MM Racing Chapter 131 Target: The Land of Wind
Chapter 131 Target: The Land of Wind
Chapter 131 Target: The Land of Wind
As their first mission after becoming Chunin, Team 8 was originally taking it very seriously, insisting on choosing a high-difficulty mission to practice their skills.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. When Taiyi and the other two finished gathering in the mission hall, they were greeted by the captain holding a mission scroll.
"The village's assigned mission is to escort the daimyo's envoy on his visit to the Land of Wind."
Captain Yamaguchi's words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the burning enthusiasm of Taichi and his companions. Escort missions, especially those involving visits between major powers, were always among the most time-consuming and laborious tasks.
It is said to be time-consuming because the messengers were often ordinary people of high status, and they were not only slow in their journeys but also particularly particular about their manners.
The reason it's considered strenuous isn't because it often involves battles, but because dealing with these cunning people is usually exhausting and mentally draining, especially since Taiyi himself is a spy, which makes it even more troublesome.
"I was hoping to show off my skills, but I ended up with this kind of mission." Yang Ping looked dejected. "Captain, can we postpone this mission?"
"Yohei, looks like you've gotten too cocky just from becoming a Chunin!" Captain Yamaguchi glanced at Yohei, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "Do you even remember the Three Commandments of Ninja?"
Yangping snapped to attention, realizing he had said the wrong thing. He quickly slapped his mouth and kept spitting out his words as if trying to get them back out.
"Captain, I was out of my mind, please don't mind me." Yang Ping apologized with a smile, but seeing that the captain still had a cold face, and then seeing Taiyi winking at him, he quickly corrected his attitude.
"The Three Commandments of Ninjas: Never abandon a mission, never disobey orders, and never leak information."
"Do you know where you went wrong?"
"Understood, orders must not be disobeyed."
"Good to know!" Captain Yamaguchi put away his cold face and earnestly instructed, "You have all been promoted to Chunin, and you will all become squad leaders in the future. You must remember these rules, set an example, and never violate them casually."
"Yes!" *3
Seeing that his team members had grasped the concept, Captain Yamaguchi nodded in satisfaction and handed the three of them the mission scroll he had prepared earlier: "We'll set off today, arrive in Kyoto tomorrow to rest, and then head to Daimyo Prefecture the day after tomorrow to pick up the envoy before departing for the Land of Wind."
After Taiyi and the other two checked the mission manual, they all said there were no problems. The team packed their equipment and set off for Kyoto.
July 6, 1945, afternoon.
The Eighth Squad spent more than a day traveling to Kyoto Prefecture. According to the plan, the rest of the day was for rest, and Captain Yamaguchi generously allowed Taichi and the other two to do as they pleased.
Before leaving, Taiichi created three shadow clones that went their separate ways. Faced with the questioning looks from Yohei and Saori, Taiichi calmly replied with two words.
"Cultivation!"
"Taiyi, you're working way too hard! You finally have a little time to play around, and you're still thinking about cultivating!" Yangping complained, but his actions were quite honest. He also created a shadow clone and flashed out to find a place to cultivate.
When I turned to look at Saori again, her shadow clone had already disappeared.
Yang Ping slapped his forehead, looked up at the sky speechlessly, and uttered a profound sigh: "My teammates are really working too hard!"
Beside them, Taichi and Saori exchanged a smile. After Yangping finished his remark, he looked at Taichi and Saori again, and the three of them couldn't help but laugh.
The scorching summer sun beat down on Kyoto, but this did nothing to dampen the bustling streets. Even on this hot afternoon, there were still many pedestrians on the streets.
Some were traveling merchants, some were tourists, and there were also many children running around.
Taiyi and his two companions walked side by side through the bustling market, occasionally eating dumplings from one stall and looking at ornaments from another.
Compared to the others around them who were constantly waving fans, the three of them were much more relaxed. The reason was that Taiyi was constantly manipulating the breeze, which swirled around them, and this was much more efficient than waving fans.
"Taiyi, you can call this cultivation, right? And this breeze feels so cool!" Yangping felt the breeze around him, which brought a refreshing coolness, and it was clearly lower than the temperature of the outside environment.
"Shopping and cultivation can be done at the same time!" Taiyi said with a smile. "I've mixed some water elemental applications into the wind attribute, which makes the wind cooler."
This is another benefit of the enhanced talent after becoming a Chunin. The improved control over attribute changes allows Taiichi to use two nature transformations simultaneously.
Yangping, oblivious to the deeper meaning in Taiichi's words, didn't quite grasp it, but the observant Saori understood. "Taiichi, are you trying to generate your own bloodline limit? Isn't the fusion of two attributes a prerequisite for bloodline fusion?"
"Haha, I have that idea, but it's still a long way off. Right now, we're just laying the foundation." Taiyi was full of pride. After all, this kind of subtle arrogance is something to be happy about only when someone knowledgeable notices it.
