By the time the campfire was lit, the sky had gone completely dark.
Kiyohara sat by the fire, a branch in hand, lightly poking at the burning logs.
Tsunade leaned against the tree at his side, her long legs stretched out lazily.
The firelight fell across her face, illuminating the beautiful line of her profile.
She held a sake flask in one hand and tipped it back from time to time. A little liquor slipped from the corner of her mouth, ran down her chin, and soaked into her collar, leaving behind a small dark stain.
"Here."
Kurenai took a freshly grilled fish off the fire and handed it to Kiyohara.
The skin was golden and crisp, steam rising from it with a faint smoky aroma.
Kiyohara accepted it and took a bite.
The meat was tender, and the flavor was pretty good.
"You should eat too."
Kiyohara nodded to Kurenai.
Kurenai took down another fish and handed it to Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade opened her eyes and took it.
She bit into it and chewed slowly.
"Mm. Not bad."
Then she looked at Kiyohara.
"But it's still not as good as yours."
Kiyohara smiled.
"As long as you like it, Sensei."
On the other side of the fire, Shizune sat with Tonton in her arms.
She ate her fish in small bites, glancing down at Tonton from time to time.
"Shizune, aren't you eating?"
Kurenai asked.
"I am."
Shizune looked up.
"I'm just slower."
Before long, Kiyohara finished his fish and tossed the bones into the fire.
A little later, he noticed the wind picking up.
"Tonight's not exactly good weather for tents."
He looked up at the sky, then at the tent flapping violently in the wind.
The support ropes were stretched tight, and several of the stakes had already begun to loosen.
Camping in the wild meant dealing with all kinds of sudden problems.
Sometimes it was strong wind. Sometimes torrential rain.
Seeing that, Kiyohara formed hand seals and slapped a hand onto the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall."
The earth trembled.
Four earthen walls slowly rose up around them, forming a square and sheltering the tent inside, blocking out the howling wind.
The wind slammed into the walls with a low moan, but no longer blew through.
"That's actually pretty nice."
Tsunade leaned against the tree, looking at the walls.
"I might as well make us a temporary place to stay too."
Kiyohara took out a lump of white clay and started shaping it.
He had to admit, the stuff really was convenient.
All he had to do was pour chakra into it, and it would expand, and it was fairly sturdy too.
In the blink of an eye, a small house appeared in the clearing.
It was made entirely of white clay, and there was even a neatly shaped doorknob on the front door.
Kiyohara pushed it open.
The inside was empty, but there was more than enough room for several people to rest.
"This is…"
Shizune came over, curiously inspecting the little house.
"Earth Release: Four Pillars House Technique."
Kiyohara dusted off his hands.
Clay counted as earth release too, after all.
Tsunade, meanwhile, wore a strange expression.
The name reminded her a little too much of her grandfather Hashirama's Wood Release: Four Pillars House Technique.
The only difference was that this one was made of white clay, while the other had been made of wood.
"Sensei?"
Tsunade snapped out of it.
"It's nothing."
She stepped into the house.
The inside was spacious, and the floor was made of smooth, level clay that felt solid underfoot.
Kiyohara took a few things out of a sealing scroll.
Folding beds, bedding, a low table, tea utensils…
He brought them out one by one and set them up inside.
In no time at all, the empty little house had turned into a temporary home.
After coming into money, Kiyohara had upgraded his sealing scrolls again.
Thanks to a heavy investment, they were now compact and capable of storing a huge amount of space inside.
Tsunade sat down on one of the beds and tested it.
"Mm. Pretty comfortable."
She looked at Kiyohara.
"You really did come prepared, didn't you?"
Kiyohara smiled.
"When you're traveling, it's always better to bring more than you think you need."
Kurenai and Shizune stepped inside too and found places to sit.
"Let's rest here tonight."
Kiyohara shut the door.
Then he used clay to shape a few partitions, turning them into walls.
In an instant, the space was divided into several small bedrooms.
…
Late that night.
Everything was quiet.
Only the occasional wind brushed past the earthen walls outside, making a low, muffled sound.
Kiyohara lay on his folding bed with his eyes closed.
Then, all of a sudden, the door was pushed open just a crack.
A figure slipped inside stealthily.
