The next day,
two days had passed since the explosion at the village leader's office, and the healer woman had been given enough rest.
Zousui knew the woman had used up too much of her energy, but as the leader of Kusagakure, he couldn't sacrifice the welfare and success of his village for the health of a refugee. The sick and injured ninjas needed care to get back to the field quickly, especially now that a terrorist attack had caused so much damage to the village. Although emergency care had been provided, the village's situation was far from good.
A lot of money and equipment had been lost, and the ninjas needed to work even harder.
It was already too late.
This time, he went to the woman's house himself.
Without knocking, he pulled the doorknob and went inside.
"Your rest is over... it's time to work... huh?"
No one was inside.
Neither the mother nor the daughter.
Zousui was initially startled, then confused: "Did they go somewhere?"
The surveillance ninjas hadn't informed him of anything...
He turned around, left the hut, and gave a signal.
A guard immediately jumped down from a tree overlooking the hut and landed in front of Zousui. He was a chunin-level ninja.
"Yes, chief?"
"Where are the healer and her daughter? Why wasn't I informed that they left the hut?"
The woman and her daughter were a rare medical asset to the village. Their names didn't even matter, but as valuable tools, they were always under surveillance, and aside from times when a ninja took them to the hospital, Zousui was always informed when they left the house.
The chunin was a bit puzzled. "But chief, they should be home right now! No one has left the hut since they both returned yesterday."
Zousui raised an eyebrow. "Since yesterday? But the woman had two days of rest... why did she leave the hut yesterday?"
"Well, two days ago, one of the shinobi from the hospital came and took her to treat patients... and then a few hours later, he came and took her daughter... they both returned to the hut together yesterday morning."
Zousui was taken aback. "And you didn't report something like that?!"
The chunin, who didn't understand why Zousui was so surprised, replied, "Chief, what was there to report? This is something that happens all the time! They just went to do their duty and came back. There was nothing that seemed strange."
Zousui raised his voice. "It happens all the time? Go inside and see—that woman and her daughter aren't in their home! Immediately go and order the village gates to be sealed!"
First the explosion at the main village office, and now the kidnapping of the village's best healers. The Kusagakure ninjas had worked so hard to acquire them, and now they had simply been stolen.
Zousui was furious.
Which scoundrel started messing with the Kusagakure ninjas? I'll find you and skin you alive!
He turned to his summoned ninjas.
"Immediately investigate who has recently entered and exited the village! Track everyone... you must find them quickly!"
At the same time, a one-day journey from the Village of Kusagakure, a caravan had stopped by the side of the road.
The workers had suddenly fainted after eating their meal.
Thump!
Clang!
Slice!
For a moment, the sounds of kunai clashing and cutting could be heard.
The two genin guarding the caravan were quickly killed.
Akira, the chunin leading the escort group, turned to the merchant who hired him, struggling to cover the wound that had appeared on his chest. His voice trembling with fear, he said, "Who are you? Why did you attack us? What is your purpose?"
Mitsuro, who had shed his merchant disguise, replied, "I'm sorry... in a world where even the dead can reveal secrets, I can't answer you!"
He put pressure on his leg muscles and appeared in front of Akira in a flicker. "I'm sorry... in this world, sometimes you have to die without knowing why! The world is just that cruel!"
And with all his speed, he separated Akira's head from his body.
Akira saw his body, headless, begin to fall to its knees.
Mitsuro looked at the three corpses with complete indifference, then used a fire jutsu to burn all three bodies completely.
He then calmly walked toward the boxes of tea and trade goods. He casually pushed aside the top two boxes and pulled out one that was in the middle of them all.
He opened the lid. A mother and daughter with red hair lay unconscious inside. Their hands and feet were tied, and their chakra points had been sealed with traditional needles.
His plan was simple but effective: Mitsuro knew the woman was used as a medical tool for the village. He had disguised himself as a Kusagakure ninja yesterday and easily lured them to a secluded location. After knocking them out, he hid them in the trade goods boxes. He then had two of his kage bunshin transform into the mother and daughter to return to the house and pretend to stay there.
He gently pulled them out of the box. Without untying their hands, he removed the needles from the woman's body.
The woman slowly opened her eyes and felt a moment of dizziness. Her vision was blurred, and then she gradually noticed Mitsuro sitting in front of her...
She looked around in surprise.
"Where am I... Who are you? What do you want from us?"
She was clearly scared.
Mitsuro put his finger to his nose. "Shhh! I only ask questions! You have no right to question me. Just answer! Otherwise, I'll do the worst thing you can imagine to you and your daughter! Understood?"
The woman was completely terrified. "Yes."
Mitsuro gave his usual smirk. "Good! Now we'll start with the first question. What's your name?"
The woman said softly, "Kaori."
"Good, Kaori. You and your daughter now belong to me! And you're coming wherever I say! Understand?"
Kaori nodded in confirmation, her face filled with worry.
"Don't worry, being with me is much better for you than staying in Kusagakure... if you had stayed in that useless village, both of your fates would have been nothing but death from chakra exhaustion."
"Can I ask who you are?"
Mitsuro's grin widened, and he said in a theatrical tone:
"Oh. Forgive my rudeness! I am Mitsuro. From now on, your owner and master!"