Otherwise, like Yangping, even if Taiyi explained it very clearly, he still wouldn't understand. In that case, it would be like casting pearls before swine.
Taiyi and his two companions leisurely strolled through Kyoto, enjoying the cool breeze. Meanwhile, their clones had already arrived outside Kyoto, each engaged in their own training. However, one of Taiyi's shadow clones took a circuitous route and arrived at the Daimyo's residence.
The Third Hokage had previously given Taichi three lists. He handed the first list to the Daimyo during an escort mission, but aside from some money, Taichi got nothing.
The second document was delivered through an informant planted by the daimyo in Konoha to one of the daimyo's liaison points in Konoha. Aside from that, there was still no other information.
Today, this is the last list. Tai looks at the list in his hand, hoping to glean some useful information.
At the daimyo residence, Taiichi announced his name, and soon a servant came to greet him. Upon closer inspection, he recognized the servant as the same person who had met with Taiichi last time.
Taiyi silently followed the servant, winding through the daimyo mansion until they arrived at a secluded hut.
Pushing open the door, Taiyi found an official sitting inside. The man was tall and slender, but his face was sinister. Taiyi immediately thought of Danzo from Root. The two were the same kind of people who walked in the shadows and did things that could not be seen by others.
"Matsushita Taichi, I am Shimazu Akira, the intelligence chief of the Daimyo Prefecture. Please take care of me from now on." He spoke politely, but did not move an inch, clearly not an easy person to get along with.
Taiyi didn't stand on ceremony and handed over the last list, then stood aside waiting for what was to come.
Shimazu Akira carefully checked the list, occasionally taking out corresponding documents from the cabinet behind him for comparison. Taiichi's brow twitched at these actions; the Daimyo's spies in Konoha were truly formidable, and the intelligence they had gathered was considerable.
After Shimazu Akira finished providing the latest information, he looked up at Taiichi again: "The Daimyo asked me to ask you: In Konoha today, who is most likely to become the Fourth Hokage?"
Taiichi's pupils suddenly contracted. This question felt like a kunai pressed against his throat—a detailed answer would expose problems within Konoha, but a vague answer might arouse the Daimyo's suspicion.
Taiichi pretended to be deep in thought, considering a solution. He was only a Chunin at the moment and could not access specific information from the higher-ups. He could only ask some powerful Hokage's direct subordinates for information, which was the kind of information a Chunin should normally know.
"Speaking of the Fourth Hokage, the last one that comes to mind is probably the three disciples of the Third Hokage: Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade, who are known as the Legendary Sannin." Taichi carefully chose his words. "However, Tsunade is often away from Konoha these days, Jiraiya is rather unruly, while Orochimaru has the highest reputation."
He paused deliberately at this point, "Of course, these are just casual conversations among the lower-ranking ninjas. After all, they haven't had any specific information before, so this is all they know."
Shimazu Akira smiled meaningfully: "I heard that your Team 8 is getting very close to Jiraiya's disciples?"
The lights flickered a few times, casting Taiyi's face in alternating light and shadow. He cursed inwardly at these bastards for knowing so much, but calmly replied, "We've only been on a few missions together, so naturally we're a little familiar with each other."
Shimazu Akira didn't say anything, but simply gave the order for the next intelligence gathering task: to collect information on the most prestigious ninja in Konoha.
When Taiyi's shadow clone left the Daimyo Mansion and dispelled the shadow clone in a deserted corner, this memory flowed back to his original body.
"What is the Daimyo trying to do? Is he trying to interfere in the selection of the Fourth Hokage of Konoha? He really has no fear of death!" Taiichi was slightly stunned and did not attract the attention of Yohei and Saori, but the latest developments of the Daimyo's mansion had to be reported to the Hokage as soon as possible.
In Taiichi's view, the Daimyo was recklessly testing the limits of Hiruzen Sarutobi's sensitive nerves. If Taiichi were the Hokage, he would have already sent someone to assassinate the Daimyo.
However, Konoha should make preparations in advance, since the Daimyo holds the reins of justice, and Konoha could easily suffer losses if things go wrong.
On the morning of July 7th, Konoha Year 45.
Captain Yamaguchi led his team of three to the daimyo's residence. After handing over the mission, they escorted the envoy toward the Land of Wind.
The delegation consisted of one chief envoy, two deputy envoys, and ten guards, totaling thirteen people. The three envoys rode together in a large carriage, while the others walked.
They had barely left the capital city and walked for half a day when Yangping couldn't take it anymore. This leisurely pace was practically like sightseeing. How long would it take to complete one of these missions?
We can't wait a whole month!
Captain Yamaguchi looked at Yohei's anxious appearance with a sense of helplessness. This was usually how it was when escorting envoys. Unless it was an urgent meeting, these envoys would not be in a hurry to get going.
