"Whoosh!"
Figures darted between the trees. Saitama and his team had bypassed the enemy's first line of defense, now stepping into Bear Country.
"Stop for a moment!" Hyuga Dun raised his hand. The veins around his eyes were swollen and blue—a sign that he was using his Byakugan (White Eye).
"Swish!"
The advancing team halted in unison, waiting for Hyuga Dun to speak.
"There's an enemy squad ahead—four members total, including a Jonin."
Hyuga Dun crouched on a tree branch, reporting his observation.
"I'll handle it. You all watch the perimeter."
Saitama stepped forward confidently; he was sure he could take them down quickly.
"I'll go with you. Everyone else stay alert and eliminate any surrounding threats."
Shibi Aburame nodded calmly. It wasn't the first time they'd run into such a situation.
Saitama and Shibi swiftly moved out while the rest took up defensive positions nearby.
Soon, the battle ended. Saitama and Shibi rejoined the group.
"Keep moving," Shibi said evenly, his voice steady as ever—like those recently slain enemies had nothing to do with him.
"This is the map we took from that Jonin. See if it shows anything different from the earlier ones."
Saitama pulled out a scroll and tossed it to Hyuga Dun. Previously, maps taken from enemies had been handed over to him one after another.
As their most skilled scout, Hyuga Dun possessed the widest and farthest Byakugan range. Entrusting the maps to him made perfect sense.
Catching what Saitama threw, Hyuga Dun unfurled the map and began examining it.
"All these maps have one overlapping section outlined clearly. Judging by this, that location must be pretty important to them. Should we head there?"
Still hopping between tree branches, Hyuga Dun maintained his pace and asked Saitama and Shibi.
"If it really is that significant, even if we go there ourselves, we might not stand much of a chance."
Shibi wore sunglasses—his eyes hidden behind dark lenses.
"Show me where exactly."
Without immediately commenting, Saitama let Hyuga Dun point it out to him.
"A coastal area?" Saitama looked at the spot circled thickly in black ink.
"It's not far from here. Most likely a harbor—possibly the landing site where Mist forces arrived in Bear Country."
Hyuga Dun stared with pale white eyes, speaking calmly. He didn't want his personal judgment influencing the team's decisions.
"What do you think, Saitama?"
Shibi noticed Saitama had stayed silent for quite some time.
Fingers grazing the hilt of his sword, Saitama narrowed his eyes.
"Let's check it out. Our mission involves tracking enemy movements. That's where we might find what we're after."
Saitama glanced around at the team.
After a long silence, Shibi's expression hardened behind his shades. As the oldest member of the entire group, he had originally been reluctant about taking such risks, but the attitudes of Saitama and others forced him to reconsider carefully.
"Fine—we'll take a look over there!"
"But under one condition—I'll take charge of the situation, and everyone follows my orders when that happens!"
Shibi turned his face toward Saitama, glancing sideways at Hyuga Dun.
The whole team agreed on a plan and got moving right away.
Nine ninjas moved quickly toward the spot marked on the map.
...
"Has our Lord's ship arrived yet?"
This was a newly built dock belonging to the Mist village.
"Almost there—don't get impatient!" said a ninja carrying a massive cleaver slung across his back. It was unmistakably Biwa Juzo.
"We must remain as discreet as possible. I hope Our Lord's arrival brings quite the surprise for the Konoha ninja!"
At this, Biwa Juzo curled his lips into a grin, letting out a chilling laugh that spread through the air.
Only Biwa Juzo and another ninja stood at the dock. Judging from this, few others were aware of their plan.
"He's here!" The other ninja called out, spotting a vessel slowly approaching from beyond the horizon.
Wrapped in fog, the boat appeared almost unreal, but Ao knew—it carried The Fourth Mizukage.
"Hmm!"
Biwa Juzo nodded slightly and stopped paying attention to Ao beside him.
Although Ao was also a powerful Jonin, he was merely a Ninja Squad member, so Juzo didn't consider him worth special notice.
If it weren't for his connection to The Fourth Mizukage, he wouldn't even be here on a mission this secret—or standing next to Biwa Juzo.
...
"Shh-shh!"
Saitama and his team crouched silently among the tree branches, their movements rustling the leaves around them. A gentle breeze blew past, setting the foliage swaying continuously.
"How is it going, Dun?"
Saitama barely whispered his question to Hyuga Dun who was not far away.
"There are only two ninjas ahead at the dock. Judging by the amount of chakra they're emitting, both should be Jonin. One of them must be Biwa Juzo—one of the elite Ninja Squad members."
Hyuga Dun had encountered Biwa Juzo before on the battlefield and was familiar with his chakra signature. He quickly identified him.
"Hmm," Saitama nodded.
"If Biwa Juzo is willing to wait alongside him, that other ninja must be an elite as well."
