Splash—
The bathroom was filled with a thick haze of steam.
The oval showerhead poured out scalding water, turning the girl's crimson-stained hair back to its natural silver-grey. Her bare feet pressed against the white tiles as the water swirled around her ankles.
Nearby, the cooling female corpse lay curled under the sink, hands still protectively clutching her rounded belly. The blood beneath her had already coagulated, and her hazel eyes stared blankly into the harsh overhead light, unfocused and devoid of life.
"Phew..."
Manipulating the stream to strike her face, waist, and limbs, Hinami felt the filth and exhaustion begin to wash away. She stepped into the bathtub and let out a sigh of contentment as she lay back. The warm water enveloped her; her silver hair drifted like seaweed in the current, bringing a sense of infinite bliss.
This had been her favorite way to unwind in her past life.
After a grueling day at work, coming home to a hot bath and a deep sleep was the happiest part of her day. As the warmth cleansed her spirit, her muscles softened, and Hinami's consciousness slowly drifted into a peaceful darkness.
Meanwhile, on the eastern outskirts of Kirigakure.
The Kaguya clan, once famous for terrorizing the shinobi world with their Shikotsumyaku, now saw their bustling home reduced to ruins. Houses had collapsed, and the ancestral tablets once enshrined with honor were now overturned and trampled like common stones. Two dozen Anbu moved through the wreckage, bent low as they searched the ground inch by inch.
In the center of the ruins.
A man in a charcoal-grey cloak over a standard flak jacket stood with arms crossed, staring at a subordinate in an O-Tengu mask. The leader wore no mask; he had cold, sharp features, blue eyes, and a broad, straight nose. This was the Anbu Captain, codenamed "Fierce Fang."
"How long is this going to take? Where is Ao?"
Faced with the captain's question, the O-Tengu masked Anbu dropped to one knee. "Lord Ao was summoned by Lord Genji and cannot get away for the moment."
"Any lead on the item the Fourth requested?"
Fierce Fang gazed at the subordinate, his deep, ocean-blue pupils exerting an indescribable pressure. As a confidant of the Fourth Mizukage, the Anbu Captain, and the leader of the civilian faction dedicated to crushing the bloodline clans, he knew exactly where his power came from. He cared only for the successful completion of the Mizukage's task.
"We are still searching. After Orochimaru broke through from the east with the Kaguya survivor, he circled back toward the west. It's possible Orochimaru intercepted the target. Furthermore..."
"Furthermore, what?"
"There are reports that the traitor who once attempted to assassinate the Mizukage—Zabuza Momochi—has recently returned to the Land of Water for unknown reasons. Orochimaru's path seems to overlap with Zabuza's."
Orochimaru, Zabuza...
Fierce Fang narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening. Neither of those two were easy to deal with, and if they collaborated... The Mizukage's orders were absolute: obtain the legendary treasure passed down since the time of the Sage of the Six Paths, regardless of the cost. Even if Orochimaru and Zabuza joined forces, they had to be taken down.
"Assemble!"
Swoosh, swoosh—
Dozens of Anbu ninjas scattered across the ruins gathered instantly, their movements disciplined and precise. Fierce Fang scanned his subordinates.
"Tengu, you take one squadron and remain in the village for defense. When Ao returns, have him scout this area again. The rest of you, follow me!"
"Yes!"
As the O-Tengu ninja lowered his head and the others shouted in unison, Fierce Fang led the majority of the force away. Once they were gone, the man behind the O-Tengu mask slowly raised his head. A faint blue light flickered deep within his eyes.
A short while later, in a hidden underground chamber.
Tap, tap—tap!
Having returned from the Kaguya territory, the O-Tengu ninja stood outside the door and struck it with the agreed-upon rhythm: two short, one long.
"Enter."
A voice—hoarse yet resonant—came from within. One could feel the weight of decades in its tone. Removing his mask, Takuto Sotochi stepped into the room.
The light inside was dim, centered around a large meeting table lit by flickering candles. Three shadows were cast against the walls. On the left sat a middle-aged man with a single eye, grey-blue hair, and two sealing tags hanging from his ears like earrings. Beside him was a woman with a charming face, emerald eyes, and long, reddish-brown curls that covered her right eye. Across from them sat an old man holding a snake-headed staff, dressed like a monk.
"Lord Genji, I have followed orders and leaked the news of Zabuza and Orochimaru's 'alliance' to Fierce Fang. He is currently leading the main Anbu force out of the village to hunt them down. Only one squadron remains for village defense."
"Well done, Takuto."
"Lord Genji... the Fourth, is he really...?"
"That is not for you to ask."
"My apologies, sir." Takuto lowered his head.
The man before him was a living fossil who had been active since the time of the First Mizukage. Although he held only the title of Elder, he effectively oversaw the village's affairs; in the hearts of some villagers, his status was higher than that of the Mizukage himself.
"Go now. The village is currently vulnerable. Protect it well and do not let any outside enemies take advantage of the chaos."
"Yes!"
Genji watched with cloudy eyes as Takuto donned his mask and left. His ancient face remained unreadable.
Seeing they were alone, Ao couldn't help but ask, "Lord Genji, what exactly is the person controlling the Mizukage looking for?"
"I do not know the specifics." Genji shook his head, his heavy eyelids drooping as he retreated into memory. "I only heard the First Mizukage mention that the Kaguya clan has a long heritage dating back a thousand years. It is said they possess an ancestral treasure even older than the Sage of the Six Paths."
"The... the Sage of the Six Paths!?" Ao's voice turned sharp with shock. That was a figure of myth, a god-like being from ancient legends. The Kaguya clan possessed something even older?
"No matter what the treasure is, it does not concern us. Elder Genji, when do we strike?"
Mei Terumī, sitting opposite them, interrupted their talk. She wasn't as mature as her later years; her charming face still held a hint of youth, like a peach on the verge of ripening.
During the Third War, Ao had used his Byakugan to see the mass of eerie Yin-style chakra in the Fourth Mizukage's head. He had reported it to Genji, but the Mizukage was the Jinchuriki of the Three-Tails and incredibly powerful. Furthermore, his policies against bloodline clans had earned him a following among the civilian ninjas who hated them. With the mastermind's strength unknown, they hadn't dared to move.
But now, Mei's dual bloodline limits had awakened, and her strength had surged. The Kaguya's final stand had severely weakened the Mizukage's Anbu. Now, with Orochimaru and Zabuza drawing away Fierce Fang and the village's elite Jōnin, the Fourth Mizukage's protection was at its thinnest.
The time had come.
Having waited three years for this chance, Mei couldn't help but feel anxious as she watched Genji's slow, almost sleepy demeanor.
"Let's move, Elder Genji."
"The enemy is a master of genjutsu who can control a Jinchuriki. If you cannot remain calm, you will merely become a sword in their hand. Mei, you are the strongest among us. If you cannot maintain your composure, we will lose this battle."
Genji spoke slowly, his clouded eyes fixed on her. There was no hint of blame in his voice, only the sincere teaching of an elder to a junior.
Mei nodded guiltily, her anxiety beginning to subside. Watching her regain her cool, Ao felt a surge of admiration.
As expected of Lord Genji.