Betek
patreon
Chapter 160: Water Country Rebellion Incident
🕑 Added 2024-06-29 18:27:30 +0000 UTCKonan's words left Nagato deeply contemplative. He understood her sentiments well. When Yahiko was alive, he and Konan always regarded Yahiko's decisions as their own; Yahiko was their guiding light. But after Yahiko's death, only Nagato and Konan remained to support each other. To protect his only remaining friend, Nagato did whatever it took, killing countless people, with Konan unwaveringly supporting him, as she couldn't bear to lose another comrade.
But now things were different. Konan's heart held more than just bonds of friendship; she had become a mother.
"...A new life, huh?" Nagato thought to himself, feeling a new sense of responsibility and hope.
The next day, Kaisei and Kaijin burst into Natsuhane's office, looking anxious.
"Lord Daimyo, we have discovered the reason Kirigakure hasn't fulfilled its promise!" Kaisei exclaimed.
Natsuhane looked up slightly. "Speak."
Kaisei placed a letter on Natsuhane's desk. "We received a reply from the Daimyo of the Land of Water this morning, written by his own hand..."
"The letter states that the Taketori clan launched a rebellion while the main forces of Kirigakure were away. Kirigakure has been preoccupied with quelling this rebellion and has been unable to fulfill their promise to us. They ask for a few more days of grace."
"What?" Natsuhane frowned slightly. This didn't seem right. The Taketori clan's rebellion should have occurred during the "Bloody Mist" period, not during Mei Terumi's reign. Could his presence in this world have caused a butterfly effect, disrupting the timeline?
After a moment of contemplation, Natsuhane nodded. "I see. Very well, send a reply to the Land of Water. Tell them I am not in a hurry. They can send the ninjas after my wife quells the rebellion."
"Um..." Kaisei scratched his head. "Lord Daimyo, there's more in the letter that I haven't mentioned yet..."
"Then why didn't you say so earlier?" Natsuhane scolded.
"Yes! The Daimyo of the Land of Water is requesting your assistance. It seems your wife, Mei Terumi, is having difficulties..."
"Hmph, impossible," Natsuhane scoffed. "I know Mei Terumi's strength. She should be able to quell the Taketori clan in a short time."
"Well, you should see for yourself," Kaisei said, handing the opened letter to Natsuhane.
The letter read:
‘Brother Natsuhane, please forgive the sudden request...’
‘Upon our return, we found that Kirigakure had been overrun by the Taketori clan. Since most of our forces accompanied us to the Land of the Sea, the village was left defenseless, allowing the rebels to seize control. Mei Terumi is currently focusing all her efforts on combating the Taketori clan and has no additional manpower to fulfill our agreement with you...’
‘The current situation is dire. You may not be familiar with the Taketori clan, but they are a powerful bloodline clan with formidable members. The battle has been ongoing for five days with no progress...’
‘If possible, please come to help us. Mei Terumi is deeply entangled in the conflict, and her situation is precarious. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated, and I will ensure that the promises made to you will be multiplied in return...’
Natsuhane sighed, closing the letter. Kirigakure had fallen to such a state that they needed external help to quell an internal rebellion.
But upon further reflection, Natsuhane could understand. Kirigakure had indeed faced many hardships recently. They had just regained some stability six months ago, suffered losses fighting the Joudo clan, and now faced the Taketori clan's rebellion.
"Prepare a ship. I need to go to the Land of Water for a few days," Natsuhane commanded.
Kaisei and Kaijin both hesitated. "Lord Daimyo, are you sure you want to go?" Kaijin asked.
"Yes," Natsuhane nodded. "Helping them will benefit the Land of the Sea as well. The sooner Kirigakure is stable, the sooner we will receive their compensation..."
"Moreover... Mei Terumi is my wife. I don't want her to be in danger."
"Understood. We will prepare the fastest ship immediately!" Kaisei said.
Just as Kaisei and Kaijin were about to leave, Natsuhane called out to them. "Wait, no need for a ship..."
"Hmm?" Kaisei asked, puzzled. "Lord Daimyo, do you not wish to go anymore?"
"No," Natsuhane shook his head slightly. "I just thought of a faster way to reach the Land of Water."
With that, Natsuhane walked to the window, opened it, and jumped out. "Summoning Jutsu!" he called out.
With a puff of smoke, a large, majestic beast with the body of a tiger and the wings of an eagle appeared. It was the Inyo summoning beast.
"Master, did you summon me? Is there an enemy bullying you again?" Inyo roared.
"There are no enemies. Inyo, I want you to be my mount and take me to a place as quickly as possible..." Natsuhane explained.
"No problem, master! Hop on!" Inyo knelt down, and Natsuhane jumped onto its back.
"Let's go, southward!" Natsuhane ordered.
"Got it, master. Hold on tight~ If you feel uncomfortable, let me know, and I'll adjust my posture," Inyo said, flapping its giant wings and taking off swiftly toward the south.
Meanwhile, within the borders of the Land of Water, in a secluded valley, a man dressed in white robes with distinctive double pigtails approached a hidden cave.
Inside the dark cave, the man reached an iron-barred prison and spoke with a sinister smile, "My dear child, it's time. We need you now."
Taking out a key, he unlocked the iron bars. Moments later, a slender figure emerged from the cell. In the dim light, the figure revealed itself to be a beautiful child with a healing smile.
"Sir, do you really need me?" the child asked softly.
"Yes, Kimimaro. Only you can save the Taketori clan. Everyone is eagerly awaiting your help," the man replied.
Hearing this, Kimimaro lowered his head, a spark of hope in his eyes.
"To be needed... feels good," he whispered. "It seems I'm not alone after all."
This child, named Kimimaro, possessed terrifying power despite his frail appearance and young age. The Taketori clan was a formidable bloodline clan with the ability called Shikotsumyaku, allowing them to manipulate their bones. Kimimaro was the strongest among them, his bones the hardest, causing even his clan to fear him. As a result, he had been imprisoned from a young age, only now being released.
Surprisingly, Kimimaro didn't harbor any resentment toward his clan. Instead, he genuinely wanted to help those who "needed" him. The feeling of being needed was something he craved, even if it meant being used as a tool for killing.
"Go, Kimimaro. Kill all the ninjas of Kirigakure. They are the enemies of the Taketori clan..."
"For years, they have slaughtered us mercilessly just because we possess kekkei genkai. Now is our chance. Kirigakure is at its weakest, and our time has come. You, Kimimaro, are the key..."
"For the sake of your clan who needs you, don't hold back. Go and kill them all!" the man urged.
