Mount Katsuragi.
The traces of battle from over a year ago had now completely disappeared from the land.
The collapsed houses had been rebuilt, the destroyed barriers restored, and even the deep craters caused by the repeated use of the Fury Hair Forbidden Jutsu were filled in.
The only difference was the owner of this place. The once-feared warrior of the shinobi world, the Traveler of War, had passed away.
Now, the one in charge of the Tsuchigumo Clan on Mount Katsuragi was his granddaughter, Hotaru, who was still quite young.
"Miss, it was too risky for you to save that person," said Tonbei, the old soldier, his brows furrowed in concern as he looked at the unfamiliar man lying on the bed. He turned to Hotaru with worry in his eyes.
Hotaru, whose youthful face had matured slightly, replied earnestly, "When I found him, he was already seriously injured and unconscious. I couldn't just leave him to die, Tonbei."
Tonbei shook his head and continued to advise, "But we don't know if the man on the bed is good or evil. If he turns out to be trouble, and the shinobi chasing him come here, it will endanger all of Mount Katsuragi."
Currently, Hotaru was the last heir of the Tsuchigumo Clan. Tonbei didn't want to see anything similar to what happened a year ago occur again.
"Don't worry, Tonbei," Hotaru said, patting her chest in assurance. "I'm strong now. I can definitely protect everyone."
Although her grandfather's passing had left her disheartened for a while, Hotaru had worked hard ever since. She tirelessly studied the Water Style training scroll that Gensou had left behind and had activated the clan's secret Fury Hair Forbidden Jutsu.
In terms of combat power, she wasn't any weaker than the famed Jōnin of the outside world.
Because of this, Hotaru had gained much more confidence compared to her past, more gentle self.
Looking at her now, Tonbei was momentarily stunned.
He had almost forgotten that Hotaru was no longer the powerless little girl she once was.
Now, as someone who had inherited the clan's forbidden jutsu and excelled in ninjutsu, she was even stronger than him. Hotaru had the qualifications to take on the responsibility of revitalizing the Tsuchigumo Clan and becoming the next Traveler of War.
With this realization, Tonbei sighed and was about to comply with her wishes when the man on the bed suddenly stirred.
Both Hotaru and Tonbei immediately turned to look.
Soon, the man opened his eyes.
"Where... is this?" Utakata asked in a cold voice as he looked around the unfamiliar room and people. He struggled to sit up and asked again.
Hotaru quickly moved to help him up. "Your injuries haven't healed yet. Don't move too much."
Utakata , not used to people getting close to him, shifted away slightly and repeated, "Where is this?"
Not bothered by Utakata's cold demeanor—having gone through experiences with Gensou, who had a strange personality but a good heart—Hotaru patiently explained, "This is Mount Katsuragi. Don't worry, you're safe here. There's no danger."
Utakata , however, clearly wasn't listening to Hotaru's words.
He glanced at Hotaru, who had saved him, and, ignoring his injuries, got out of bed and began walking towards the door.
"Wait! You're still injured!" Hotaru called out urgently.
Without turning his head, Utakata replied, "Don't stop me. You shouldn't have saved me."
With that, he pushed open the door and stepped outside.
But after only a few steps, his vision blurred, and with a thud, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious once again.
Hotaru and Tonbei exchanged glances.
Sighing again, Tonbei walked over, picked Utakata up, and placed him back on the bed.
Although his attitude hadn't been polite, his actions clearly showed he didn't want to bring trouble here.
All in all, his character seemed decent.
And since the young mistress had a kind heart...
This would have to do.
Outside Mount Katsuragi, Gensou lifted his head, his eyes focusing on the mountain peak standing straight like a chopstick in the distance.
"Never thought I'd come here again."
The Traveler of War was surely long gone. Back then, with just one glance, Gensou had seen that the man's body was at its limits. After the scare Gensou gave him, it was unlikely he'd lived much longer.
Now, the one in charge was probably that little girl named Hotaru.
Funny enough, even though Gensou had been an invader, Hotaru hadn't been afraid of him at all. In fact, when they parted, she even expressed a desire to become his disciple.
At the time, Gensou hadn't agreed but had left her a Water Style training scroll before departing.
He wondered how much she had learned.
Gensou withdrew his gaze and, just like last time, began making his way towards Mount Katsuragi.
If the butterfly effect hadn't shifted too much, the Six-Tails Jinchūriki, who was fleeing, was likely somewhere near Mount Katsuragi.
If they hadn't arrived yet, he could afford to wait a little while.
As Gensou walked towards the mountain, he heard whispers coming from the nearby dense forest. Not bothering to pay attention, he continued on his way.
However, the conversation still reached his ears.
"Are you sure that old man is dead?"
"Yes, confirmed, Lord Shiro . Old man Tonbei tried to hide it for a long time, but under repeated questioning by the clan elders of the Hidden Mountain Village, he finally revealed the truth. It was always suspicious that the Traveler of War hadn't shown up for so long."
"Excellent! It seems the forbidden jutsu of the Tsuchigumo Clan has fallen into the hands of that little girl Ying. The Tsuchigumo Clan is truly without successors now!"
"Lord Shiro, shall we act now and take the forbidden jutsu?"
"No rush. Since Mount Katsuragi was attacked a year ago, they've replaced many of the barriers and traps. We need to scout thoroughly first. Otherwise, if Konoha's reinforcements arrive, it'll be troublesome."
"Lord Shiro is truly cautious... However, just now, a passerby overheard our conversation. What should we do?"
"I noticed already. Just a bug. Crush it casually."
"Understood!!"
With that, four figures shot out of the forest at incredible speed, surrounding Gensou.
One of them, a man, sneered at Gensou and said coldly, "Eavesdropping on others' secrets isn't a good habit. Unlucky guy, have you decided how you want to die? I'm feeling generous and can grant your wish."
Gensou paid them no mind, continuing to walk forward at his own pace.
Seeing that this man was about to meet his death, yet still acting so indifferent, Nanxiang and the others couldn't help but feel both amused and insulted.
As they prepared to strike, chuckling to themselves, the man muttered, "Pathetic stench—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Gensou finally spared them a glance.
Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing!
In an instant, the kunai from the shinobi pouches of the four men flew out at lightning speed, piercing through their heads.
Before they even hit the ground, the four of them had no idea what had just happened.
Not far away, Shiro, standing with his arms behind his back in a commanding pose, waiting for his subordinates to return, saw the scene unfold before him and immediately froze, his mouth agape.
Drip.
A bead of cold sweat slid down his forehead.
(End of Chapter)
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