Tsunade was somewhat surprised that Shuji had returned to Konoha before even visiting Kusagakure, given how busy she was with administrative affairs.
After hearing his report, she met with Shuji alongside Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was equally concerned about the matter.
"Sunagakure's situation is poor?"
"The jinchūriki's seal is also unstable?"
These two pieces of information sent the Third Hokage into contemplation.
"If that is the case, Sunagakure becomes a dangerous presence." The Third Hokage glanced at Tsunade. "We must closely monitor the River Country front during this period."
Tsunade understood as well. "Ōnoki ran off to harass Rasa. If Sunagakure gets pushed to the brink, there is no telling what they might do."
"Since Shuji promised to discuss matters after the Chūnin Exam, we can negotiate with them then."
After completing his report, Shuji's squad rested briefly in the village. The next morning, they set out again, heading for Kusagakure.
The last time Shuji had reached the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass was during the war with Iwagakure. At that time, due to tactical positioning, he had not entered the Land of Grass, much less Kusagakure.
This village's name matched its nature quite well. Grass swaying in the wind, bending whichever way it blew.
However, situated between great nations and constantly serving as a battlefield, such flexibility was necessary for survival.
Beyond their flexible stance, another notable feature was Hozuki Castle, a shinobi world prison located on an isolated island overseas, managed by Kusagakure on behalf of various nations.
It was used to handle shinobi that villages neither wanted to kill nor keep within their own borders.
Kusagakure had received advance notice of Konoha shinobi visiting and dispatched two chūnin to wait at the village entrance to guide them.
Everything appeared normal.
But after Shuji entered the village, he sensed something amiss. The frequency of patrolling Kusagakure shinobi squads was excessively high.
This was not the state a shinobi village maintained during peacetime.
The one receiving the Konoha squad was a Kusagakure jōnin named Hayami, whose attitude was quite courteous.
Shuji straightforwardly explained his purpose and handed over the invitation to the Joint Chūnin Selection Exam issued by Konoha.
After listening, the Kusagakure jōnin gave a polite response. "We are honored that Konoha wishes to invite Kusagakure to participate in this matter."
"However, this concerns the village's genin training plans and subsequent mission arrangements. It is not something I alone can decide immediately."
"Only after the village elders deliberate can we provide you with a definitive answer. Please understand."
Shuji raised no objections, expressed his understanding, and stated his hope to stay temporarily in Kusagakure for a day or two while awaiting news.
"Of course. Please remain in the village for now."
Hayami then arranged for them to stay in the village's guest quarters. The rooms were clean, facilities complete, far more comfortable than the windswept Sunagakure lodgings.
Kamizuki Izumo and Akimichi Chōji secretly breathed sighs of relief, feeling this diplomatic mission finally resembled something from a textbook—standardized procedures, comfortable hospitality. This was how allies should treat one another.
Anko crossed her arms and curled her lip, saying quietly to her two companions, "Hey, you two really think this place is more comfortable than Sunagakure?"
"The air here carries an indescribable oppressive feeling. It makes me uncomfortable all over."
Chōji laughed. "They do not have a Tailed Beast about to lose control, do they?"
But he saw Shuji's expression remained calm, his eyes sharply scanning outside the window.
Chōji's smile froze on his face. "Not really, right?"
"Kusagakure has no Tailed Beast, Chōji. You should catch up on your studies when you return," Shuji answered. "But Anko's feeling is correct. The atmosphere here is very abnormal. They are not maintaining ordinary vigilance. It is more like they are guarding against something, or preparing for something."
He walked to the window and lifted a corner of the curtain, watching another Kusagakure patrol squad hurrying past outside.
If this were a diplomatic mission to one of the other four great shinobi villages, even if Shuji sensed something wrong, he would simply pretend ignorance and prepare to flee. Generally, he would not rashly intrude.
After all, the Five Great Shinobi Villages maintained strict security. One careless move could trigger serious chain reactions.
As for now, though somewhat impolite, Kusagakure was not on the list of places he could not infiltrate. In fact, from his perspective, this village currently contained no one he found particularly troublesome.
Therefore, Shuji decided to act as a proper shinobi for once and conduct nighttime reconnaissance.
"Tonight I will investigate personally," Shuji said, turning around, his voice dropping even lower. "Anko, you remain at the quarters on guard duty. Izumo, Chōji, you provide support indoors. Without my signal, absolutely do not act rashly."
The three's expressions grew serious as they acknowledged his orders quietly.
Night fell as expected, shrouding all of Kusagakure. Shuji left a shadow clone in the room maintaining a meditative posture, then cleverly concealed a specially-crafted thin wooden piece inscribed with the Flying Thunder God formula beneath the bed.
Immediately after, he formed hand seals and performed Wood Release: Transformation Technique. His form blurred, transforming into an ordinary-looking, unremarkable middle-aged Kusagakure shinobi. Like water merging with shadows, Shuji silently slipped out the window and disappeared into the thick night.
Kusagakure's night was not quiet. Lights flickered sporadically, yet figures constantly moved in the darkness.
Shuji first infiltrated the conference room where he had met Hayami during the day. The interior was pitch black and empty. No one was plotting there.
