Mutation! The Frenzied Takigakure!
"Kagura Mind's Eye is indeed very useful," Katsuki replied calmly to Shirō, pretending not to know what he was talking about.
Years of fleeing had taught her how to remain composed—especially when it came to concealing her greatest secret.
"Heh, believe what you want. Just know there are people in Konoha who can protect you." Shirō wasn't surprised by her denial; someone who had evaded capture for so many years couldn't possibly be just a helpless runaway.
"By the way, do you know any ninjutsu?"
"Besides perception? I don't know any."
"Tsk, troublesome. Fine, then—use your Kagura Mind's Eye at full range. Check if anyone's nearby. We'll take care of them first."
"There's a team of ninja about a kilometer away," Katsuki reported. Though she hadn't wanted to cooperate, she realized she had little choice. Shirō hadn't shown hostility toward her, so—for now—she could only trust him.
"A team? Which direction?"
"That way."
"Alright, got it. Please wait here."
Shirō scanned the area, then found an open space to summon Giant Bird No. 2.
"Hop on. We'll move by air."
---
Meanwhile, a kilometer away, a squad of Takigakure ninja advanced cautiously.
"Captain, shouldn't we spread out? Searching together like this feels inefficient," one of them muttered.
"Shut it," their leader snapped. "We already found traces of the target. And don't forget Murashita's team from two days ago. Do you want to end up like them?"
"But… there hasn't been any word since then. Maybe it was just a traveler. We've confirmed the intel on our target—we should move faster."
Murashita had indeed been their comrade—the one leading the three Taki-nin Shirō ambushed and killed two days prior. Since then, Shirō had been preoccupied searching for Katsuki, giving the impression that he'd already left the area.
The squad captain, however, wasn't so careless. "We proceed cautiously. Don't lower your guard—"
He froze. His instincts screamed danger.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Several projected swords pierced through the earthen barrier, nearly skewering them. Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads—if not for their captain's reflexes, they'd already be corpses.
But Shirō never relied on a single strike. He always planned for the worst.
"Collapse."
The earth shook violently, and the wall crumbled along with the trapped squad. The three Takigakure chakra signatures flickered—then vanished.
High above on Giant Bird No. 2, Shirō steered toward the camp without looking back. The battle had stirred too much commotion; lingering would only draw more enemies.
Beside him, Katsuki stared at the rising smoke in stunned silence. Her Kagura Mind's Eye confirmed what her eyes couldn't deny—the three chakra signatures had disappeared.
For years, she and her mother had been hunted by Takigakure shinobi, driven into hiding, and ultimately torn apart. Yet Shirō had destroyed their pursuers as if swatting flies. She felt dizzy—disbelieving—but also… lighter.
Her lips curved into the faintest smile. Perhaps she was safe at last.
Shirō caught the expression and allowed himself a small breath of relief. Her trust was the first step.
He hadn't killed the Takigakure ninja merely to flaunt strength. His aim was twofold: to reassure Katsuki of his capability to protect her, and to erase all loose ends. If the enemy had gathered intelligence, it needed to die with them.
Broken Phantasm techniques also left misleading traces—further delaying pursuit.
---
Back at the camp, Nakamura's squad had already arrived, thanks to the message Shirō sent earlier. He had delayed approaching Katsuki at first, uncertain how she felt about Konoha. After all, the Hidden Eddy survivors held bitter grievances.
Fortunately, though wary, Katsuki was not entirely hostile. Otherwise, Shirō would have had no choice but to subdue her by force.
"Shirō, is this the mission target?" Nakamura asked.
"Yes, Captain. Her name is Kagetsu Uzumaki."
"Hello. I'm Nakamura, a jōnin from Konoha. The village sent me to retrieve you. I'm sorry it took this long."
"It's nothing. I should thank you instead," Kagetsu replied with formal politeness. "So, Captain Nakamura—when do we depart?"
"As soon as possible. We didn't bring much baggage. What about you?"
Kagetsu shook her head. "Nothing. But be warned—Takigakure has deployed units to guard the border."
"Don't worry about that," Nakamura said firmly. "We'll take to the skies. They can't stop us. Takigakure may be ambitious, but they wouldn't dare provoke the Land of Fire directly."
Kagetsu stared at them, bewildered by the sheer confidence in his tone. For so long, she had only known fear, flight, and bitterness. Hearing such conviction from the shinobi of Konoha—the "unrighteous village" her mother cursed—sparked a new, unsettling curiosity.
"Shikamaru, any ideas?" Nakamura asked.
"Nakamura-sensei, we don't know the terrain around the border. But they'll expect aerial movement and monitor the skies. We should be ready for battle."
"Agreed. Shirō, get the bird ready. We're departing."
"Yes, Captain."
The group disguised their camp, scattered false trails, and then lifted into the sky on Giant Bird No. 2.
---
"Um… Shirō, right?" Kagetsu asked quietly as they soared.
"What's wrong? Not used to the speed?"
"No, it's fine. I just wanted to ask—those clan members you mentioned in Konoha. Who are they?"
"Oh, that. Uzumaki Kushina. She's the daughter of your clan's leader. She was sent to Konoha before the fall of Uzushiogakure." Shirō's voice softened. "News of your homeland's destruction reached soon after. She's been alone ever since. If you can… spend time with her when we return."
Kagetsu's eyes widened slightly. "Kushina… still lives?"
Shirō nodded. "She does. And—wait… what is this?!"
He froze mid-sentence, eyes narrowing at the horizon. Nakamura and his team tensed as well.
Kagura Mind's Eye was faster still—Kagetsu had already curled up in fear. Something terrifying was approaching.
Visit patreon.com/MexxyWave to get access to 30+ chapters