Fumori Masaki was relieved to see that Kana was unharmed. The situation arose because Masaki hadn't anticipated the enemy planting spies within the officials of the Land of Demons. He also hadn't considered how different this kind of combat might be from what Kana was accustomed to. Though he couldn't be solely blamed for the oversight—since no one had anticipated the specific circumstances in the Land of Demons —Masaki still felt a deep sense of guilt.
"I'm sorry, Kana-chan. I almost overlooked this and put you in danger," Masaki said, leaning against the door.
"Why apologize? None of this is your fault," Kana replied. She didn't blame Masaki for what happened. "You protected our intelligence. This time, the enemy learned about my presence in the Land of Demons due to their own investigation, not because of any oversight on your part. If anyone is to blame, it should be those responsible within the Land of Demons."
"Even so," Masaki shook his head slightly, "after learning Enemy's true identity, I should have arranged for someone to escort you home. This mission was more dangerous than I initially thought."
"Nii-san, it's not your fault," Kana reassured him. "It was the Land of Demons that failed to fully assess the situation. You can't foresee everything, especially without accurate information. Making a misjudgment under such conditions is understandable."
Kana's understanding left Masaki at a loss for words. From another perspective, it would be natural if she blamed him for putting her at risk. Yet, she didn't. Instead, she empathized with the difficulties he faced, making him feel even more guilty.
"Kana, aren't you afraid? If the enemy attacks again, I might not be able to protect you in time. This time, Maitreya's prophetic reminder helped—although, without her warning, I still sensed the disturbance within the shrine and came as quickly as I could. But if you'd been further away, I might not have arrived in time."
"Of course, I'm afraid," Kana admitted, her voice steady but thoughtful. "In the Warring States period, Otō-san told me about the cruelty of ninja battles, but I never witnessed it firsthand. During the Ninja World War, I only saw the bodies of our village's heroes. This was the first time I saw someone die right in front of me."
She paused, visibly shaken by the memory. "The only other time I experienced loss was when Otō-san passed away peacefully from illness. But I never imagined death could look so violent."
At that moment, she remembered the gruesome way the enemy tore apart their victim, a brutal scene even hardened ninja found disturbing. She gripped her sleeves tightly, her hands trembling.
"I'm sorry, Kana," Masaki apologized. "They targeted you because you're the only one among us who isn't a ninja, and because your teachings on the Ninshū conflicted with their beliefs. They view you as a heretic."
"Really?" Kana was momentarily surprised.
"Yes. While you were unconscious, we interrogated one of the Jashin believers. Though we didn't get much information, we learned that they attacked you specifically because of your advocacy for the Ninshū. I feel responsible since I guided you onto this path. Perhaps it would have been better if I had trained you as a ninja."
"Masaki-Nii!" Kana interrupted, her voice serious as she quickly got up from her bed and slid the door fully open. Her sudden movement startled Masaki, who took a step back.
"Yes, I began studying the Ninshū teachings to revive its ideals and promote peace, inspired by your advice after I left my family. But I didn't do it just because of you," Kana said, meeting Masaki's gaze. "I believe in the teachings of the Sage of the Six Paths. His ideas are more progressive than much of today's ninja world, which, sadly, has regressed. This revival is necessary."
"If I had to choose, I'd rather be following this path, promoting the Ninshū's teachings, than be a mercenary ninja. I believe this is the right path. So please, Nii-san, don't blame yourself. This is my decision, not something you forced upon me," Kana said, her voice strong and clear.
Masaki asked, "Even if it means being in danger, you don't regret it?"
Kana turned the question back to him. "Do you regret your own goals? Even when faced with difficulties and sacrifices?"
He paused. "No. I don't."
"Then neither do I," Kana said with a soft smile, looking radiant under the moonlight.
Masaki smiled back, a little sheepishly. "You really are your father's daughter, Kana. You shine just as he did."
"Don't think I'm only my father's shadow," Kana said playfully, walking past Masaki before turning back. "One day, I'll surpass him in my own way."
"I look forward to that day," Masaki replied with a smile.
"You'll see it," Kana nodded with determination.
At that moment, Tsunade stirred awake, groggily rubbing her eyes. She glanced at the empty bed, her drowsiness quickly turning to alarm until she spotted Kana and Masaki by the door.
"Oji-sensei, why isn't Kana ba-chan resting?" she asked, a little annoyed.
"Sorry," Kana smiled apologetically.
"You should rest. Once our reinforcements arrive, it'll be time to settle things with those people," Masaki said.
#####
A few days later, a covert team entered the Land of Demons. It was the Masaki squad—Hyūga Kei, Sarutobi Konosuke, Inuzuka Shigeru, Yamanaka Takuma, and Senju Risa. Although international protocol allowed them entry, they still moved discreetly.
Upon arrival, they marveled at the architecture steeped in Ninshū traditions. Having read Kana and Masaki's books, they were well-acquainted with the teachings.
They quickly headed to the capital's shrine to rendezvous with Masaki.
"It's been a while, Taichō," greeted Hyūga Kei. "With your skills, I didn't expect such a big intelligence gap in this mission."
"We can't entirely blame the Land of Demons, the enemy is formidable," Masaki explained. "One of them is a rogue ninja named Kakuzu, who once attempted to assassinate Hashirama-sama."
"That Kakuzu?" The team knew the story well. Few had dared to target the First Hokage, making Kakuzu an infamous figure.
"Indeed," Masaki said. "Hashirama-sama defeated him using Wood Release, which means Kakuzu could withstand most attacks outside that technique. Even without Wood Release, he shouldn't be underestimated."
Masaki went on, "Kakuzu has transformed his body somehow. He has five hearts with five separate chakra networks. To truly defeat him, all five hearts must be destroyed. I'll take on Kakuzu, you just focus on eliminating the others."
The team was surprised at Kakuzu's physiology but had confidence in their captain's judgment.
"What are our orders, Taichō?" Hyūga Kei asked.
"We've captured a Jashinist who likely holds information. Takuma, I'll need your help extracting details from him."
"Understood," Yamanaka Takuma replied. "If his mind is protected by a sealing technique, it might be a bit tricky, but I doubt it's anything advanced."
"Great. If you need assistance, Kei can use his Byakugan to observe chakra flow and even disrupt it if necessary," Masaki added.
Hyūga Kei nodded. "I'll do my best."
"Alright, let's go see our prisoner," Masaki said, leading his team to where the Jashinist was held.