Although Naori called it a camp, the place was actually just a few tents scattered among large rocks.
Its scattered location made the camp quite difficult to attack and allowed the terrorists to easily intercept passing vehicles.
However, this didn't apply to Naori. With strong winds blowing sand and her camouflaged attire blending her into the surroundings, the terrorists didn't notice her approach until she was only 50 meters away.
"%&%￥&#!!!*"
A terrorist walking ahead shouted loudly at her, aiming his automatic rifle and trying to stop Naori in her tracks.
Naori didn't understand his words, but even so, she had no intention of stopping.
Just as the terrorist was about to pull the trigger, Naori vanished instantly, leaping with a speed far beyond the limits of human sight, as if she had disappeared into thin air.
When her figure reappeared, Naori quickly pressed an acupuncture point on the terrorist's hand to prevent him from pulling the trigger, and another on his neck to stop him from shouting.
In a flash, Naori struck the back of the terrorist's head with the butt of her pistol, rendering him unconscious before he could make a sound.
The other terrorists only began to react when they saw their comrade collapse. Without hesitation, they started aiming at Naori. But with her Byakugan active, Naori could clearly see their movements. With both pistols drawn, she shot all the terrorists with precise accuracy, hitting their hearts.
The bullets flew with incredible speed, breaking the silence. Gunfire echoed, accompanied by the desperate screams of the terrorists, who fell one by one, dead on the spot.
After ensuring that the unconscious terrorist was safe, Naori dragged his body behind a rock for cover. She quickly leaped and ran, dodging gunfire while returning fire with deadly accuracy.
From a distance of 30 meters, Naori spotted a terrorist firing an RPG at her. As the rocket soared through the air, Naori agilely dodged and struck the rocket's tail, altering its trajectory so that it veered off and hit a group of gathered terrorists.
BOOOM!!!
The terrorist who fired the RPG stood in shock as he heard the deafening explosion and saw his comrades obliterated by the rocket.
Seeing her pistol ammunition depleted, Naori swiftly gathered small stones and hurled them at the terrorist. The stone pierced his eye and destroyed his brain in an instant.
After confirming there were no more hidden terrorists, Naori walked toward the rock where she had hidden the unconscious terrorist. She retrieved her white cloth and wrapped it around her body.
Slowly, Naori closed her eyes and leaned against the rock, waiting for Coulson to arrive.
…
The twilight sky over the desert looked like a fading canvas of reddish-orange hues. Naori opened her eyes slowly as she heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. A black SUV came to a stop in front of her, and Agent Coulson stepped out, wearing his usual serious expression.
"Is it done?" he asked curtly.
Naori didn't answer immediately. She walked behind a large rock nearby, dragging the unconscious terrorist like she was carrying a shopping bag. With deft movements, she released the acupuncture point that had muted the man, while pressing points on his hands and feet to ensure he remained immobilized.
"I don't understand the language here. You handle the interrogation," she said, stepping away with a relaxed demeanor.
Coulson nodded. "Alright, thank you." He approached the terrorist and began trying to wake him. But after several minutes of effort, his expression turned sour. The terrorist refused to speak, not even moving his lips.
Coulson walked back to Naori, who was sitting on the car's hood, casually rubbing her neck. "He's not cooperating. I'll need to grab the interrogation tools from the car."
Naori let out a long sigh and stood up. "Don't bother. I'll handle it. You just need to translate."
Coulson hesitated but eventually nodded. He followed Naori back to the terrorist. As they approached, the man began babbling angrily in a foreign language, though Naori couldn't understand a single word.
Without much fuss, Naori activated her Byakugan, her gaze sharp and piercing as if it could see into the man's very soul. In one smooth motion, she pressed an acupuncture point just below the terrorist's abdomen.
"Aaaaaargh!" The terrorist screamed in agony, his face turning red before going pale. His previous angry words transformed into hysterical pleas in a foreign language, interspersed with sobbing. He looked at Coulson with tearful, pleading eyes, like a child begging for mercy.
Coulson glanced at Naori, who stood with a calm, detached expression. "What did you do to him?" he asked, his voice more cautious than usual.
Naori shrugged. "Not much. I just blocked a few arteries around... his sensitive area. It probably feels like being crushed by a hydraulic press."
Silence.
Coulson blinked a few times, then glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one else had overheard. Even Nick Fury, listening in through remote communication, paused for a moment before a small cough broke the silence.
"Alright... it seems he's surrendered," Coulson said, looking at the terrorist with a mix of pity and horror. "I'll… talk to him."
"Go ahead," Naori replied casually, quickly releasing the man before walking back to the car. She opened the passenger door and sat down to rest.
