Hidden Cloud Village was not built by the sea. Instead, it rested high among steep mountain ranges.
Even so, it wasn't too far from the coastline.
Under Shigure's acceleration, the massive Water Dragon surged across the sea, slammed onto land, carved through the mountains, and hurtled straight toward the village nestled among the peaks.
Once out of the water, however, Shigure's Water Dragon Bullet Technique could not be sustained for long.
No matter how masterful one's Ninjutsu control, no technique could last indefinitely.
Ten minutes was its limit.
But ten minutes was more than enough.
After two minutes of rapid travel, Kumogakure appeared beneath Shigure.
"We're here." Shigure smiled faintly.
The next moment, the colossal Water Dragon plunged downward from the clouds, crashing toward the Hidden Cloud Village below.
In Hidden Cloud Village
Life went on as usual. Ninja and civilians moved through the streets, unaware of the looming disaster.
But then—
Rumble…
Someone finally noticed the growing noise.
A massive shadow appeared overhead, expanding rapidly until it covered entire blocks.
A villager glanced up.
A small black dot pierced the cloud cover… then grew… and grew…
Soon, it was unimaginably huge.
"A–At the sky… what is that!?" a civilian shouted.
Sunlight broke through the clouds, illuminating the descending mass.
A Water Dragon—enormous, vividly shaped, and almost lifelike—glittered in blue light.
Kumogakure shinobi froze in disbelief.
"What in the world—?"
"It looks like a Water Dragon… but that size—"
"A Water Dragon Bullet? That can't be right!"
"No one can make one that big!"
Then—
BOOM!!!
The dragon exploded mid-air.
Water burst across the sky like an ocean torn open, and moments later, a torrential downpour crashed down over the entire plaza.
The sudden deluge lasted several minutes.
Civilians stared blankly.
The shinobi who arrived were just as bewildered.
If this was a Ninjutsu… why cause no damage?
Why only rain?
The Three Arrive
From within the rainfall, three silhouettes slowly emerged.
Shigure, Kuji, and Yuyuri stepped forward. Though rain poured around them like sheets of water, not a single drop touched their clothing.
It was as if the rain deliberately avoided them.
The five or six nearby Kumogakure shinobi tensed— until they spotted the Kirigakure forehead protectors on Kuji and Yuyuri.
"Kirigakure ninja?"
Why were shinobi from the Hidden Mist suddenly here?
And—
Had they ridden the giant Water Dragon here?
How was that even possible?
Yuyuri stepped forward confidently.
"On behalf of the Hidden Mist Village—Acting Mizukage Lord Shigure Minazuki has arrived in Hidden Cloud Village at your Raikage's invitation."
Kuji added sharply, "Inform Lord Raikage at once."
The Kumogakure ninja exchanged quick glances.
The Village was preparing to welcome the Mist delegation—
tomorrow.
They had even privately planned how they would "greet" the Mist delegation.
But now…
They weren't giving a reception.
They were receiving one.
How did the Mist delegation arrive a full day early?
And so fast it wasn't even noon?
Several shinobi sprinted toward the Raikage Building.
Inside the Raikage Office
The Raikage had, of course, already noticed the phenomenon.
A gigantic Water Dragon descending from the sky, followed by an explosive downpour over the Village—
If he hadn't noticed, he wouldn't deserve the title of Raikage.
"Was the Village attacked?" the Raikage asked sharply.
Mabui considered it carefully.
"Lord Raikage… could it have been the Mist delegation?"
Kiri?
Impossible.
Even with the fastest sea route and fastest vessels, the Mist forces could not arrive until tomorrow.
But…
If that Water Dragon had crashed into the Village, it would have caused catastrophic destruction.
Instead, it exploded harmlessly into rain.
A warning.
Or a greeting.
But definitely intentional.
And damage-free.
The Raikage frowned.
"...So. They really arrived today."
He stood from his chair, expression darkening.
"This Shigure Minazuki… what exactly is he trying to show us?"
"They arrived this quickly? The delegation from the Hidden Mist Village?"
As the Raikage spoke, the door swung open. Darui stepped inside, clearly unsettled.
"Lord Raikage… the people from the Hidden Mist Village have arrived."
So it really was them.
The Raikage gestured toward the window. "That massive disturbance just now…"
Darui nodded stiffly. "It was caused by the Mist delegation. But… there was no damage. It simply—turned into rain."
His expression darkened. The spectacle had startled half the Village—shinobi and civilians alike.
A Water Release user capable of manipulating a Water Dragon of that magnitude…
Their strength was beyond ordinary expectations.
The Raikage's face tightened. The Mist delegation had arrived early—without warning—leaving Kumogakure completely unprepared. It was clearly an intentional slight.
Of course, he wasn't exactly blameless.
He had intended to embarrass the Mist delegation during tomorrow's arranged welcome.
But now he was the one caught off guard.
"Let's go," he growled. "I want to see for myself which Mist shinobi can wield Water Release on that scale!"
He strode out of the office.
Plaza — Hidden Cloud Village
Shigure stood in the center of the plaza, with Ringo and Kuji at his side, watching Kumogakure shinobi encircle the area.
"So this is Hidden Cloud Village?" Shigure murmured.
He surveyed the gathered shinobi. They were powerful—worthy of the Village's reputation—but they weren't necessarily superior to the elites of the Hidden Mist.
"The Village looks quite nice," he said calmly, "but the hospitality is a bit lacking."
He checked the time.
"It's already been over ten minutes. And still, no official from Hidden Cloud Village has come to greet us? Didn't they invite us here?"
Several Kumogakure shinobi flushed in embarrassment, unable to retort.
Their sudden arrival had caught the entire Village unprepared—how could anyone respond in time?
At that moment, lightning cracked across the plaza.
A deep voice followed:
"Guests from the Hidden Mist Village, I presume? My apologies. This old man was occupied with Village affairs. And more importantly—you never informed us that you would be arriving today."
"So there was… a slight oversight."
The lightning gathered and dispersed, revealing a towering, muscular man stepping through the crowd.
The Fourth Raikage had arrived.
...
TN:
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