After crossing more than half of the Land of Rain, Fox Squad finally reached the northern bank of the Yoshimizu River.
The Yoshimizu River springs from a large lake to the northwest of the Land of Rain, gathering several tributaries and running east along the southern edge of the basin before finally entering the Land of Rivers.
Near the river, Yagami saw a great mountain range suddenly thrust up from the plains in the distance, towering like a city wall.
That was the Kichikō Mountains — the natural barrier between the Land of Rain and the Land of Wind.
The Yoshimizu River was over a hundred meters wide, its surface vast and surging.
Yagami took shelter under a large tree to keep dry and opened his map.
Strategically the Yoshimizu River wasn't that valuable — a hundred-meter-wide river could be used by Water Release users to form a makeshift defense line, but Sand-nin are mainly Wind Release specialists, even if they occupied the river, holding it would be difficult.
Yagami scanned the map and found the largest nearby settlement: Teitani Town.
"Let's go to Teitani Town first and ask around — see if the townsfolk have seen any Sand-nin," he said.
They stopped outside the town. Yagami told the other squad teams to hide while he and Purple Cat passed into the town posing as travelers.
Purple Cat removed her mask and pulled up a long waterproof cloak; beneath her hood her chin was small and neat.
The two walked through the rain-soaked streets of Teitani Town.
Few people were outside — heavy rain kept most indoors.
After a while they sat on a bench to observe and rest.
Through the rain a small figure came toward them.
She looked eight or nine years old and carried a basket.
"Big brother, is this lady your girlfriend? Do you want to give her a blue flower? These tiny blue flowers only grow on the Yoshimizu embankment — they're rare!"
Purple Cat brightened at the mention of blue flowers and peeked into the basket, delighted.
Yagami saw Purple Cat's reaction and said, "I'll buy all your blue flowers — they're for my girlfriend."
After paying, the little girl was thrilled, Purple Cat was even happier.
Yagami casually asked, "What's your name, little one? Have you seen anyone unusual lately?"
"My name's Aoi. The most unusual people I've seen are you two," she replied.
"Okay, besides us," Yagami pressed, "have you seen anyone else strange? We got separated from our friends in the downpour and are trying to find them."
Aoi glanced at the coins in her hand. "Alright, I'll take you to them!"
She first led them to a small umbrella shop.
"The uncle who runs the umbrella shop is special — he always repairs broken umbrellas and gives them to us orphans," Aoi explained.
Yagami met her expectant gaze and ended up buying two umbrellas.
Then she took them to the bakery.
"The bakery lady is special too — she gives us bread that's near expiration but still eatable."
Aoi looked at Yagami hopefully again, he bought two packs of bread.
He then bought shoes, gloves, salted fish, even paper and a pen — the stationery shop owner sometimes taught the orphans to write.
Clearly, this small town cared for its orphans well.
"All right, Aoi, we can't buy any more — I don't have room to carry it," Yagami said, loaded down with bags.
"Please, big brother — just one more!" Aoi pleaded. "The uncle who patrols the embankment always takes us to do chores and pays us a little. He's special."
"The uncle who patrols the embankment?"
Yagami's mind stirred.
The only notable feature here was the embankment north of town.
"Fine. Let's go see this last 'special' person."
Outside the town, Purple Cat subtly signaled their squad to stay put.
Yagami, Purple Cat, and Aoi followed the trail to the river embankment.
When the patrolman came down the bank he saw the little girl and the two burdened travelers and walked over.
"Sorry, sorry," he said. "Aoi's like this — we keep an eye on her and a few other orphans, and she tries to help by recommending our local shops to travelers. Didn't cost you too much, did it? I can reimburse you."
Aoi's lips stilled and she nearly started to cry.
Purple Cat hurried to say, "No, no. The bread she recommended was delicious — I already finished it on the way."
Yagami smiled politely. "Uncle, we're travelers from the Land of Grass and don't know the area well. Can the Yoshimizu embankment really hold the river? Does it look risky?"
The patrolman explained, "The Yoshimizu was redirected over a hundred years ago. After the reroute, there was a gap — the daimyō ordered the embankment built to plug that gap. The people in Teitani Town are descendants of the forced laborers back then. We're a poor place, so few shinobi come through. If anyone destroyed the embankment, Teitani and a dozen villages behind it would be flooded."
Yagami looked over the embankment, then toward the distant, soaring Kichikō Mountains.
Could the Sand-nin want to use this embankment for something?
Back in town, Yagami rented a room at an inn and stayed with Purple Cat.
Purple Cat toweled her hair dry and hesitated. "Captain, our teams are outside in the rain guarding the town while we stay warm. Isn't that… not right?"
"What's wrong with that?" Yagami said. "Tell them we booked two rooms. Don't mention that we only used one."
Having White Sheep replaced by an Aburame freed Yagami — he felt less constrained.
Purple Cat blushed. "If you emphasize it, won't people get the wrong idea?"
Yagami lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the bed.
Her towel slipped, revealing her long legs.
"Getting the wrong idea is tomorrow's problem," he murmured. "Tonight your job is to be quiet. We're ANBU — we can't expose ourselves. Agreed?"
"I won't make a sound! I promise!"
All night Purple Cat kept her lips pressed tight and barely breathed, bright red-cheeked — a proper ANBU operative, not daring to risk revealing herself.
Days of investigation passed with no results.
Instead, Aoi and three or four orphans followed Yagami and Purple Cat each day, happily eating the bread and rice balls they were given.
Yagami had three small teams out searching nearby villages — still no intelligence surfaced.
He began to suspect Hanzo might've lured ANBU away on purpose — to distract them while he concentrated on dealing with the Leaf's main force.
...
Unnoticed, the full moon night arrived again.
Clouds hid the moon, the sky was all thick black rainclouds.
Seeing Yagami standing by the window, Purple Cat shyly said, "Captain… must we really sit by the window again? I'm afraid someone will see us."
"As your captain, I'm going to criticize you," Yagami replied. "We're here to gather intelligence, not to rest. Of course we stay by the window. What if something important happens outside?"
Purple Cat shyly dropped her towel and moved to the side of the window, peering carefully.
The next morning, Yagami stood at the window looking toward the Kichikō Mountains.
Beyond that slope, Gobi and desert lay — a climate starkly different from this rain-soaked place.
Suddenly Aoi ran down the street, shouting at the top of her lungs: "The river-patrol uncle was taken by ninjas!"
Yagami pulled on his mask. "Purple Cat, move!"
They leapt from the window and landed atop the nearest rooftop.
Outside the town, Sand-nin were fighting the local samurai.
The fight was one-sided — the samurai were no match for the Sand-nin.
More Sand-nin kept pouring in. Yagami's heart sank.
Where are they all coming from?
***
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