Naruto: Throne of the Holy Hand

The sun shines through the dense treetops, casting mottled shadows, and the sparkling water surface ripples in the breeze. The mysterious mangrove forest of the Chambord Islands is like a huge natural maze, waiting for the arrival of explorers. Li Ming stands on a small boat, and in front of him are rows of towering "Yerqixia mangroves". The roots of the trees are like huge palms, firmly supporting this piece of land.

"It's so spectacular!" Li Ming exclaimed, his heart filled with awe for nature.

"Yes, the beauty of the Chambord Islands is breathtaking." His good friend Xiaoya stood at the bow, with an excited smile on her face, "I heard that there are towns and facilities on every tree here, we must explore them!"

"However, it is said that there are many secrets here." Li Ming's tone was cautious, "We must be careful."

"Secrets? Are you talking about those rumors about missing people?" Xiaoya's expression suddenly became serious. "I heard that some people came here to explore, but never came back."

"Yes." Li Ming nodded. "It is said that the Chambord Islands are not only beautiful, but also have an unknown dark side. We can't take it lightly."

Just then, the boat docked. They stepped onto a small island called "Qingteng Town", which was covered with thick moss and vines crawling on the tree trunks. Xiaoya looked around excitedly, and suddenly her eyes stopped on a particularly huge mangrove with a clear number "7" on the trunk.

"Look! There is a number on that tree! This must be the symbol of a certain area." Xiaoya said, pointing at the tree.

Li Ming frowned slightly, "Let's go ask the residents here first to understand the situation in this area."

They walked along the path paved with tree roots. The surroundings gradually became lively, and people's laughter and chatter could be heard faintly. A small house built with trees and vines appeared in front of them. Several local residents were sitting in front of the house, chatting about something.

"Hello, is this Qingteng Town?" Li Ming asked.

"Yes, welcome to Qingteng Town." A middle-aged man looked up at them with a friendly smile on his face. "I'm the village chief here, my name is Aqiang. Are you tourists?"

"Yes, we want to learn about this place." Xiaoya asked impatiently, "We heard that the Chambord Islands have many secrets, especially rumors about missing persons."

Aqiang's smile disappeared instantly, and a trace of vigilance flashed in his eyes. "This issue is not suitable for discussion here. You should go to the town first and come to me in the evening."

Li Ming and Xiao Ya looked at each other, and doubts arose in their hearts. A Qiang's attitude made them feel uneasy, but they didn't want to give up.

"We can help you do something in exchange." Aqiang seemed to notice their hesitation and softened his tone. "If you are willing, you can come to my house for dinner tonight and chat."

"Okay, let's come back in the evening." Li Ming nodded and decided to investigate the secrets of this place in depth.

The town was bustling with vendors selling handicrafts and delicious food. Xiaoya excitedly stopped in front of a stall and picked out bunches of colorful fruits.

"These fruits look delicious!" Xiaoya's eyes lit up and she couldn't wait to try them.

"Don't eat too much, otherwise you will feel uncomfortable in your stomach." Li Ming reminded, but thinking about A Qiang's words in his heart, he decided to remain vigilant.

As time went by, the sun gradually set, and the lights on the island began to light up, reflecting the outline of the mangroves, as beautiful as a dream. As night fell, Li Ming and Xiaoya arrived at Aqiang's house as scheduled, with their hearts full of anticipation and nervousness.

Aqiang was already waiting at the door, with a gentle smile on his face, "Welcome, come in."

The house was filled with aromas, and the table was filled with a sumptuous dinner. Li Ming and Xiao Ya sat down, and A Qiang began to introduce the origins of each dish to them.

"These are our specialties, and the taste is definitely as good as those in the restaurants outside." A Qiang said with a smile, but his eyes glanced out the window from time to time, as if he was paying attention to something.

"Thank you, Aqiang." Xiaoya praised while eating, "This dish is delicious!"

Li Ming was not in the mood to enjoy the food. His mind was still on the previous conversation. He couldn't help but ask, "A Qiang, can you tell us more about the missing persons?"

Aqiang's face immediately turned gloomy. After a moment's silence, he slowly spoke: "In recent years, some people have indeed disappeared. We suspect that some kind of power on the island is at work."

"What power?" Xiaoya asked curiously.

"I can't say too much." A Qiang shook his head, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes, "But some people say that these mangroves are spiritual and they will choose their own owners."

"Choose the owner?" Li Ming frowned, "Then the missing person was chosen by the tree?"

Aqiang did not answer, but lowered his head, as if he was lost in thought. Li Ming and Xiaoya looked at each other, and a sense of uneasiness surged in their hearts.

"We can help you investigate this matter." Li Ming finally said, "If you need it, we are willing to provide assistance."

A Qiang raised his head, his eyes flashing with complex emotions, "Thank you for your kindness, but this is not something you can solve. You should leave here as soon as possible."

"Why?" Xiaoya's voice was filled with anxiety. "We don't want to give up just like that!"

"Because you don't know what you are facing!" A Qiang's voice became louder. "The secrets here are definitely not something you can bear!"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and Li Ming felt a sense of oppression. He took a deep breath and tried to ease the situation: "Aqiang, we just want to know the truth. We are not afraid of difficulties."

