Chapter 186: The Search
The Land of Wind, one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, possessed vast territory. Unfortunately, the majority of this expansive land was covered by endless yellow sand—arid, barren, with far fewer usable resources and habitable land than the other four great nations. The living conditions were nothing short of harsh.
Above the boundless golden sea of sand, beneath the azure sky, a peculiar "creature" soared smoothly on outstretched wings. It was a magnificent beast resembling the dragons of Western legend!
The massive streamlined body stretched roughly ten meters long, covered in white scales that appeared to be made of some special clay. The fearsome dragon head, claws, and enormous wings that supported its massive frame in flight—from every angle, this was undeniably a dragon!
Yet this dragon bore only a single, lifeless white color throughout its body, lacking the luster and vitality of a living creature. Though it could ride the wind like a true dragon, it resembled more a giant clay sculpture crafted with exquisite skill but bizarre materials.
This was Deidara's masterpiece—the C2 Dragon.
Seated securely on the flying dragon's back were several figures. At the very front, leaning so far forward that half his body extended beyond the edge, the blonde youth Deidara excitedly surveyed the monotonous yet magnificent desert landscape racing past below, shouting loudly.
"Ooh! We've already entered the Land of Wind's airspace! What a nostalgic place. I really want to see it again—that ultimate art, yeah!"
His mind involuntarily replayed the scene he'd witnessed in the skies above this very desert that day—the world-ending yet perfectly sublime Great Rasengan. His eyes gleamed with fervent longing.
After drinking in the view, he turned his head and called back to those behind him. "Alright, senpai! What exactly are the characteristics of the target we're looking for this time? This godforsaken place has nothing but sand. Finding someone won't be easy, yeah."
Seated further back on the dragon's spine, dressed in the practical attire of an ANBU operative, Uchiha Shisui responded in his steady voice.
"According to the organization's current intelligence analysis and the leader's instructions, the target we seek is a shinobi extremely skilled in the Puppet Technique. We estimate his apparent age may exceed thirty years, but this person has been classified by his former faction as 'missing for many years.' Specific facial features are unknown, and we cannot even confirm whether he maintains his original appearance."
He paused, then added, "Therefore, this trip to confirm the sparse intelligence we have cannot guarantee the target is the person our leader seeks. We must remain vigilant and carefully verify."
Besides Shisui, two others occupied the dragon's back.
"Here, Zabuza-san, please put this on." A gentle voice spoke as Haku offered a prepared sand-proof cloak and face mask to the man beside him. "We've already reached the Land of Wind's territory. The windblown sand below is quite strong—it'll be very uncomfortable if it hits you directly."
Carrying an ordinary-style longsword on his back, Momochi Zabuza maintained his unapproachable demeanor. He glanced at what Haku offered, his voice somewhat muffled through his bandages.
"Unnecessary. Shinobi on missions regularly face wind, sand, snow, and rain. Needing extra protection for this little environmental exposure is pure softness. For people like us, such things are just cumbersome burdens."
His words were as caustic as ever, as if rebuking Haku's excessive concern.
However, Haku had long grown accustomed to Zabuza's tsundere nature. He didn't withdraw his hand, his smile remaining gentle yet persistent.
"I can't help it. I know shinobi must endure all kinds of environments. But I don't want Zabuza-san's beautiful body to suffer any unnecessary damage—not even from tiny grains of sand scratching your skin. So please, wear it."
Hearing these words, Zabuza fell silent for a moment. Finally, he snatched the sand-proof mask with a rough yet swift motion, quickly securing it over his face. It covered most of his features tightly, leaving only his eyes exposed, while also completely hiding the extremely subtle hint of tenderness that flickered through them.
"...Nagging," he muttered in a low voice, accepting the gesture in his own way.
Haku had long since adapted to Zabuza's contradictory nature—or rather, his tsundere disposition. He simply maintained his gentle smile, quietly watching as Zabuza somewhat awkwardly donned the mask, his eyes revealing relief.
"Oh, Shisui-senpai, Deidara-senpai, please wear these as well." Haku turned around, retrieving two more brand-new sand-proof masks from his pack and distributing them to Shisui and Deidara respectively.
His consideration was remarkably thorough. After all, no one knew how long they'd be searching across this vast sea of sand—taking protective measures in advance was always wise.
"Thank you, Haku." Shisui accepted the mask with warm gratitude in his tone. He looked at this youth with delicate features and gentle nature who had also been robbed of a normal life by this cruel world, ultimately forced to become a missing-nin.
Well, actually... Shisui mentally corrected himself. The first time they'd met at the organization's headquarters, the day Haku officially joined the Ember organization's operatives, he had indeed almost mistaken Haku's gender, causing a minor embarrassment.
Deidara also shed his usual boisterous manner, accepting the mask Haku offered with unusual "composure," even nodding with apparent maturity.
For some reason—perhaps it was simply that natural and respectful "Deidara-senpai" from Haku—he inexplicably found himself adopting a senior's bearing, unable to resist wanting to appear more reliable.
Even though Haku's actual age might be slightly older than his own.
After all four had donned their sand-proof masks, the C2 clay dragon continued its steady flight above the boundless desert. Scorching sunlight beat down mercilessly on the earth below. Beyond the undulating dunes and occasionally visible wind-worn rock pillars, no other signs of life could be seen.
Forget puppet masters—they couldn't spot even a single person, or even traces of animals.
Time slipped away quietly in the monotonous flight. Several hours passed.
Just as everyone was beginning to think today's search might prove fruitless—
"Hmm? What's happening over there, yeah?"
Deidara, who'd been keeping watch, was the first to notice something unusual in the distance. He squinted, pointing toward a certain direction on the horizon.
Far away on the horizon, a dense column of black smoke was rising in billowing clouds, shooting toward the sky and forming a stark contrast against the clear blue skies.
Below the smoke, flickering flames were faintly visible, and a trace of burning smell seemed to drift through the air.
"That location... it seems to have just experienced an intense battle, or perhaps an attack." Shisui's gaze instantly sharpened. His Sharingan activated as he attempted to see farther and more clearly. "The scale appears significant."
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