54: Making A Plan...

A Few Kilometers Away from Konoha...

Fox and Dog, members of the Anbu Black Ops, moved swiftly through the treetops, their senses on high alert. They had a nagging feeling that someone was following them, someone incredibly fast and powerful.

"Can you sense it too?" Fox asked, his voice laced with concern as he gripped his kunai tightly.

Dog, his Sharingan activated to enhance his perception, confirmed their suspicions. "Yes, and whoever or whatever it is, it's fast."

Their apprehension mounted as they continued to scan the area. Suddenly, a figure, white against the backdrop of the forest, drew closer.

"Didn't you say he was heading to the Land of Iron?" Dog questioned, his surprise evident.

Fox let out a sigh. "Yes, he told me he had some business there and was also helping Koyuki."

Their initial tension transformed into relief as the figure, revealed as Sadaharu, approached them. Dog inquired, "We thought we were under attack."

Sadaharu explained his presence, "I wasn't following you; I chose this path as it's the quickest route to where Koyuki is."

Fox expressed his astonishment, "So, they're still in the Land of Fire?"

Sadaharu nodded, a sense of urgency in his voice. "Yes, and I believe I need to hurry because I have some tasks there."

Before parting ways, Fox handed a sealing scroll to Sadaharu. "Take this scroll and deliver it to her when you meet Koyuki."

Sadaharu secured the scroll within his white fur and confirmed, "Good."

With a nod, they continued on their respective journeys, disappearing into the forest in different directions.

On the Ship Bound for the Land of Water...

Fox and Dog finally arrived at the docks, where they were to meet the rest of their team for their upcoming mission. Fox couldn't help but notice the enormous size of the ship waiting for them.

"Do you think this ship might be too conspicuous?" Fox asked, concerned that such a sizable vessel could attract unwanted attention, potentially jeopardizing their mission.

Dog reassured him, "No, we're going to enter the Land of Water as regular civilians and blend in with the revelry. This is just a passenger ship, and as long as we don't reveal our Anbu attire, no one will suspect us."

Fox inquired further, "So, we'll change out of our usual clothes. In my case, I'll also use a transformation jutsu to appear older, to match your ages, right?"

As they reached the dock, where their team was already assembled, Dog responded, "We're here."

A wolf-masked Anbu operative, accompanied by three loyal dogs, greeted them enthusiastically. "Captain, you've finally arrived!"

Dog acknowledged the welcome with a nod. "We tried to get here as quickly as possible."

Another team member, Rabbit, chimed in with a soft tone, "It's a good thing you made it on time. The ship might have left without us."

With everyone present, Dog began to outline the mission and their strategy, while the ship they were on began to move.

Fox, taking into consideration the duration of the voyage, asked, "It should take about 15 days to reach the Land of Water, right?"

Dog corrected him, "That was the initial estimate, but now, thanks to recent developments, we can arrive in just 10 days."

Once Dog finished explaining their mission and strategy, Fox suggested, "We should change our clothes as soon as possible to avoid leaving any traces. Additionally, we should disembark when we're close enough to the Land of Water."

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As the ship drew closer to their destination, Dog and Wolf, two members of the Anbu Black Ops, prepared to disembark, leaving behind Kirito and Izumi, who were posing as siblings. Their conversation turned to the dynamics of their assumed roles.

"You know," Izumi began, a hint of playful annoyance in her voice, "I should be the older sister among us."

Kirito, wearing a confident smile, countered, "That's true if we calculate by our true ages. But in this scenario, I'm older because of how many missions I've completed as an Anbu."

Izumi pouted, still not entirely satisfied. "Well, I'm still older than you," she insisted, not liking the idea of Kirito being considered her elder brother, especially during the mission.

Kirito brushed aside the topic, recognizing that the mission took precedence. "That's not the point here, besides, it's just a mission," he replied with a sigh.

However, Kirito couldn't help but ask another question that had been bothering him. He referred to the faint, rhythmic sounds that had been heard throughout the night, sounds he had first encountered during the Tanzaku City incident. "Anyway, can you tell me why they're making that sound?"

Izumi, realizing the source of Kirito's curiosity, blushed and answered, "You're too young to know about that. So don't ask me about it again. You'll find out when you're old enough."

Kirito seemed disappointed but didn't press further, as it was clear Izumi wouldn't elaborate. He looked out at the sea instead.

Sensing Kirito's persistent curiosity, Izumi proposed a solution. "If you're so curious, you can ask Itachi about it. If he refuses, you can tell him that I asked him to explain everything to you."

Kirito's eyes lit up with excitement. "Do you know Itachi Senpai?"

Izumi confirmed their connection, "Yes, he's a good friend of mine. After all, we're from the same clan. He's also the son of the clan head."

Kirito nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. Do you also know his little brother?"

Curiosity arose in Izumi as she detected a peculiar tone in Kirito's inquiry about Sasuke. "Are you talking about little Sasuke? Yes, what about him?"

Kirito revealed his intention to help a friend, saying, "Well, you see, there's a friend of mine back in the village who likes him. I agreed to help her become friends with Sasuke, so I need to know about him."

Izumi provided some insight into Sasuke's popularity, stating, "Both of the Uchiha brothers are quite popular among the girls. But, in my personal opinion, you look way better than Sasuke. Not only that, you've already achieved more at your age."

Kirito accepted the compliment humbly, noting that he had heard similar comments before. He then returned to the topic at hand, inquiring, "What do you think he's like compared to other kids his age?"

Izumi, seeing Kirito's interest in the topic, agreed to continue the conversation. "How about we talk about him tomorrow? We still have a day before we arrive at the port," she suggested, her voice betraying her drowsiness.

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