Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 192 Illusions in the Eyes, Stealth Blade

The night in the Land of Whirlpools was as damp as ever.

The forest blends with the night, and the condensed moisture hangs on the edge of every leaf, dripping silently and disappearing into the decaying leaf layer.

Hozuki Kaigetsu's steps suddenly stopped.

He sank slightly, as if merging with the surrounding moisture, and the chakra that had been flowing smoothly within his body began to accelerate secretly.

Hozuki Shio, who was following behind him, instantly lost her playful expression, and her emerald green eyes scanned her surroundings warily.

Zuo Yue, walking on the other side of the group, had her thick eyebrows furrowed in a knot.

He hated this feeling.

The muscle fibers were already slightly sore from being overly vigilant, and the knuckles of the fingers gripping the knife handle were white from clenching them.

This sneaky intrusion made him extremely uncomfortable.

However, before setting off, Lord Tsuchishiro repeatedly emphasized that the key to this operation was infiltration with the sealing technique as the objective, rather than pointless destruction.

"What's wrong?"

Zuo Yue's voice was very low, but it still carried the deep, muffled tone characteristic of a lightning ninja.

Hozuki Kaigetsu did not turn back.

His gaze pierced through the layers of tree shadows, looking towards the even deeper darkness.

"We're almost... at the edge of Uzushio Village."

Hozuki Kaigetsu's perception is like ripples spreading in water, keenly capturing details that ordinary people cannot perceive.

"oh?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Yue's nostrils twitched, as if trying to sniff out danger from the humid air.

He trusted his fighting instincts.

It was an instinctive reaction to killing intent, honed through countless battles.

Deep in the forest ahead, wisps of white mist rose up without warning.

The fog wasn't thick; it was like a thin veil in the mountains at dawn, swaying gently and clinging to the tree trunks, perfectly blurring everyone's vision.

Immediately afterwards, a very faint sound, like the plucking of a harp string, came.

The invisible barrier surrounding Wochao Village seemed to have been briefly torn open.

A dark figure slowly emerged from the depths of the thick fog.

The figure was lean and wiry, shrouded in a large black cloak, with the hood pulled low to hide his face in shadow.

He appeared without making a sound.

It seemed as if it were part of this darkness and thick fog all along.

The person who came stopped and maintained a subtle distance from them.

The man in black robes bowed slightly towards Hozuki Kaigetsu, a gesture of respect.

"Lord Haiyue."

The voice came from under the hood, low and hoarse.

Every word seemed to have been deliberately disguised, making it impossible to discern the original tone.

Hozuki Kaigetsu's azure eyes scrutinized the other party, confirming the coded markings on their body.

Having confirmed his identity, his tense body relaxed slightly. He nodded slightly and spoke in a cold voice.

"Okay, lead the way."

What he cared about more was Zuo Yue, the so-called "ally" beside him.

The man nodded without saying a word, and as he turned his head away, a crimson light flashed deep in his eyes.

He quickly formed several hand seals, and an even thicker white mist rose around him.

That is the most iconic ninjutsu of Kirigakure, the Hidden Mist Technique.

The already dense fog instantly enveloped the surrounding area, making it appear even more mysterious and eerie in the deep night.

"Wuhu~ Let's go! Let's go!"

A clear and lively voice broke the oppressive silence.

Seeing that the mission was finally making progress, Hozuki Shio couldn't contain her excitement and let out a playful cheer before leading the way into the thick fog, seemingly full of anticipation for the treasure hunt.

"That idiot..."

Hozuki Kaigetsu shook his head helplessly, his brow twitching.

He turned his head and glanced at Zuo Yue beside him, his eyes filled with undisguised distrust.

"Let's go."

"Don't fall behind."

Zuo Yue shrugged his broad shoulders, grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and his eyes held a hint of rough teasing.

"Thanks for reminding me."

"I'm just worried that you Kirigakure ninjas might get lost in this fog and not be able to find your way home. That would make you a laughing stock in the ninja world."

"you……"

A Kirigakure ninja next to Hozuki Kaigetsu was about to retaliate, but Kaigetsu stopped him by raising his hand.

Mind your own business.

After saying that, he waved his hand and led the Mist Shadow elites behind him to follow.

The group followed the dark figure and quickly disappeared into the vast sea of ​​fog.