"The truth?" A Qiang sneered, "What do you think the truth is? The truth is that the souls of the missing are trapped in these trees and can never be freed!"

Namikaze Hades stood on the beach of the Sabaody Archipelago, the breeze blowing across his face, bringing with it the salty smell of the sea and the laughter from afar. Behind him were Nami, Conis, and the other companions, who had just landed from the sea, and the scene before them made them all feel happy.

"The scenery here is really nice." Nami looked up at the blue sky, the sunlight shining on her face, and she smiled brightly.

"Don't forget our mission." Namikaze Hades smiled slightly and looked around. He knew that this bustling place in front of him hid many secrets, especially the information about the Celestial Dragons. His system had already started to work, gradually presenting this information.

At this moment, Connie's eyes were attracted by a clothing store. It was an exquisitely decorated store with all kinds of gorgeous clothes displayed in the window, and colorful skirts sparkled in the sun.

"Wow! What a beautiful dress!" Connie's eyes lit up and she almost drooled.

"We still have things to do, Conis." Nami reminded softly, but there was also a hint of helplessness in her tone.

"I'm just going to take a look!" Conis walked towards the store involuntarily, as if attracted by an invisible force.

Namikaze Hades shook his head helplessly and followed her. "Conis, don't wait too long. We still have to hurry."

"I know, I know!" Conis turned around, smiled and waved her hands, her face full of anticipation.

Walking into the store, the colorful clothes made Connie's eyes almost glow. She excitedly shuttled between the clothes, exclaiming from time to time. "This skirt is so beautiful! And this one, it's so perfect!"

"If you like it, buy it." Namikaze Mingdi watched from the side and sighed inwardly. Although their mission was urgent, he did not want to dampen Conis's interest.

"But... I didn't bring enough money." A trace of disappointment flashed across Conis's face.

"Then let's not buy it." Nami sighed, obviously not wanting to waste too much time here.

"Wait!" Namikaze Hades suddenly interrupted their conversation. He scanned the store and suddenly had an idea in his mind. "Connie, which one do you want? I can buy it for you."

"Really?" Conis turned around in surprise, with a gleam in her eyes.

"Of course." Namikaze Mingdi smiled slightly, but thought to himself. He was not rich, but Conis seemed so eager at this moment that he was willing to do something for her.

"I want that blue dress!" Connie pointed to a light blue dress, her face full of excitement.

"Okay, I'll go check out." Namikaze Hades walked towards the cashier, but a complicated emotion surged in his heart. Although he was Hades, at this moment, he was more like an ordinary friend who was willing to do some small things for his beloved.

Just as he was about to pay, the atmosphere in the store suddenly became tense. Several Tianlong people dressed in gorgeous clothes walked in, their eyes as sharp as hawks, scanning everything around them.

"Humph, this is such a lowly place." One of the Celestial Dragons said coldly, with disdain in his tone.

"Yeah, it's disgusting." Another celestial dragon echoed, his eyes revealing contempt for ordinary people.

Namikaze Mingdi's heart tightened and he was secretly alert. He knew that the Celestial Dragons were the most arrogant people in the world and could cause a conflict at any time. He turned around and looked at Conis, and found that she was staring at the Celestial Dragons with a hint of nervousness on her face.

"Don't look at them, Conis." Namikaze Hades whispered, trying to calm her down.

"I...I know." Conis trembled slightly, and a trace of fear flashed in her eyes.

"Humph, how boring." A young man among the Tianlong people walked up to Conis with contempt in his eyes. "How dare you stay here, you little pariah?"

"I... I just want to see the clothes." Conis stammered, her voice so low that it was almost inaudible.

"Look at the clothes? That's ridiculous." The young man sneered and then stretched out his hand to grab Connie's wrist.

"Stop!" Namikaze Hades rushed forward and stood in front of Conis, his eyes flashing with anger. "You have no right to treat her like this!"

"Oh? Who are you?" The young man raised his eyebrows, seeming a little surprised by the resistance of Emperor Namikaze.

"I'm her friend." Namikaze Mingdi responded coldly, secretly alert in his heart. He knew that such a confrontation might lead to a bigger conflict, but he couldn't let Conis get hurt.

"Friend? Haha, that's ridiculous." The young man raised a mocking smile, "In front of me, you are just an insignificant ant."

"I don't care what you think of me." Namikaze Mingdi said firmly, and a surge of courage surged in his heart. He would never allow anyone to hurt his friends.

"You are such an interesting boy." The young man's smile disappeared instantly, replaced by a chilling aura. "Since you want to die, I will grant your wish."

"King of Hell, be careful!" Nami suddenly shouted, trying to warn King of Hell Namikaze.

However, the young man's hand had already attacked Bofeng Mingdi with great momentum. At this moment, Bofeng Mingdi's body seemed to be pushed away by a force and instantly dodged the attack.

"You actually dodged it?" The young man's eyes flashed with surprise, and then he became furious. "You are such a troublesome guy!"

"Wow, the clothes here are so beautiful!" Nami's eyes sparkled, pointing at a pink dress and said excitedly, "Look at this dress, it's tailor-made for me!"