Coupled with the fact that Orochimaru was now collecting tailed beast chakra, Kusuo was certain there was a connection between the two.
It wasn't until dawn the next day that Natsuhi slowly opened her eyes.
"Your chakra is much better than yesterday. The Star's power has also been suppressed significantly."
Natsuhi realized that Kusuo had been sitting by her side all night, never once closing his eyes. "Lord Kusuo. Why didn't you rest?"
Kusuo didn't explain, simply rising and walking towards the door. Natsuhi had spent the entire night focused on regulating her chakra and was oblivious to the situation outside. Even if she had been paying attention, her current skill level would have made it difficult to detect the enemies lurking nearby. Since their arrival at the house the previous night, the Mizukage had dispatched no less than three Anbu squads to hunt them down. Kusuo, however, had suppressed his presence, remaining undetected.
Opening the door, Kusuo was greeted by a cool mountain breeze. "Get ready. We're moving out."
Natsuhi reached for a soldier pill, only to find that her pouch had been destroyed in the earlier fight. Just as Kusuo was about to leave, a growl echoed from Natsuhi's stomach.
"Hungry?" Kusuo turned to her.
She was about to deny it but nodded instead. At this rate, her hunger would soon become obvious.
"Wait here." With that, Kusuo's figure vanished. A few minutes later, he reappeared before her, holding two bags. They contained soldier pills from the Land of Water. He tossed a bag to her.
"Eat quickly. We leave as soon as you're done."
Natsuhi stared at the pills in shock. Only Anbu members carried rations of this quality. It was clear that in the short time he was gone, Kusuo had eliminated several of the Land of Water's Anbu. She quickly ate a handful and, within minutes, had packed her things.
"We continue on. From now on, I will fight less and leave more opportunities for you," Kusuo stated. "Your control over your fire chakra is still unstable. Only through repeated combat will you gain the experience needed to master it."
Natsuhi nodded and obediently followed him. Kusuo didn't want to delay any longer. After all, Hinata and Shion were waiting for him back in the Land of Fire. His primary objective was to assassinate the Mizukage, and this journey was also a chance to build better synergy with Natsuhi and help her master her own power.
"Yes, Lord Kusuo. I will not disappoint you."
They pressed onward, but it wasn't long before a thick fog rolled through the forest.
"Lord Kusuo, the fog is getting thick. Should we stop and rest?"
Kusuo waved his hand dismissively. "This forest is saturated with water-style chakra. This fog is man-made." He instantly recognized the technique. It was the Hidden Mist Jutsu of the Land of Water.
"Stay alert," Kusuo warned. He wasn't worried for himself; he could handle any ninja from the Land of Water. But Natsuhi's abilities were not yet at that level. Furthermore, her chakra nature was fire, which would be at a significant disadvantage in such a dense, water-based environment.
"Lord Kusuo! Look at our feet!"
As they stopped, a massive whirlpool formed in the ground beneath them, its vortex pulling them steadily downwards.
"It's just a simple trap jutsu," Kusuo said, unfazed. Such a technique would be fatal for most ninja, but for him, it was trivial. With a light leap, he easily escaped the vortex.
Looking back, he saw Natsuhi struggling, her body still being pulled into the earth despite her efforts.
"Peacock Method! Fire!"
Her body erupted in flames as two massive wings unfurled from her back. She could no longer suppress her chakra. Kusuo watched, intrigued. This time, her chakra pathways seemed more stable, not as chaotic and dangerous as her previous outburst. "It seems she's found a way to repair her own meridians," he thought.
-------
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