Sure enough, the team leisurely traveled for a full five days before reaching the border of the Land of Fire. After the team entered the Land of Rivers from the Land of Fire, Captain Yamaguchi immediately gathered the squad for adjustments.
"Taiyi, you will be stationed in the center, and your sensory ninjutsu will be used once every half hour."
"Yohei, Saori, you two go to the rear flanks of the guard post, and I'll stay at the very front."
"Do you understand?" Captain Yamaguchi asked the group for confirmation.
"Yes." *3
The group dispersed, everyone took their positions, and the group moved forward steadily. Apart from a few scattered bandits, they did not encounter any noteworthy enemies along the way.
Perhaps because they had left the Land of Fire, the envoys knew that the environment abroad was not as stable as at home, and the delegation's travel speed noticeably increased.
On July 14th, Konoha 45, the delegation finally crossed the Land of Rivers and entered the Land of Wind.
The desert of the Land of Winds, scorched by the blazing sun, resembles a golden inferno. Endless, undulating sand dunes, like solidified giant waves, flow slowly in the hot wind. Fine sand is whipped up by the wind, forming a hazy sand mist in the air.
The harsh environment starkly demonstrated the power of nature to Taiyi and his companions, who were visiting the Land of Wind for the first time.
It also made them realize how much the people of the Land of Wind longed for the rich land of the Land of Fire.
Looking at the team on this mission, it's fortunate that they were well-prepared, having modified their vehicles before entering the Land of Wind to make them suitable for driving in the desert.
Without this carriage, the journey alone would have nearly killed the three envoys. Even the well-trained guards were swaying precariously from the heat.
Not long after entering the Land of Wind, Taiichi discovered during a routine sensory reconnaissance that a group of ninjas were hiding under a sand dune 800 meters ahead. Judging from their attire and undisguised headbands, they were undoubtedly from Sunagakure.
Taiichi immediately rushed to the front of the group and informed Captain Yamaguchi of the news.
"Has the other side made any moves?" Captain Yamaguchi asked calmly, showing no surprise at the unknown enemy.
"There's been no movement at all. They're just hanging on us from a distance. But the number of people has decreased. There were four people in the team just now, but now there are only two."
"That should just be routine surveillance; we just need to stay vigilant."
Sure enough, not long after, the two ninjas who had left returned, seemingly with some orders. The Sand Village ninjas continued to monitor the delegation for half a day, and after confirming that they were indeed heading to the capital of the Land of Wind, they left.
Throughout the entire process, this group of Sand Village ninjas did not show themselves or make contact with the people from Konoha.
After they left, Taiichi finally returned to his usual frequency of releasing sensory ninjutsu every half hour. Maintaining this surveillance had indeed taken a heavy toll on Taiichi, especially mentally.
After all, Taiichi's chakra perception was originally created to assist in training, not specifically for use as a detection ninjutsu, and its consumption is much greater than that of ordinary perception ninjutsu.
If it weren't for the 1 point increase in spirit when he was promoted to Chunin, Taiichi wouldn't have been able to withstand this kind of continuous sensory perception for most of the day.
The rest of the journey was peaceful, except for the sandstorms that made Taiyi and the others quite uncomfortable; otherwise, everything went very smoothly.
Finally, on July 18th, the delegation arrived in the capital of the Wind Kingdom, and the team's mission was considered half completed.
In the days that followed, the team split into two, taking turns protecting the messenger's safety. The others also took this opportunity to get plenty of rest.
And so, three days later, on July 21, the mission was finally accomplished, and Team 7 escorted the mission back to the Land of Fire.
However, fate did not always favor the delegation. A day after leaving the Land of Wind, the delegation encountered its first test.
"Captain, I have a feeling something's wrong with the weather!" Taiyi, who was sitting in the center and on the roof of the vehicle, had a better view. In addition, he often used his chakra to sense his surroundings and was the first to notice the changes in the environment.
"The visibility has decreased, and the temperature is higher, and the wind is picking up," Taiichi said to Captain Yamaguchi, pointing to the distant horizon.
Looking in the direction Taiichi was pointing, in just a short while, the sky in the distance had been tinged with a yellowish-brown. Yamaguchi Seisuke frowned slightly, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
He instantly arrived at the top of the nearest sand dune, and looking into the distance, he could see it much more clearly now. He saw a sand wall that stretched from the sky to the earth, rushing towards the delegation with a devastating force.
"Sandstorm! Stop the vehicle! Form ranks on the spot!"
A loud shout came from Yamaguchi Seisuke's mouth, and the carriage immediately came to a stop under the driver's control, with the guards surrounding the carriage.
When Captain Yamaguchi returned to the group, the sky had darkened at a visible speed, the horses were stamping their hooves restlessly, and even the riders' best efforts to calm them had no effect. The sand wall in the distance seemed to be right next to them.
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