Inside the bathhouse, Ryosuke and Haku enjoyed the warmth of the hot spring until their skin flushed from the heat.
When steam filled the air and their bodies were fully relaxed, Ryosuke helped Haku rinse off the soap and water—confirming once again, just to be sure, that she truly was female.
Satisfied, he finally relaxed.
Haku's face was red as an apple.
Beeeing washed by the God-King himself felt both soothing and unbearably embarrassing.
For the next few days, the two remained near the Lightning Country's port—eating, exploring, and soaking in the baths.
It was a rare period of calm and comfort.
Beeefore long, Zabuza returned from his mission, dust-covered and travel-worn.
"Lord Ryosuke, I searched the entire Valley of Cloud and Lightning. There's no sign of the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, Killer Bee."
Ryosuke nodded slightly.
"Well done, Zabuza."
He thought for a moment.
If Killer Bee wasn't at Valley of Cloud and Lightning, there was a good chance he was on Turtle Island—
that moving island hidden upon the shell of a colossal sea turtle, somewhere deep within the ocean.
A place that wandered the seas endlessly… meaning finding it by chance would be almost impossible.
"I'll handle the rest from here," Ryosuke said.
"For now, Haku will stay under your care."
He reached into his cloak and withdrew a thick bundle of banknotes.
"This is one million ryō — operating funds for your missions. Consider it organizational support."
Zabuza took the stack without hesitation.
He knew what it meant — the money wasn't luxury, but efficiency.
Ninjas didn't generate income; they earned it through commissions.
Even simple missions could take weeks, sometimes months, to complete.
Beeut Ryosuke didn't have time for that — he needed capable men who could act instantly, not shinobi slowed down by financial limits.
Ryosuke then took out another, smaller stack and handed it to Haku.
"Haku, this is one hundred thousand ryō for you. Use it as pocket money — for food, tools, clothing, whatever you need."
Haku accepted it with both hands, her eyes shimmering.
To her, this felt warmer than any family she'd known.
He's kinder than my own parents ever were…
She silently vowed to grow stronger — to repay the God-King's grace someday.
Zabuza, watching this, couldn't help but feel moved.
He'd spoken with Haku before — he knew she was also from the Land of Water.
Poor kid, he thought. If the Fourth Mizukage hadn't been controlled back then, if the Mist hadn't fallen into blood-soaked chaos… maybe she wouldn't have had to live such a tragic life.
Still, he smiled faintly. Now she's blessed — to serve under someone like him.
With everything settled, Ryosuke turned away from the harbor and began his journey inland — toward the very heart of the Land of Lightning: the Hidden Cloud Village (Kumogakure).
After traveling through mountain roads and high passes, he reached the outskirts of the village.
Looking down at his reflection — black cloak, white mask — he frowned slightly.
Entering like this would immediately draw suspicion.
A masked figure in black near Kumogakure's gates?
He'd trigger an alarm before even taking a step inside.
Removing the mask was no better.
Too many people remembered his face —
after all, during the previous Konoha–Kumo war, he had utterly crushed Cloud's elite shinobi.
That memory alone would set off chaos if he were recognized.
He paused in thought, then smirked.
Transformation Technique, then.
It wasn't complex, but for infiltration, it was perfect.
And Ryosuke's control was nothing short of flawless.
He quickly formed a hand seal.
A swirl of smoke rose —
and when it cleared, standing there was a man in typical Lightning Country attire.
He'd studied plenty of Cloud citizens along the way, so mimicking their look came naturally.
Far ahead, Kumogakure stood high among jagged peaks, wrapped in drifting clouds.
Traders, mercenaries, and mission envoys bustled at its base.
He blended into the crowd easily.
Using his heightened sensory ability, Ryosuke extended his perception through the area.
A familiar chakra signature soon appeared — calm yet sharp, like crackling electricity.
Samui.
He'd found her.
Her residence was a modest two-story home built halfway up the mountain.
He memorized the location, then withdrew.
There was no need to act in daylight —
Cloud's night patrols would be stricter, but that was when he could move unseen.
When night came, the skies darkened under stormy clouds.
Ryosuke activated his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
His right eye glowed faintly, rippling with spatial energy —
and before him, a dimensional portal unfolded silently.
The other end opened in a narrow, concealed corner beside Samui's home.
He scanned the area — no one nearby, no chakra fluctuations.
Perfect.
He stepped through quietly.
Samui's residence wasn't large — two floors, modestly built on the mountainside.
The front doors were locked, but that wasn't a problem.
He crouched, then leapt lightly onto the window ledge.
With a silent motion, he slipped inside.
Every movement was calculated, his breath perfectly controlled.
Even the faintest vibration in the air was under his command.
With his current strength, a careless flick could pulverize a boulder —
but he'd long since mastered restraint.
Inside, the faint glow of a lantern flickered.
In the inner room, a woman with a striking figure sat cradling a small child, gently rocking it to sleep.
"Shh… There, there, baby. Go to sleep."
Her tone was soft, maternal.
Under her care, the infant soon dozed off — quiet, well-behaved.
Her gaze lingered on the baby, a mix of tenderness and conflict flickering in her eyes.
Though the child's existence reminded her of that man — the one who forced this upon her —
she couldn't bring herself to hate it.
When the child had first kicked inside her womb, something had changed.
For the first time, she'd truly understood what it meant to be a mother.
Now, she finally understood her own mother's struggles back then.
So she had chosen to keep the baby — because despite everything, it was alive.
And not just any child: one who carried Uchiha blood.
Perhaps, one day, it too would awaken the Sharingan,
or even the Mangekyō like that legendary man — Uchiha Ryosuke.
If that happened, the Cloud's power would rise to new heights.
And perhaps… the village's future might change.
She sighed quietly, glancing at the sleeping infant.
"Still," she murmured,
"the village owes too much… we'll be repaying those war debts for years."
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