chapter 93 part 1
Chapter 93: Jashin and the Reaper are in Hand
Hot topics were like a gust of wind; after a few days of intense heat, they were bound to cool down. Tsukasa Kaede didn't continue his antics, nor did he seize the opportunity to propose starting Hashirama cell experiments to the Third Hokage. He seemed to fall silent.
"Many people in the Village are talking about you. You're already the Village's hero."
Kushina cautiously glanced at the man sitting in front of her, carefully pouring a cup of hot tea—even though she knew Tsukasa Kaede wasn't really interested in tea; he would drink whatever was given to him.
Inside the brightly lit room, Tsukasa Kaede frowned slightly, his gaze lowered to the tabletop, actually thinking about other things; his attention wasn't on Kushina at all.
"Hey! I'm talking to you! This is too rude—are you spacing out in front of me? I helped you become a hero praised by everyone, you know!" Kushina's eyes widened.
Being with Tsukasa Kaede was truly relaxing, but her blood pressure would also rise a bit from time to time—Tsukasa Kaede showed no care or affection for her at all, treating her completely as a familiar stranger.
"My apologies, I have a lot on my mind; it wasn't intentional." Tsukasa Kaede took the tea, feeling the warmth of the cup, and slowly said, "I was thinking that after this incident, those guys from Hidden Cloud Village should be quiet for a while."
"They certainly will. That guy from the Yotsuki Clan has become a laughingstock among the villagers. I heard that Lady Tsunade and Lord Dan Kato couldn't stop him, but you were able to force him to flee... Was it relying on Reaper Death Seal?"
"You know?"
"When Danzo came to see Grandma Mito, I overheard. He said you have a method to use Reaper Death Seal multiple times... Using this Sealing Jutsu against the strongest members of the Yotsuki Clan will surely achieve significant results. This Jutsu is the Uzumaki Clan's pinnacle Technique Formula!"
Mentioning the glory of the Uzumaki Clan, Kushina would also proudly puff out her chest, but thinking of the deceased Mito Uzumaki, she quickly wilted, lowering her head and saying no more.
"You've received Lord Hokage's orders, right? Lady Mito's funeral will be held three days from now. The old lady can rest in peace now, and your becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki will also be announced to the entire Shinobi World."
Tsukasa Kaede held the hot tea and said lightly, "From now on, every Hidden Village will desperately gather intel on you, seeking your weaknesses, hoping to deliver a fatal blow when you step onto the battlefield."
"War... why can't this disgusting thing just disappear? Every time, many people die."
Kushina clutched her head in pain.
Tsukasa Kaede had no intention of comforting her by stroking her hair; he just sat there quietly, stating calmly, "Even without war, people still die. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the laws of nature. People like me are the extreme exceptions."
During their interactions over this period, Kushina had learned more intel about Tsukasa Kaede and vaguely realized that this guy also possessed a special Forbidden Jutsu that seemed to circumvent birth, aging, sickness, and death? But... this couldn't change the fact that Mito Uzumaki had already died.
Tsukasa Kaede knew that if he really wanted to use Resurrection Jutsu, he could indeed resurrect Mito Uzumaki. But what after resurrection? The old lady's lifespan had already reached its end; she was at the very end of her life cycle.
Living Corpse Reincarnation Jutsu could maintain Mito Uzumaki's state at the brink of death, but there was no way to restore the old lady's youth.
Tsukasa Kaede waited patiently until Kushina had somewhat recovered before slowly speaking, "I have a plan. After much thought, I think you're a bit more reliable. Hmm, although you sometimes seem less reliable, you should still be trustworthy."
Kushina didn't respond immediately. Instead, she stared at the man in front of her for a while with wide eyes before whispering, "Is this part of your plan? Was this your intention from the very beginning, that you came to me because you needed my help?"
"No, you can't say that."
Tsukasa Kaede said, "The plan existed first, and only then did I need to choose specific helpers as a precaution. Before I met you, I originally intended to contact someone outside the Village for help, but after meeting you, I still feel it's more suitable to entrust this matter to you."
Kushina stared at Tsukasa Kaede for a long while, then broke into a smile. "Alright, I'll reluctantly help you then. After all, you're one of the few acquaintances I have in this Village."
A little while later, Tsukasa Kaede, watched by a group of Anbu ninja, walked out of Kushina's house and left with a calm expression.
"With Kushina Uzumaki, there's an extra layer of security. Next, I need to find a way to accelerate the human experimentation project, but judging by the Third Hokage's demeanor, he doesn't seem to be in a hurry..."
Perhaps he's immersed in the glory of being the Shinobi World's number one Village. So prosperous and thriving, the Third Hokage must be intoxicated by the splendid scene he has created.
He walked down the street and turned into a barbecue restaurant. It was here that he had first met Mito Uzumaki and Kushina. Thinking back, it felt as if it all happened just yesterday.
Kaedezzle!
"It's truly rare to have such leisure time..."
Tsukasa Kaede narrowed his eyes, feeling the sunlight streaming in through the window's cracks, adding a negligible warmth to his body.
He carefully grilled the meat. Beside him, people constantly cast curious glances his way.
"Hey, isn't that person over there..."
"No doubt about it. Everyone calls him the Leaf Devourer, a somewhat similar title to Sakumo Hatake's Konoha's White Fang."
"Besides both having 'Konoha' as a prefix, where's the similarity? They're completely different types, okay!"
"Damn it, I want to go get his autograph, but I don't dare. I'm really afraid of joining his squad."
"No one would want to join while alive, of course, but what if they die in the future? People always die, buried in the earth to slowly rot, but if one could contribute to the Village in another form... I might just accept it."
Some people ate meat and drank alcohol, their faces flushed with intoxication, shouting loudly and expressing their aspirations—naturally, they also cast glances at Tsukasa Kaede, to see if such remarks would catch his attention.
But they were all disappointed. Tsukasa Kaede just sat there quietly, eating his meat alone. This extreme calmness made those unfamiliar with Tsukasa Kaede feel even more intimidated.
"I heard that night, he alone cornered hundreds from Hidden Cloud Village. The battle was incredibly intense; by the end, not a single intact corpse remained. Many Hidden Cloud ninja who had just died turned around and attacked other Hidden Cloud ninja. Just thinking about it makes me despair for those overconfident fools."
Someone whispered to the person next to them, imagining that scene in their mind, feeling a tingling scalp and a shiver running down their spine. Then a sense of "happiness" would emerge, that "it's great that such a ruthless ninja is a comrade of the Village."
The ninja of Konoha have been truly happy recently. Their income is constantly increasing, they have more money to learn Ninjutsu, buy Ninja Tools, and enjoy life, and they can gather to gossip about the intel of the Village's strongest.
A figure lifted the door curtain and walked in, casually noticing Tsukasa Kaede and showing a surprised look.
"Isn't that the Leaf Devourer? I didn't expect to meet him here."
"You are..."