"Retreat!" Just as Nara Kazuki was about to use Shadow Neck Binding Technique to finish off the unlucky bastard he'd caught, Tanuki's voice cut through the chaos. Without hesitation, Kazuki let go of the kill and instinctively fell into step with the retreat, matching Tanuki's movements. Yamanaka Mai—Kitsune—was already retreating as well.
Only Shisui lagged slightly behind, but he caught up fast. Kazuki gave an approving nod.
He'd wanted to kill that Iwa shinobi, but he knew better. Going for it might've jeopardized the entire squad. The right call was to withdraw as a unit—no unnecessary risks.
As they fled, Tanuki launched a Wind Release jutsu behind them. Kazuki didn't catch the technique's name, but the effect was clear—trees ripped up, dust clouded the path, and visibility was wrecked. A perfect cover.
Yamanaka Mai moved fast, but the strain was starting to show. Her side wound reopened, bleeding through her makeshift dressing. Without flinching, she conjured flame in her palm and pressed it to the gash. The smell of scorched flesh filled the air.
Kazuki said nothing.
That was just Kitsune—cold, ruthless, efficient. Ruthless to her enemies, and to herself. Back in the day, Kazuki had genuinely thought she was a guy. It wasn't until a hostage exchange mission that he realized she was female.
Shisui, watching, had newfound admiration in his eyes. This was a hard-core shinobi.
"Next time use Lightning Release," Tanuki said casually. "It cauterizes faster."
Mai nodded silently.
Kazuki glanced at Tanuki, impressed. So this guy was just as insane. But effective. The burn had sealed the wound. No more bleeding. No more trail.
They pressed on. Tanuki kept up his bizarre evasive maneuvers—switching directions, crossing rivers, masking their scent. Whatever his plan was, it worked. By the time they hit the border, no Iwa shinobi had caught up.
"…Where are we?" Kazuki muttered, frowning. The map in his head was scrambled from all the route changes.
"The Land of Rain. We'll pass through it to return," Tanuki said coolly. "The Grass route's closer but riskier. This way's safer."
Kazuki froze.
You've gotta be shitting me.
Land of Rain?!
Every red flag in his memory screamed at once. This place was chaos central—home of the Akatsuki, Zetsu's hunting grounds, and in Boruto, some other massive villainous faction had risen here too. If you didn't know better, you'd think every bad guy in history held a convention here.
But it was too late to turn back.
So Kazuki followed Tanuki into the Land of Rain. Into what was basically a hidden endgame zone.
After crossing the border, their pace slowed slightly. Still alert. Still ready. But less frantic.
Eventually, they reached a small town.
As Kazuki finally let himself breathe, he saw Tanuki striding toward Mai.
Without warning, Tanuki raised his hand and slapped her. Hard.
The crisp, echoing crack stunned everyone—Kazuki, Kakashi, even Shisui froze.
Kazuki nodded faintly to himself. Yeah. Just as he thought. Tanuki and Mai were family.
Mai didn't flinch. Didn't cry. Didn't even blink.
"…We'll talk when we're home," Tanuki said grimly, then turned away to change out of his gear. Mai followed suit, calmly and wordlessly.
Kazuki and the others stood there, painfully awkward.
Kazuki felt like he'd wandered into a classmate's house and witnessed their parents chewing them out—trapped, embarrassed, and desperate to teleport away.
"Don't ask. I don't know either. Probably father and daughter," Kazuki said before Kakashi could even speak. Kakashi gave a silent thumbs-up.
Shisui just looked smug—finally, some juicy drama.
"That's my daughter," Tanuki said suddenly, catching the tail end of Kazuki's comment. "Sorry for the trouble. Once this mission's over, the Yamanaka Clan will offer additional compensation."
Kazuki and the others waved it off, flustered. Mai said nothing. Just walked on.
They entered the small town.
No rain, but no prosperity either. The place looked like a rundown county seat—dirty roads, livestock waste on the ground, cramped buildings. Rough living.
Still, people smiled. Laughed. Life went on.
Kazuki spotted some local specialties and even a bookshop with a Make-Out Paradise poster plastered outside. Classic Jiraiya style. The sight made Kazuki's mouth twitch.
Tanuki brought them to an inn. Made sense. Mai needed treatment.
They wouldn't stay long. Just enough time to patch her up before moving again. Rain Country wasn't truly safe—not even close. Hanzō's reputation as a "Demi-God" had earned this land a fearful respect, but compared to the raw might and resources of the Five Great Nations, it was still fragile.
Only back in the Land of Fire would they be truly safe.
Kazuki didn't want to stay cooped up.
So he grabbed a disguised Shisui and headed out to explore. Maybe he'd find something worth bringing home.
As they wandered, Kazuki came across a street vendor selling what looked like deep-fried chicken legs. He stopped, interested—right as a woman stepped up beside him.
Her cloak was black… with red clouds.
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