Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 169 The Fishy Smell of Bianchao Village

As dusk falls, the setting sun sparingly casts its last rays upon the sea, painting it with a fragmented, flowing gold.

The sea breeze, carrying a strong salty and damp scent, mixed with a lingering fishy smell, swept across the coastal village of Heianchao, the easternmost point of the Land of Fire.

This is a typical fishing village, with low wooden houses scattered along the coastline, and fishing nets and dried salted fish hanging under the eaves.

Fishing boats returning home moored in twos and threes at the simple dock. The fishermen, carrying the day's catch and dragging their weary steps, cast long shadows in the setting sun as they chatted and laughed on their way home.

Everything seemed so ordinary, full of the warmth of everyday life.

However, beyond this seemingly peaceful scene, in the dense woods on the edge of the village, a chilling atmosphere, incongruous with the tranquility, is silently spreading.

Dark figures lurked in the shadows of the tree canopy and bushes, blending seamlessly into their surroundings without making a sound.

They are Konoha's first vanguard force.

After a full day of almost non-stop extreme running, they finally arrived at the designated rendezvous point.

At the outermost edge of the woods, Shimura Danzo and Uchiha Kagami stood side by side, their gazes passing through the sparse tree branches, quietly watching the village not far away, filled with the warmth of human life.

Danzo's face was expressionless; his sharp eyes reflected the lights of the fishing village, yet showed no emotion whatsoever.

The shadow of war and the peaceful daily life form an incredibly stark contrast at this moment.

"This is it."

Uchiha Kagami said softly, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible emotion.

To protect this seemingly ordinary life, these talented individuals must walk in the darkness, always ready to rush to the most dangerous battlefields.

Danzo did not respond, but simply raised his chin slightly, gesturing to Uchiha Tokumitsu behind him.

De Guang immediately understood and conveyed the message silently with a gesture.

The Roots and Dark Guard ninjas, lurking in the forest, spread out silently, forming an invisible warning network.

Shimura Danzo and Uchiha Kagami emerged from the forest in a flash, without disturbing any of the villagers at the village entrance.

Their movements were light and swift, like two leaves blown by the wind, quietly landing on the very edge of the village, in front of an inconspicuous fish shop.

The wooden signboard of the fish shop is quite old; the sea breeze has made the characters on it faded and illegible, and only the four characters "Bianchao Fishing House" can be barely made out.

War and peace, desolation and daily life, create a strange and striking contrast here.

Wearing a straw hat, Uchiha Kagami looked into the distance and saw a shirtless child chasing a seabird, laughing crisply. The sense of protection in his gentle eyes became even more tangible.

Danzo's gaze swept across the entire village like a razor blade, assessing every possible defensive vulnerability and warning point. His mind was preoccupied with tasks and efficiency.

The two exchanged a glance, said nothing, and walked into the fish shop one after the other.

The fish shop was dimly lit, and an even stronger fishy smell wafted through the air.

Behind the cutting board, a middle-aged man, also dressed in coarse fisherman's clothes, was bent over, intently scraping fish scales with a small knife.

His movements were skillful and powerful, and fish scales flew off the knife.

Hearing footsteps, the man didn't even look up, but asked in a hoarse voice with a local accent.

"What would you like to order, gentlemen? The sea bass is quite good today; it was just unloaded from the ship."

Danzo did not answer, but simply stood there quietly.

Uchiha Kagami, who was behind him, stepped forward and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Boss, we don't buy fish."

"We've come to ask..."

Jing paused, her gaze falling on the fish knife in the man's hand.

"Is the wind a bit strong today?"

The act of scaling the fish suddenly stopped.

The man slowly raised his head, revealing an unremarkable face, his skin dark and rough from years of sun and wind exposure.

But the moment he looked up, his eyes became unusually shrewd and sharp.

That was definitely not the look of an ordinary fisherman.

The man put down the fish knife, wiped his hands with the cloth beside him, and gave Danzo and Kagami a meaningful smile.

"The wind is indeed a bit strong."

"However, it's perfect for going out to sea."

He turned to the side and gestured for him to enter.

"Gentlemen, let's talk in the backyard."

The man led Danzo and Kagami to the backyard of the shop.

The backyard was piled with all kinds of fishing gear: old fishing nets, rusty anchors, and tangled ropes. It seemed messy and disorderly, but in Danzo's eyes, the placement of these items subtly formed a warning barrier. Once an outsider broke in, it would definitely trigger the mechanism.

The Nara clan, no matter where they are, can never shake their habit of calculating everything to the extreme.

The man walked to the center of the backyard. After confirming that it was safe to be around, the shrewdness and cunning on his face vanished instantly, replaced by the competence and solemnity of a ninja.

He suddenly knelt on one knee and lowered his head deeply.

"Nara Naofuka, squad leader of Heishi Village, from the Root branch, greets Lord Danzo and Lord Kagami!"

Get up.

Danzo's voice remained flat, revealing no emotion.

Nara Naofuka stood up nimbly, ramrod straight, and awaited orders.

"Where's the boat?"

Danzo gets straight to the point.

"Reporting back to Lord Danzo, everything is ready."

Nara Naofuka's answer was clear and concise, without a single unnecessary word.

"All ships are anchored at the highest level of secrecy in Bay No. 3 on the east side of the village. It is a natural harbor with a narrow entrance, making it easy to defend and extremely difficult to spot from the outside seas."

"Each ship has undergone several inspections, and its fresh water and emergency supplies are fully stocked, ready to set sail at any time."

Danzo listened quietly, and a hint of satisfaction finally appeared in his sharp, hawk-like eyes.

He stepped forward, extended his calloused hand, and patted Nara Naofuka's shoulder heavily.

"Well done."

This was a rare compliment he gave to his subordinates.

"It's all for the village."

Nara Naoka showed no sign of smugness; he simply stated a fact calmly.

These simple and unadorned words moved even Uchiha Kagami, who was standing nearby.

This is the root.

They are the nameless heroes who, in times of peace, are forgotten by everyone and remain silent in building defenses for the village.

For the Nara clan, taking a long-term view and preparing for all possibilities in advance is almost an instinct ingrained in their bones.

He took out a nautical chart wrapped in waterproof tarpaulin from his pocket and carefully unfolded it.

"Lord Danzo, Lord Kagami, please look."

Nara Naokaze pointed to an inconspicuous concave bay on the nautical chart.

"The fleet is right here."

Please come with me.

He put away the nautical chart, and led Danzo and Kagami out of the back door of the courtyard, walking along a winding forest path towards the bay.

Behind them, the shadows in the woods began to shift, and the vanguard led by Uchiha Tokumitsu spread out silently like a tide, closely following the three and maintaining absolute vigilance.

The group walked through the dense forest by the sea, the fallen leaves under their feet making a soft rustling sound.