A few moments earlier,

Izuna changes Kimimaro's appearance by using the art of disguise he learned in Anbu. ​​

'This disguise art is still handy, but Kiri anbus will be able to identify it quite easily. So, I need to tweak it a little to make it more natural.

If my memory serves me right… then there must be something in my storage scroll which could help me.'

Izuna starts to search through his storage scroll and finally fish out a beautiful small box.

'Found it!'

He takes the small box and opens it to reveal a make-up kit.

'This make-up kit was my present for Kushina Nee-san… sigh… I was unable to give it to her.'

Izuna sighs and reminisces about his memories with Kushina and Minato.

'Soon… I will heal both of you, soon. Once I master the Six Paths Sage Art… I will heal both of you with the Yang Sage energy.'

He clenches his fist tightly. Kimimaro silently stares at Izuna's face.

'Messenger-san seems to be worried about something. I hope all of his problems are solved.'

Izuna shakes his head and pats Kimimaro's head.

"Ok! Let me apply this make-up on your face to hide your markings. I will use some seals to change your chakra signature, and this make-up will hide your brows.

Transformation techniques aren't suitable for the infiltration task, as in some situations when you lose concentration they might dispel."

Izuna applies make-up to Kimimaro and himself.

"Good… we are ready to go!"

Both of them walk towards the Kiri borders. They easily cross the border and enter the forest.

'I will infiltrate the Kiri village as a traveling merchant. I just want to learn some new Kekkei Genkai and hone my nature transformations skills. I don't care about the politics and power struggle of Kiri. On the off-hand, it will be my source of entertainment.'

Izuna makes plans for his Kiri infiltration as he trod in the forest.

'I will visit Land of Demons after Kiri. Just what kind of demons are present in it to get such a name?'

BOOM… BOOM…

Multiple sounds of explosion interrupt his thoughts.

'The war with the Kaguya clan members is over with all the Kaguya clan members dying in the process. Kimimaro narrated the entire incident to me… So… what's going on now?'

The sound of battle piques Izuna's interest.

'I will take a sneak peek at the battle.'

Izuna makes some hand signs.

'Light Style: Camouflage Cloak'

He cloaks Kimimaro and himself into a light illusion as they walk in the direction of the battle.

Boom… boom…

Izuna notices a giant dome of water covering a large part of the forest.

Huh…

He senses multiple chakra signatures in the water dome.

'It looks like the 'Giant Water prison jutsu of Kiri and from the chakra mixed in the jutsu… It is a co-operation jutsu. Well, not many people have the same amount of chakra as me and Naruto… Let's get a closer look.'

He walks near the Water prison and spots multiple people in Anbu robes engaged in a fight against some shinobis.

'These Anbus with that mask and getup… they seem to be the Hunter-Nins of Kiri… They are usually deployed to hunt down powerful missing-nins who have sensitive intel about the village.'

Izuna notices Mei and her squad. He raises his eyebrow and ponders.

'They are attacking Mei Terumi. Well, Yagura is still the Mizukage… so Mei is just a normal jounin. Looks like… things are more interesting than my expectation.'

Pluck… Pluck…

Izuna feels a tug on his clothes. He turns towards Kimimaro with a questioning gaze.

Kimimaro points towards Mei and her subordinates and speaks.

"She was the leader of the group who attacked and killed my clan members. She fought against our clan leader and killed him in the battle. Later, after his death, all of us escaped from them but I was the only survivor."

Kimimaro narrates the entire incident of Mei's battle with Izuna.

'Oh! I haven't mastered Lava Release and Boil Release yet. I have to learn from her.'

Izuna silently stares at the battle as one by one Mei's teammates get picked off by Anbus and are killed in the battle.

'Somehow… this seems quite ironic… if I remember the original Naruto plot. Anbus were the elite shinobis of the village who are a cut above jounin, but somehow a genin like Naruto and Konohamaru can deceive and beat them… heck, they serve as cannon fodder in multiple incidents.'

Izuna ponders over the capabilities of Kiri Anbus.