He then moved through several locations possibly used for clandestine activities, all yielding nothing.
The patrol routes also showed no obvious focal point, as though this high-pressure vigilance targeted the entire village.
Just as Shuji considered whether to probe deeper into the village's core areas, suppressed conversation and hurried footsteps caught his attention.
Several Kusagakure shinobi carried a simple stretcher bearing someone who appeared seriously wounded, quickly heading toward a remote corner at the village's edge.
He quietly followed them.
Along the way, those Kusagakure shinobi said some things that piqued Shuji's interest.
"Hurry! They are pressing us urgently!"
"Tch, the injuries this time are severe. Good thing that woman was not sent to Hozuki Castle."
"Her healing effectiveness seems to be declining..."
"What is there to fear? Is there not still a little one? If this one... hmph."
Hozuki Castle? What happened there?
Woman... healing effectiveness...
Regarding the latter, Shuji recalled something—Karin, and her mother.
These two members of the Uzumaki clan had fled to the Land of Grass. Due to their special constitution, Karin's mother became "medicine" for Kusagakure shinobi. When injured, shinobi needed only to bite her body and absorb her chakra to recover.
After Karin's mother died, Karin herself became the Kusagakure shinobi's "medicine."
Honestly, this was somewhat perverse. Even for someone like Shuji who had adapted to the shinobi world's killing, this still felt somewhat twisted.
Those Kusagakure shinobi finally stopped before a low, dilapidated wooden house at the village's edge. The leader rudely knocked on the door.
The wooden door creaked open a crack, revealing a pale, haggard woman's face. She had distinctive red hair, though it was dull and lifeless.
Seeing the Kusagakure shinobi and stretcher outside the door, a flash of exhaustion and fear crossed her eyes, quickly transforming into numbness. She silently nodded and squeezed out through the door, following them away.
In the moment the door opened and closed, Shuji glimpsed a small girl standing in the corner inside. She also possessed striking red hair.
She clutched her clothes tightly, her large eyes fixed on her mother's retreating figure, filled with worry and attachment. Her lips moved, but she dared not make any sound.
The woman followed that group of Kusagakure shinobi away. Their footsteps gradually faded.
The wooden house fell silent inside, leaving only the small girl's faint, suppressed sobbing.
Shuji remained concealed in darkness, watching this scene. He had witnessed too many tragedies in the shinobi world, seen too much bloodshed. Occasionally, compassion stirred.
Even setting aside personal conscience, judging purely by shinobi value, Karin and her mother were worth his intervention.
However, he could not act using his identity as Konoha's envoy, nor could he move while his group remained within Kusagakure.
A short while later, the Kusagakure shinobi returned. The person on the stretcher appeared recovered, already able to walk independently. Only the red-haired woman's face had grown even paler, her steps unsteady, nearly being half-supported, half-dragged. They delivered her to the wooden house entrance without a word and departed directly.
The woman stumbled as she pushed open the door and entered.
"Mother!" The small girl immediately rushed forward, her voice carrying tears.
"It is all right, Karin. Mother is fine," the woman forced a smile, her voice weak. She extended her hand. Her arm clearly bore two rows of fresh, unclotted tooth marks.
"Just a bit tired. Rest will help."
"Mother, can we leave here? Not stay here anymore, continue... Mother!"
The woman stroked her daughter's hair. "Foolish child, where could we go? Outside is more dangerous. At least here we can survive. Be good."
"But you will die!"
The woman only shook her head, repeating pale consolations.
Her voice grew increasingly faint until, due to excessive weakness and chakra depletion, she fell into deep sleep.
Karin did not want to disturb her mother. She dared not cry aloud, only using her sleeve to desperately wipe away tears that kept flowing.
She stumbled out of the house and crouched in the cold corner, burying her face deeply in her knees. Her thin shoulders shook violently as she released whimpering sounds like a wounded animal's lament.
Just then, a shadow fell over her.
Karin fearfully looked up. Through tear-blurred eyes, she saw an unfamiliar Kusagakure uncle standing before her. Frightened, she fell backward, using hands and feet to scoot away.
"Do you want to leave here?"
The man's voice was calm and emotionless.
"Take your mother with you."
She wanted to! Every moment she wanted to! But her mother's warnings and terrifying stories of the outside world made her shrink back.
She looked up at this man. Her innately keen sensory abilities strangely detected no malice or greed from him.
He was different from those Kusagakure shinobi who "used" her mother.
"You... can you take us..." Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's.
"If you wish to leave, work hard to survive," the man said, making no promises. He flicked his fingers, and a thin wooden piece inscribed with strange markings silently fell onto the muddy ground before Karin. "This is merely a chance act of kindness. If you truly wish to seize this opportunity, hide it well and survive."
Before the words finished, the man's figure vanished into the night.
Karin stared blankly at the wooden piece on the ground, then looked toward where the man had disappeared. After a long time, she suddenly lunged forward, carefully picked it up, and clutched it tightly in her palm.
She no longer dared cry, only leaned against the wall, curled up, burying both the wooden piece and that tightly clenched small fist together in her embrace.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild