Recently, Kazuo Soga, the village chief of Red Shoal Island, had started to seem a bit eccentric to outsiders. Although everyone had always found the old man rather difficult to get along with, he was, after all, the most senior person in the village, and they usually respected him.
However, starting about two months ago, the village chief seemed to have become rather reclusive. He usually stayed deep within his residence, rarely seen. Even if someone sought him out, he would have his household servants relay messages. Fortunately, although he was the village chief, there weren't many matters that actually required his handling; his role was more symbolic than practical.
When Sakura Haruno arrived at Red Shoal Island, she didn't immediately go to find Village Chief Soga. Instead, she stood before the "Shāi" for a long time.
The "Shāi" was located at the entrance of Red Shoal Village. Due to the previous mission, this small overseas island had become known to many merchants, which in turn had accelerated the development of Red Shoal Village. At the bustling entrance, a lone kunoichi was seen staring blankly at the dilapidated torii gate.
"I hope Village Chief Soga can give me a satisfactory answer," Sakura thought silently. Perhaps he and I are the only living people who know about that era.
Her gaze shifted from the "Shāi," and Sakura walked towards Red Shoal Village. After the last incident, the village's interaction with the outside world had gradually increased. The village itself was thriving, and the bustling streets gave Sakura a feeling of being in Konoha.
"It's developing so quickly," Sakura remarked with some emotion. This was merely the benefit of trade between ordinary merchants. If the ninja world were free of war and chakra was used for productivity, the development would be even more incredible. But the reality was that no one was willing to let go of hatred to pursue development.
Such things were only for contemplation. Her current priority was to find Village Chief Soga. Sakura followed her memory from her last visit and headed towards his home.
Arriving once again before Village Chief Soga's luxurious mansion, Sakura stepped forward and knocked on the large gate. After a short while, the gate opened from the inside, and a maidservant in a kimono appeared before her.
"May I ask who you are looking for?" the maidservant asked with a formulaic smile.
"Is Village Chief Soga in?" Sakura inquired.
"Ah, you're looking for Lord Kazuo. He hasn't been seeing guests recently. If you have any message, you can tell me, and I will relay it," the maidservant said, still smiling.
"Please ask him for me, the 'Shāi' is..." Sakura hadn't finished speaking when a voice interrupted her.
"Come in and speak, Lady Sakura Haruno." Kazuo Soga's voice was filled with fear. What's coming will always come. If you play with fire, you get burned...
After hearing the voice, the maidservant bowed and stepped aside. Sakura stepped into the luxurious mansion. The residence hadn't changed much since she had come with Karin last time, but the master of the house looked somewhat dispirited.
"Please follow me, Lady Sakura Haruno," Kazuo Soga said, bowing again.
"Mm," Sakura followed behind Kazuo Soga, a strange feeling washing over her. He seemed overly respectful this time. Something wasn't right.
The two passed through the exquisite miniature landscape of the garden pavilion. Kazuo Soga led Sakura to the reception hall where he had received her before. After they were seated, a maidservant poured tea for them and then exited the room.
Sakura picked up her teacup and took a sip, looking at Kazuo Soga's flustered appearance with curiosity. She couldn't help but ask, "Village Chief Soga, you seem very nervous?"
"Er..." Kazuo Soga scratched his head and said in a somewhat probing tone, "Have you... already completed the Tsu Transformation?"
"Oh, so you were lying to me before?" Sakura held her teacup, a half-smile on her face as she looked at Kazuo Soga. Her words seemed unrelated, but she was already secretly preparing to make a move.
"No, I didn't lie to you! I just want to live! I... I just want to live... to live... Please... please forgive me..." As Village Chief Soga spoke, he was already prostrating himself on the floor, his voice gradually trembling.
Sakura looked at Village Chief Soga's terrified state and remained silent for a moment before saying, "I haven't completed the Tsu Transformation. However, I have learned the Seijutsu you gave me. The Tsu Transformation is only a matter of time."
