Chapter 44: The Hozuki Clan Leader's Little Thoughts
On the way back, Suigetsu was brimming with excitement at the thought of fighting Zabuza.
Yuto didn't have the heart to dampen his enthusiasm. He only hoped Suigetsu would still be smiling after the fight.
Truthfully, he was quite curious about how that match would play out.
Suigetsu talked endlessly, keeping the journey lively. Kimimaro, on the other hand, remained silent as always—he would never speak unless someone asked him a question.
The three moved quickly, and with Yuto occasionally increasing their pace, they reached the gates of Kirigakure in just a few days.
"Kirigakure… feels nostalgic."
Suigetsu looked up at the familiar gates and sighed softly.
Beside him, Kimimaro raised his head as well. His memories of the village were faint, locked away somewhere in childhood.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two figures appeared from the gate, stopping in front of them.
"Elder, you've returned."
The two Kirigakure shinobi bowed respectfully.
"Have Ameyuri and the others made it back?" Yuto asked.
"Not yet, Elder."
He nodded slightly. It seemed Ameyuri and Utakata had run into trouble. Ranmaru's Kekkei Genkai was a troublesome one to face, but with the two of them working together, Yuto wasn't particularly worried.
When the trio disappeared into the village, the gate guards finally relaxed.
"Who were those two following the Elder?" one of them asked.
"The one in white, I don't know. But the other one… he's from the Hozuki Clan—Suigetsu Hozuki."
"Ah, no wonder he looked familiar. Things might get lively around here again," the older ninja said with a chuckle.
In the Mizukage's office, Mei blinked her bright eyes as she looked at Suigetsu, who stood nervously beside the calm and silent Kimimaro.
After a moment, she turned toward Yuto, lounging lazily on the sofa.
"So these two—one's Suigetsu Hozuki, missing for years, and the other's Kimimaro, the last surviving member of the Taketori Clan?"
Suigetsu was understandable, but Kimimaro's presence left her momentarily speechless. Wasn't that clan wiped out long ago?
Yuto had gone out for just a short while and returned with two people whose identities were both extraordinary.
"The Taketori Clan's residence still exists, doesn't it?" Yuto asked casually.
"It does," Mei replied after a pause. "They were a battle-loving clan, so their home wasn't inside the village. It's still standing near the outskirts by the main gate."
"In that case, Suigetsu will stay with you," Yuto said, rising to his feet. "Kimimaro, come with me. Let's take a look at your clan's old home."
Kimimaro's eyes flickered faintly. The Taketori residence…
Everyone carries a root deep inside them, something that has nothing to do with circumstance or fate.
For him, that place was more than a memory—it was something to hold onto.
Yuto could have chosen to become that anchor himself, like Orochimaru once did.
But he wouldn't. Not because he couldn't—but because Kimimaro was the descendant of someone he once called a friend.
Kimimaro and Haku—people like them were the last few untouched patches of white on the grey, tainted canvas of the shinobi world.
For them to live in such a world was, in itself, a quiet tragedy.
Mei watched as Yuto left with Kimimaro, a faint light flickering in her eyes. Yuto seemed to place great importance on that boy, and that wasn't surprising.
A survivor of the Taketori Clan, huh… she wondered if anyone from the Yuki Clan was still alive.
Her gaze shifted slightly as she pondered.
"Um… Mizukage-sama, should I go with them to the Taketori residence?"
Suigetsu looked bitter as he watched Yuto walk off without hesitation, leaving him behind.
Mei glanced down at the three Ninja Blades lying on her desk. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"No need. That would only cause trouble later."
She waved her hand lightly, her tone amused.
Seeing the smile on her face, Suigetsu felt a chill run down his spine. For the first time, he wondered if coming back to Kirigakure had been a mistake.
Knock, knock.
A steady knock sounded from outside the office, and moments later, a middle-aged man stepped through the door.
The instant Suigetsu saw him, his whole body tensed, faint traces of water forming along his skin from nervous reflex.
"Clan Leader of the Hozuki Clan, paying respects to Mizukage-sama. Thank you for looking after Suigetsu."
The man bowed respectfully, his tone polite and sincere.
Mei narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled faintly, shaking her head.
He wasn't thanking her as an individual shinobi—he was speaking as the leader of the Hozuki Clan. That alone carried far more weight than simple gratitude.
"I didn't do much," she said softly. "If you want to thank someone, it should be Yuto."
The words fell into the clan leader's ears, and a flicker of surprise passed across his face, though his expression quickly returned to calm.
He had already learned most of what had happened before coming here—he knew Suigetsu had been brought back by Yuto.
But knowing was one thing; appearances were another. Proper form still mattered, especially when it came to dealing with the Mizukage.
The Hozuki Clan had long stayed detached from village affairs, but Kirigakure was no longer the same as before.
And the Mizukage before him—Mei Terumi—was no longer someone the other elders could easily restrain.
Standing behind her now was none other than Yuto.
The rumors about Yuto living together with the Mizukage were no secret in Kirigakure.
It was easy enough to see—Mei had a kind of blind admiration for him. Though, perhaps, there was something else mixed in as well.
Yuto's status was far above that of any ordinary shinobi, yet his true age wasn't great. The years he spent sealed away had left an empty span in his lifetime.
Given that, it was better to invest early. And compared to Yuto himself, Mei Terumi was far easier to approach.
(End of Chapter)
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