The Land of Wind, as one of the Five Great Nations of the Ninja World, possesses a vast territory.
However, unfortunately, most of this expansive land is covered by endless yellow sand; it is arid and barren, with usable resources and habitable land far less than the other four Great Nations, making its living environment quite harsh.
Above the boundless golden sea of sand, in the azure sky, a peculiar "creature" was gracefully soaring, its wings spread wide.
It was a magnificent being, like a giant dragon from Western legends!
Its huge, streamlined dragon body, about ten meters long, was covered in white… what appeared to be "scales" made of some special clay; its ferocious dragon head, dragon claws, and the pair of massive wings that supported its colossal body in flight… from any angle, this was a dragon!
However, this dragon was uniformly a single, dead white, lacking the color and vitality a living creature should possess; although it could fly with the wind like a real dragon, it more resembled a giant clay sculpture, exquisitely crafted yet made of a bizarre material.
This was Deidara's masterpiece—the C2 Dragon.
Several people were sitting steadily on the back of the flying giant dragon.
The blond youth, Deidara, who was flying at the very front with half his body leaning out, was excitedly looking down at the monotonous yet magnificent desert scenery rushing by below, shouting loudly:
"Oh, oh—! We've entered the airspace of the Land of Wind! What a nostalgic place; I really want to see it again… that ultimate art."
In his mind, he involuntarily replayed the Great Spiraling Ring, the world-destroying yet perfectly exquisite sight he had witnessed above this desert that day, his eyes flashing with fanaticism and longing.
After satisfying his visual craving, he turned his head and shouted to those behind him, "Alright, Senior! What are the specific characteristics of the target we're looking for this time? This godforsaken place is nothing but sand, so finding someone won't be easy."
Uchiha Shisui, sitting further back on the dragon's back, dressed in a sharp Anbu uniform, heard this and calmly replied:
"According to the organization's current intelligence analysis and the leader's instructions, the target we are looking for is a Ninja who is extremely skilled in puppetry.
It is estimated that his appearance might suggest he is over thirty years old, but this person has been classified as 'missing for many years' by his original faction; his specific facial features are unknown, and it is even uncertain whether he still maintains his original appearance."
He paused, then added, "Therefore, this confirmation based on scattered intelligence cannot guarantee that the target is the person the leader is looking for.
We need to remain vigilant and carefully verify."
Besides Shisui, there were two other people on the dragon's back.
"Here, Zabuza-san, please put this on," Haku's gentle voice rang out as he handed a prepared sand-proof cloak and a mask to Zabuza Momochi beside him.
"We've already reached the territory of the Land of Wind; the sandstorms below are quite strong, and having them directly hit you will be uncomfortable."
Zabuza, carrying a standard-issue long sword and looking unapproachable, glanced at the items Haku offered, his voice muffled through his bandages.
"Unnecessary.
For a Ninja on a mission, sandstorms, snow, and rain are common occurrences; needing extra protection for this kind of environment is simply being delicate.
These things are just cumbersome hindrances to us."
His words were as harsh as ever, as if rebuking Haku's excessive concern.
However, Haku was already accustomed to Zabuza's contradictory nature; he did not withdraw his hand, and the smile on his face remained gentle and persistent.
"I can't help it.
I know Ninjas need to endure all kinds of environments.
But, I don't want Zabuza-san's beautiful body to suffer any unnecessary harm, not even from tiny sand particles.
So, please put it on."
Listening to Haku's words, Zabuza was silent for a moment, then finally snatched the sand mask, roughly but quickly putting it on his face, completely covering most of it, leaving only his eyes exposed, while also completely hiding the fleeting, extremely subtle soft emotion that flashed in his eyes.
"…Annoying," he muttered in a low voice, accepting the kindness.
Haku was already used to Zabuza's contradictory, or rather, tsundere, behavior; he simply maintained his gentle smile, quietly watching Zabuza awkwardly put on the mask, a look of relief in his eyes.
"Oh, and Shisui-senpai, and Deidara-senpai, please put these on too."
Haku turned around and took out two more brand-new sand masks from his satchel, handing them to Shisui and Deidara respectively.
His consideration was very thorough; after all, no one knew how long they would have to search over this vast sea of sand, and it was always right to prepare protection in advance.
"Thank you, Haku."
Shisui took the mask, his tone gentle as he thanked him.
He looked at this young man, whose appearance was delicate and whose personality was gentle, yet who had also been deprived of a normal life by this cruel world, ultimately becoming a rogue Ninja.
Well, Shisui silently corrected himself in his mind; the first time they met at the organization's stronghold, the day Haku joined the Anbu of the [Ash] organization, he had indeed almost mistaken Haku's gender, leading to a small awkward moment.
Deidara also changed his usual boisterous demeanor, accepting the mask Haku offered quite "steadily," even nodding in a proper manner.
He didn't know why, perhaps it was Haku's natural and respectful "Deidara-senpai" that inexplicably made him adopt the air of a "senior," making him want to appear more reliable.
Even though Haku's actual age might be slightly older than his.
After all four had put on their sand masks, the C2 clay giant dragon continued to fly steadily over the vast, boundless desert.
The scorching sun beat down unobstructed on the earth; below, apart from the undulating sand dunes and occasional weathered rock pillars, no other signs of life could be seen.
Let alone a puppet master, not even a human figure, or even traces of animals, could be found.
Time quietly passed during the monotonous flight; several hours went by.
Just as everyone was beginning to feel that today's search might yield no results—
"Hmm? What's happening over there?"
Deidara, who had been on lookout, was the first to notice the abnormality in the distance.
He squinted and pointed his hand in a certain direction on the horizon.
In the far distance, on the horizon, a thick plume of black smoke was billowing upwards, soaring into the sky, forming a stark contrast with the clear blue sky.
Below the black smoke, flickering flames were faintly visible, and a faint, almost imperceptible smell of scorching seemed to waft through the air.
"That location… seems to have just experienced a fierce battle, or an attack."
Shisui's eyes instantly sharpened; his Sharingan activated as he tried to see further and clearer.
"The scale seems quite large."
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 70 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"