Kazuo Soga's eyes lit up upon hearing Sakura's words, but Sakura continued, "However, don't think you can just get away with deceiving me. I came this time to get your answers. Based on your answers, I will make my choice."
"What do you wish to know?" Kazuo Soga, learning that Sakura hadn't completed the Tsu Transformation, felt his fear lessen considerably.
"Is the curse real or fake?" Sakura thought for a moment and asked her first question. It seemed her involvement with Kazuo Soga had begun with his request to remove a curse.
"It's real," Kazuo Soga said slowly. "Actually, 'it' also has this curse."
"Who?" Sakura asked, taken aback.
"The 'soul' formed within the section of 'Shāi' that you took away," Kazuo Soga stated.
"Junko!" Sakura's heart skipped a beat.
"So its name is Junko? It certainly picked a good name for itself," Kazuo Soga remarked with admiration upon hearing the kunoichi's subconscious reply.
"Junko is already dead. Before she died, she stopped the Tsu Transformation and gave me intelligence about that era." Sakura's eyes narrowed sharply as she stared at Kazuo Soga. "What exactly is Junko?"
Kazuo Soga swallowed hard under Sakura's fierce gaze and said, "She... she is a collective consciousness of a part of 'Shāi'."
"Collective... consciousness..." Even with her experiences from a past life, Sakura was baffled by this term.
"Ahem," Kazuo Soga cleared his throat. It seemed that after learning Sakura hadn't completed the Tsu Transformation, his fear had completely vanished.
"How much do you know about that era?" Kazuo Soga asked.
Sakura's brow furrowed slightly. She clearly sensed the change in Kazuo Soga's attitude but didn't dwell on it. She still needed to get more information from him. This old fox was truly adept at seeing which way the wind blew.
"Just say what you want to say. I'll judge its truthfulness myself," Sakura said, taking a sip of tea. Although she really wanted to pry open this old fox's mouth with force, she was afraid he would rather die than yield. If he truly wouldn't speak, then she would resort to force.
"Actually, 'Shāi' is a vessel," Kazuo Soga said slowly.
"A vessel?" Sakura recalled the intelligence Junko had given her. "Then what is it used for?"
"I cannot tell you. Even if you kill me now, I will not say," Kazuo Soga's tone was filled with rare determination.
"Are you really looking to die?!" Sakura shot up, grabbing Kazuo Soga by the collar, her voice a low, fierce growl.
The ultimate purpose of this trip was for "Shāi," because it was the Tailed Beast vessel Sakura had her eye on. From the intelligence Junko had left, "Shāi" was a vessel capable of sealing natural energy in her era. However, that was all the information she had. What "Shāi" truly was, and what its purpose was, remained unknown.
Now this old man dared to defy her. Sakura was genuinely enraged. Her left hand gripped Kazuo Soga's collar, while her right hand clenched into a fist, blue chakra already visibly enveloping it. The air in the room suddenly grew heavy, and breathing itself felt oppressive.
Kazuo Soga looked at the kunoichi's furious eyes, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead, but he still didn't yield. "You... even if you... kill me now, I won't say. No... you might as well kill me... then I'll be free..."
Watching Kazuo Soga's eyes shift from fear to resignation, the two remained in a standoff for a moment. Sakura's aggressive aura subsided, and she released him. The chakra on her fist also dissipated.
Threatening someone who already wished for death with death itself was the stupidest method. Silently, she knelt back in her original position. Suddenly, Sakura felt an urge to smoke a cigarette to alleviate her inner turmoil.
Taking a deep breath, she leaned back, staring at the chandelier on the ceiling, lost in thought.
If... if it weren't for Junko, perhaps my whole life would have been steeped in self-blame. Diligently digging into the intelligence of that era now... it's a path to my own redemption...
That innocent young mother, and the infant still in swaddling clothes, and the civilians of that small town in the Land of Water... Every time night falls, when I close my eyes, they turn into ghosts, surrounding me, crying out...
If... if not for that jutsu supporting her... she probably would have collapsed already... This is her path to redemption...