"I haven't found any iconic landmarks yet." Hansen scratched his chin, "Well, well, well, then…"
"Let's find some locals and ask for directions first."
His divine sense unfurled like an invisible tide, silently spreading to cover the vast forest for hundreds of kilometers around.
Hansen's gaze seemed to pierce through the barriers of time and matter, passing through layers of lush tree canopies, precisely locking onto several life signatures moving at high speed.
Their movement was peculiar; they weren't running on the ground but performing anti-gravity-like agile leaps between tree trunks and branches dozens of meters high, moving incredibly fast.
What interested Hansen even more was that a strange energy, very similar to that in the surrounding environment, flowed within them.
"Hmm?"
As his perception focused further, clearly seeing the metal headbands they wore, engraved with spiral leaf-shaped symbols, a flicker of expected realization passed through the depths of Hansen's profound platinum eyes beneath his unfurrowed brows.
"So it's this world! This is truly... long time no see."
...Swish swish swish—
Swift and agile figures swiftly moved across thick branches, leaving only a series of blurred afterimages in the silent primeval forest.
"Stop!"
A clear female voice, timid yet firm, rang out. Three figures landed simultaneously on a giant tree branch that would require more than ten people to embrace, their movements so light they made no sound.
It was a peculiar combination of two males, one female, and one dog.
"Woof!"
The young man in the lead, wearing a beige fur-collared jacket and with two wild red fang markings painted on his face, was lowering his head to comfort a small white puppy perched on top of his head.
The puppy, named Akamaru, was uncharacteristically not barking playfully but had its fur bristling.
It let out a low, uneasy whimper from its throat, fiercely but timidly facing the dense forest ahead.
"Akamaru, what's wrong?"
Kiba Inuzuka frowned. His sense of smell also detected a faint, unfamiliar aura.
The aura carried no killing intent, yet it gave him an instinctive fear, like facing an ancient beast.
He immediately lowered his voice and turned to the shy girl beside him with hime-cut blue-black short hair: "Hinata, did you discover something?"
"Inuzuka-kun, please be quiet."
Another calm young man, wearing sunglasses and completely wrapped in a high-collared trench coat, spoke up to remind them: "As for why, don't you think we haven't heard the cries of the Chomei bird for a long time?"
Beneath his collar, countless imperceptible tiny black dots seemed to be restlessly stirring at their master's command, yet they hesitated to fly out.
"Ye-yes, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun."
The 'Byakugan' user, Hinata, now had bulging veins around her eyes, and the scene reflected in her pure white pupils filled her gentle face with shock and bewilderment.
"Th-there's someone up ahead."
Due to her personality, developed from a young age in the oppressive environment of the Hyuga Main House, she usually spoke softly and stammered. Her voice now trembled slightly from excessive shock.
"Th-that person's body… I can't see any chakra circulatory system… not at all!"
"But… but it seems like… like there's a condensed… sun inside his body!"
"What?!" Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame exclaimed in unison, their faces paling.
As ninjas, chakra was the source of power, the foundation for all ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, and a part of life itself.
A human without chakra, in their understanding, was equivalent to an ordinary villager with no strength to fight.
But Hinata's Byakugan was a Bloodline Limit passed down for a thousand years by the Hyuga clan; it could not possibly be wrong!
An ordinary person without chakra in their body, yet containing a vast energy like the sun?
This was illogical!
"Everyone, it's not a good habit to secretly discuss others behind their backs, is it?"
A calm voice with a hint of playfulness, without any warning, sounded like a ghost from behind them.
The muscles of the three people and the dog instantly tensed, like cats whose tails had been stepped on. A chill ran down their spines, and they spun around sharply!
They saw the black-haired young man, who should have been hundreds of meters ahead of them, had appeared silently on a tree branch less than five meters behind them at some unknown time.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering without a breeze, calmly observing these nervous little ones. A mysterious meaning flashed in his platinum eyes, which seemed to contain stars and oceans.
"Wh-when did you get here?!"
Kiba Inuzuka gasped in horror.
His and Akamaru's proud sense of smell and perception had completely failed to detect any movement from the other party, as if this person had appeared out of thin air!
Shock aside, Kiba Inuzuka had already dropped to all fours like a wild beast, with intense burning chakra appearing on his hands and feet.
Ninja Art, Secret Technique—
"Four Legs Technique"!
Beside him, Shino Aburame, though silent with his hands in his pockets, had large patches of black mist drifting from his collar and hair ends.
Ninja Art, Secret Technique—
"Parasitic Insect Jutsu"!
Behind them, Hinata's heart pounded nervously, but she still firmly lowered her stance and raised her arms, assuming the starting position for "Gentle Fist Style."
A conflict of vastly unequal strength was on the verge of breaking out.
Hansen watched with interest the three little ones in combat stances before him, as well as Akamaru, who was trembling on Kiba's head but still baring his fangs.
He chuckled, "What, is this how Konoha greets guests?"
"Don't be reckless, Hinata, Kiba, Shino!"
A mature and calm shout rang out. The figure of the red-haired Jonin Kurenai Yuhi flashed like a ghost, instantly appearing in front of her three disciples, shielding them firmly behind her.
She held two sharp kunai, adopting a standard defensive stance, and her beautiful face was now filled with the gravity of facing a formidable enemy.
Even before using "Body Flicker Technique" to appear, she had already cast one of her most proficient genjutsu on that man—
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Bind Death"!
However, the genjutsu chakra, which was enough to instantly put most Jonin to sleep, was like a mud ox entering the sea the moment it approached the opponent's body, failing to stir even a ripple.
The opponent's mental power was as unwavering as a mountain; her genjutsu had no effect at all!!
Hansen looked at the four familiar faces before him, a sense of emotion in his heart.
—To be flung into the Naruto world by a divine power storm. Judging by the age of the 'Crown Princess' (Hinata), it should be a peaceful era where combat power has not yet collapsed.
Kurenai Yuhi gripped her kunai tightly and asked warily, "Who exactly are you, sir? What is your purpose in approaching the territory of Konoha Village?"
As a military base of the Land of Fire, the mountains and forests near Konoha Village naturally belonged to a restricted area. Ordinary people could not possibly evade the patrolling ninja squads and approach freely.
"Me?" Hansen considered his long list of titles, which were enough to scare people to death. It seemed none of them were useful now.
"My name is Hansen, just a homeless traveler."
The more relaxed and at ease he appeared, the louder the alarm bells rang in Kurenai Yuhi's heart.
The pressure this man exerted on her was unprecedented; he was definitely an extremely dangerous existence!
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 70 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"