I kept holding the toy as I moved back toward Shisui after finishing my search. Before I reached him, his shadow clone dispersed in a puff of smoke. Shisui glanced at me, and without a word his Sharingan bloomed to life. His gaze lingered on the toy in my hands for a few seconds, then his eyes returned to normal, as if he had confirmed it was harmless.
I felt relieved. I thought the little fox was beautiful and I truly wanted to keep it.
Shisui let out a quiet sigh. "He won't talk. I'll put him in the cart with us. Once we get back to the village, we'll hand him over to T&I. They'll know how to get what we need."
The captured jonin on the ground began to sweat but kept his gaze steady. A strip of cloth had been tied firmly across his mouth to keep him from biting his tongue. Shisui hoisted him up with one hand and said, "Noa, go get the driver. I'll collect the bodies into a storage scroll."
I nodded and headed toward the back of the cart.
When I reached the rear, I stopped. For a moment I stood still, the weight of what had happened settling on me. The wind shifted across the ridge, carrying the faint scent of scorched earth, iron, and flesh. Ash from burned foliage drifted through the air like fine gray snow. The clearing was quiet except for the rustle of distant leaves and the soft sound of the river's gentle stream.
I raised my hands together in a prayer gesture, closed my eyes, and exhaled slowly.
"May your journey beyond this world be peaceful and without suffering," I said softly.
I meant every word. I let the feeling carry out with my breath, as if the wind itself could carry it to them. For a brief moment the battlefield felt still, as though the air had paused to listen. The distant rustle of the leaves felt like a faint whisper in reply.
Then I opened my eyes and lowered my hands. The wind stirred again, carrying away some of the drifting ash from the burned corpses. I turned and began walking toward the driver's location.
A few minutes later I returned with the driver, who looked around at the ruined battlefield with wide, horrified eyes. Luckily, Shisui had already sealed the bodies into a storage scroll, and the jonin, bound and marked with a suppression seal, was secured in the cart.
I let out a quiet sigh. If we kept picking up enemies, we were going to run out of space, I thought.
The driver climbed up to the front, still shocked to see that the cart itself was unharmed. He flicked the reins, and the horses started forward at a steady pace.
The jonin shifted, his face tightening with anger, but Shisui's calm voice cut across the space between them. "Stay still."
The man glared at him.
Shisui's eyes glowed red as the Sharingan spun to life. The jonin froze for a moment, caught off guard, then slumped as Shisui wove the genjutsu, rendering him quiet and still.
Shisui turned to me. "Noa, keep your chakra field active and extend it as far as you can. I do not think there will be more strong enemies. If there were a large team moving into the Land of Rivers, Konoha's network would have noticed. Their small group size is what let them slip through unnoticed, so let us stay cautious."
"Yes, sensei," I answered with a nod.
Shisui rested his head in his palm, staring out of the cart's side window in thought. I shifted my focus inward, keeping my senses stretched and quietly drawing in chakra, trying to recover what I had spent. We rode in silence for a long time. The soft creak of the cart's wheels and the rhythmic steps of the horses were the only sounds as the road wound along the riverside.
There was a kind of wary optimism in that silence. We had passed the worst, or so it felt.
Shisui's voice broke the stillness, low and even as he kept his eyes on the river. "Noa, do you have an issue with killing?"
I turned my head slightly, surprised by the question. "No, not an issue. I just do not want to do it unless I absolutely have to."
Shisui glanced at me, measuring my tone and expression, perhaps the weight behind my words. Then a faint, almost approving smile touched his face. "Be careful not to hesitate. Some enemies will throw away their lives without hesitation if it means dragging you down with them."
I nodded. "I will protect my life when I have to. And if it comes down to protecting my friends, I will not give the enemy a moment's mercy."
He seemed quietly pleased with that answer. His gaze lingered on me for a while longer before he asked, "I noticed you praying for the dead back at the ambush site. Do you wish to be a monk?"
I laughed under my breath, remembering my time meditating in park as a monk. "No. I just find it peaceful. And I do believe it helps ease whatever anger or resentment the dead might leave behind. It lets them move on more easily, without grudges, so they can find their way to their next life."
Shisui's brows lifted slightly. "You believe in that? That the souls go on and that their deeds shape what they find next?"
"I am sure of it," I said simply.
He studied me with a more serious expression. "How could you know that?"
I smiled faintly. "I just feel it as an absolute truth in my heart."
He looked at me for a long, thoughtful moment before turning back toward the window, his chin resting on his palm again. "I will not lie. I do not believe in it. But the thought brings a certain comfort."
I let out a slow breath and looked out at the river flowing beside us. In that quiet moment I thought of Shisui himself. An ANBU captain. A man who has killed without hesitation because his duty demanded it. I do not believe he ever enjoyed it. It is discipline, not desire, that drives him.
I ran a hand through my hair, ruffling it as if to cool my thoughts, hoping silently that this time his fate would be different from the miserable one I had known from the story in my previous life. That this man, who carried his burdens so quietly, would find something better than the end I remembered for him.
Lord Kiyosuke arrived at Konoha shortly before noon. The Land of Wind envoys who had come ahead were already waiting outside the carriage when he stepped down. His attendants greeted him warmly and, together with Sena, Kaen, and several clones, escorted him toward the Hokage Building.
Kiyosuke looked around the village with quiet appreciation. The streets were clean, the shops orderly, and the merchants friendly. Most villagers smiled as they passed, though one merchant went pale and hurried back into his shop at the sight of a clone bearing Noa's face. The fresh air and the bright banners hanging over the streets lifted Kiyosuke's mood as his gaze lingered for a moment on the carved faces of the Hokage Monument. "Visiting Konoha after so long is a welcome sight," he said, and the Wind Country envoys seemed pleased by his good spirits.
Once they reached the Hokage's office, they were received by Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing behind his desk with the calm dignity of a man who had seen both war and peace. At his side stood Yamanaka Hirotaka, whose steady smile lent the room a warm, approachable air.
Kiyosuke stepped forward and offered a respectful bow. "Lord Hokage. Lord Yamanaka. It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you once more."
Hiruzen inclined his head in greeting. "The honor is ours. I trust your journey was without trouble."
Kiyosuke's lips curved in a polite but genuine smile. "Better than expected. I especially wish to commend your daughter, Lord Yamanaka. Her foresight and consideration made the journey far more pleasant than I had anticipated. She arranged lodgings ahead of our arrival, planned the route with care, and even managed small activities along the way that kept the road from feeling tedious. It showed a thoughtfulness rare in someone her age."
He nodded slightly toward Hirotaka. "Her efforts, along with the team's professionalism, made the entire trip smooth and without incident. I have traveled under many escorts, but few manage to balance vigilance with a sense of ease as your shinobi did."
Hiruzen's expression softened with approval. "I am glad to hear that. Their efforts will be acknowledged."
Hirotaka smiled with quiet pride. "I will make sure Sena knows her work was appreciated."
Kiyosuke's expression grew more serious but remained warm. "It reflects well on your village. I feel more confident about the road ahead knowing we were received with both skill and care."
Hiruzen inclined his head in return. "That is good to hear. We will do our best to honor that trust."
The exchange was brief yet cordial, and for a moment the room felt lighter, as if the sunlight through the windows had grown a little warmer.