Chapter 34: Assault

In the blink of an eye it was the next day, and before dawn the two, Qimu Chao and Shui Men, began their disguise makeup.

They casually sketched on their faces, then applied some special stickers, turning into different looks.

Qimu Chao directly used Magnetic Field Rotation to alter his facial shape and pupil color, a move that made Shui Men click his tongue in amazement again.

After donning wigs and Sunglasses, and changing into black coats, the two looked at each other and smiled.

Outside the inn, Caiqian Leiguang had already arranged a carriage to take them to Tianhejing's port; they would board a ship from the port into the sea, then sail straight to Yucha Island.

Because of chakra, the technology tree of the Naruto World is an abnormally distorted product; although there are electric lights, televisions and other modern tech, the mainstream mode of transport for ordinary people remains the carriage.

As for ninjas, a carriage's speed is far slower than their own.

Just as it takes Shui Men and Qimu Chao only a day to rush from Fire Country to the capital of River Country, traveling by carriage would take at least a month.

On the ship, Qimu Chao and Shui Men formally met the target they were to protect this time: Caiqian Fenglin's daughter—Caiqian Xingzi.

Caiqian Xingzi wore a kimono, with a faint cinnabar mark on her forehead that seemed to be a birthmark; at her chest she wore a silver inverted‑triangle pendant, the triangle encircled, giving a somewhat odd appearance.

The girl appeared quite young, looking only thirteen or fourteen, yet she was impeccably polite and courteous in all interactions.

When Caiqian Leiguang brought the two—Qimu Chao and Shui Men—before her, she immediately expressed gratitude: "Because of my caprice, you both had to travel a long way; I am truly sorry."

"Miss Xingzi, there's no need for such formalities; accepting a commission and completing a mission is a ninja's duty, no apology is required."

Faced with Caiqian Xingzi's thanks, Shui Men shook his head in a rather cold, detached manner: "For the coming month, the two of us will do our utmost to protect your personal safety."

"You both need not trouble yourselves so much."

Upon hearing Shui Men's words, Caiqian Xingzi waved her hand and said earnestly: "You only need to help us repel the attackers when I am assaulted by ninjas; the rest will be handled by my father's guards."

Shui Men was about to say something else, but Qimu Chao placed a hand on his shoulder, signaling that he need not continue.

If anyone truly tried to attack Caiqian Xingzi, it would only be either a frontal assault or covert poisoning.

A typical ninja's frontal attack can be easily handled by Shui Men and myself; as for poisoning, whether neurotoxin or blood toxin, the power of Magnetic Field Rotation can expel them directly from the body.

That is Qimu Chao's confidence.

Accompanied by the rumble of steam, the ship left Tianhejing's port, and their party officially set out for Yucha Island.

"It takes about a week to go from Tianhejing to Yucha Island; I wonder if anyone will launch an attack during that week."

After sailing for a while, Qimu Chao and Shui Men stood on the deck, leaning against the rail, engaging in casual chat.

"Even the most clumsy assassin won't strike just moments after the ship departs, so we can relax for the first two days."

Hearing Shui Men's words, Qimu Chao glanced at the azure sea; beneath the calm surface churned turbulent undercurrents.

"That's not certain."

Shui Men squinted; the Ninja World is never short of such accidents.

Neither Shui Men nor Qimu Chao took Caiqian Fenglin's earlier remark that "an attack might occur on the road" seriously.

Given his evasive attitude, it wasn't a possibility but a certainty.

Although the reason is unknown, from a certain perspective they need not know it either.

Shui Men's vigilance proved of little use; as Qimu Chao said, nothing happened during the first three days at sea.

The calm was almost uncanny.

From the fourth day onward, both Qimu Chao and Shui Men were on high alert, for they could not afford any problems at a time like this.

In contrast to Qimu Chao's attitude, Caiqian Xingzi had been very vigilant during the first two days, staying in her cabin and not venturing out, but as time passed she gradually relaxed her guard and began wandering around the ship for fun.

Afternoon of the fifth day.

The weather changed abruptly; a distant storm could be faintly seen, and it was too late to alter the course, so the captain ordered everyone to prepare early and steer straight through the storm's eye.

Upon hearing the captain's notice, Caiqian Xingzi, who had never seen a great storm, deliberately ran to the deck and used a telescope to look into the distance; at that moment, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.

"It's raining, miss, please return to the cabin first."

Caiqian Leiguang, holding an umbrella, stood beside Caiqian Xingzi and reminded, "Even with Konoha ninja protection, we must not become too lax."

"I know; my father's enemies are probably waiting for this chance."

Caiqian Xingzi nodded, obeyed Caiqian Leiguang's words, and stepped toward the cabin.

Swoosh—

Dozens of ice Thousand-Leaf Shuriken shot up from the sea floor, ricocheting in the air and altering trajectories, before shooting straight toward Caiqian Xingzi's position.

"Ah!"

Unable to react in time, Caiqian Leiguang could only muster all his strength to pull Caiqian Xingzi into his arms, attempting to shield the miss with his body.

At the same moment, the sea surface began to freeze rapidly, and the rain in the air quickly turned into hail and snowflakes.

It should be noted that, due to the Wind Country's climate, this sea has never seen snow or hail before.

Such an effect can only have one explanation: someone is casting a large‑scale ninjutsu to create terrain favorable to their side.

The imagined pain and death never arrived; Caiqian Xingzi poked her head out of Caiqian Leiguang's embrace and saw a not‑particularly tall figure with hands clasped behind his back, firmly blocking them, while the ice Thousand-Leaf Shuriken scattered around without a single one striking near her.

It was Qimu Chao.

A gust of sea wind blew past, dislodging the loosely worn wig from his head; since the attacker had shown himself, the disguise was no longer needed.

On the aft deck, Shui Men had already slain several ninjas attempting to board the ship.

From their prepared demeanor, it seemed they had been waiting here for a long time.

"Finally, the attacker arrives."

Seeing the ninjas spring from beneath the ice, Qimu Chao leapt into the air, and with a flick of Five-Colored Thread knocked them down: "Let me see the power of Ice Escape Ninja Art!"