Moonlight streamed through the gap in the door, illuminating her face.
Kurenai walked to Kiyohara's bedside and looked down at him.
She had to admit, his handsome face looked especially striking in the moonlight.
She bit her lower lip, bent down, and lightly poked his cheek.
"Pretending to sleep?"
She had a feeling he'd been awake the whole time.
Kiyohara opened his eyes.
Under the moonlight, those red eyes of his held a sly smile.
"How'd you know I wasn't asleep?"
"I guessed."
Kurenai blinked.
"And even if you had been, I was going to wake you up anyway."
Kiyohara looked at her.
Her nightdress was thin, and with the moonlight shining through from behind, the outline of her figure showed clearly.
The slim curve of her waist, the graceful line of her hips, and the pale calves visible beneath the hem.
"You're pretty bold."
Kiyohara said.
Kurenai climbed onto the bed as quietly as she could and slipped under his blanket.
Her body was warm and soft, carrying the faint fresh scent of someone just bathed.
"If I didn't come, you would've snuck over anyway."
She spoke softly, burying her face against his shoulder.
"At the last camp, you came looking for me in the middle of the night too."
Kiyohara laughed softly.
"That was business."
"Business?"
Kurenai lifted her head and glared at him.
There was a playful reproach in those red eyes.
"What kind of business has to be handled in the middle of the night?"
Kiyohara looked at her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"For example… this."
He wrapped an arm around her waist.
Kurenai's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed and let herself sink into his embrace.
"You bad man…"
she muttered softly.
Then she leaned in on her own and kissed him.
Moonlight spilled through the crack in the window, washing over the two of them.
The bedding rustled softly.
…
Outside the house.
In the shadows by the earthen wall, a black-clad figure stood quietly.
Konan had her arms folded, and beneath the mask her cool, beautiful face was expressionless.
Then suddenly, she felt the ground beneath her feet trembling.
The rhythm of the tremor grew faster and faster.
An earthquake?
An attack?
Konan frowned slightly, straightened up, and scanned the surroundings warily.
As a shinobi, she had an instinctive sensitivity to danger.
She closed her eyes and focused.
The source of the vibration… was inside the house.
And that room was…
Kiyohara's.
Confusion crossed Konan's face, then sudden understanding.
A flush rose across her cool features.
She turned her face away, took a deep breath, and leaned back against the wall again.
The Land of Rain was chaotic, but with Nagato and Yahiko around, Konan had actually been shielded from many of its uglier sides.
At the very least, she had certainly never found herself eavesdropping outside someone else's room.
At times like this, having overly sharp hearing felt like a curse.
Did no one else notice?
Konan genuinely didn't understand.
Then she suddenly remembered that Shizune wasn't very strong in combat, only extremely skilled in medical ninjutsu.
As for Tsunade, she had drunk herself half senseless and was sleeping deeply.
Konan had no choice but to close her eyes and force her thoughts blank.
…
Who knew how much time passed.
Kurenai curled up in Kiyohara's arms, breathing hard.
Her forehead was covered in sweat, and a few strands of hair clung damply to her cheeks.
Her nightdress had long since vanished somewhere, and only a thin blanket covered her now.
She lifted her eyes and looked at him.
"Kiyohara…"
she said softly.
"Mm?"
"I made rice balls."
Kiyohara looked at her.
"Rice balls?"
"Mm."
Kurenai sat up from his arms, walked to the corner, and pulled a small bundle out of her ninja pouch.
She carried it back to the bed and opened it.
Inside were several rice balls wrapped neatly in seaweed.
"I made them for you."
She handed one to him.
Kiyohara took it and bit into it.
The rice was done just right, and there was plum filling inside—sweet and sour at once.
"Not bad."
He nodded.
Kurenai pressed her lips together into a smile, her eyes curving into crescents.
"Of course. I learned how to make them on purpose."
She picked one up for herself too and ate it in small bites.
Kiyohara watched her.
In the moonlight, her profile looked gentle, her lashes casting faint shadows below her eyes.
Even the way she ate was elegant—small, careful bites, lips pursed slightly.
"Kurenai."
"Mm?"
"You're going to make a very good wife someday."
Kurenai froze.
Then her face turned red all at once.
