"Isn't the daimyo's stance essentially reducing me to a mere tool for preserving the shrine maiden's legacy and maintaining the stability of the Land of Demons?"
Miroku let tears stream down her face. Though she was willing to protect the people of the Land of Demons, the daimyo's attitude chilled her heart.
"Sigh, daimyo, oh daimyo," Miroku murmured with a long sigh.
Perhaps it was better for the daimyo to remain ignorant, to live out his later years in peace.
"From now on, the shrine maiden must remain in the Land of Demons," Miroku stated firmly to Uchiha Shimizu.
"Fine by me," Shimizu replied casually.
The daimyo was as good as dead to him.
Because Shion was about to be born.
Miroku needed to take control of this nation to pave the way for Shion. The adorable Shion, naturally, deserved to be nurtured with care and affection.
Indeed, Shion's birth was the result of Shimizu using a cloning serum to impregnate Miroku.
Miroku was drenched in sweat, her hair plastered to her forehead, as she reluctantly trained in ninjutsu. At that moment, only one thought consumed her mind: Shimizu called them "mother and daughter." How could he know the child's gender?
The power of an entire nation did not disappoint Shimizu. In a short time, they gathered all the equipment he required. Shimizu temporarily left the Land of Demons, heading to the neighboring Land of Earth.
After days of travel, Shimizu arrived in the region where the Kamizuru Clan typically operated. This time, he arrived early. Originally, he had planned to let Guren stay longer in the Land of Earth, but he changed his mind. He decided to arrange for Guren to enroll in Konohagakure.
Currently, only Nohara Rin and Hyuga Natsu were capable of handling tasks in Konoha, but Natsu's abilities were limited, making many matters difficult to manage. With Guren there, training a reliable subordinate to watch over things would be a significant improvement.
After the Nine-Tails incident, Konoha's vigilance toward the Uchiha Clan would be at its peak. Shimizu, undoubtedly, would be one of the primary targets of scrutiny. In the original story, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui held secret meetings in the few blind spots left within the Uchiha Clan's compound.
At a defensive line monitored by the Kamizuru Clan, Suzumebachi spotted Shimizu's arrival. She signaled the other clan members to stay back and took Guren to meet him.
"Lord Shimizu, you've finally come to see me!" Guren exclaimed joyfully.
Shimizu had left her with this woman, and she had begun to fear he no longer wanted her. After spending time together, Guren saw Suzumebachi as a rival vying for Shimizu's favor, and her attitude toward her had soured. No longer calling her "big sister," she now referred to her as "that woman" with disdain.
"Guren, you're so adorable. Of course I had to come see you," Shimizu said, ruffling Guren's small head. Her soft blue hair felt pleasant to the touch.
"When will you visit me next, Lord Shimizu?" Guren asked timidly.
After their time together at the cave base, Guren had confirmed Shimizu bore her no ill will. He simply saw her as a subordinate—but one he valued highly. Unlike Suzumebachi, she had never been punished, which made Guren smug, believing she was favored.
"You'll be coming with me. We'll see each other every day from now on," Shimizu said, chuckling as he saw the joy on Guren's face and gave her head another pat.
The current Guren was far more obedient than the future venomous, life-disregarding Guren. To Shimizu, though, it made little difference. Her attitude was only harsh toward outsiders. Her current demeanor was perfect for him to mold.
"Lord Shimizu, this is the latest intelligence on Iwagakure," Suzumebachi said obediently, stepping forward to hand him a sealed scroll once Guren and Shimizu finished catching up.
"Hm," Shimizu acknowledged, glancing at it before tucking it away.
"Take me to a place to rest. I need to recover for the night."
"Yes," Suzumebachi replied respectfully, a faint glimmer of anticipation in her eyes. It was time to replenish her life energy. Each time she did, she felt her strength grow, an addictive sensation of constantly becoming stronger.
Suzumebachi led Shimizu to a temporary small residence, deliberately avoiding the main camp. Shimizu had killed many Iwagakure ninja, and his face was well-known. Bringing him to the camp might cause them to mistake it for an enemy attack.