About five minutes later, Coulson entered the car and settled into the driver's seat. Naori raised an eyebrow. "Done?"
Coulson nodded as he started the engine. "This group has no connection to the Ten Rings who kidnapped Tony, but they do know some things. They heard that the Ten Rings abducted an American arms dealer under U.S. military protection. According to them, the man is imprisoned about a hundred kilometers from here."
Naori nodded slowly. "Pretty specific."
"I also confirmed the location with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division's satellites. We now have the exact coordinates," Coulson continued, steering the vehicle toward the location the terrorist had mentioned.
As night fell, Coulson decided to stop and rest for the night before continuing the mission. Naori casually moved to the back seat, lying down without a trace of worry.
Coulson glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Aren't you worried I might attack you while you're asleep?" he asked half-jokingly.
Naori gave a small smile, closing her eyes. "To deal with someone like you, I wouldn't even need to open my eyes." After what happened earlier that day, Coulson felt her words were more than just a joke.
He decided not to disturb Naori for the rest of the night. After all, of everyone he had ever worked with, Naori was perhaps the only one who made him feel pity… for their enemies.
Around midnight, Naori suddenly woke up. Seeing Coulson still asleep, she quietly slipped out through the window and sat on the roof of the car, gazing at the beautiful full moon.
As she touched her forehead, Naori thought about the curse seal she had created. When she first arrived on the planet called Earth, the curse seal on her forehead had suddenly disappeared.
Initially, she was overjoyed with the situation, but after two years as a mercenary known as Kaguya Hime, Naori realized this world was not as safe as she had hoped.
Even though she hadn't participated in the Fourth Ninja War because she had to guard the village, it didn't mean she was unaware of the final battle, where that blond boy who became a hero had to face aliens.
And the most shocking part was that the alien turned out to be her ancestor!
Especially when Princess Hinata was kidnapped by people from the moon, who turned out to be distant relatives!
And who could guarantee that in this highly scientific world, there were no aliens?
So, for a whole year, Kaguya researched the Caged Bird Seal again. When she succeeded, she programmed it for self-destruction, activating only if Naori died or her eyes were removed.
Even if someone from the main clan came here, they couldn't do anything, because this seal was created by Naori herself.
The reason why Naori's seal resembled the original design? She deliberately made it that way to ensure she never forgot her origins.
In truth, there was nothing inherently wrong with the concept of the Caged Bird Seal if the main clan also applied it to their foreheads and refrained from acting like daimyos. Then, there would be no deep hatred between the branch and main clans.
The next morning, Naori and Coulson stopped on a small hill about five kilometers from the Ten Rings' base. They parked their SUV far behind, hidden among large rocks. There, they set up a temporary camp to monitor enemy activity.
Coulson focused his binoculars on the base, which appeared to be a cluster of dilapidated buildings surrounded by large tents. "Do you see anything?" he asked without lowering the binoculars.
Naori activated her Byakugan, her piercing gaze scanning the base as she channeled more chakra to sharpen her vision. "I see them," she replied calmly. "There are dozens of terrorists, all heavily armed. And Tony Stark… he's with someone who looks like a scientist. They're… building something in a small workshop."
Naori closed her eyes to rest her sight after the intense scanning. "So? Do you have a rescue plan?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest while staring at Coulson.
Instead of answering, Coulson remained silent, listening to something through the communicator in his ear. After a moment, he turned to Naori. "Ms. Naori, the Director wants to speak with you." He handed her the small communicator.
Naori took it with an arched eyebrow. "Ah, I thought so. A personal commission, huh? A good excuse to hire cheap labor." Though complaining, she connected the communicator to her ear. "Yes, Director?"
Nick Fury's voice came through firmly, as usual. "No need to rescue Tony Stark. But there's another task. I want you to infiltrate and install surveillance devices. This will give us a clearer picture of what they are doing."
Naori snorted. "Ah, very tactical. So you want me to go in, risk my life, while you all sit back and watch?"
"The commission will be increased to 10 million dollars," Fury interjected, ignoring Naori's complaint.
Instantly, Naori's eyes brightened. "Heh, you know I love you, Director! Forget surveillance devices, for ten million dollars—uh, I mean, for Tony Stark's safety, I could hand him over to you today!"
Silence.
Fury on the other end remained cold. Coulson just glanced at Naori without expression, though the corner of his mouth twitched, barely noticeable.
Naori realized the atmosphere and quickly adjusted her tone. "Ahem! Alright, I'll get going right away."
Without wasting time, Naori took the surveillance device from Coulson, quickly checked it, then darted toward the Ten Rings' base with agility. Her movements were nearly silent, like a shadow sneaking through the desert.