'They aren't as skilled as my Anbu team. My team will slaughter them in seconds. Guess, my harsh training regimen paid off for them.'

Another member of Mei's team dies in battle.

'Should I help her or should I let things play out as usual? Well, Mei did become the Fifth Mizukage… so she should be able to survive this…'

"Water Release: Five Hungry Sharks"

The Anbu leader launches five water sharks towards Mei, who desperately struggles to get out of the water prison.

'Nah!... I can't wait for any miracle to save her. Guess, I have to save her. As for infiltration… I will think of some other plans. I just want to do things casually.'

Izuna makes a hand sign and takes a deep breath.

"Ice Release: Frost Breath"

He releases a large volume of cold air from his mouth. The surrounding temperature lowers as the water starts to freeze.

Snap… Crackle…

The entire water prison forms an ice dome, and all the Anbu members freeze in the ice.

"Yare Yare Daze"

Izuna reveals himself as he walks towards them.

"Seems like, I made it on time."

Snap…

Izuna snaps his finger and the ice around Mei and her group shatters. The group falls to the ground. Izuna stretches his hands and catches Mei.

He flashes a friendly smile at Mei and questions her.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

He gently places her down. Mei and her group frown as they warily stare at Izuna.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Mei questions him.

"Earlier during the fight, I never saw your figure while fighting with these Anbus. Tell me, where were you hidden all this time?"

Mei takes out a kunai from her holster and points it at Izuna.

"Hold it right there." Izuna raises his hands in surrender.

"I am just a passerby. I was on my way to Kiri village with my younger brother when I saw you in a pinch." Izuna pulls Kimimaro in front of him.

Kimimaro emotionlessly looks at them. Mei frowns as she looks at Kimimaro.

'Did she figure out the disguise? My make-up skills aren't that bad, right?'

"Indeed… he is as pale as you. So, I believe he is your younger brother." Mei nods her head.

"…"

'Have I applied an extra coat of foundation on my face?' Izuna touches his face.

Haha...

Mei chuckles at Izuna's antiques. Izuna scratches the back of his head and a weird smile appears on his face.

Mei's expression turns serious as she holds up the Kunai against Izuna's throat.

"You may have saved my life earlier… but this doesn't warrant you suspicion free. If I sense any lie in your words… then I won't hesitate to kill you right here."

Gulp…

Izuna gulps his saliva.

'Well, she is a kunoichi after all… so I must have expected this. I can't use my identity as a traveling merchant anymore with that Ice Release.

But… I recently heard rumors about the extinction of the Yuki clan. I can use that identity… also with the Ice Release… it will make more sense.'

Izuna churns the gear of his mind as he replies to Mei.

"Wait… wait… listen to me first. Let me explain. But first… can you remove this kunai from my neck."

"Ok! Go ahead." Mei nods her head and pulls her kunai back. She still has her guard.

"It is like this… we both are members of the Yuki clan. My mother fled the village with me and my brother when our clan was hunted down seven years ago… We lived in a remote village far away from Kiri. A few days ago… my mother died because of her illness."

Izuna's expression turns sad as he shed fake tears from his eyes.

'Water release has this use too.' Izuna thinks in his head.

Mei's expression softens a little as she lowers her kunai.

'Mother also died when I was young.' Mei remembers her mother.

"At her death bed… mother's last wish was to bury her ashes in Kiri. So, to fulfill her final wish… I returned to Kiri… and on my way, I saw your group in a pinch… you know the rest."

Izuna finishes his explanation.

'I just pulled that from my ass. I hope she falls for it.'

Mei nods her head in affirmation.

"I still do not trust you. But I will spare you for now." Mei lowers her guard and turns towards the Hunter-nin corp.

"As for you bunch… don't expect any mercy from me. You came here to kill me… so don't mind if I do the same."

Mei turns towards Izuna and asks him.

"Can you only freeze their body while removing the extra ice?"

"I can do that." Izuna nods his head. He makes some hand signs and separates the frozen Anbus from the enormous chunk of ice.

Mei makes some hand signs while looking at the group of Anbus.

"Lava Release: Molten Catastrophe"