But more than anything, Izumi found herself drawn in by Ryosuke's nearness. The masculine energy radiating from him was strong and intoxicating. She couldn't help but take in a few deeper breaths—it was the scent of a mature man, something that made her heart flutter and her head light.
Without realizing it, she leaned closer to him.
That single motion broke his restraint. The faint fragrance from her body stirred something uncontrollable in him. Ryosuke lost focus and suddenly pinned Izumi to the ground, straddling her as he breathed in her scent.
Izumi froze, face flushing scarlet. His presence was overwhelming—his breath hot, his closeness dizzying. Her heart pounded wildly.
'If it's Ryosuke-nii… maybe it's fine.'
After all, he was the one who had taken her and her mother in, giving them a safe place within the Uchiha. He was strong, reliable—and handsome. Seeing him like this, she felt she couldn't escape anyway. Maybe… she should just let it happen.
She closed her eyes and waited for what was to come.
But as Ryosuke was about to go further, his reason snapped back into place. He looked down at her—eyes closed, expression soft and trusting. She was beautiful, innocent, and already beginning to mature, more than he remembered from just a few months ago.
But his mind warned him: not yet.
The strength he had gained came with heightened instincts, and unfortunately, heightened desire. Kurenai's pregnancy meant he had been abstaining for weeks, the tension building up inside him. This was a reflex more than intent.
Izumi, lying beneath him, waited in silence. When nothing happened, she cautiously peeked through half-lidded eyes. Ryosuke's face was calm again—composed, emotionless. The fire from moments before was gone.
A pang of disappointment flickered through her chest. She had already made up her mind, prepared for that kind of thing. She wondered what it might have felt like—painful at first, maybe, but then… pleasant, as people said.
Ryosuke stood, helping her up gently. He decided he'd wait until she was older. For now, he resumed teaching her a few basic moves, corrected her posture, then sent her home.
If she stayed any longer, he might not be able to restrain himself. She was far too cute. Just looking at her stirred feelings he didn't want to acknowledge.
He wondered what kind of beauty she'd grow into someday—and how great a loss it would be if someone like her were to die during the massacre.
'Not this time,' he thought. 'Not while I'm here.'
By afternoon, it was time for him to leave the village. There was still a debt to settle.
The Cloud Village envoys had already been gone for more than two days. Even if he attacked them now, no one would link it back to him. There was no way he could just let them go.
For the mother he had never met, blood must repay blood.
He scoffed at the word "peace." Peace was an illusion. In this world, only the strong devoured the weak.
After resting, Ryosuke sealed essential supplies into a storage scroll—rations, gear, and a set of black hooded clothes with a white mask. He was ready to move.
He didn't know how long this mission would take, but he knew one thing: no one could learn it was him.
The black cloak and white mask would hide his identity.
As for the Eight Gates, he was close to breaking through, but the final step wasn't something that could be rushed. His enhanced physique made training easier; still, it needed time.
Once prepared, he slipped out of the village and began his pursuit toward the Cloud Village border.
The route was simple—follow the line between Konoha and Cloud territory.
They had likely been enraged by him, which meant they would be hurrying home. The shortest distance between two points was a straight path.
He found it absurd that this world still used horse-drawn carts when ninja could move faster on foot. The forests north of Konoha stretched endlessly, but with chakra-enhanced bodies, traversing mountains and forests was trivial. Perhaps that was why carriages were rare.
Once clear of the village, he moved quickly, running day and night.
Though the Cloud shinobi had a two-day head start, they couldn't maintain full speed continuously. They would need rest, unlike him. His body was stronger, faster, tireless.
After a day and night of relentless pursuit, Ryosuke finally sensed their chakra signatures ahead, deep in another forest.
Just as he had predicted.
He slowed, blending seamlessly into the surroundings without making a sound.
The Cloud-nin were resting on boulders nearby, unaware. They were close to the border, relaxed, confident. Reinforcements were waiting on the other side.
They had no reason to fear. They were Cloud shinobi—who would dare attack them?
Among them, one looked particularly worried.
"We'll meet our escorts soon… but how are we supposed to explain this to the Fourth Raikage?"
"Jōnin Dodoi was killed, our mission failed, the peace talks collapsed, and the… breeding plan with Konoha didn't work either. It's a complete disaster."
"With Lord Raikage's temper, we'll be punished for sure."
The others exchanged uneasy looks.
"Konoha's shinobi went too far," one muttered. "They killed our comrade and didn't even offer an apology. They even mocked us to our faces!"
True, the plan to kidnap Hyūga Hinata for the 'Konoha breeding project' had failed—but failure didn't erase the humiliation. Their comrade was dead, and Konoha had walked away unscathed.
By all logic, Konoha should be the one answering for this—but instead, the Uchiha and Hyūga had only hardened their stance, seemingly eager for war.
T/n:
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