Coulson watched her figure disappear into the distance, then spoke into his communicator. "Director, are you sure this is the right decision? Why not just rescue him?"
Fury responded without hesitation. "No need. We don't need Tony Stark as he is now. If what Naori says is true, he's making something… interesting. We'll see where this leads."
Coulson nodded slowly, though not entirely convinced. He looked toward the base, silently hoping Naori wouldn't cause too much chaos there. But who was he kidding? Naori and chaos were inseparable.
…
It wasn't difficult for Naori to infiltrate the Ten Rings' base. With her skill, she managed to install surveillance cameras at various hidden corners, ensuring they were all directly connected to the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division's database.
At midnight, when all the terrorists began to fall asleep, Naori sneaked into Tony Stark's room. Her steps were light, almost soundless. Upon seeing Tony in a shabby, disheveled state, she frowned.
'What a pity, such a handsome face left in such a sad condition,' she thought.
In the corner of the room, a scientist appeared to be fast asleep. Naori casually walked toward him, pressing an acupuncture point on the man's head to ensure he remained unconscious. After that, she grabbed a chair, pulled it out with a soft squeak, and sat beside Tony.
The sound of the chair was enough to wake Tony. He slowly opened his eyes, and for a moment, he was shocked to see a young, beautiful woman sitting in front of him. He almost screamed, but Naori quickly covered his mouth with her hand, leaned in, and whispered, "Calm down, Mr. Stark. If I meant harm, you wouldn't even have had time to open your eyes."
The faint fragrance, Naori's face getting closer, and her suggestive tone usually would have been enough to tempt Tony. But this time, her calmness and aura made him slightly afraid.
'Who is she? FBI? CIA?' Tony thought, his eyes full of suspicion.
Seeing his expression, Naori gave a small smile. "Your guess isn't entirely wrong, but it's not entirely right either. I'm a mercenary hired by the government to monitor your condition. Which agency? That's a secret."
Tony furrowed his brow. "Can you read my mind?" he asked in surprise.
Naori chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Of course not. But your expression, Mr. Stark, is very easy to read."
Naori's gaze then shifted to the glowing blue object on Tony's chest. "What is that?" she asked.
Tony sighed, deciding to be honest. "It's called an ARC Reactor. This device prevents bullet fragments in my body from reaching my heart. Without it, I can't survive."
Naori activated her Byakugan. The blood vessels around her eyes appeared instantly, giving a sharp view of Tony's body structure. Tony stood frozen, not knowing what to say, though the sight intrigued him.
After a moment, Naori spoke. "Since the bullet fragments aren't too old, I can heal you. I can remove the fragments from your body. How about it?"
Tony looked at her skeptically. "Are you sure you can do it?"
Naori crossed her arms confidently. "Of course!"
Tony paused for a moment before asking in a businesslike tone, "How much?"
Naori's smile widened, her eyes sparkling. "Ah, I like smart men like you. Not much, only 20 million dollars… and an honest answer to one question of mine."
Tony nodded without hesitation. "Deal."
"Good. Now, my question..." Naori looked into Tony's eyes with curiosity. "Is it true that the rumors about you sleeping with several girls at once are true?"
Tony paused for a moment, looking confused. Finally, he answered awkwardly. "Of course, those are just media rumors."
Naori snorted in disappointment. "Tch, what a shame."
Feeling his ego bruised, Tony added, "Even so, don't underestimate me. I can easily satisfy a woman like you!"
Naori laughed softly. "Maybe. But if your body were like Agent Barton's, I'd believe it more..." She shook her head, her tone playful.
"Who's Agent Barton? And what's with that condescending look?" Tony appeared frustrated, trying to get up. But Naori quickly injected him with a sedative, causing him to pass out.
"Sleep well, good boy. When you wake up, you'll be healed," Naori muttered as she laid Tony back down.
Before fully falling asleep, Tony whispered, "Your name… at least tell me your name."
Naori leaned closer and whispered softly, "Naori. Naori Hyuga."
Naori then moved around the room, gathering the available tools. She sterilized the knives and tweezers with a simple fire jutsu, ensuring everything was clean.
After making sure the surveillance cameras were temporarily turned off, she used Kagebunshin to assist with the operation. Her clones removed the bullet fragments from Tony's body while she herself focused on medical ninjutsu, sealing the wounds and healing the tissue.
The process took a full hour. When finished, Naori carefully examined Tony's condition. There were no more bullet fragments, no more holes in his chest.
Sighing in relief, Naori sneaked out of the room. In the stillness of the night, she left the Ten Rings base, carrying out another mission completed perfectly.