Four hours passed in a flash.
The stars were dimming as dawn began to break over the horizon.
Standing on the deck, Qīngmíng felt his spirits lift slightly as he gazed at the wide, open sea. After ensuring there was nothing unusual around, he returned to the cabin.
The sound of waves crashing against the hull was a steady rhythm as Qīngmíng closed his eyes, formed a seal with his hands, and continued his meditation.
Time ticked by.
At some point, a thin layer of fog began to form around them.
Initially, the guards didn't think much of it—early morning fog on the sea wasn't unusual. But as the fog thickened, they finally sensed something amiss and immediately sounded the alarm.
A piercing whistle echoed across the two passenger ships, startling all the Konoha shinobi, who rushed to the deck.
Knock, knock, knock.
Inside his cabin, Qīngmíng opened his eyes, glanced at the door, and said, "Come in!"
In walked Uchiha Tetsuhuo, a familiar figure whom Qīngmíng had specifically brought along for this mission as a reliable ally.
"Qīngmíng, there's something wrong outside," Tetsuhuo said, looking uneasy.
"What's happening?" Qīngmíng asked.
"A thick fog has surrounded us—we might be trapped," Tetsuhuo replied.
"Fog?"
A realization dawned on Qīngmíng, and he quickly headed to the deck with Tetsuhuo.
On the deck, shinobi crowded around, anxiously watching the dense fog that encircled them.
Qīngmíng saw one of the Chūnin attempt a wind release technique, trying to blow away the mist. But as the mist churned briefly, it soon gathered back, as thick as ever.
Seeing this, Qīngmíng narrowed his eyes and then closed them, sensing carefully. Sure enough, traces of water-style chakra were scattered throughout the fog.
As someone proficient in the Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique, Qīngmíng quickly recognized that this mist was indeed created by the Hidden Mist Technique, and not by one but by multiple shinobi working together.
Given their mission, it wasn't hard to guess that those lurking in the mist were likely shinobi from Kirigakure.
A small, wry smile played on Qīngmíng's lips.
He had feared the unlikely scenario that Kirigakure wouldn't come after them. Now, seeing the mist, he knew he had guessed right.
This also meant that the assault force attacking the northern defense line couldn't easily retreat, confirming there would be a tough battle waiting for them.
Still, it was better than making this trip for nothing.
Qīngmíng's eyes darted to two Special Jōnin in the crowd—the ones he had forcibly assigned to join him on this mission.
Perhaps he could use this opportunity to get rid of them.
The thought flickered across his mind but was quickly dismissed. Given their skill levels, he could take care of them easily when he was ready without wasting unnecessary energy.
For now, he had to focus on dealing with the immediate situation.
With that in mind, Qīngmíng leapt to the top of the passenger ship.
Quickly forming a series of hand seals, he performed Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.
He gathered a large amount of chakra, converting it into wind release, and exhaled with force.
A fierce gale swept across the area.
A vortex of wind shot from his mouth, sweeping away the fog and kicking up waves that crashed around them.
The shinobi below watched with jaws agape, some too shocked to form words.
Most had seen Qīngmíng in action before, but mainly with his exceptional swordsmanship; many didn't realize he was also proficient in ninjutsu.
This demonstration left them in awe.
However, Qīngmíng's expression darkened.
No sooner had his wind dissipated the mist than it began to gather again, and within moments, the fog had returned.
Clearly, the enemy was prepared.
As Qīngmíng prepared to try dispersing the fog again, the sound of shuriken and kunai cutting through the air suddenly filled the surroundings.
A rain of kunai flew out of the mist, aiming directly at the two passenger ships.
Upon closer inspection, some kunai were equipped with explosive tags.
The enemy was clearly intent on destroying their ships.
Qīngmíng immediately shouted, "Everyone, protect the ships!"
With over an hour left to reach their destination, losing the ships would leave them with no choice but to swim or run across the sea.
Not everyone could endure such a long journey before an intense battle.
Most of the shinobi with him were Chūnin and Genin, who would be at a severe disadvantage if forced to run such a distance across water.
The others had also thought of this and began throwing kunai to intercept the incoming barrage.
Luckily, Qīngmíng's initial Great Breakthrough had cleared the fog enough to improve visibility slightly, increasing their accuracy.
In the end, only a few stray kunai embedded themselves in the ships.
The kunai with explosive tags, however, had been dealt with meticulously; not a single one got through, all knocked away.
The explosives went off in the water, forming bright fireballs that once again thinned the mist.
Seeing this, Qīngmíng's eyes brightened, and he performed Wind Release: Great Breakthrough once more.
This time, he poured nearly three thousand chakra points into the technique, pushing his control to the limit.
As the jutsu took effect, the sky seemed to change color.
A powerful gust erupted from his mouth, sweeping across the mist like a typhoon, scattering the fog in all directions.
Even the Konoha shinobi on the ship were sent tumbling by the fierce wind.
Several even toppled overboard into the sea.
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