"Oh yeah, I haven't seen Ophis around lately," Nawaki asked, suddenly curious. "Did you stash her away somewhere, Xin?"
"She's reached a growth stage, so she needs to hibernate for a while. I'm not sure how long she'll be asleep, though," Xin explained.
Ophis, his trusty companion, went through several stages of growth, and each one required a period of hibernation. The later the stage, the longer the hibernation. This time, Ophis had already been sleeping for over two months.
Without Ophis's 'Tailed Beast Radar,' Xin had to rely on his own sharp senses for vigilance. Luckily, his perception skills were excellent, and Minato wasn't far behind, so the squad wasn't too worried about ambushes.
As their ship sailed deeper into the ocean, visibility continued to worsen. Soon, they could barely see more than a few meters in any direction. Xin admired the sailors who braved these conditions. If they weren't familiar with the sea, they could easily crash into hidden rocks before they even realized it.
"The fog's getting even thicker," Minato noted, his tone growing serious. Something didn't feel right.
Nawaki's expression turned serious as well. "Do you hear that? The sound of waves... but not from our ship or the merchant vessels. It's coming from somewhere farther off." Minato pressed his ear to the side of the ship, listening closely. But before he could focus, Xin gave him a pat on the shoulder. "No need to listen. Get ready for battle-our target's here."
The universe was clearly on Xin's side. He'd been wondering when he'd finally run into Fuguki Suikazan, and here he was, just half a month into the mission. Right on time. "Fuguki is mine. Nawaki, you stay with the merchant ship. Minato, you cover us."
Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique made him the perfect candidate for backup, able to zip around the battlefield as needed.
Nawaki pointed at himself in confusion. "I'm watching the ships? You guys get to fight while I babysit?"
Xin's eyes narrowed playfully. "Unless you want to switch? You can go out there, bring me the enemy's head, and don't forget to grab his weapon while you're at it. How about that?"
If Nawaki agreed, Xin would happily trade places. He loved it when someone else did the work and he still reaped the rewards.
"Uhh..." Nawaki rubbed his face, clearly frustrated. "Fine, you go. If that guy slips away, I won't be able to find you another Shark Skin sword."
The Mist Village ninjas had the advantage in sea combat, and if they escaped underwater, pursuing them would be a nightmare. If Fuguki Suikazan got away, Xin would definitely make Nawaki pay for it.
Xin gave Nawaki a knowing smile before jumping off the ship and walking across the water, disappearing into the mist.
It was a shame, Xin thought, that Hoshigaki Kisame was still a young kid at this point. Otherwise, he wouldn't mind taking this 'tailless tailed beast' back to the village to raise for himself.
...
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