Kana had been to Fumori's house more than once, feeling as comfortable as if it were her own home. She approached the study, gently knocked on the door, and heard a response from inside: "Is that you, Kana-nee?"
"Yes," Kana replied, "You recognized me right away, Mr. Kazamori."
"Your footsteps are very familiar; I haven't heard them in a long time."Fumori Masaki opened the study door and smiled at Kana. "This isn't the place to talk. Let's go to the living room."
The two went to the living room and sat opposite each other across the table.Fumori Masaki looked at Kana. She now possessed a unique aura, different from the ninjas in Konoha Village. It was the aura of someone from high society. In the village, the closest would be the Hyuga clan, but the Hyuga clan was far from the capital and clung to tradition. Kana's current attire and demeanor better reflected the nobles of the Land of Fire today.
"Kana-nee, is there something specific that brings you here today?"Fumori Masaki asked.
"Mr. Kazamori, can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong?" Kana smiled.
"Haha, of course you can. If there really isn't anything, I'd be interested to hear about some of your experiences in the capital, Kana-nee."Fumori Masaki smiled slightly.
Kana chuckled, "Mr. Kazamori really cares about such things. But, I suppose that's precisely why Mr. Kazamori has those unheard-of ideas, isn't it?"
In Kana's heart,Fumori Masaki was a wise man. When she was young and ignorant, he pointed out the direction she should take in the future, and on the path to reviving Ninshu, he gave her inspiration again and again. In the capital, many people were amazed by her interpretation of Ninshu scriptures, but she knew that it was merely borrowed fromFumori Masaki; she had only given it a new wrapping.
Kazamori Masahide didn't give it to her directly. During their discussions, he guided Kana in various ways. Kana hadn't noticed it before, but after interacting with those nobles, she gradually realized thatFumori Masaki was the one with classical Ninshu thought.
Therefore, she had always held a respectful attitude towardsFumori Masaki. Even though they were very familiar now, she still addressed him with honorifics, andFumori Masaki did the same.
Although Kana hopedFumori Masaki would call her by her given name, perhaps it was their unspoken understanding that this use of honorifics continued to this day, and perhaps would continue indefinitely.
Kana didn't know what this relationship was called, but she thoroughly enjoyed this connection. The time spent discussing Ninshu withFumori Masaki was always so pleasant. She felt she needed nothing else, just this.
"You think too highly of me,"Fumori Masaki said matter-of-factly.
Kana raised her sleeve, covering her mouth with a light chuckle, "Mr. Kazamori is too modest. Actually, Mr. Kazamori should come to the capital with me. I believe those like-minded individuals would surely consider Mr. Kazamori a close confidant."
"I don't have the qualifications to go to the capital yet."Fumori Masaki shrugged, adding in his mind, "But, I will definitely go there openly and honorably in the future."
Kana fell silent for a moment. As a ninja,Fumori Masaki indeed had many restrictions, unlike her who could move freely in high society. She felt it was a great pity; someone likeFumori Masaki shouldn't be confined by the profession of a ninja. He should have a bigger stage to showcase his talents.
"Mr. Kazamori, this time I indeed have something to ask of you," Kana began. "To be precise, it's a mission request, and Mr. Kazamori will surely be interested."
"What is it?"Fumori Masaki asked.
"Mr. Kazamori knows that Yuto has already opened bookstores in other countries, and more or less, a wave of Ninshu revival has been stirred up in those countries." Kana explained the whole story. "Due to the Shinobi World Wars and the peace treaties, Ninshu thought has indeed gained recognition from some people. And among these countries, there is one that has explicitly shown a supportive attitude and has begun searching for Ninshu classics within its borders. Recently, they finally found something."
Kazamori Masahide's gaze sharpened slightly, "Found what?"
"They discovered a ruin, approximately an ancient Ninshu site from several hundred years ago. It's highly probable that unknown Ninshu classics are preserved there. However, during the excavation process, they encountered unforeseen trouble. There are some unidentified individuals lingering there. Since the country has no ninja villages or powerful samurai, they are powerless to eliminate them, so they sent envoys to the Land of Fire, hoping for assistance."
"So, a ninja needs to be dispatched?"Fumori Masaki nodded slightly. "If there truly are Ninshu classics preserved there that are unknown today, then perhaps…"
Kazamori Masahide didn't finish his sentence. Through Kana, he had already seen the Ninshu classics in the Fire Temple. There was no mention of the Six Paths Sage Mode that he had been yearning for. Now that a new site that might contain new classics had appeared, he couldn't let it go.
"I understand. I will accept this mission,"Fumori Masaki said.
"That's wonderful! You know, this country holds a rather unique position in the ninja world. If we can make them re-embrace Ninshu, it would be a huge boost to the Ninshu revival," Kana said happily.
"By the way, which country is this exactly?"Fumori Masaki couldn't help but ask, upon hearing this. He hadn't heard of any country with a unique position in the ninja world.
"This country is called the Land of Demons. It sounds frightening, but in reality, the country's cultural atmosphere leans towards the Fire Temple," Kana said. "In the Land of Demons, there's a profession called 'Miko' (Shrine Maiden), which enjoys a very high status within the country. It's said to be an evolution of a profession from Ninshu a thousand years ago."
"Land of Demons."Fumori Masaki's pupils contracted slightly. He knew this country; it had appeared in the movie adaptations extending from the original story. He never expected that the country that discovered the ancient Ninshu site would be the Land of Demons!
Kazamori Masahide knew about the Miko of the Land of Demons, but he didn't know that the Miko also originated from Ninshu. But on second thought, the influence of the Six Paths Sage permeated all aspects of the ninja world. Everything originated from the Six Paths Sage, so it was not surprising that a profession like Miko came from Ninshu.
"Have you heard of it, Mr. Kazamori?" Kana asked, noticing the slight change inFumori Masaki's expression.
"No, before you mentioned it, I didn't know about this country."Fumori Masaki's expression returned to calm. "So, this mission was also commissioned by the Miko of the Land of Demons, right?"
"Yes. I was a little worried at first that Mr. Kazamori wouldn't accept a commission from another country. After all, the ninja village is currently employed by the Land of Fire, and the ninjas within the village shouldn't be able to accept commissions from others," Kana said.
The new generation of civilian ninjas in the ninja village hadn't grown up yet, so there was no need to open up other mission channels. Therefore, the current ninja village still primarily handled national commissions, and there were no records of private individuals taking on other missions.Fumori Masaki had only agreed temporarily and still needed to report to Tobirama.
"That might change in the future. Perhaps a private commission system will be introduced,"Fumori Masaki shook his head.
"Anyway, I'm entrusting this matter to you, Mr. Kazamori." Kana then added with some regret, "Princess Sen also wanted to go, but because of the danger, the Daimyo absolutely refused, so she had to stay in the capital."
"That's truly a shame."Fumori Masaki remembered that princess was a fervent believer in Ninshu. For such a devout follower, not being able to personally witness an ancient Ninshu site was indeed a very regrettable thing.
"So, Princess Sen asked me to witness the excavation of the old site on her behalf," Kana said, blinking. "This matter needs Uncle Tobirama's approval, Mr. Kazamori, I hope you can help me persuade Uncle Tobirama."
Kazamori Masahide thought about it. He remembered a monster called Moryo in the Land of Demons, and it seemed very powerful, but that should be decades later. From Kana's description, the Land of Demons was a country that emphasized culture over military strength, so those people were probably just some capable ruffians. He should be fine accompanying her.
"Alright, I'll talk to Teacher Tobirama and try to make it possible for you to go along,"Fumori Masaki said with a smile.