"W-What are you saying…"
She lowered her head, but the smile at the corner of her lips wouldn't go away.
Kiyohara reached out and ran his fingers through her soft hair.
"I'm telling the truth."
Kurenai lifted her eyes to look at him.
Those red eyes were full of warmth.
"Then… then you'd better treat me well."
she said quietly.
"Of course."
Kiyohara smiled.
Kurenai pressed her lips together and leaned a little closer to him.
…
At the same time.
In the Land of Demons.
Deep inside the shrine, in a dim room, Miroku sat before a low table, her chestnut-brown hair cascading down like a waterfall and pooling across the floor.
She wore a white robe trimmed in gold. It was loose and flowing, but it still couldn't hide the lovely curves of her figure beneath it.
In her arms was a tiny little girl, curled up and sleeping.
Shion looked about two or three years old, dressed in a miniature white robe, her little face buried in Miroku's chest.
Those small hands gripped tightly at her mother's sleeve, as though afraid she might disappear.
Miroku lowered her head and looked at her daughter.
Though the child's face was still soft and young, the outline of what she would become could already be seen.
A priestess, just like her.
She would inherit her power.
And she would inherit her… fate as well.
Miroku let out a soft sigh.
Her pale fingers brushed away the hair from her daughter's forehead, then lightly stroked her cheek.
Shion's lashes fluttered, but she only sank deeper into sleep.
The candlelight flickered.
Outside, hurried footsteps sounded.
Miroku looked up.
The door opened, and a guard dropped to one knee at the entrance.
"Lady Priestess!"
His voice was urgent.
"Lord Daimyo… still hasn't been found!"
"What happened?"
Miroku frowned and signaled for him to lower his voice.
"I don't know."
The guard lowered his voice a little.
"There's still no trace of the Lord Daimyo anywhere in the Land of Demons. He's been missing for half a month."
Miroku said nothing.
The candlelight made her face look a little pale.
The situation she least wanted to see had still come to pass.
Only she and the Daimyo of the Land of Demons knew the truth about Mōryō's seal.
That seal had two parts.
One for the soul, and one for the body.
The soul was sealed in the Land of Demons. The body was sealed in the Swamp Country.
"I understand."
Miroku waved a hand.
"You may go. Strengthen the guard."
"Yes."
The guard withdrew.
The door shut.
The room fell silent again.
Miroku lowered her head and looked at the daughter in her arms.
Shion was still sleeping, unaware of everything.
Miroku reached into her robe and took out a small bell.
Inside it was a red gemstone.
Her chakra was sealed inside that gem.
She tied the bell around Shion's neck.
Then she adjusted it gently until it rested just right against her daughter's chest.
Shion seemed to sense something. Her small hand twitched and closed around the bell.
Then she sank back into deep sleep.
Miroku watched her.
"Shion…"
Miroku sighed.
As the priestess, her duty was to seal Mōryō away with her life.
She had known that duty since the moment she was born.
She had already prepared herself for it.
But Shion…
This child was still so young.
If she died, what would become of Shion?
If Mōryō broke free again, Shion would walk the same road she had.
Generation after generation.
Never able to escape.
She gently stroked her daughter's face.
"I'm sorry…"
she whispered.
A long while passed.
Then she raised her head and looked toward the door.
Another guard had arrived, waiting to report something to the priestess.
"When will those ninja arrive?"
Miroku asked.
"Lady Priestess,"
the guard's voice came from outside the door,
"Judging by travel time, Konoha's shinobi should arrive first. It's said Konoha has sent two ninja who possess space-time ninjutsu, so they should be much faster than the others."
Miroku nodded.
Space-time ninjutsu…
She had heard of such techniques.
They were said to allow someone to cross immense distances in an instant.
She only hoped it would be in time.
She lowered her head again to look at Shion.
The child was still asleep, her little hand clutching the bell more tightly.
Miroku gently laid her down on the bed and pulled a light blanket over her.
Not long after, Miroku herself returned to her bed and drifted into sleep.
Then suddenly, she saw something.
Miroku immediately realized her prophetic ability had activated.
She saw a man.
But she could only vaguely make out his hairstyle and build.
Beyond that, she couldn't see clearly.
