"Sir, Haku is a boy. What's the matter?" Haku asked, tilting his head in confusion as he looked up at Kai.
"A boy?" For some reason, a strange sense of disappointment welled up in Kai's heart. Awkwardly, he laughed and said, "Ahaha, a boy, huh? Well, that's... that's great."
"Yes," Haku nodded, his face lighting up with a smile when he saw Kai's expression.
Seeing Haku's smile, Kai couldn't help but feel a slight flutter in his heart, followed immediately by a shiver. A hint of fear flickered deep within his eyes as he looked at Haku. After all, Kai had no intention of being "bent" by Haku's charm.
"Looks like I need to find a good friend for Haku quickly," Kai muttered to himself.
At the Gates of Kirigakure
"Halt! Who are you? What brings you to Kirigakure?" The guards at the village gates stopped Kai and Haku, their voices firm and vigilant.
"Just a traveling merchant," Kai replied calmly. "My goods were stolen by bandits on the way here. I came to Kirigakure to post a mission to recover them."
The guards scrutinized Kai carefully but found nothing suspicious. Finally, one of them said, "Alright, you may enter. But don't wander around aimlessly in Kirigakure. If you die, the village won't take responsibility."
"Got it," Kai replied with a polite smile before stepping into Kirigakure, with Haku's small figure trailing closely behind.
Moments later, one of the guards suddenly froze, scratching his head in confusion. "Huh? What just happened? Why can't I remember anything? So strange..."
Unbeknownst to them, the moment the guards laid eyes on Kai, they had already fallen under the influence of his Kagura Mind's Eye. With ease, Kai implanted a subtle mental suggestion into their minds, ensuring they would forget everything that had transpired in the past few moments.
And just like that, Kai slipped silently and effortlessly into Kirigakure.
Settling In
Although Kirigakure was under the oppressive rule of the "Bloody Mist" era, the policies primarily targeted the village's ninja ranks. Ordinary villagers remained largely unaffected. After all, no matter how strong a village's elite forces might be, it couldn't function as one of the Five Great Ninja Villages without the support of its civilian population.
Kai found a random inn and checked in with Haku. Under the innkeeper's suspicious gaze, Kai nearly had to pull down Haku's pants to prove he wasn't some kind of lolicon.
"Haku, stay here for now. If you're hungry, just ask the innkeeper to bring you some food. Don't wander around. Things might get chaotic in Kirigakure over the next couple of days," Kai instructed.
"Sir, are you going to abandon me?" Haku asked, looking up at Kai with a pitiful expression.
Kai chuckled and replied, "Of course not. It's just that the battles I'm about to face aren't ones you can participate in."
Haku's face darkened for a moment. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he quickly asked, "Then, if I become stronger in the future, will I be able to fight alongside you?"
"Of course. Once you're strong enough, you can fight by my side," Kai said without hesitation. He knew Haku's kind and gentle nature was both his strength and his weakness. Without a clear motivation, even with Kai's guidance, Haku's potential might not surpass what was depicted in the original story.
"Alright," Haku nodded firmly, his expression becoming resolute.
After settling Haku in the inn, Kai began wandering around Kirigakure freely, unbothered by any restrictions.
A Familiar Face
"Well, well!"
Kai's lips curled into a smirk as he spotted a familiar, alluring figure in the distance. He strolled forward and greeted her, "Long time no see... Mei Terumi."
Hearing a voice from behind, Mei Terumi turned her head, her brows furrowing as she looked at Kai. Suddenly, her entire body tensed. Her striking eyes locked onto him as she spoke in a low, serious tone, "The Reaper of Konoha, Mitarashi Kai. What are you doing in Kirigakure?"
Even though two years had passed, Kai's physique and appearance had undergone noticeable changes. However, Mei Terumi could never forget her previous encounter with him. Their battle had left an indelible mark on her memory—her most humiliating defeat, despite being an elite jonin at the time. She had been utterly outclassed by Kai.
Even now, as a kage-level ninja, Mei wasn't confident she could defeat the Kai of two years ago. And after two years, there was no way Kai's strength had remained stagnant.
Kai shrugged, flashing a faint smile as he replied, "Oh, I'm just curious about a few things and came to Kirigakure to figure them out."
"What kind of things?" Mei asked cautiously, her guard up. She had no desire to clash with Kai unless absolutely necessary.
"For example, why did the Third Mizukage suddenly die? Or why did the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, undergo such a drastic personality change after becoming a Jinchūriki? As far as I know, tailed beasts don't have the ability to alter their Jinchūriki's personality," Kai said nonchalantly.
Mei froze for a moment, her eyes widening in shock as she stared at Kai. In a hushed voice, she exclaimed, "Are you saying someone is pulling the strings behind all this?" The idea that someone might be controlling the Mizukage—one of the five most powerful figures in the ninja world—was almost too outrageous to believe.
But the more she thought about it, the more suspicious the situation seemed. Mei had known Yagura before. He had been a carefree, easy-going optimist. It was that very demeanor that had made him a popular choice for the Fourth Mizukage.
Yet after becoming Mizukage, Yagura had sealed the Three-Tails within himself, turning himself into a Jinchūriki. He then implemented the brutal "Bloody Mist" policies, even going so far as to decimate most of the village's clans with kekkei genkai.
"That's just your interpretation. I didn't say a thing," Kai said with a shrug, his face full of amusement.
Mei hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I can help you investigate this. However, while you're in Kirigakure, you cannot leave my sight for more than fifteen minutes. How does that sound?"
Kai's lips curled into a sly grin as a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "Does that include sleeping at night?" he asked, his gaze unabashedly roaming over Mei's alluring figure, making no effort to hide his predatory intentions.
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