Chapter 199: Tsuki
"Listen up, Killer Bee," Dana said, holding him by the collar, "if you really dare to climb to the top of the First and Second's statues, I'll have someone change your ninja file from 'Killer Bee' back to 'Sabii.' Do you hear me?"
The bruised and swollen Killer Bee imagined the consequences and immediately backed down.
"I unner...stan...Lord Yotsuki," he mumbled, his speech slurred.
Dana had been planning on going home to rest, but since the Sand's envoy had arrived, he decided to go with them to the Raikage's tower and report on the day's work.
He put on a jacket, took off his hard hat, and led the group up the main street, into the old village.
He was greeted with respectful bows from the ninja they passed, and he returned them with a smile.
Rasa was watching him carefully, not missing a single detail. Yotsuki Dana, with his many halos, was more than a head taller than him... dammit... but he was actually a few years younger, and his prestige in the village was something that could not be explained by just being a "young prodigy."
Rasa, who considered himself the number one genius of the Sand, had always been curious as to how much stronger the number one genius of the ninja world was. He had always felt that if he hadn't been too old to participate, that Uzumaki Hiroto would never have won the Joint Chunin Exams and gotten the title of "Crimson Fortress."
And if Rasa was observing in secret, then Sasori was "openly staring." Wherever Dana went, his gaze followed, as if he had some kind of facial recognition system.
The group arrived at the Raikage's tower. Dana walked in as if he owned the place. Kayo and Konan went their separate ways, and the three from the Sand were surrounded and "escorted" inside. The Raikage's tower was full of secrets.
In the office, the Third Raikage saw him come in. "Was the statue unveiling a success?" he asked. He had wanted to be there himself, but with the village's expansion, his workload had skyrocketed.
"Don't worry," he said. "Everything went smoothly. These are the envoys from the Hidden Sand."
He then went to his own desk. Yes, he had his own desk in the Raikage's office.
The three from the Sand were surprised, but they still showed the proper respect. Rasa, the oldest, stepped forward. "Lord Raikage," he said, "Lord Kazekage sends his greetings. I am Rasa of the Hidden Sand. I am here to discuss the matter of the next Joint Chunin Exams. I have a personal letter from Lord Kazekage."
Land of Water, outside the Hidden Mist Village, Kaguya clan compound.
Though the Kaguya clan had always been nominally under the Mist, they had never integrated well. They had always lived outside the village, rarely taking on missions, and they did not listen to the orders of the high command. They did as they pleased.
Due to the influence of their Kekkei Genkai, the Kaguya were generally irritable and warlike, and did not engage in production. So, though they were an ancient clan, their circumstances were not good. In fact, by the average standard of a ninja clan, they were poor.
They were an old problem for the Mist. For many years, the village's leadership had just pretended they didn't exist. It was a blessing if they didn't cause trouble. To expect them to serve the village was a pipe dream.
But a short while ago, the newly appointed Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, had taken a young prodigy from the Kaguya clan to the Joint Chunin Exams in the distant Land of Rain. Tsuki Kaguya had made it to the third round and had achieved the best result for the Mist. This had reminded everyone that the Mist had such a powerful clan.
But though Yagura had hoped to use this opportunity to reintegrate the Kaguya into the village and to strengthen its power, the Kaguya would have none of it. They did not give the Mizukage any face. They continued to do as they pleased, and even hinted that if he pushed them, they would not hesitate to fight the Mist.
For a single clan to threaten the entire village, and for such a trivial reason, without any sense of belonging... it was infuriating. And with their unique mindset, they were just crazy enough to do it.
After several failed attempts, he had to give up for now. A prodigy had finally appeared, and this was the situation. After Tsuki had returned to her clan, it was difficult for him to even see her, let alone train her.
But today, something even more frustrating had happened, and he had no choice but to come to the Kaguya compound again.
In an empty tea room, he sat on the floor, opposite the current head of the Kaguya clan.
The Kaguya clan had a long history and was very insular, so their style of dress was very primitive. With the clan head's unique hairstyle, it was a rather strange sight.
"Lord Mizukage," the clan head said, sitting with his legs crossed, a bored expression on his face, "what brings you here again?"
Yagura's bodyguard's face darkened. A mere clan head, putting on airs in front of a Kage.
"I have heard," he said, his face calm, "that the esteemed Tsuki Kaguya is to be married soon?"
"Ah, yes," the clan head said, sprawling on the floor. "What of it? Have you come to offer your congratulations? I'm afraid outsiders are not allowed to attend."
"There was no news of this before," he said, frowning. "She should not have an arranged marriage yet. And as a prodigy of the Kaguya clan, at her age, she should be focused on improving her skills."
"Of course I know she's a prodigy," the clan head sneered. "That's why she should use her talent to produce heirs as soon as possible. Her husband is my own son. He will surely produce a more superior bloodline for our clan. Hahahaha!"
He laughed wildly. Yagura's face grew darker and darker. If he remembered correctly, the clan head's son was over thirty.
After leaving the Kaguya compound, he was grim-faced. He felt sorry for the girl, but if he were to forcibly take her away, the not-so-bright Kaguya clan would likely choose to fight the Mist. Though they could not win, it would still cause losses and a very bad influence on the village.
After a long sigh, he decided he could not act rashly. He would have to think of another way. He would go and ask Elder Genshō.
As dusk fell, Tsuki sat at her vanity, like a wooden doll, letting the people around her dress her up.
"It is time to go, Lady Tsuki," one of them said. "The young master is already at the ceremony."
There were no complicated rituals, no grand ceremony. Just a noisy banquet and a drunken "groom."
No one cared if the "wedding" was grand or formal, not even her own parents or brothers.
And she didn't care either.
She sat on the bed for almost three hours before the "groom," reeking of alcohol and barely able to stand, stumbled in.
He grabbed her by the chin, his face twisted, his eyes filled with lust. "You're only fifteen, aren't you?" he said excitedly. "Good! Haha! Good! Hehehe!"
The next moment, a bone blade shot through his jaw, through his mouth, through his brain.
She pulled out the blade and flicked the blood and brain matter from it.
"Yes," she said. "Good. After drinking for so long, everyone outside should be drunk by now."