotions, Qingwu gently patted him:

"Tianzang, make good use of your gains from the past two weeks. You can also go to the gold exchange and take on some nearby missions. Don't worry... wait for me to come back!"

Tianzang knew that the captain had made up his mind, and these words were actually a veiled way of telling him that he was not strong enough.

Clenching his fist tightly, Tian Canghao nodded sullenly: "...Yes, Captain, be careful!"

He vowed in his heart that he would grow up quickly.

If the appearance of Tianxin Shenji had stimulated Hongdou before, then at this moment, Tianzang was also stimulated by the ruthless reality.

Indeed... although they are both members of the Shadow Guard,... the gap between them and their captain is widening.

"Ok!"

Qingwu patted Tianzang's shoulder again.

Then he rode his silver winged horse and soared into the sky—his destination: the Water Kingdom to the south!

……

The western front, the border confrontation zone between Konoha and Iwagakure.

A biting wind howled from the barren mountains of the northern Land of Rock, whipping up dust and gravel that lashed against the defensive fortifications of both camps.

A tense silence, colder than the dead of winter, filled the air.

When the patrol teams met, they both looked at each other with undisguised wariness, but both sides restrained themselves and no new conflict broke out.

However, beneath the surface calm lies a fierce power struggle.

The main tent at the center of the Konoha camp.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat at the table, with a copy of the preliminary agreement from the Eastern Front laid out before him, along with Homura Mitokado's report and analysis.

He took off his Hokage hat, and his gray hair and beard looked even more weathered under the lamplight.

Having been stationed on the front lines for several months, confronting his old rival Onoki from afar, even he felt a bit tired, especially the mental tension.

"The eastern front is secured..."

The Third Generation muttered to himself, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

This was originally great news, meaning that Konoha could concentrate all its efforts on dealing with Iwagakure.

But the reality is that Onoki, that old fox, not only did not back down because of the defeat at Kumogakure, but instead stayed on the border even more.

The Iwagakure army maintained a high-pressure stance, showing no signs of retreating despite not launching an offensive.

"He's waiting, waiting for me to lose my temper first."

Hiruzen Sarutobi saw through Onoki's thoughts.

Onoki knew that Konoha had just finished a major battle on the eastern front and needed time to digest the victory, appease the troops, and handle the aftermath with Kumogakure.

At the same time, Konoha was wary of Iwagakure's military strength and was unwilling to start another large-scale war on the western front.

Onoki was exploiting this, using a sustained military presence to annoy Konoha and deplete Konoha's resources and patience.

At the same time, it is also showing Iwagakure's stance to the domestic and international community, trying to regain some face and... possible practical benefits from this unsuccessful war.

"He wants me to be the first to 'ask' him to withdraw his troops, or... pay a price."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sneered.

He knew all too well how greedy and calculating Onoki was.

Iwagakure suffered significant losses in the early stages of this western operation – their stronghold was captured, their commander, Bunga, was killed in battle, and the Four-Tails Jinchuriki defected!

In the middle stage, they were blocked by the Konoha reinforcements from Shirahashi and Nara Shikaku. Later, with the collapse of the Kumogakure on the eastern front, they completely lost the strategic initiative and gained nothing.