Shibi's arms were completely covered in insects, and countless more continued crawling outward from his body onto surrounding trees.
"Wait!"
Hyuga Dun suddenly narrowed his eyes; his expression grew serious.
"A ship is approaching from beyond the horizon. But the distance is too great—I cannot determine what's happening aboard."
He deactivated his [Byakugan], closed his eyes briefly, and white tears streamed down his cheeks. Maintaining such an extended reconnaissance state placed considerable strain on his eyes.
"What now? Someone important enough for Biwa Juzo to personally wait must be a key figure within the Mist—but who could it be?"
Saitama and the others remained nearly a kilometer away from the dock, still undetected by enemy forces.
"Take another look—who exactly is aboard that ship?"
Light glinted off Shibi's sunglasses as he adjusted the frames—already, countless insects had crawled from his body and disappeared into the surroundings.
"Fine!" Saitama signaled agreement, instructing Hyuga's team to continue using the [Byakugan] shortly.
"I will also send more insects for further surveillance. For now, we've only detected two enemies. Stay alert, and we should remain unnoticed."
"Hmm."
Hyuga Dun had his eyes half-closed.
...
Clang!
The ship approached the dock, slowly bumping against the buffer zone and producing a dull sound.
It wasn't a big ship—it was just a small transport vessel.
Thud! Thud!
A short figure stepped out from the cabin, sporting green hair that shimmered under the sunlight, along with an artistic scar extending from the left corner of his eye.
Though he appeared small in stature, his presence was powerful and commanding.
"Hey! So it's just you two!" This figure jumped from the ship onto the dock, shouting toward the two people waiting for him.
As he landed, another graceful figure followed him down from the vessel.
Her burgundy hair fell across her eyes. Though still young, her well-trained physique showed signs of maturity.
If Saitama had been here, he would have immediately recognized this kunoichi's identity.
"We've been drifting at sea for so long. Finally arrived."
Terumi Mei stretched, brushing the hair from her right side behind her ear with her hand.
Ignoring the cold look on Biwa Juzo's face, Mei approached Ao while waiting for Yagura to speak.
"Sorry to keep you waiting for so long!"
Yagura Karatachi stepped forward, holding a rod-shaped weapon, approaching Biwa Juzo and the others.
Standing only four feet and four inches tall—about the height of a child—his imposing presence remained undiminished before these taller individuals.
In fact, those around him remained submissive and deferential in his presence.
Among the rare perfect jinchuriki in shinobi world history, Yagura ranked within the top five strongest ninja alive. With favorable battlefield conditions, he feared no opponent!
"It is our duty, Lord!"
Biwa Juzo bowed his head slightly, reaffirming his subordinate position.
"We should leave now. The journey has been exhausting."
Waving his hand dismissively, Yagura Karatachi ignored Biwa Juzo's demeanor.
Meanwhile, the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan continued watching closely.
Two chunin teammates from the Hyuga clan alternated reporting the situation at the dock to Saitama and others.
"Dun-sama, the ship has docked! Two people disembarked—one of them possesses unusual chakra, which we couldn't see clearly through our Byakugan!"
A Hyuga ninja reported to Hyuga Dun what he had seen.
"Oh? Let me check!"
He glanced around, then checked Saitama's expression. When Saitama gave a nod, Dun acted accordingly.
"Byakugan!"
Dun focused his gaze forward. The veins around his eyes bulged prominently, making him look fierce and intimidating.
As a branch member of the Hyuga Clan, this is one side effect they experience when activating the Byakugan—the unsightly veins will appear around their eye sockets, affecting aesthetics.
"This is...!" As Tu Yi activated his eyes, Hyuga Dun witnessed something shocking.
Previously, during a chance meeting in Konoha Village with Kushina, the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, the young and naïve Dun had once secretly activated his Byakugan behind Kushina, wanting to observe how different a jinchuriki might be. At that moment, he saw a vast sea of pure chakra—an overwhelming sight that sent shivers down his spine.
Now, Hyuga Dun's eyes also witnessed an ocean of chakra. Within that chakra sea, he could even see a strange creature swimming through it, its three tails flicking through the chakra like waves.
"Jinchuriki!!"
Hyuga Dun immediately realized what he was seeing—and instantly broke into a cold sweat, deactivating his Byakugan out of instinct.
"What's wrong?" Shibi asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Jinchuriki! The Three-Tails! The Fourth Mizukage!"
Hyuga Dun's voice carried obvious tension as he spoke to Saitama and Shibi.
Everyone in the Shinobi World knew the Three-Tails' jinchuriki was The Fourth Mizukage. This meant the Mizukage herself had arrived on this battlefield, leaving Hyuga Dun completely shaken.
"You're saying the one who came is actually The Fourth Mizukage?"
