Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for only $7 to get early access to upcoming chapters!
> > Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations <<
----------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 62: Grass Shinobi — Little Kami? No, a Tiger
By afternoon the trees along the road were very quiet. Suddenly silhouettes split through the west, surrounding Konan and Honoka. Men with the Land of Grass forehead protectors glared maliciously at them.
An upper-rank ninja and three mid-rank shinobi blocked their path.
Alex scrutinized them with interest. They had not yet reached Hidden Grass Village and already had visitors. This was interesting.
"Sato-sama, it's her. Her chakra signature is very similar!" one Grass shinobi cried, pointing at Honoka.
Sato's gaze passed over Konan to Honoka. He licked his lips.
"You better cooperate and drop the transformation... or else..."
The three other Grass shinobi laughed in a way that made their intentions clear.
"Are you sure?" Sato asked.
"Yes, Sato-sama. I'm very sure. I was the one in charge of Uzumaki Kana before; I know the Uzumaki chakra well."
"Uzumaki Kana, huh..." Sato savored the memory. "She was useful in many ways."
The other three Grass shinobi licked their lips at the thought. She could not only heal their wounds but satisfy them in other ways. They regretted her dying young. They had meant for her daughter to take the same role, but Kana had disappeared three years ago during the Chūnin exams in Konoha. That loss stung.
Accustomed to having useful blood donors, they could not stand pain; they wanted quick healing and pleasure. A new Uzumaki in their hands would not be wasted. After all, the Uzumaki clan had been decimated years ago; no one would care if more of them died.
Honoka, suspecting news of her kin, immediately dispelled her transformation and revealed her crimson hair.
"Tell me where Uzumaki Kana is. Where is she now?" she demanded.
"Hahaha, just as I thought, an Uzumaki."
Sato laughed and eyed Honoka's hair hungrily.
"You Uzumaki sure value family ties. Want to know? Come with us and I'll tell you."
His tone was lecherous.
Honoka was not a fool. She recognized the malice written all over their faces and did not allow herself to be tricked.
"Tell me about Kana now, or you won't be leaving today."
With Konan beside her, she felt no fear of mere Grass shinobi.
Sato and his three underlings exchanged glances and laughed.
"You think you can threaten us? Your clan is almost extinct. Who gave you the courage?"
"Come back to the village and cooperate. Or you'll suffer."
Sato licked his lips and appraised Honoka.
"When we get back I'll check your orange chakra first. I miss your clan's body type. Maybe you share Kana's healing traits. If not, we'll just prod until something comes out."
He did not know if this new Uzumaki shared Kana's healing body, but they could try. If they provoked it, they could enjoy themselves, and perhaps induce regenerative abilities for their use. This time, they would learn from past mistakes and not kill the subject too soon.
Honoka shivered with disgust at their lecherous gazes. Goosebumps rose. Seeing Sato fail to answer, Konan remained expressionless and waved her hand. Layers of white paper spread up from her feet.
"What's—?!" Sato screamed in shock.
He struggled, but his feet were bound by paper. As the paper climbed, panic set in. The paper wrapped his body fast until only his head remained.
The other three Grass shinobi froze briefly, confused. Hearing Sato's screams, they realized he had been attacked.
Before they could draw kunai, a sharp pain struck one in the chest. A white kunai had plunged into his heart. Blood poured out. His vision darkened and his body went limp. Two shinobi fell dead with dull thuds.
"You two are useless." Konan looked at the remaining mid-rank shinobi with cold detachment.
"Honoka, this one's for you." She nodded toward the man who had discovered Honoka and had once been responsible for Kana. Honoka should interrogate him herself. Konan did not restrain him; she wanted Honoka to practice.
"Yes, Lady Konan!" Honoka's face hardened. She felt a foreboding from their short exchange; Kana's fate likely had been grim.
Honoka drew a kunai and charged. The mid-rank ninja glanced at Konan, saw no further motion from her, and fled into the woods. Honoka gave chase. Konan did not worry. Honoka now had strength approaching a special jōnin; apart from battle experience, she could overpower the fleeing shinobi. If injured, Konan's dark medical ninjutsu could heal her quickly.
Konan walked up to Sato.
"Hōzuki Castle's location, and the Box of Ultimate Bliss," she ordered.
She had planned to inspect both leads in the Grass Village. Having a Grass upper-rank walk into her lap saved effort. Alex glanced toward the woods where sounds of struggle continued, then looked back at the remaining Grass upper-rank.
Honoka was fine. Since they had come to the Land of Grass, the Box of Ultimate Bliss had to be seized. The monster inside—Satori—was powerful and could assist them in stealing kekkei samples and causing chaos in other villages later.
Sato looked pale and trembled. He had thought them small fry, but they were tigers. He had not heard of the exiled Uzumaki having such powerful allies. Otherwise, how had Kana been abused for a decade without anyone intervening?
"Ah—!" Sato suddenly screamed. Every cell in his body felt crushed. Konan squeezed the paper around him to increase the pain and force a confession.
If only Konan had a Sharingan. With one look she could have extracted everything without the theatrics, Alex thought.
"Ahhh!" Sato convulsed and spat out, trembling with sweat.
"Hōzuki Castle... to the west of the village... an isolated island two hundred kilometers out to sea... The Box of Ultimate Bliss... only the elders know. I don't know much."
Having the information she wanted, Konan tossed the bloodied mummy into the woods. His scream ceased instantly. He was dead.
She turned toward a large tree ten meters away.
"You watched for too long. Still not coming out?"