Because everything around him was shrouded in black mist.
The black mist gathered into the shape of Mōryō.
Then, all at once, a gigantic golden giant appeared.
The golden giant raised one hand.
That enormous hand easily caught Mōryō in its grasp.
…
Miroku's eyes snapped open.
The dream vanished, and all that remained before her was the night outside the window.
She rose and stood there, her chest heaving.
That dream had felt far too real.
In it, that golden giant had subdued Mōryō just like that?
"Who was it…"
Miroku murmured.
She had never seen that man before.
…
A few days later.
The Land of Demons.
By the time Kiyohara and his group arrived, dawn was only just beginning to break.
Morning mist veiled the ancient land, and the mountains in the distance were little more than shadows.
At first glance, the Land of Demons didn't actually look poor or barren.
It just felt… traditional.
Kiyohara directly guided the white clay dragon over the border and soon found a massive shrine in the city.
Boom.
He brought the dragon down nearby and stepped off first.
Once everyone had gotten down, Kiyohara dismissed the clay dragon.
At the far edge of their vision stood a grand and imposing shrine.
Two lines of guards stood solemnly at the entrance.
They wore old-fashioned garments, carried bows on their backs, and their expressions were stern.
As Kiyohara's group approached, the lead guard stepped forward and raised a hand to stop them.
"Halt. Who goes there?"
Kiyohara stopped walking.
"Shinobi from Konoha. We've come in response to the Lady Priestess's request."
He took out a scroll and handed it over.
The guard accepted it and inspected it carefully.
A moment later, he bowed.
"My apologies. Please, this way."
He stepped aside.
Kiyohara and the others entered the shrine.
"Please wait here."
The guard went inside to report their arrival.
A moment later, the door opened again.
"Please."
Kiyohara stepped into the tatami room.
It was large, with neat rows of tatami mats laid out across the floor.
At the far end, a hanging screen divided the space into two parts.
Behind the curtain, a seated figure could just barely be seen.
Slender. Composed. With a strange kind of dignity.
"So, the shinobi of Konoha."
A voice came from behind the curtain.
"Thank you for coming from so far away."
Kiyohara bowed slightly.
"You're too kind, Lady Priestess."
Tsunade stood at his side with her arms crossed, letting Kiyohara handle the discussion.
"We've heard about Mōryō,"
Kiyohara said.
"If we're going to deal with it, we'll need your cooperation."
A moment later, pale fingers lifted the curtain and gently pulled it aside.
The curtain slowly opened.
Miroku sat there.
A golden headdress rested atop her head, with delicate strands of beads hanging from it.
She wore a gold-trimmed white robe, its hem spread out across the tatami like a flower in bloom.
And in her arms, she held a tiny little girl.
The girl lay curled against her, staring curiously at Kiyohara and the others.
Miroku's gaze swept across the group as well.
Over Tsunade. Over Kurenai. Over Shizune.
And finally, it stopped on Kiyohara.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Why did this person look so much like the man from her dream?
Kiyohara noticed her gaze and raised a brow.
"Lady Priestess?"
Miroku came back to herself.
She took a slow breath and suppressed the shock in her heart.
"My apologies,"
she said softly.
"It's just… you seemed strangely familiar."
Kiyohara looked at her.
"Familiar?"
Miroku nodded.
She didn't say anything more.
But her eyes kept lingering on him anyway.
Tsunade noticed that look and frowned slightly.
She stepped closer to Kiyohara, casually blocking Miroku's line of sight.
"Lady Priestess,"
she said,
"we should discuss the matter at hand first."
Miroku drew back her gaze and nodded.
"You're right."
She agreed that was only proper.
"I'll tell you everything about Mōryō, but before that…"
She looked at Kiyohara.
"Could you tell me your name?"
Kiyohara looked back at her.
"Kiyohara."
At that, Miroku nodded.
Tsunade, watching this exchange, frowned more deeply.
She leaned toward Kiyohara and lowered her voice.
"Brat, do you know her?"
Kiyohara shook his head.
"No."
"Then why does she keep staring at you?"
"No idea."
Tsunade shot him a glare, but asked nothing more.
Kiyohara, however, had already guessed a few things.
The priestess had most likely seen something about him in a prophecy.