Shibi's tone turned extremely serious as he sought confirmation from Hyuga Dun.
"Yes!"
Swallowing hard, Hyuga Dun nodded.
"Hurry, let's go! If it really is The Fourth Mizukage, we'll be in big trouble!"
Shibi's expression changed as well. He issued orders to the teammates scattered around before standing up himself, preparing to retreat.
Saitama frowned, his mood equally complex.
He suddenly remembered something he'd completely forgotten—the Fourth Mizukage hadn't been placed under genjutsu control yet during this time. The one who used genjutsu to manipulate the Mizukage—Madara Uchiha—was currently fighting against Stone Shinobi at another battlefield.
Until now, he'd mistakenly believed this era's Mizukage had already fallen under Madara Uchiha's control.
"Let's go!" Without hesitation, Saitama followed Suitto's lead upon learning from Hyuga Dun that their opponent was The Fourth Mizukage. He immediately began retreating alongside Shibi.
After all, he wouldn't foolishly believe he could currently stand against the perfect jinchuriki of The Fourth Mizukage—Yagura Karatachi!
...
Yagura Karatachi, who had been speaking with Biwa Juzo, paused momentarily, glancing suspiciously toward the forest ahead.
Just moments ago, the Three-Tails within him had informed him that someone was secretly observing him from the woods.
"So there were only a few of you who came?" Yagura Karatachi remained calm, asking Biwa Juzo again.
"That's right!"
Biwa Juzo's frown deepened as he nodded, still trying to figure out what the Mizukage meant by this question.
"Could it be..."
Biwa wasn't just strong; he was also intelligent. As one of the Seven Legendary Shinobi, he quickly connected the dots and understood the situation, turning his gaze toward the forest behind them.
"There must be some intruders hiding around. Let's flush them out!"
Yagura Karatachi stared toward the forest, his voice sounding youthful but firm.
Ao and Terumi Mei's expressions changed as well. Ao had not yet acquired the Byakugan, so his reconnaissance capabilities were not particularly strong at this point.
As The Fourth Mizukage's personal guard, Terumi Mei felt particularly furious for failing to detect the danger first. This oversight stoked her fury like a burning flame.
"Whoosh!"
Biwa Juzo, Ao, and an enraged Terumi Mei all rushed toward the direction of the forest.
Meanwhile, Yagura Karatachi, as The Fourth Mizukage, maintained a steady pace, staying at the rear.
Though his speed didn't appear particularly fast, he consistently trailed behind the other three without falling too far behind.
"Here they come! Hurry and run!"
Shibi's insects sent him an early warning—several powerful chakra signatures were drawing near.
"Swish!" "Swish!"
Saitama and the others sped up further, but due to a few Chunin in the group, their overall pace remained relatively slow.
The distance between them and the enemies chasing from behind was gradually closing.
"Swoosh!"
Terumi Mei, running at the front, spotted the last enemy trailing behind—an enemy ninja from the Hyuga Clan.
"Boil Release: Monster Ball Technique!"
Though still young, she was already a ninja with two kekkei genkai, and her power should not be underestimated. Although these bloodline abilities hadn't developed to the level of strength they would later achieve, they were still formidable.
A thick liquid, emitting a pungent odor, sprayed from Terumi Mei's mouth and quickly caught up with the last Hyuga ninja.
"Ahh!"
The Hyuga ninja barely had time to let out a scream before vanishing within the acidic liquid.
"Don't look back—keep running!"
Seeing this familiar jutsu, Saitama naturally recognized who it was. His eyes narrowed, and without turning his head, he kept sprinting forward.
While his overall strength during this period might not have been weaker than Terumi Mei's, she certainly wasn't alone either.
Hyuga Dun remained silent, his face grim. He knew that glancing back now meant certain death. Gritting his teeth, he pushed off harder and increased his speed once more.
"You think you can still escape?!"
Hardly out of breath after using one technique, Terumi Mei immediately targeted Uchiha Huo, the person at the very back.
[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!]
Biwa Juzo, several steps behind Terumi Mei, also noticed the enemy ahead. Forming a hand seal, he activated his water-based chakra. Then, a water dragon flew from behind him and surged straight toward Uchiha Huo.
"Huo!" Uchiha Yan saw the attack coming and was about to turn around to help when he heard Saitama's voice, followed instantly by a figure rushing past him toward the back.
"Just keep running!"
Uchiha Yan knew this was no time for hesitation. He poured more chakra into his feet and blasted forward like a rocket.
"Whoosh!" Saitama didn't channel any Lightning Release—just pure speed and brute force. He swung his blade and sliced straight through the Water Dragon barreling toward Uchiha Huo.
"I'll hold this here—you all go on ahead!" As he passed Uchiha Huo, Saitama shouted, tensed his arm muscles, and slashed downward with his blade.
"Roar!"
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>