This time, Yugito did not argue back. She only gave a small nod, her expression thoughtful. After a moment, she let out a deep breath, her brows furrowing tightly.
"The Land of Water has been sealed off for many years," she said solemnly. "The two batches of spies that our Village dispatched to the Hidden Mist have all vanished without a trace. Not a single word has returned. Something must have happened there."
Neji, who had been listening quietly, allowed a hint of surprise to cross his face. He widened his eyes deliberately, then sighed.
"So that's the case… It seems the Hidden Mist Village is far deeper and more mysterious than I imagined."
Yugito nodded quickly. "Yes. That's what makes it so dangerous."
---
That night, under the cover of darkness, Neji, Yugito, and C were summoned urgently to the Raikage's office.
Boom!
The Fourth Raikage, seated behind his massive desk, slammed his fist down with such force that the wooden surface splintered instantly. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his expression thunderous.
"Hidden Mist Village!" he roared. "It's actually the Hidden Mist Village behind this mess!"
"Raikage-sama," Tsuchida spoke cautiously, stepping forward, "the connection between that mysterious space–time ninja and the Hidden Mist Village remains unconfirmed. We also cannot determine whether the Mist's higher-ups had any direct involvement in Yotsuki Ringo's death…"
Before he could finish, the Raikage's glare silenced him. The massive man put aside the dumbbell he had been gripping and leaned forward, his deep voice shaking the room.
"Tsuchida, are you trying to persuade me to let this matter rest?"
"…!"
Tsuchida froze, cold sweat forming at his temple.
The truth was, Yugito's report relied mostly on speculation. There was no solid evidence—just patterns and suspicions. Even if the space–time ninja truly had connections to the Hidden Mist, it would still be difficult to directly hold the entire village accountable.
Tsuchida knew this. He also knew how stubborn the Raikage was. Convincing him to stay his hand was like trying to stop a storm with a paper umbrella.
But the situation was precarious. The man who had died was no ordinary ninja—he was Yotsuki Ringo, the most dazzling genius of the younger generation of the Yotsuki clan. His death touched not only the honor of the clan but also the pride and dignity of the Raikage himself.
The matter could not be taken lightly.
It was then that Neji stepped forward. His gaze was steady, his tone deep and resolute.
"Raikage-sama, a search for this space–time ninja should not be done openly. Too much noise will only alert him. Allow our team to carry out the mission quietly."
The Raikage's sharp eyes narrowed. "Hand it over to your team alone?"
Seeing his hesitation, Neji took another step forward. His voice carried unwavering determination.
"Without me, it would be impossible to track that man down. And…" His eyes hardened. "Yotsuki Ringo was my good friend. I will not let his death go unanswered. Please, grant me this wish."
The Raikage's towering figure stiffened. For a moment, even his rage seemed to falter. He could feel the absolute sincerity in Neji's words.
Tsuchida quickly seized the chance to reinforce Neji's proposal. "Raikage-sama, we cannot afford unnecessary conflict now. Konoha remains our greatest enemy. Any rash action against the Mist could give them an opening!"
The Raikage exhaled heavily. The dumbbell slipped from his hand and crashed onto the floor with a dull thud that echoed across the chamber.
"…If not for your persuasion, I would already have marched into the Mist to demand answers from the Mizukage himself."
Relief washed over Tsuchida, who bowed deeply. If it had been left to him alone, he might never have convinced the Raikage. Thankfully, Neji's intervention tipped the balance.
The Raikage turned, picked up Yotsuki Ringo's treasured chakra blade, and placed it in Neji's hands. His voice rumbled like distant thunder.
"Neji… Ringo was slain within our walls. I have no face to show the clan leader. Take this blade for now. Use it to strike down the space–time ninja. After you succeed, return it to the clan leader with your own hands."
Neji accepted the weapon reverently, the weight of both steel and responsibility pressing against his palms.
"From now on," he said quietly, "this blade will be my weapon."
---
Half a month later, the Hidden Cloud slowly returned to its usual rhythm.
At first, the Anbu combed the village daily, searching every alley, every shadow, for the hidden Root operatives. But their efforts yielded nothing.
The Root were masters of concealment. Without chakra signatures, they could melt into the population like drops of water in the sea. Even skilled sensory ninja struggled to detect them when they chose to suppress themselves.
