Chương 127: The Higher the Leap, the Faster the Fall

The Land of Waterfall was a nation cradled on three sides by the Land of Earth, Grass, Fire, and Iron. Though it faced the sea to the north, its inland territory was far from negligible. Takigakure stood as the nation's sole legitimate hidden village, modeled after the "One Country, One Village" system pioneered by Konoha's First Hokage. Despite being a minor power, Takigakure was legendary; it was the only village outside the Great Five to possess a Tailed Beast.

This legacy stemmed from the village's early days of glory. In its infancy, Takigakure produced a relentless stream of elite Jonin, commanding such prestige that it became the first minor power capable of challenging the hegemony of the Great Five. At the time, they harbored the same ambition later seen in the Land of Rain: the dream of becoming the Sixth Great Nation.

However, as the years eroded their strength, the village faded into a state of semi-obscurity—a classic case of a once-great house falling into ruin. Even the Hidden Cloud, notorious for their "zero-cost acquisitions," took little interest in them. The intelligence networks of the Great Nations were well-aware of Takigakure's secret: they mass-produced elite Jonin using the so-called Hero's Water.

To drink it was a death sentence; even those who survived the initial agony gained only a fleeting burst of power before their life force withered. It was unsustainable, a suicidal practice of "draining the pond to catch the fish." The Great Nations, with their mature systems for nurturing masters, naturally looked down upon a resource that was indistinguishable from poison. Furthermore, the current yield of Hero's Water was abysmal, further dampening any desire for conquest. It simply wasn't cost-effective.

To resist an invasion, Takigakure would undoubtedly consume the remaining water in one final, desperate stand. Combined with the presence of the Seven-Tails, an aggressor might win the battle only to find the spoils turned to ash, having sacrificed their own shinobi for nothing. The only technique of true value, the Earth Grudge Fear, had been stolen by their own rogue, Kakuzu.

Before his departure, that legendary figure had slaughtered the village's high command, dealing a crippling blow to an already waning power. Today, Takigakure's primary claim to fame was its location. It was a village nestled amidst a labyrinth of mountains and waterfalls, virtually impossible for an outsider to find. The unique geological pressure forced groundwater to erupt from the peaks, creating a spectacular array of falls that defined the landscape.

Men live in the valley's verdant embrace; water falls from the heavens and the mountaintops. In terms of sheer seclusion, perhaps only Hoshigakure—the Village Hidden Among the Stars—could compete, protected as it was by a canyon of natural toxic gas. Before a thundering waterfall on the outskirts of the village, Zhen Dongye's party was met by a middle-aged man dressed in traditional civilian attire. He didn't carry the air of a shinobi. Flanking him were two boys.

The elder was barely an adult, wearing a forehead protector etched with the Takigakure symbol. His expression was a mask of arrogance, eyes full of disdain that only intensified when he noted the stature of the three visitors. Though the trio wore Anbu masks, their height betrayed their youth—thirteen or fourteen at most. How powerful could they be? he wondered. Has Konoha truly fallen so far? Have they lost so many to the war that they're reduced to sending children?

The younger boy, about five or six, shared a resemblance with the middle-aged man, his eyes wide with curiosity. Two squads of Takigakure shinobi stood guard nearby. The man offered a formal bow.

"Welcome, esteemed guests from the Leaf. I am Shibuki, the leader of Takigakure. This is my disciple, Suien, and to my right is my son, Shibuki. Both have long admired the shinobi of the Leaf and insisted on greeting you. I hope you will overlook their intrusion." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. In the shinobi world, the title "Kage" was a privilege reserved for the leaders of the Great Five. Minor village heads were restricted to the title of "Leader."

The shameless "Hoshikage" of the Star Village was the lone exception—they played at being Kage behind closed doors, and the rest of the world simply couldn't be bothered to correct them. Hayate and Yugao remained as still as statues. Anbu were meant to be silent; the captain alone would provide the voice of the team. Zhen returned the bow.

"Leader Shibuki, it is a pleasure. I am the Captain of Konoha's Owl Squad, codename 'Athene.' Here are our credentials and the response from the Fourth Hokage." Shibuki reviewed the documents, confirming their identities.

