in2ebook What happened in Chapter 605?
What happened in Chapter 605?
Suddenly, Zhang Hai's gaze froze. He noticed the two Sand Ninja corpses lying in front of the child. Although their faces were unrecognizable, the distinctive features of a puppeteer could still be faintly discerned. He moved swiftly to the two corpses and examined them closely. When he saw their faces clearly, a bitter smile appeared on his face, tinged with melancholy.
Bai Ya noticed that something was wrong with Zhang Hai and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
Zhang Hai checked several times, and finally, he sighed softly, his tone filled with complexity and melancholy, and said, "I've been in Sunagakure for so long, and I actually made a good friend... His name is Kankuro. If I'm not mistaken, these two puppeteers are his parents."
Upon hearing this, Bai Ya's already weary face was filled with deep helplessness. He could only manage a bitter smile, unsure whether to lament the insignificance of the world or the cruel tricks of fate.
Zhang Hai said nothing more. He formed hand seals and summoned a giant puppet. The puppet's abdomen was like a storage space, and he carefully placed the corpses of the two puppeteers inside, giving them a final moment of dignity. After doing this, he turned to Bai Ya and said, "Teacher, erase these children's memories of today. They shouldn't remember this tragedy. I will send them back to their village."
Upon hearing Zhang Hai's decision, Bai Ya's face showed a rare expression of gratitude. He knew how dangerous and difficult the mission was, and he also knew how noble Zhang Hai's decision was. He solemnly thanked Zhang Hai, his tone sincere: "Okay, thank you, Zhang Hai."
White Fang wasted no time; he knew that delays could lead to unforeseen complications. He slowly crouched down, carefully gathering the children who were huddled together in fear. Then, he swiftly formed hand seals, chanting incantations, his fingertips surging with chakra as he inscribed a complex runic array around the children. As the array completed, White Fang pressed his hands to the ground, and a massive amount of chakra flooded into it like a tidal wave. The children's tense bodies gradually relaxed, the terror in their eyes fading, replaced by a blank stare. Finally, one by one, they collapsed to the ground, falling into a deep sleep.
“I’ve erased their memories.” White Fang stood up, dusted off his hands, and looked back at Zhang Hai, his eyes grave. “The road ahead will be extremely dangerous. Sunagakure is not Konoha; their security measures and ninja deployments are different from ours. Be careful on this journey.” He paused, his tone becoming unusually serious, carrying an unquestionable command, “If things go wrong, prioritize your own lives. As for those children… abandon them on the spot.”
A flicker of emotion crossed Zhang Hai's eyes, but he did not refute, only nodding slightly and replying in a deep voice, "Teacher, I will be careful." He knew that White Fang was not heartless, but rather deeply aware of the cruelty of the battlefield, and understood the importance of his safety to Konoha.
For Zhang Hai, infiltrating Sunagakure with a group of children might seem like an impossible task, but it wasn't difficult for him. During his time learning puppetry from Sasori, he had thoroughly familiarized himself with the village's terrain, defenses, and secret passages. He even remembered several hidden paths unknown to the village's ninjas, enough to allow him to infiltrate silently. Moreover, his scrolls contained several specially made puppets, perfectly suited for transporting the unconscious children.
Without delay, Zhang Hai swiftly summoned a large, ancient-looking wooden ox puppet from his scroll. The ox was crafted entirely from sturdy wood, its hollow interior large enough to hold all the children. He carefully lifted each sleeping child and gently placed them inside the ox's belly. The children were completely unaware in their deep sleep, only occasionally uttering soft murmurs.
After settling the children in, Zhang Hai quickly removed his ANBU uniform, storing the iconic attire in a scroll. Then, he took out some special paint from his ninja tool pouch and began to paint on his face. Soon, a mask with the distinctive style of a Sunagakure puppeteer appeared beneath his mask. Although masked, the unique artistic flair was enough to deceive even the most discerning eye. This was an imitation and tribute to Sasori's style, and undoubtedly the best disguise. With everything ready, he manipulated the wooden ox puppet, and under the cover of night, silently left the blood-soaked battlefield, speeding towards Sunagakure.
Just as Zhang Hai had predicted, he encountered no obstacles along the way. He avoided all reconnaissance units and patrol routes, relying on his familiarity with the terrain and his extraordinary stealth abilities to traverse the desert. When the night was deepest, he had quietly arrived at the outskirts of Sunagakure. The familiar outline of the village was faintly visible in the moonlight, and the towering Kazekage Building stood like a silent giant in the center of the village. He did not choose to break through head-on, but instead followed the path he knew by heart, that hidden path almost buried by sand and known only to a very few, and easily slipped into the village. The whole process was exceptionally smooth, even making him feel a little relaxed.
After successfully infiltrating Sunagakure, Zhang Hai remained vigilant. He carefully maneuvered his wooden ox puppet through the village, searching for a suitable place to settle the children. After all, abandoning them in some corner was not only unsafe but would also arouse suspicion. He needed to find a place where they could be discovered, but without causing him trouble.
He walked along, lost in thought, his mind completely absorbed in how to perfectly complete the task White Fang had assigned him. Just then, a familiar voice, tinged with a hint of coldness and curiosity, suddenly rang in his ear, appearing without warning like a ghost:
"Who are you?" the voice asked, then added with a hint of doubt, "Why... do you also know about this secret passage?"
Zhang Hai's body stiffened abruptly. He instantly recognized the owner of the voice. In Sunagakure, the only person who could appear behind him silently in this way and immediately recognize that he was using a "secret passage" instead of a "normal path" was that guy who was obsessed with puppet art.
A happy smile involuntarily crept onto his face, which was covered by the puppeteer's mask. Although being discovered was somewhat unexpected, encountering a long-lost friend again in this situation and in this place undoubtedly filled him with joy.