"Alright, Guren, go on now. I have some business with Lord Shimizu," Suzumebachi urged, pulling Guren toward the door.
"What do you think you're doing, you woman!" Guren clung to Shimizu's leg, her small face puffed up, refusing to leave.
Shimizu bent down, pinched Guren's chubby cheeks, and said, "Go on, out you go."
"…Fine," Guren muttered, her face falling as she reluctantly let go. Before leaving, she shot Suzumebachi a glare, as if to say this wasn't over.
Suzumebachi found Guren's behavior excessive, always showing inexplicable hostility. But she didn't bother arguing with a child. She quickly shut the door, undid her belt, and began the process of replenishing her life energy.
The next day, Shimizu took Guren and left, instructing Suzumebachi to continue gathering intelligence and to discreetly search for a group of suitable female orphans. The Curse Seal could rapidly enhance someone's strength regardless of conditions, a power too valuable not to use for building his forces.
"Up you go," Shimizu said, enlarging his Tenrō Kasen (Heavenly Prison Fire Sword) threefold to accommodate both of them.
"Okay!" Guren nodded eagerly, stepping onto the Tenrō Kasen with a hint of nervousness, as if afraid the flames would burn her.
Once Guren was aboard, Shimizu steadied her with one hand to prevent her from falling. Controlling the Tenrō Kasen, he soared into the roiling sea of clouds, heading back toward the Land of Fire.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
As they passed over a forested mountain, the sounds of battle echoed below.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Shimizu focused his gaze, covering Guren's eyes and using his Byakugan to peer through the scene below. He saw a water dragon crash into an earthen wall, sending dust flying.
Pulling Guren with him, Shimizu descended rapidly from the churning clouds to the battlefield. By now, most of the ninja were dead, leaving only one Kirigakure ninja and one Iwagakure ninja still fighting.
"Terumi Mei, here of all places," Shimizu noted, recognizing the woman ahead.
He hadn't seen Terumi Mei since his first departure from the Land of Demons. During the Third Shinobi World War, he hadn't encountered her either, as he primarily fought Iwagakure and Kumogakure ninja, rarely facing Kirigakure or Sunagakure.
Mei's face was grim, slightly pale, as she warily eyed the Iwagakure ninja, trying to recover her stamina. The Iwagakure ninja, mirroring her, stood still to regain strength. However, his recovery was faster. In an instant, he formed hand seals and shouted, "Earth Release: Falling Clay!"
Ripples spread through the air as a portal opened above Mei, pouring out countless dark red clumps of clay toward her.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!" Mei opened her mouth, exhaling a cloud of scalding mist. Its corrosive properties melted some of the clay, but before it could fully dissolve, the Iwagakure ninja charged with a kunai.
Mei's pupils constricted as she dodged.
"Hmph, Kirigakure's Terumi Mei. After killing so many of our men, you think you can escape?" the Iwagakure ninja taunted, enhancing his strength with Earth Release chakra. He lifted a massive chunk of earth and hurled it at her—Earth Release: Rock Dumpling!
Mei gritted her teeth, feeling her dwindling chakra reserves. She prepared to forcibly extract more, ready to gamble everything.
"Quite the lively scene," Shimizu remarked with a smile, Guren clutching his sleeve beside him.
Both Mei and the Iwagakure ninja froze briefly, startled by the sudden appearance of two figures. When had they arrived?
The Iwagakure ninja recognized Shimizu's face—the infamous "Blink Shimizu." Without hesitation, he launched a sneak attack with Earth Release: Rock Staff.
Mei's heart sank. She didn't know how much Shimizu's strength had grown, but this Iwagakure ninja was a high-ranking jonin, among the stronger ones. Many of her comrades had already worn him down significantly, yet she had been fighting him for a while. She doubted Shimizu could evade the sudden attack, especially with a child by his side.
"Crystal Release: Hexagonal Shuriken Dance!"
To Mei's surprise, the little girl beside Shimizu waved her hand, and the air filled with crimson crystals forming shuriken. The crystal shuriken collided with the rock staffs, canceling each other out and falling to the ground.
