NOVEL WEB Chapter 66: CHAPTER 66
"At our current speed, we'll reach the Land of Vegetables in one more day," Kimimaro said flatly.
The cruise ship they had boarded was far faster than their previous pace on foot. Back then, their journey had been slow—largely due to Haruna, whose civilian status and hidden identity required caution and concealment.
"So, our mission is almost complete," Karin commented.
Haruna gave Kimimaro a sideways glance. "Mr. Kimimaro, are you planning to abandon us once we land?"
"Wasn't the request to escort you to the Land of Vegetables?" Kimimaro replied dispassionately. "And honestly, there hasn't been a single real threat until now. It's been a pretty uneventful mission."
Haruna smiled faintly. "I never let those who help me go unrewarded. If you feel this mission has been worthwhile, then perhaps I could ask you to continue serving as my bodyguard even after we arrive."
"It should be 'protect you,' not 'serve you,'" Kimimaro said, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, you don't exactly look like someone who can afford my fee on your own. Are you saying the real power in your family rests with you and not your cousins?"
"I'm not that young, Kimimaro," Haruna replied. "If anything, I believe I'm older than you."
"Heh. Let's not go there." Kimimaro gave a rare smirk. "So, you're some rich merchant with money to burn, hiring bodyguards on a whim? Who would even try to assassinate a 'merchant' like you?"
Before he could finish, a flurry of kunai arced through the air—aimed directly at Haruna.
Kimimaro's smile faded. Finally.
He had begun to suspect the threat tied to this mission had vanished entirely. That would have forced him to find another way into the Land of Vegetables' affairs. But now that real attackers had arrived, his plan could proceed naturally.
Before he needed to move, Jūgo—standing nearby—stepped forward calmly and slapped the kunai aside with raw force, his body beginning to twist unnaturally as his cursed seal activated.
Off in the distance, a large black ship crested the horizon, its deck lined with armed shinobi. A group of a dozen or more began leaping from the ship, dashing across the surface of the sea using water-walking chakra control.
Leading the charge were three distinct figures—two lean, one stocky—all with eccentric features and facial markings.
"Princess Haruna," the man in the center called out mockingly. "We finally found you."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Haruna said with a forced calm, maintaining her disguise. "I'm just a merchant's apprentice."
"Heh. I'm not an idiot," the man said. "According to our intel, three people—believed to be Princess Haruna and her attendants—hired a few ninjas and are headed to the Land of Vegetables. Disguising yourself as a boy might fool civilians, but your behavior during danger—and your elite guards—gave you away."
He stepped forward confidently. "I am Renga. These are my brothers, Jiga and Ruiga. We've come to send you to join your dear father… in the afterlife."
Haruna's composure finally cracked. "What did you do to my father?"
"Heh, she admitted it," Jiga sneered.
"Princess Haruna?" Kimimaro echoed dryly, feigning ignorance.
Haruna's two attendants moved forward. The older one—previously posing as a merchant guard—bowed deeply. "Forgive us for the deception, Mr. Kimimaro. We are indeed from the Land of Vegetables. I am Kikonosuke, and this is Yurinosuke. We concealed the princess's identity to avoid premature attacks."
Kimimaro nodded, unimpressed. "We'll discuss the deception later. I've already accepted your mission—and now that danger has presented itself, I will act."
Tears welled in Haruna's eyes. "Tell me what happened to my father!"
"We killed him, of course!" Ruiga laughed. "And now it's your turn!"
Ruiga quickly formed hand seals. "Summoning Jutsu: Piranhas! Summoning Jutsu: Sharks!"
Dozens of water beasts materialized in the ocean around them, summoned creatures thrashing violently.
"Water Release: Water Heaven's Confinement!" Ruiga cast a unique water-style technique—orb-like spheres of water that hovered in midair, each containing his summoned beasts. Like floating water prisons, the spheres allowed Ruiga's creatures to maneuver unpredictably.
The princess was frozen in shock. Kimimaro watched her, noting that grief had finally hit.
Kikonosuke and Yurinosuke stepped forward. "Mr. Kimimaro," one said urgently, "There are too many enemies. Please, take the princess and escape!"
"What are you planning?" Kimimaro asked, though his voice remained level.
"We are the bodyguards of both the princess and the late daimyo. We must fulfill our duty, even with our lives. You're strong—but this is their element. We'll hold them off. You must get the princess safely to the Land of Vegetables."
Without waiting for a reply, the two rushed toward the enemy lines, blades drawn, ready to sacrifice themselves.
Kimimaro remained where he was, unmoved.
"Loyal retainers," he said at last. "But why do you assume we can't defeat them at sea?"
As his cursed seal began to activate, black markings spread along his pale skin.
Behind him, Karin and Jūgo were already preparing to fight.
From above, a flurry of petals and shimmering leaves began to descend—Kikonosuke's chakra-sensing Flower Jutsu, flaring like a signal.
"Flower Ninjutsu: Flying Petals and Falling Leaves!"
"Flower Ninjutsu: Hundred Flowers in Chaos!"
The air filled with vibrant illusions—and hidden senbon.
Kimimaro shook his head slightly as he observed Kikonosuke and Yurinosuke's techniques. "Flower Ninjutsu"? It looked vaguely reminiscent of Wood Release, but lacked the vitality and force. Maybe it had some effect in a dense forest, but out here on the open sea, it was virtually useless.
At that moment, Renga and Jiga launched their attacks.
Jiga extended his hand and summoned a mass of iron filings, which crackled with electromagnetic force. Under his control, the metal fragments easily shredded the swirling flower petals.
"Magnet Release?" Kimimaro muttered in surprise. He hadn't expected to encounter someone with a rare kekkei genkai here.
But the system corrected him at once:
[Scan complete. Subject does not possess a kekkei genkai. Magnetic manipulation is the result of specialized training combined with an altered physiology from excessive iron ingestion.]
So that was it. Not a true bloodline user—just someone who'd turned himself into a living magnet. A self-made "iron-eating beast."
Meanwhile, Renga was hovering on a floating ice platform, shielded by a reinforced layer of ice that repelled incoming projectiles.
Kimimaro's gaze narrowed.
[Subject possesses a diluted form of Ice Release. Bloodline reaction detected.]
"Looks like we've found something worthwhile today," he murmured.
Kikonosuke and Yurinosuke were already locked in combat with the enemy, but they were clearly outmatched.
"Kimimaro-san, take the princess and retreat!" one of them called out desperately.
Kimimaro merely smiled and shook his head.
"Retreat? That's not in my nature."
He calmly began issuing orders.
"Suigetsu, the one using Water Release—you take him."
"Got it. I'll show him what real Water Release looks like." Suigetsu grinned, brandishing his blade.
"Guren, Ice Release is tricky. You handle that one."
"Leave it to me," Guren replied, already activating her Crystal Release.
"As for the magnetic guy—Ranmaru, Hanabi, he's yours."
"Huh? Just the two of us?" Ranmaru blinked in surprise. Though he had a dōjutsu, his combat ability wasn't particularly dominant.
Hanabi, on the other hand, was thrilled. Her big brother was finally giving her a serious mission.
"Hanabi, focus on keeping enemies off Ranmaru. Ranmaru, don't forget—you're wielding the Lightning Blade now."
Ranmaru nodded, gripping the chakra-imbued sword tighter.
"Alright. Watch me."
Just as the group moved to support Kikonosuke and Yurinosuke, the sea beneath them trembled. Giant ice walls erupted from the ocean, encircling the ship and cutting them off from the outside.
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