The Land of Hot Springs lay west of the Land of Water, surrounded by green mountains and dotted with steaming natural springs.
As soon as Logan set foot on its soil, he caught a faint floral scent in the air.
"There are a lot of natural hot springs here," Kakashi explained, walking beside him. "They give off a sulfurous smell, like rotten eggs. To mask it, the locals plant flowers along the streets and in the cities."
Having traveled extensively on missions over the years, Kakashi was familiar with the customs of many nations. Seeing Logan's curiosity, he continued the conversation as they walked:
"The Land of Hot Springs—including the Hidden Hot Spring Village—is a peaceful country. The people are simple and honest, and they rarely take part in wars. Their ninjas don't focus on combat, but instead use their skills to help develop towns and build infrastructure."
He paused, glancing sideways with a grin. "They believe hot springs can purify the heart, so during major festivals, they hold what's called the 'Hot Spring God Festival.' Everyone wears colorful kimonos and yukatas, and men and women bathe together."
Kakashi lifted the book he was reading. "For more details, I recommend this classic: Make-Out Paradise. Master Jiraiya wrote some particularly detailed notes on the subject. Want to read it?"
"No thanks," Logan replied without missing a beat.
Kakashi shrugged. "Suit yourself. But... why didn't you bring Sasuke, Momo, or the others with you this time?"
"They're focused on their training," Logan replied.
Sasuke and Momo had stayed behind to continue learning swordsmanship from Miyamoto. Amber, Mayuri, and the rest had already started practicing Ripple Qigong alongside their ninjutsu ever since they arrived in Kirigakure. Besides strength training, they were also in charge of hosting Konoha's envoys and teaching based on their own understanding—an internal cultivation of its own kind.
Logan and Kakashi traveled slowly, sometimes using Hermit Purple to probe their surroundings, sometimes stopping to ask locals for information.
The country wasn't large, and within three days, they'd searched most of it. Their breakthrough came at a hot spring hotel.
"You're looking for that sickly busty woman?" said an elderly lady, holding a sugar cake in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Her voice was loud and raspy, drawing curious glances from passersby.
Upon hearing that Logan and Kakashi were looking for a "big-breasted beauty," the women nearby rolled their eyes in disgust while the men exchanged knowing nods of approval.
"Old lady, have you seen her? Is she still here?" Kakashi asked.
The woman took a puff of her cigarette and answered, "She left this morning. Bought a bunch of rice balls before heading out. Only a woman with an appetite like that can grow those—"
Logan glanced at his watch. Just after 1 p.m.
Tsunade couldn't have gone far in her condition. He cut her off. "Do you remember which direction she went?"
"Hm… direction…" The old woman was about to raise her hand, but suddenly paused, eyes sharpening with suspicion. "I can't tell you that! A lot of people have been dying around here lately. Who knows if you're the killers?"
Dying?
Kakashi tried to explain, but Logan didn't want to waste time.
"White Snake."
A white snake appeared behind the old woman, this time gently touching the back of her head instead of slapping her.
Click! Two discs popped out.
Logan scanned her memories.
From her perspective, the recent deaths were terrifying and unexplainable—random tourists, local families, ordinary people, all dropping dead out of nowhere. Some died mid-conversation, vomiting blood. There was no apparent pattern.
Even more frightening, the phenomenon was spreading from city to city like a plague.
The locals had begun calling it—
The Ghost Murder Case.
The peaceful Land of Hot Springs had never experienced something like this. Terrified, its people had grown paranoid and untrusting of strangers.
"Let's go," Logan said. He now knew the direction Tsunade had taken.
From the old woman's memories, Tsunade was in terrible shape—barely able to walk, possibly close to death.
Logan and Kakashi hurried on. As they passed through a narrow alley—
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
A barrage of needles flew toward them, accompanied by a loud, furious voice:
"I've been pretending to be sick for a week—finally caught you maniacs!"
A shadow leapt down from above.
Logan looked up and met a pair of blazing brown eyes.
Tsunade.
She wore a grass-green haori. Her long, golden-blonde hair danced in the breeze. Her sleeveless grey top was cut wide, revealing her proud figure wrapped in gauze.
She was indeed wounded—but who said being injured meant helplessness?
With the Strength of a Hundred Seal and the power of Katsuyu, Tsunade could fight even after being sliced in half.
A few days earlier, she had been ambushed by an unknown organization. She defeated most of her attackers, but a few escaped.
