Chapter 61: Back to the Village
If anyone in the Shinobi World were to ask just how painful a "no-descendants" injury was, Saiki was likely the only one qualified to answer. He felt as if his lower body and abdomen were being repeatedly pierced by a sharp blade. All the blood in his body seemed to be gushing from the open wound, staining the ground beneath him crimson.
The excruciating pain made him lose his mind. He could only lie on the ground, clutching his groin, his body shaking violently like a leaf.
The full moon hung high in the sky, its cool winter light-filtering down like silk.
Suddenly, the patch of darkness above Saiki grew even darker as the moonlight was completely blotted out. He failed to notice a giant eagle descending from the sky.
Through the shattered branches, Kael looked down at the pitiful sight below, a chill running down his spine. He hadn't expected Little Gray's curse, even at one-tenth the power, to be this devastating when applied repeatedly, leaving Saiki critically injured.
"Let's end this..." Kael patted the Wind Eagle's head, his expression complicated.
Against an enemy, Little Gray's ability was brutally effective. But the thought of it ever being used on himself was terrifying.
A moment later, a swirling ball of wind shot from the Wind Eagle's beak. It tore through the dense, web-like branches below and slammed directly into Saiki's body.
A deafening BOOM echoed, and the agonizing groans from below abruptly stopped.
"There are still a few Root ninja left. They'll hear this commotion and come running," Watanabe Musashi said, lying on the Wind Eagle's back and looking up at Kael.
A cold, murderous glint flashed in Kael's eyes. He understood Watanabe's meaning perfectly: eliminate them all. Since they had already angered Danzo, they might as well kill all the Root operatives and see if they could cover this up.
"Little Wind! Fly higher! Find my teammates first!" Kael ordered the Wind Eagle.
"Chirp! —Yes!"
The next morning.
High in the clouds.
A massive eagle sped through the sky, heading toward the Land of Hot Water.
The uninjured Tanabe Kaze and Watanabe Toneri had remained behind to continue escorting Mr. Kawabe's caravan. Watanabe Musashi's injuries were too severe, and he needed immediate medical attention, so Kael was flying him back.
"From the looks of it, Saiki was the only traitor in the village. He has a subordinate, Riki, a kid I watched grow up. He would never be one of them," Watanabe Musashi said, his eyes heavy.
"What's his name?" Kael asked, his head turned.
"Riki."
"Are you asking me to spare his life?" Kael asked flatly.
"He's a simple-minded ninja. He was just manipulated by Saiki..." Watanabe Musashi explained, the words coming with difficulty.
"Telling me is useless. The Leader of the Hidden Hot Water Village is Lord Jade, not me..."
Hearing this, Watanabe Musashi fell silent. He was a smart man and understood the evasiveness in Kael's reply.
Kael stared coldly at the sky ahead. His first encounter with Konoha's Root hadn't scared him. On the contrary, it had ignited a thrill within him.
"The Darkness of the Shinobi..." A title that was a running joke in the original story had just violently forced its way into his life. It felt absurd, almost unreal.
One day later.
At the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water, the Wind Eagle soared through the sky.
Watanabe Musashi, who had been calm before, now seemed faintly nervous. After a full day of flying, his face was even paler. Perhaps it was because he was nearing home, but he remained silent, lost in thought.
It was four or five in the morning. The sky was still dark, with only a hint of nautical blue on the eastern horizon.
"What's wrong, Captain Watanabe?" Kael finally asked, unable to stand the oppressive atmosphere. The man was a completely different person from when they'd set out.
Watanabe Musashi stared blankly, his face grim. After a long silence, he sighed. "I've failed Lord Jade. I've brought a terrible disaster upon the village..."
Kael, sitting cross-legged on the Wind Eagle's head, turned to look at him. "What 'disaster' are you talking about?"
"This is Konoha! The strongest of the Five Great Shinobi Villages! And Root is controlled by Danzo, a man infamous throughout the Shinobi World for his extremism. We killed twelve of his men, including two Jonin. With his personality, he will absolutely retaliate!" Watanabe's face was etched with deep worry.
"Heh," Kael scoffed.
Watanabe looked at him, confused.
"You're worried now? You didn't seem to have any problem killing them back then."
"That's because I didn't know their goal was the next Village Leader!" Watanabe shot back, annoyed. "I thought they were just targeting me. That's why I killed their captain!"
"What's the difference?" Kael asked, raising an eyebrow.
"If I had known they mistook me for the next Village Leader," Watanabe said flatly, "I might have even considered going back to Konoha with them."
"Just to protect the village?" Kael found it hard to understand.
Watanabe Musashi said nothing. But sometimes, silence is the clearest answer.
Kael sighed softly. What he said next seemed to lift some of the fog from Watanabe's mind.
"You don't need to worry so much. Secretly infiltrating and trying to control another nation's hidden village is a massive taboo in the Shinobi World. If everyone started doing what Danzo does, what would be the point of small nations like ours, trying to survive in the cracks between the great powers? Danzo will never be able to come after the Hidden Hot Water Village openly."
Kael saw the situation clearly. The great nations could wipe out small villages like theirs with ease. The only reasons they didn't were twofold.
First, the small nations served as buffer zones between the great powers.
Second, the great powers preferred to let the small nations become the battlegrounds for their wars, sparing their own lands.
A thoughtful look appeared on Watanabe's face.
"If Danzo's actions were exposed, wouldn't the entire Shinobi World be in chaos?" Kael continued with a small smile. "We can prepare for both possibilities. On one hand, we increase patrols on the Land of Fire border to watch for a sneak attack. On the other... we prepare to leak this little scandal. Konoha isn't a monolith. If the 'God of Shinobi,' Hiruzen Sarutobi, finds out about this, what do you think he'll do?"
Watanabe Musashi's eyes lit up. "He'll definitely think Danzo is building his own private army, preparing to make a move for the Hokage's seat!"
"Exactly," Kael nodded, pleased. "When you get back to the village, you can send trusted shinobi to secretly spread this information in the Land of Fire. You could even have civilians spread the rumor inside Konoha itself. To clear his name, Danzo will be forced to back off. He won't dare attack us openly. And if he just sends a few agents in secret... well, the Hidden Hot Water Village still has a few hundred shinobi. We have nothing to fear."
Watanabe Musashi's breathing quickened. He had to admit, Kael's plan just might work.