The Mountain lay silent under the moonlight. Hours passed before Kushina finally stumbled forward, her cheeks flushed and lips slightly swollen. She shot Kaito a fiery glare, though her expression betrayed exhaustion as much as anger.
Kaito rubbed the back of his head, offering a sheepish smile. With a swift hand seal, his chakra flowed into a simple medical technique, soothing her tired body. Still, Kushina's Uzumaki physique and the resilience granted by the Nine-Tails meant her recovery would come naturally.
Once she regained her composure, Kaito crouched and carried her onto his back. In a blur, the two disappeared into the night and reappeared inside the palace of the Priestess of the Land of Ghosts.
Not far away, rows of samurai stood guard with unwavering vigilance, yet none sensed the two shinobi slipping through the barriers.
"This… we actually made it inside!" Kushina whispered in disbelief.
Kaito chuckled. "To them, these walls may seem like an impenetrable fortress. But to us, they're little more than paper screens."
Kushina nodded. "That's true. The Land of Ghosts has always relied on samurai. Compared to shinobi, they're powerless."
A cold, feminine voice rose from the shadows of the chamber. "You're right."
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "You didn't sleep?"
"No. I've been waiting. If I had fallen asleep, I doubt I would've woken up again."
The voice carried an edge of bitterness.
"You know who we are?" Kushina asked cautiously.
The figure stepped forward. A girl with pale hair and violet eyes appeared in the dim light. Her expression was calm, but her clenched fists betrayed frustration.
"Of course I know. You're Uzumaki Kushina, and you're Ayanami Kaito—shinobi sent by Konoha to protect me and seal the Sprite. But you're late. I've been waiting four hours already."
Her voice wavered, sharp with resentment.
Kushina's entire face lit up crimson, her embarrassment radiating like heat. Even the chamber seemed warmer under her blush.
Kaito covered his forehead with his hand, groaning inwardly. Great. Even her prophecies reveal things like this?
"You… you predicted that too?" he asked with forced composure.
The girl—Shion, the Priestess—glared at him. Her silver teeth ground together, her cheeks tinted pink. "Don't think too highly of yourself. My prophecies aren't constant. Sometimes weeks pass without one, sometimes months. But lately… they've all been about you."
"All about me?" Kaito frowned.
"Right."
Before he could ask further, Shion cut him off. "I'm going to sleep. Thanks to you two, I've already lost four hours. I'll need my strength tomorrow. And one more thing…"
Her lavender eyes fixed on him. "You're here to protect me. Not to… indulge yourselves. Do you understand?"
"Understood!" Kaito nodded quickly, his tone awkward.
Kushina's face flared red again, her hands curling into fists.
"Good. And please, clean yourselves up. The smell is unbearable." Shion turned away, her expression torn between irritation and embarrassment, before returning to her bed.
Kaito sighed as the priestess drifted off. Finding a place to wash wasn't difficult for shinobi of their speed and skill.
…
Morning came. The golden sun rose in the east, stretching across the horizon like strands of silk.
Kaito and Kushina sat idly inside Shion's palace, waiting for her to wake. The doors slid open, and two maids entered with trays in hand. Their eyes widened at the unexpected sight of strangers inside the priestess's chamber, panic flashing across their faces.
Kaito raised a hand quickly, silencing one of them with a gentle gesture. "Don't worry. We're shinobi from Konoha, sent to protect Lady Shion and seal the Sprite. She's resting. Please don't make a fuss."
The maids' gazes darted to the Konoha forehead protectors and then to the peacefully sleeping Shion. Relief softened their features, and they nodded quickly.
One of them placed down the food and spoke timidly. "Forgive me, but this may not be enough. What would you like to eat?"
Kaito offered a small smile. "Thank you. Whatever you've prepared is fine."
"No, thank you," the maid insisted. "We're grateful you've come all the way from the Land of Fire to protect our lady." She bowed deeply before leaving with her companion.
Shortly after, Shion stirred beneath her covers. She blinked, then sat up, her gaze falling on Kaito and Kushina. Her cheeks flushed immediately.
"You two… really are hopeless," she muttered.
"What did we do?" Kaito asked, confused.
"You didn't listen," she snapped, her face red. "I told you to bathe, and now the smell is still here!"
Kaito laughed nervously, scratching his head. "We didn't—well, anyway, are you hungry? There's food here."
Shion huffed, choosing to ignore him. After eating lightly, she promptly went back to sleep, this time until midday.
When she finally woke, the three of them discussed their plan and prepared to depart for the Land of Swamps, where the Sprite's body lay sealed. Kushina carried Shion gently as they left the palace grounds.
At the gates, a man named Shiho stepped forward, determined to accompany them as Shion's guard. But Shion refused him without hesitation.
Kaito could guess why. She had already foreseen Shiho's death.
Still, he and Kushina had no choice but to obey. Their mission was clear: protect the priestess at all costs. One extra guard would only complicate things.
After bidding farewell to the ministers of the Land of Ghosts, the trio departed, heading swiftly toward the distant shrine where danger awaited.
From behind, faint footsteps echoed, shadowing their path. Kaito noticed but didn't bother reacting. If they want to follow, let them. If they're foolish enough to interfere, it'll be their own problem.
The real battle was still ahead.
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