Drunk and in a good mood, she hadn't bothered chasing them. But that night, a strange, penetrating wound appeared on her chest—one that refused to heal.
Even the Great Slug Sage of the Shikkotsu Forest couldn't cure it.
"It's a curse," Katsuyu had said.
Tsunade decided to lure the attackers back. She knew they'd seek revenge, so she faked weakness—waiting for the trap to spring.
"You made me wait long enough!" she growled, recalling the pain of the past days. "Now—DIE!"
She activated her monstrous strength.
Boom! Air compressed around her fist with a thunderous roar, the space warping under pressure.
Needles whistled down. Tsunade launched her attack from above. Meanwhile, not far away, Shizune formed hand seals and cast an Earth Release wall to block the escape route.
Kakashi's face, usually calm and carefree, turned pale. "Tsunade-sama, stop! It's me!"
Tsunade?!
She hadn't expected to see a fellow Konoha ninja here—but it was too late to halt her falling fist.
"Get out of the way!" she shouted.
But Logan didn't dodge.
Kakashi grabbed his arm and leapt backward—but Logan didn't budge.
"That unreliable feeling… you really are my classmate," Logan said flatly, stepping away from Kakashi.
"Platinum World!"
Time stopped.
A wave of gray and white light exploded from Logan, freezing the world in place.
He studied Tsunade's fist, then her face, recalling images from his past life.
"Good thing it's only five seconds," he murmured. "If it were five minutes… or fifty… that would test anyone's willpower."
Star Platinum appeared, gently redirecting Tsunade's punch skyward and pulling Kakashi out of harm's way.
Five seconds later.
Whoosh!
The needles embedded in the wall. Tsunade's redirected punch hit only air. She staggered, turned, and locked eyes with Logan.
"What did you do to me?"
Shizune arrived, holding the pink piglet Tonton. She nodded at Kakashi.
Logan didn't answer Tsunade's question. Instead, he gestured to Kakashi to explain the situation.
Kakashi briefly described the Third Hokage's retirement and the village's need for a new Hokage.
Tsunade also summarized her recent experiences.
Part of the reason she had come to the Land of Hot Springs was because of Logan.
After learning he had killed Orochimaru, Tsunade had felt torn. She knew Orochimaru had committed unforgivable crimes, but she still mourned the loss of a comrade and teammate.
She came to this peaceful land to clear her mind—only to stumble upon the Ghost Murder Case.
"It wasn't a coincidence," Logan said.
Based on the old woman's memories, the only common trait among the victims was their youth and vitality.
"You may be older," Logan said, "but your chakra and life force are far above normal. That alone made you a target."
"Older?" Tsunade's eye twitched dangerously. She glared at Logan. "You're the one who killed Orochimaru and overthrew Yagura?"
"I am."
She stepped forward and stared him down for a long moment—then suddenly slapped him hard on the shoulder.
"You're young, but you've done great things. If I become Hokage, want to come back to Konoha and work with me?"
Kakashi perked up. "Tsunade-sama, are you accepting the role?"
"I'll go back and talk to Sarutobi-sensei first," she said, lifting her collar to reveal a blood-stained bandage. "But if I don't get rid of this curse, there's no point. Konoha doesn't need a constantly wounded Hokage."
Kakashi gestured to Logan. "Well, if you're looking for someone, don't worry. We've got 'Logan's Amazing Little Vine' on our side."
"Don't give it such a weird name," Logan muttered. Then hesitated. "But… there's a condition."
"What condition?" Tsunade asked.
"I need to touch your wound to activate the ability."
After repeated use, Logan had learned the Hermit Purple's principle. The vines connected the threads of cause and effect. For people he knew, his body was enough to activate the ability. For others, physical contact with the source was necessary.
Tsunade blinked. "Oh, that's all? I thought you were going to ask for money."
She waved him over, pulling aside her collar and the gauze. "Go ahead! Touch me—I've been waiting to beat those creeps!"
Logan hesitated. This woman's fearlessness was… something else.
Still, she didn't mind, so he didn't hold back.
He reached out with one hand, touching the wound, and with the other, he crushed a Polaroid camera.
Click!
A photo slid out.
It showed a dead body lying in the center of a ritual circle. Around it stood dozens of naked, black-painted cultists.
Behind them loomed a monstrous, deformed statue.
Above the statue hung a wooden plaque bearing three ominous words:
An Evil Cult.
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