"Excellent. We shall discuss the details shortly. For now, please follow me into the village to rest." Zhen had no objections, but someone else did. The young Suien pointed at the trio, shouting at his master, "Wait! Master, are you seeing this? Konoha sent three brats. What use are they? Damn it, is the Leaf mocking our village?"

"Suien! Be silent!" Shibuki barked.

"Show some respect to our guests." He didn't demand an apology, however. It seemed even the Leader had forgotten the cardinal rule: Never judge a shinobi by their appearance. Deep down, he likely shared his disciple's skepticism. Zhen was a seasoned professional. He wasn't about to rip off his mask and boast about the "Shield of Konoha" title the Raikage had thrust upon him just to see them gasp. Patience was a shinobi's primary virtue; he wouldn't let a boy's bluster rattle him.

He merely shifted his weight, tapping his right foot lightly against the earth.

"Leader Shibuki," he said calmly, "let's not waste time on trivialities."

"My apologies," the Leader replied, beginning to lead them toward the falls.

"My disciple is merely overzealous about the village's safety. His words were out of turn—" He had barely taken a few steps when the young Shibuki's voice rang out, high and frantic.

"Teacher Suien? What's wrong?" The boy pushed at the older disciple, but Suien was as immovable as a boulder.

"Father! Teacher Suien, he's..." The Leader flickered to Suien's side and gasped. His disciple's skin was crawling with intricate sealing formulas. Suien was frozen, his eyes wide with a frantic, silent terror. Facing a complex array he didn't even recognize, the Leader realized he was out of his depth. He swallowed his pride and bowed deeply—a full ninety-degree apology.

"Captain Athene, I humbly apologize. This was a failure of my own tutelage. I beg of you, do not hold my disciple's ignorance against him." Zhen was here to fulfill a contract, not to foster a blood feud. Having established the authority of the Leaf, he tapped his foot again, releasing the bind. The dense swarm of sealing characters slithered off Suien's body like a school of fish, diving into the earth and vanishing.

[Fuinjutsu: Nightmare Bind] It was a technique Zhen had modified using the Four-Limbs Weighted Seal and the Chakra Suppression Seal as foundations. Those caught within it were stripped of all movement, including their chakra; only the mind remained active, trapped in a waking nightmare. It functioned similarly to Danzo's Self-Cursing Seal, but with a crucial advantage: it required no physical contact to cast. It was subtle, swift, and absolute.

Currently, Zhen was experimenting with adding the Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique to the mix to make it a true "Nightmare" bind. He looked forward to testing it on younger targets later; it would certainly make their childhood memories more "vibrant." As a recognized genius who had studied under Kushina, Zhen wasn't content with just using established jutsus. Improving and personalizing them was half the fun. The young Suien, now free, instinctively rubbed his arms.

The arrogance had drained from his face, replaced by a look of sheer trepidation as he stared at the mysterious masks. Having been the "King of the Hill" in a small village, he had assumed the rest of the world was similarly mediocre. Now he saw the gap. Perhaps, he thought, he should ask his master about the Hero's Water after this crisis passed. He knew the risks, but like all young men, he believed he was the exception. I will survive, he told himself. I will be the one whose chakra swells ten-fold.

I will be the strongest. Leader Shibuki exhaled in relief. He was struck by the caliber of shinobi produced by the Leaf; even at their age, their power was incomprehensible. Suien was his star pupil, a Jonin at eighteen and an idol to the village youth, yet he had been neutralized in a heartbeat without the opponent even breaking a sweat. Konoha hadn't insulted them. They had sent a master. With his confidence restored, Shibuki's demeanor became even more humble.

He led them to the mouth of the waterfall, where an assistant handed over three black blindfolds.

"My apologies," Shibuki explained.

"The location of Takigakure is our greatest secret. All outsiders must be blindfolded before entering." Hayate and Yugao looked to their captain.

"I understand," Zhen said, taking the cloth.

"Lead the way, Leader Shibuki." As if a piece of cloth matters, Zhen thought with an internal smirk. Do you people not understand what a sensory ninja is? I haven't relied on my eyes to navigate this world for a long time.