Chapter 11: Chizuki's Idea
A dull, muffled sound echoed from the distance, abruptly interrupting Chizuki's thoughts and causing his expression to change.
Hearing the noise, Jack blinked, stuffed the remaining biscuit in her hand into her mouth, and patted her chest with her small, fair hands as she swallowed. Then she called out sweetly:
"Brother."
At the sound of her voice, Chizuki turned around. His delicate face was filled with seriousness as he looked at the white-haired girl before him.
"Come on. Let's go up and take a look."
Jack nodded. In one swift motion, she picked Chizuki up, her steps light and graceful. With a few agile leaps, she ascended to the treetops, finally coming to a steady stop on a thick branch.
The world of Naruto was saturated with natural energy. Aside from the massive, intelligent summoned beasts, the towering trees—dozens of meters high and so thick that four or five people couldn't encircle them—were the best example.
Standing atop one of these towering trees, Chizuki strained his eyes toward the direction of the sound. Not far from them lay a valley, now covered in a thick blanket of white smoke. The smoke quickly dispersed, revealing a barren stretch of land.
It was obvious—someone was fighting there. And judging by the scale, whoever it was, they were undoubtedly powerful.
"I didn't expect the flames of war to reach here in just one day…"
Chizuki gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes as he tried to see further into the valley.
"Brother, what should we do? I can feel a very strong energy fluctuation coming from over there. The ones fighting… their strength might not be weaker than mine. If they come this way, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you."
Jack frowned slightly, her delicate fingers brushing aside her white bangs. Her expression hesitated for a moment before turning anxious.
"How about we leave first? Your safety is more important, Brother. I can find another safe place."
Hearing this, warmth spread through Chizuki's heart. There was a hint of tenderness in his gaze as he looked at her.
To have a sister like this—what more could one ask for? Not only beautiful, but also thoughtful and caring… In the future… right… cough, cough, what am I thinking…
Chizuki cursed himself inwardly, shaking off the stray thoughts before speaking in a low, steady voice:
"There's no way around it. This is the war zone between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. As long as the war doesn't end, there's no such thing as a safe place here. The battlefield in this area is extremely complex—forces from both sides are interlocked like interwoven teeth. There are traces of battle everywhere. We can't possibly find a truly safe spot."
He shook his head and sighed helplessly. After a brief pause, he glanced toward the distant valley again.
"What I'm most worried about is running straight into a Mist ninja unit. That would be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire—definitely a bad outcome. But right now… I do have an idea."
"An idea?"
Jack blinked her large emerald eyes, confusion flickering within them.
Chizuki rubbed his nose and organized his thoughts before speaking:
"I think this is actually a great opportunity—an opportunity for us to gain the upper hand. Even if the people fighting ahead are strong and we can't defeat them, the fact that they're using such powerful techniques means they're likely locked in a fierce battle with one or more opponents."
"If we wait until both sides are exhausted and injured, we can reap the benefits like a fisherman. And if things go wrong, we can still retreat in time and ensure our safety. What do you think?"
Jack looked at him seriously, hesitating for a moment. After a brief silence, she gently nodded.
Her pink lips curved into a bright smile as she lifted her head slightly, her soft voice filled with trust:
"Mm. Whatever you say, Brother. I'll do as you decide."
Chizuki's previously tense expression softened as he looked at the small, charming girl before him. His tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. Letting out a breath, he smiled faintly.
"Alright. Don't worry. Let's go take a look."
Originally, Chizuki had planned to capture a Mist ninja to gather intelligence. If he could determine the general position of the Hidden Mist forces, even better. Whether it was assassination or launching surprise attacks, those would be simple tasks. Even if not for killing enemies, simply avoiding their operational zones and safely returning to Konoha would become much more feasible.
During their earlier clash with the Mist ninjas, Chizuki had been entirely focused on escaping and hadn't considered capturing a prisoner. Only after waking up today and replaying everything in his mind did he realize how awkward his current situation was—there were many crucial factors he had completely overlooked. He couldn't help but feel a trace of regret.
But the earlier battle had been extremely intense. There had been several moments where he nearly lost his life, leaving him no time to think about such matters.
Now, however, the idea had suddenly surfaced—and once it did, it firmly occupied his mind, refusing to fade. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
First of all, the fact that a battle was happening here meant that at least one side had to be either Mist ninjas or Konoha ninjas. No matter which side it was, Chizuki could obtain valuable information about the war from them.
If it turned out to be Konoha forces, that would be even better—he could help them defeat the enemy and then return safely to the Konoha front lines with them.
Two figures flashed through the forest, swiftly weaving between trees and brush.
In the blink of an eye, Chizuki and Jack arrived at the edge of the valley.
What they saw was a land that looked as if it had been scorched by the blazing light of ten suns. The ground was riddled with rough, dried cracks, and the vegetation had withered completely, as though all moisture had been drained from it.
Even Jack the Ripper couldn't help but show a trace of surprise in her eyes.
Chizuki swallowed hard, his gaze filled with disbelief. Forcing himself to calm down, his mind began racing, searching through his memories for someone capable of causing such devastation.
Impossible… how could this be? To achieve this level of destruction… it would have to be a high-level Fire Release expert at least at the jōnin level. And with such a wide range… could it be a top figure from the Uchiha clan? That's not possible—there's no record of such a powerful Uchiha on the Mist front. Could it be one of the so-called "Konoha Eight Colors"? That doesn't make sense either—they're just fan-made concepts…
Shifting his gaze toward the center of the valley, what he saw made his pupils contract sharply.
"So it's her!"