Leaving the Forest of Death behind, Raven and Yumi moved quickly through the night. They stopped only once, ducking into their hidden chamber to gather scrolls and supplies. Raven's adult shadow clone adjusted her mask, sealing away bundles of parchment into compact storage scrolls. Yumi's tails swayed in rhythm as she observed.
"So," Yumi asked, her voice sharp with curiosity, "what's your plan?"
Raven didn't hesitate. "If we're talking about wealth, no one is richer than Gato."
Yumi's golden eyes narrowed, recognition flickering immediately. "The fat merchant? The one who becomes one of the richest men in the Elemental Nations through blackmail, assassinations, and silencing rivals?"
"Bingo," Raven replied coolly. "In the future, he hires Haku and her protector—Zabuza Momochi. You remember him. The missing-nin with the giant sword that regenerates with blood."
Yumi let out a low laugh, tails curling. "Zabuza. Kubikiribōchō. And Haku, the girl with the Ice Release kekkei genkai. Dangerous pair. But you're not after them yet."
Raven nodded. "Not yet. Right now, I want Gato. He's corrupt, greedy, and selfish—but brilliant in business. He'll run things my way, in exchange for his life. He becomes my front."
Yumi tilted her head, skeptical. "You think someone like him can be controlled? He's only loyal to money."
Raven's voice was calm, certain. "Do you remember the Seal of Obedience? The one Danzō and Orochimaru created? I've already developed an improved version. Stronger safeguards. More flexibility. He won't even realize he's already mine."
A dark chuckle rolled from Yumi's throat. "Of course you have."
They traveled in silence for a time, slipping through the forests that stretched away from Konoha. Branches bent under their steps, moonlight streaking across Raven's mask.
"Will your physical body be all right, left behind in Konoha?" Yumi finally asked.
Raven nodded without slowing. "With the Rinnegan, I can remotely control this body from anywhere. There's no distance limit. I've also begun experimenting with animal corpses. Puppetry in the future means I'll have an endless army of animal shells and puppet drones acting as proxies."
Yumi's tone was blunt. "Don't get lost in puppetry. Use corpses, not metal. A corpse infused with your Rinnegan retains potential for growth, while lifeless material does not."
Raven slowed slightly, intrigued by the weight of those words. "So you're telling me… with the Rinnegan, my puppet control could let me command corpses—animals, even people—and they'd continue to grow stronger under my influence?"
Yumi's expression grew serious. "Never underestimate the Rinnegan. What you wield now is only the beginning. In time, your eyes will evolve beyond anything you can imagine. The Rinnegan is only the opening stage of the true Eyes of Destiny."
Raven frowned beneath her mask. "Eyes of Destiny? You're being vague again."
Yumi's golden eyes glowed faintly in the dark. "Your fate, Raven Kamazaki, lies beyond the stars—not just in the Elemental Nations."
Raven let out a sharp exhale, frustration leaking through her composure. "Vague, as always."
Yumi offered no more. Her silence was deliberate, a wall Raven had learned she couldn't always push through.
The two continued onward, leaving the safe familiarity of Konoha's forests behind. The air grew heavier with every step, the land changing as they approached the borders where Gato's influence had already begun to spread. Rumors of his shipping empire, his silent partnerships, and his mercenary-backed silencing of rivals stretched across nations.
Raven paused on a ridge, dispersing one of her distant shadow clones. The chakra flooded back into her body, thickening her reserves. The glow of her Rinnegan dimmed, then steadied. She looked toward the horizon.
"Gato's network begins here," she said firmly. "And once he's under my seal, he becomes the cornerstone of my financial empire."
Yumi tilted her head, tails swaying in the night breeze. "Then let's see if this merchant is as clever as you claim—or if he's just another pawn waiting to be used."
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