“So, this is Captain Yamato's plan?”
In the early morning, the thick sea fog, like a heavy curtain, obscured the sky.
Chizhao, wearing a tattered cotton coat, with messy hair and a dirty face, stared at the four people dressed as “old, weak, sick, and disabled” in front of her. Her eyes twitched slightly, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
“To infiltrate a country controlled by Gato, we naturally have to disguise ourselves as refugees to get in smoothly.”
Yamato, with his helmet off, revealed his firm jawline. Even in patched, old clothes, he couldn't hide his strong physique beneath the fabric.
This hardly looked like malnourished refugees fleeing a war-torn country.
“But with this disguise, in the face of unexpected situations, we might be put on the defensive.”
Due to his constitution, Torune was completely wrapped in cloth. His previous black mask was now replaced with bandages wrapped around his head.
Adhering to the Aburame clan's tradition of not showing their eyes, he still wore a black eye mask over his white bandages, adding a touch of eerie misery to his overall appearance.
Fu Yamanaka's face, disguised to look gaunt, smiled reassuringly and patted Torune's shoulder.
“As long as we don't reveal our Ninja identity, I don't think anyone would attack refugees.”
At this moment, Sai, whose face was pale and looked sickly even without disguise, spoke slowly:
“There seems to be movement in the sea.”
Hearing this, everyone simultaneously looked towards the sea shrouded in thick fog.
As the sound of the churning seawater grew closer, Chizhao saw a blurry figure in the thick fog gradually become clear.
“Are you the ones going to the Land of Waves?”
An old man wearing a straw hat approached, rowing a boat. His gaze swept over the five people, and his tone held a hint of suspicion.
“Yes, as agreed, we will pay the corresponding amount.”
The old man slightly lowered his straw hat, stepped aside to make way, and said in a hoarse, low voice: “Get on the boat.”
The thick fog, like a heavy white veil, tightly enveloped the boat. It was unusually quiet all around, with only the gentle sound of oars stirring the water.
“It's truly incredible. Nowadays, people are still paying to escape to the Land of Waves...”
Suddenly, the old man's low voice awakened everyone who was immersed in the hazy fog.
Chizhao turned her head to look at him. His gaunt face, coupled with his worn-out clothes, suggested a life full of hardship.
Yamato sat at the bow of the boat, watching the old man punting the boat from the stern, his tone humble.
“We have important people there, so we have no choice but to go.”
“Hmph, that's none of my business. As long as I get paid, nothing else matters.”
The small boat was once again enveloped in silence. Everyone silently felt the swaying of the boat, and Chizhao gradually felt a little sleepy.
Under the cover of the thick fog, a huge dark shadow above them gradually lengthened.
Chizhao then realized from her muddled mind that this was the “Naruto Bridge” that was still under construction.
Oh right, it wasn't called “Naruto Bridge” yet.
Everyone's attention was drawn to the steel framework being constructed in the thick fog.
“Follow this bridge, and you'll reach the Land of Waves.”
Fu Yamanaka carefully observed it and found that many building materials and machinery on it had stopped working, revealing a desolate decay in the thick fog.
“Has this bridge been abandoned?”
The sound of the oars swaying slowed down at this moment. Yamato bent over and sat there, quietly observing the old man's expression.
“I suppose so. After all, many people have already lost their lives because of it.”
Chizhao remained silent. Under Yamato's questioning, the old man did not hide anything and told them all about Gato's evil deeds of monopolizing sea transportation and shipping.
Including the islanders' reason for building this bridge, regardless of the cost in manpower and resources, which was almost identical to Chizhao's memory.
She silently clenched her fists, pondering inwardly.
Perhaps she could complete the mission before Naruto and his group arrived, thus preventing their encounter with Zabuza.
But the problem was, she didn't know the current time node, nor how to approach Gato.
As she was deep in thought, the small boat quietly entered a dim tunnel. The orange-red lights inside the tunnel flickered, guiding them forward.
As the light ahead gradually approached, everyone's vision also widened at this moment.
The thick fog had quietly dispersed at some point, and a small island surrounded by the sea suddenly appeared before them.
Chizhao, who had never seen the sea before, her eyes lit up at this moment.
“Ah! It's the blue sea!”
She excitedly ran to the bow of the boat, which swayed slightly from her running.
“Chizhao! Be careful not to fall in.”
Yamato's reminder didn't distract her. She leaned on Yamato's shoulder with one hand, her body tilted forward, letting the sea breeze caress her face, smiling brightly as she admired the unique scenery.
Large areas of mangroves plunged into the clear blue seawater, their roots intertwined, forming a vibrant scene on the monotonous sea surface.
After rowing for a distance, the old man docked the small boat at a wooden platform, signaling everyone to disembark.
After stepping onto the stable sea platform, Chizhao carefully observed the mysterious maritime nation before her.
Scattered sparsely on the island were some simple houses, which were the dwellings of the islanders.
These houses were mostly built from old wooden boards and stones, teetering under the erosion of sea wind and time.
The roof tiles swayed in the wind, as if they could fall off at any moment.
After Yamato handed the agreed-upon payment to the old man, he stood behind the four, his relaxed expression as if he were on vacation.
“Next, we need to choose a place to live.”
“Captain, we are refugees now. Besides the money we gave the old man, where do we have extra money for a hotel?” Chizhao looked at him in confusion.
Sai, beside her, tugged at his unraveling clothes, his pale face looking even more pathetic in the sunlight:
“Then let's sleep on the streets. Maybe we can even gather some useful information.”
Yamato, not in a hurry, gathered the four around, comforting them like the elder brother of this “miserable family”: “Don't worry, I told you I already had a detailed plan.”
“What kind of plan is it?” Torune looked up at him in confusion.
“Come with me, you'll know in a bit.”
Watching Yamato's retreating figure, the three boys exchanged glances, not knowing what he meant.
But Chizhao vaguely guessed Yamato's next move.
Her heart was both nervous and full of anticipation.
Was Captain Yamato going to use that jutsu?
......
“Wood Release! Four-Pillar House Jutsu!”
In a desolate forest, logs seemingly imbued with life suddenly burst out of the ground on the empty land.
Under Chizhao's sparkling, admiring gaze, accompanied by the sound of intertwining trees.
A simple yet elegant small wooden residence miraculously stood before the members of Team 6.
“Oh, oh, oh, oh! So cool!”
Chizhao, seeing the legendary “Three-Room, One-Living Room Jutsu” for the first time, excitedly skipped around the house several times.
“This... this is too exaggerated...”
Fu Yamanaka looked at everything in front of him in surprise, not expecting his captain to build a house with his bare hands.
“Truly amazing....”
Torune took a step forward and murmured. Even Sai, who usually had no expression, showed a rare look of surprise in his eyes.
“To be less conspicuous, I deliberately designed the house to be a bit smaller, but the space inside is definitely enough to accommodate us.”
Seeing the four's reaction, Yamato was filled with a sense of accomplishment. He crossed his arms over his chest, a satisfied smile on his lips, and led everyone towards the cozy dwelling.
Chizhao had already impatiently pushed open the door. What met her eyes was a fully furnished interior, and a clean, orderly, and pleasant environment.
Chizhao once again let out a heartfelt sigh.
This was hardly refugees fleeing!
This was practically carrying a house and making the world their home!