"Well done," Shimizu praised.
Guren squinted, flashing a radiant smile.
Then, eight flame-like magatama appeared in Shimizu's hand, hurtling toward the Iwagakure ninja with such speed that they roared through the air. With a crack, the ninja was reduced to a splatter of flesh, dead on the spot.
Mei stared, dumbfounded. Her life-or-death crisis had been resolved so effortlessly by Shimizu?
"You… thank you," Mei said, her body relaxing.
"Bit early for thanks, don't you think?" Shimizu replied.
"Hm?" Mei looked at him, puzzled.
Before she could react, Shimizu stepped forward, leaned in, and kissed her.
"!" Mei's face flushed crimson, her eyes wide as she tried to pull back, but Shimizu held her firmly.
Guren watched, slack-jawed. She remembered that kissing meant making babies. Was this ninja about to get pregnant?
After a long moment, their lips parted.
Shimizu let out a hearty laugh, grabbed Guren, and leaped onto the Tenrō Kasen, vanishing in a flash, leaving only a trail of flames and a scorched scent in the air.
"Uchiha Shimizu!!!" Mei's voice echoed through the forest, startling birds and beasts.
But Shimizu and Guren were already long gone, unable to hear her cry.
His actions weren't impulsive. In a few years, the era of the Bloody Mist would begin, and seeing Terumi Mei would become rare. Better to leave a lasting impression now. In the original story, Mei was sensitive about the word "marriage," likely because a man had left her, lingering in her thoughts for years. Kirigakure was too far for Shimizu's influence to reach, so he acted first, planting a deep mark in her heart.
"Lord Shimizu, why did you do that?" Guren asked, confused.
"Because I wanted to," Shimizu replied simply.
As his strength grew, he began to act on his true desires. Power was the reason to do as he pleased.
Guren nodded vaguely, thinking to herself that the ninja world was hard to understand. Lord Shimizu was truly a remarkable man, doing whatever he wanted.
Shimizu and Guren continued toward the Land of Fire, their next destination: an orphanage.
In the Land of Fire, at the orphanage, children played outside under the bright sunlight. Yakushi Kabuto stood outside, gazing at the second floor, lost in thought.
"Thinking about the orphanage?" Urushi, wearing a greenish-brown hat, patted Kabuto's back.
"Yeah…" Kabuto murmured, then continued, "The orphanage has been short on funds lately. The director's been so kind to us. I really wish I could help somehow."
Kabuto instinctively touched the round-framed glasses on his face, running his fingers along the smooth frame. They were a gift from the director, Yakushi Nonō, and he cherished them deeply. Whenever he looked at them, he recalled her gentle smile.
The two fell silent, staring toward the second floor.
Meanwhile, in a room on the second floor, Yakushi Nonō, along with her caretaker and cook, discussed the orphanage's financial troubles.
"Relying solely on subsidies from the nation and the village isn't sustainable anymore…" complained a plump middle-aged woman dressed in a nun's outfit.
"We'll have to negotiate with the nation and village again," said an elderly man with white hair and beard, wearing black-framed glasses.
"But they've already said they won't give us another cent!" the woman retorted, as if she'd anticipated his response.
"We should be grateful the nation and village provide any subsidies at all!" the man shot back. "But maintaining the status quo is already tough. Besides Kabuto, we've taken in a few more kids."
Listening to their bickering, Nonō remained silent, her expression heavy. They had said similar things when they took in Kabuto. Now, with more children, the same issues resurfaced. Still, they all wanted the best for the kids. The orphanage was facing a severe financial crisis. One misstep could mean not only failing the new children but also letting the older ones go hungry.
"Sigh, the director has it tough. Let's drop it," the elderly caretaker said, noticing Nonō's expression and signaling the nun to stop.
The nun closed her mouth reluctantly.
"Next, we could try treating wounded soldiers from the war to earn some money," Nonō suggested with a sigh.
Fortunately, her medical ninjutsu was skilled. Having trained Shimizu, she was confident in teaching other gifted children the basics of medical ninjutsu.
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