The aroma of a sumptuous feast filled the dining room at Village Chief Soga's house. After understanding Kazuo Soga's intentions, the stone in Sakura Haruno's heart had lightened somewhat.
"Who is Tatsuo Chino?" Sakura asked Kazuo Soga while heartily eating the beef banquet. If she remembered correctly, this old liar had previously said that the Lord of Ise Town was his son.
"He is also a collective consciousness of 'Shāi'," Kazuo Soga stated.
"Alright, if you don't want to say, then forget it." Sakura waved her hand. Junko was an accidental birth; this was evident from what the old liar had said earlier about Junko disrupting his plans. She had only asked casually.
"I didn't lie to you..." Kazuo Soga's voice trailed off as he saw the kunoichi's indifferent attitude. You'll know in the future, he thought. I'm afraid you might even end up creating 'Shāi' yourself then.
Having eaten and drunk her fill, Sakura looked outside; the sky had already darkened. She estimated that Captain Yamato was probably about to reach Red Shoal Island. She should use this time to dig out "Shāi."
However, last time, Hinata had used her Byakugan to look at the roots of Shāi, and they seemed bottomless, making it seemingly impossible to dig out entirely. So, she asked Kazuo Soga, who was beside her, "Shāi seems to be buried very deep. Do I need to dig all of it out?"
"No, a single section is sufficient for sealing chakra," Kazuo Soga replied.
"By the way, it seems I haven't told you how vast the chakra to be sealed is, have I?" Sakura said suddenly.
"How vast?" Kazuo Soga asked, inwardly unconcerned.
"It's hard to say. In short, it's enormous. Compared to an ordinary ninja's chakra, it's probably the difference between nine elephants and an ant," Sakura said with some hesitation. She really couldn't say for sure how vast a Tailed Beast's chakra was; she hadn't experienced it firsthand. But the comparison of nine elephants to an ant couldn't be wrong.
"What... what kind of thing are you trying to seal?" Kazuo Soga was somewhat shocked.
"Just tell me how much Shāi is needed," Sakura asked.
"Probably..." Kazuo Soga quickly calculated in his mind. "About the size of a house. I haven't done it before, so I can only compare it based on past experience."
"Mm, I understand. Let's get to work!" Sakura nodded and, with a whoosh, disappeared. The required amount wasn't too outrageous.
Watching the kunoichi disappear, Kazuo Soga finally breathed a sigh of relief. Even though she knew nothing, the "Filter" aura she unintentionally exuded terrified him.
Heh, what exactly are "you" thinking? This approach doesn't seem like "your" style. If the Tsu God awakens, it benefits no one. Even if we were once enemies, foes, betrayers, our ultimate goal is the same, Junko!
Kazuo Soga shook his head. The situation had already spiraled out of his control. He could no longer predict how it would evolve. Now, he could only hope that Sakura Haruno would keep her promise.
But when Sakura Haruno arrived at the entrance of Red Shoal Village again, she saw Yamato, panting heavily, leaning against the trunk of "Shāi" and looking at her.
"Huh, are you injured?" Sakura looked at Yamato, puzzled. "Here, let me heal you."
Saying this, the Mystic Palm Technique appeared in her hand, and she pressed it onto Yamato's shoulder.
"Ugh!" Yamato's face twitched, seemingly pained by Sakura's rough healing method. He then said, "Why did you abscond?"
"Abscond? Hey, I'm not a criminal. How can you use 'abscond' to describe me?" Sakura immediately shouted in dissatisfaction, instantly drawing the attention of the pedestrians around the village entrance.
"Hmph..." Yamato's face darkened, and he snorted to express his displeasure. Although the Hokage had instructed him to protect her, after the previous incidents, Yamato had automatically interpreted it as 'guarding' her.
"By the way, how did you get injured?" Sakura could tell at a glance that the wound on Yamato's shoulder seemed to be from a blunt weapon.
Hearing her question, Yamato fell silent for a moment, then said, "I need to return to the village immediately to report this matter. So, your mission here is over."
"Hmm? Who did you run into?" Hearing this, Sakura immediately had some guesses. It couldn't be such a coincidence, could it? A map of the ninja world flashed in her mind. If considering the geographical distribution, it was indeed possible that he had encountered Pain, who was on his way home...
Looking at Yamato again, she felt a sense of admiration. To be able to escape from Pain's grasp, Yamato truly deserved his reputation as a ninja who had been in Root.
"There's no need to tell you. This is a classified village matter. In short, if you have no other business here, hurry back," Yamato said in a cool, detached tone, filled with distrust and distance.
Sakura didn't mind Yamato's attitude. Ever since she had established her goal, she had become increasingly indifferent to how others treated her. To say a lion ignores an ant might be arrogant, but knowing the future outcome, Sakura truly didn't care about how people around her treated her.
"Alright, we'll leave tomorrow morning. Your injury is fine now. You should find an inn to stay at first," Sakura said, stopping the Mystic Palm Technique.
"Why not leave now? Do you still have something else to do?" Yamato asked.
"That doesn't seem necessary to tell you, does it? I don't think Lady Hokage meant for you to monitor me." Sakura stood up and looked at Yamato. "Although some unpleasant things happened in the village before, that was Danzo's conspiracy. Essentially, I have never had any disloyal thoughts towards the village. Yet, you are now treating me like a prisoner. Is this the mission Lady Hokage entrusted to you?"
Yamato was greatly embarrassed. Although Lady Hokage's instruction was to protect this kunoichi, due to habits formed in Root, Yamato had unconsciously become wary of a former rogue ninja returning to the village.
"I understand. I hope you can finish your business as soon as possible." Yamato, quick to correct his mistakes, immediately adjusted his attitude after realizing it was inappropriate.
"Mm." Sakura nodded. "Follow me. I'm quite familiar with this place."
She had originally intended to dig out Shāi immediately, but she had unexpectedly run into Yamato. Moreover, there were quite a few people coming and going, so she decided to settle Yamato first and come back here to dig when it was late and quiet.
Leading Yamato through the bustling, noisy streets, they arrived at a hot spring inn that was relatively quiet compared to its surroundings. Sakura turned her head to Yamato and said, "You can stay here tonight. The environment and cuisine here are quite good. You can enjoy yourself."
"This... this..." Yamato stared blankly at the hot spring inn, which exuded luxury from the inside out. He stammered in a low voice, "Can... can we change to another place..."
"Eh? Why?" Sakura asked, puzzled. This hot spring inn was Kazuo Soga's property. Just when they were eating, he had given her a card, claiming she could enjoy all the services here for free. However, Sakura felt his purpose in giving her this card was to prevent her from staying at his house.
"Er, this place must be very... expensive, right..." Although Yamato was reluctant to show his lack of funds in front of a junior, if he really stayed here, he would probably have to live on instant noodles for the foreseeable future.
"You don't have to pay." Sakura lifted her foot and walked inside, then said nonchalantly, "My treat."
Clink.
Yamato heard a faint sound. It was the sound of his pride hitting the floor. After being a ninja for so many years, he was actually worse off than a genin who had graduated only a year ago. How utterly mortifying...