Although the Uchiha Itachi incident had reached a conclusion, the matter of Uchiha Madara would never end. As long as Madara remained unsettled, Zaraki Kita could never truly relax. Since Konan had kicked her out, it was time to get to work—like irritating Uchiha Madara, for instance.
The Land of Water was as unwelcoming as ever. Its hostility toward outsiders surpassed even its disdain for ninjas. Zaraki Kita rented a small boat and returned to what she considered her homeland. She was born here but never truly raised here. At six, she and her father had hidden in the cargo hold of a passenger ship to escape the Land of Water. Not long after arriving inland, her father encountered two warriors preparing for a duel. They pledged life and death with blood on their blades. Six-year-old Zaraki Kita watched from the grass as her father's head was severed, the iron collar around his neck clanging to the ground—a lifelong scar she could never remove.
Just bad memories.
Zaraki Kita had no desire to retrace the path of her past. But looking closely, this country truly differed from Amegakure, and she didn't much like it here.
With her abilities, infiltrating Kirigakure posed no challenge. Skilled in stealth and tracking, Zaraki Kita had no trouble navigating. Most importantly, the Kirigakure defenses were not as formidable as those of Amegakure. Even Nagato's jutsu was beyond her capacity to counter.
The streets were desolate, sparsely populated, food scarce, and civilians malnourished. In the three days she stayed, she witnessed four violent clashes that resulted in death. And during these events, no one intervened—some even cheered.
Brutal and barbaric, fitting for the Kirigakure. Uchiha Madara ruled this isolated land in such a ruthless manner… truly diabolical.
This time, Zaraki Kita had infiltrated the village quietly, chosen an inconspicuous young woman, cast a genjutsu on her, and assumed her form. Unfortunately, without vocal cords, she could not speak even while disguised. The girl—Koyou, just turned eighteen—was not a ninja but a cashier at a small tavern in the village. She had an older ninja sister but had separated from her at seventeen. Their parents had long passed away.
Though Zaraki Kita wanted the genjutsu to last, starving Koyou was counterproductive. She had come to trouble Madara, not herself.
Before lifting the genjutsu, Zaraki Kita bound Koyou to prevent escape, then offered the soup she had prepared.
——I'm a bad person, temporarily hiding here to avoid disaster. If you shelter me, I'd be grateful. If not, I may have to keep you under the genjutsu.
Koyou: Will you kill me?
So calm, it's unnerving.
Zaraki Kita shook her head.
Koyou: Can't you speak?
——I was injured before, lost my voice. You?
Koyou: Born this way. Put me down; I won't seek others out.
A shared defect brought mutual understanding. Zaraki Kita gladly untied her, then placed the soup before Koyou.
Koyou ate and showed great curiosity toward someone like herself.
Koyou: Can you stop using my appearance? It's… weird.
——You know about transformation jutsu?
Koyou: I do. My sister is a ninja. Who are you, and why are you here?
——Call me Sister Kita. I'm older than you. You're Koyou. I'm a wandering ninja. My superior ordered me to steal from a wealthy family. I refused, left the group, and they hunted me. I jumped off a cliff and the current carried me here. I quietly came in, met you, took your form, and will hide for a few days.
Incredibly, the naive girl believed her. Zaraki Kita laughed, delighted, and chatted with Koyou until dawn. Koyou even took leave from work to ensure Zaraki Kita's outings would not be noticed by the villagers. Zaraki Kita decided to leave her some extra money in gratitude.
With her cover set and the village situation understood, it was time to quietly vex Uchiha Madara.
Two major talents stood out: the prodigy leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Hozuki Mangetsu, and Terumi Mei. Zaraki Kita chose the latter—not because Mangetsu was weak, but because dealing with Madara required ruthlessness. Terumi Mei was ruthless, and Mangetsu was a loyal follower of the Fourth Mizukage.
Night was cool and thin, the moon shrouded in a light mist, casting shadows over Zaraki Kita.
With a kunai bearing a small note, she silently slipped into the darkness.
Terumi Mei didn't rush to check who had thrown the kunai. Anyone able to infiltrate her home unnoticed would be impossible to catch. She unrolled the note, reading:
——Beware the Fourth Mizukage.
Obvious, but she still frowned. The Fourth Mizukage had wanted her dead for some time.
She considered carefully. The note was cut from a newspaper to avoid handwriting traces, and the kunai itself was ordinary. Whoever sent it supported her, but who would take the trouble to warn her of something she already knew?
First, the sender was not a subordinate or ally.
Second, they had enough power to deliver the message.
Third, they were likely a peripheral figure.
Terumi Mei thought through the village. The strong peripheral figure made sense. With internal conflicts nearing a boiling point, most capable ninjas had taken sides. Such a strong figure should know, yet the note was neutral in content, implying it wasn't Mangetsu's doing.
Zaraki Kita, skilled in calligraphy, had no difficulty forging Terumi Mei's handwriting and planting intel at Mangetsu's place.
——Beware the Fourth Mizukage.
The difference: this time, Mangetsu emerged. His speed and the alarm were fast, but Zaraki Kita deftly avoided detection, returning smoothly to Koyou's home. Together, they watched the popular drama Masahiko-kun.
Koyou: Who do you think Masahiko-kun will choose? I like Masako.
Zaraki Kita: Me too, but I think their social positions don't match. Princess Yuki is more suitable.
Koyou: Gee, Sister Kita, you're so boring. Love doesn't care about status! Masahiko and Masako are meant to be.
Zaraki Kita: By the story's pattern, Masahiko has no chance.
Indeed, no chance. How could a high-born princess ever marry a lowly unknown warrior?
━━━━ ❖ ━━━
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