Tsuchida speculated grimly that the infiltrators were already disguised among ordinary villagers. As long as they refrained from using chakra, distinguishing them from civilians was nearly impossible.
But the search itself was causing problems. Suspicion spread. Panic simmered. Ordinary villagers looked at one another with doubt, and the village atmosphere grew tense.
At Neji's and Tsuchida's suggestion, the Raikage finally revoked the search order.
The village breathed easier. Life slowly returned to calm.
---
One particularly quiet day, Neji, by special permission of the Raikage, accepted a B-rank mission directly from the Mission Hall.
The assignment seemed simple on the surface: deliver a katana to General Mifune of the Land of Iron.
The blade's original owner was a man named Kyuuzou. Once a samurai of the Land of Iron, he had later wandered into the life of a shinobi. By a twist of fate, he settled in the Hidden Cloud and never returned to his homeland. Now, in his twilight years, bedridden and stricken with illness for three long years, Kyuuzou had only one final wish.
The pale, frail man lay on his futon when Neji visited. His hand trembled as he extended the katana. His voice was faint, yet resolute.
"Young man… please… give this blade to Mifune. It belongs in the Land of Iron, not gathering dust here with me."
Neji bowed deeply, his expression solemn. "I give you my word. I will deliver it."
---
Meanwhile, far beneath the ground, in a dark, musty basement, shadows stirred.
Yume Ryuma, the Root commander, sat silently, his gaze fixed on Aoyama Hideomi, the patrol captain who had long served as a spy within the Hidden Cloud.
"So," Ryuma's cold voice echoed, "that boy is heading to the Land of Iron?"
Hideomi nodded gravely. "I saw him leave with my own eyes. There's no mistake."
Ryuma inhaled deeply, his expression unreadable. "Danzo-sama has pressed us for results again and again. Our time is running out. Even if it's a trap, we can no longer afford to hesitate."
Hideomi's lips curled into a bitter line. "That was my thought as well."
Ryuma's eyes shifted to Hideomi's left side. His voice dropped, indifferent yet sharp. "That arm of yours… still useful?"
Creak… crack!
With a sound of grinding gears, Hideomi slowly lifted his left arm. Metal plates glinted faintly in the dim light—it was no longer flesh, but a crude mechanical replacement.
"No matter how much use it has," Hideomi muttered bitterly, "it can't compare to a real arm."
His lone remaining eye dimmed with shadows of despair. The loss had crippled not only his strength but also his value as a spy. A shinobi without his full power was a liability.
And Root had no patience for liabilities.
He remembered Yakushi Nonou—discarded mercilessly when deemed no longer useful.
When Danzo decided someone was worthless, only one fate awaited: death.
Ryuma, however, remained expressionless. "Complete this mission, and you will have a place in Konoha once more."
His voice hardened. "This time, we go all out. There will be no failure."
Hideomi gave a humorless smile. "Perhaps…"
Ryuma ignored him. He turned his head toward the darkness at the edge of the chamber. "Bring Kabuto to me."
"Yes, Captain," came a voice from the shadows.
Moments later, a silver-haired youth stepped forward, his eyes gleaming faintly behind his glasses. He bowed respectfully.
"Captain, you called for me?"
Ryuma studied him. "Kabuto, I have an important mission for you."
The boy straightened instantly. "Understood."
Ryuma handed him a scroll, his tone measured but firm. "This mission is Danzo-sama's test for you. Complete it successfully, and you will earn the reward you desire most—the chance to meet the Head of the Orphanage you've longed for."
Kabuto's breath hitched. "The… Head of the Orphanage…" he murmured, almost to himself. His heart pounded.
Ryuma and Hideomi departed, leaving Kabuto alone in the basement.
With trembling hands, he unrolled the scroll. His eyes scanned the contents quickly.
[August 10th, 12:00 AM]
[Red Leaf Izakaya – Assassinate the proprietress]
Kabuto exhaled slowly, relief flooding him. It was only an assassination mission.
He was a Medical Ninja, yes, but his combat skills were sharp. He had trained relentlessly, never allowing himself to fall behind. For him, killing a target like this would not be difficult.
Carefully, he read the mission details again and again, ensuring he missed nothing. Only when he was certain did he burn the scroll to ashes, watching the flames flicker and die in the darkness.
The faintest smile tugged at his lips.
This was his chance.
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