Over the next few days, Teizawa's life gradually settled into a routine.
Every morning, he woke with Hinata and Karin attending to him. One handed him his clothes while the other fastened his belt, and the two girls were growing more coordinated by the day.
Afterward, he went to the Kazekage's office to handle official business.
At noon, he returned home to watch Amaru train.
The girl could already draw upon the Zero-Tails' power. Even relying solely on taijutsu, she could now exchange several moves with Karin.
In the afternoon, he inspected the training grounds.
Deidara's demolition corps had expanded again, while Sasori's steel puppets had entered the field-testing stage.
Kankurō spent every waking moment at the research center, often becoming so absorbed in his work that he forgot to eat.
When Teizawa returned home in the evening, Temari already had dinner prepared.
Sen, Yukata, and Matsuri would arrive one after another, and the entire household would gather around the table, talking and laughing.
The atmosphere was as lively as a New Year's celebration.
Late at night, Teizawa finally had some free time.
Sometimes he visited Hinata's room. Sometimes Karin's. Other times Temari's.
And sometimes... they all slept together.
The rest of the shinobi world, however, was nowhere near as peaceful as he was.
News of Amegakure's destruction spread in every direction as though it had sprouted wings.
Within a few short days, the entire shinobi world was in an uproar.
An entire shinobi village had vanished without warning.
And not just any village.
It was Amegakure, the village once ruled by the legendary demigod Hanzo the Salamander.
It might not have meant much in the eyes of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, but to the smaller nations struggling to survive between them, Amegakure had been their example.
Their hope.
Their reason to stand tall beneath the shadows of the five great powers.
Now that example was gone.
Their hope had been shattered, and they feared they would be next.
The shinobi and lords of the smaller countries were gripped by anxiety, terrified that their own villages might one day be erased from the map.
The great nations reacted far more calculatingly.
Iwagakure was the first to make a move.
Onoki convened an emergency meeting the very day he received the news.
The next day, Iwagakure's shinobi forces began gathering along the border.
By the third day, its advance force had already reached the Land of Rain's frontier.
Of course, Onoki was not acting merely to claim a share of the spoils.
He wanted control of the Land of Rain.
Doing so would give him command over the vital routes leading into the Lands of Fire and Wind.
With Amegakure gone, this was the perfect opportunity for Iwagakure to expand its influence.
Konoha reacted quickly as well.
After receiving Kakashi's detailed report, Tsunade immediately ordered the border forces to enter a state of high alert.
At the same time, she dispatched an elite squad to scout the Land of Rain's frontier.
Konoha did not want another war.
However, the Land of Rain's geographical position was far too important to ignore.
If Iwagakure seized control of it, the Land of Fire's western gateway would be left wide open.
Sunagakure moved fastest of all because it was the closest.
On the very day Teizawa returned to the village, he ordered the border forces to advance toward the Land of Rain.
Gaara personally led the operation.
Sunagakure had no desire to fight Iwagakure, but it wanted even less to see the Land of Rain fall into someone else's hands.
Kumogakure and Kirigakure could not sit still either.
The Raikage smashed a third desk in his office while cursing Onoki as an old fox.
Then he immediately sent envoys to contact Konoha and Sunagakure, requesting permission for his troops to pass through their territory.
Kumogakure was far too distant from the Land of Rain.
The Lands of Earth and Fire stood between them, meaning any troops dispatched to the Land of Rain would have to cross someone else's territory.
Under normal circumstances, such a request would have been unthinkable.
But these were extraordinary times.
None of the great villages wanted to be excluded from the feast when the Land of Rain was divided.
Kirigakure was no different.
Mei personally wrote Teizawa a letter.
Her wording was courteous, but her attitude was firm.
Kirigakure did not demand any territory. It merely wanted permission to establish a stronghold in the Land of Rivers.
Teizawa's lips curved upward as he read the letter.
That woman certainly knew how to scheme.
She wanted to use Sunagakure's influence to establish a foothold on the mainland. Doing so would allow Kirigakure to bypass Konoha's blockade while extending its reach far beyond the Land of Water.
Teizawa neither accepted nor rejected her proposal.
He merely sent a brief reply.
They would discuss it in person at the Five Kage Summit.
While the entire shinobi world churned with unrest, Teizawa received a letter from Orochimaru.
That afternoon, he was sitting in the Kazekage's office, reading reports from the border, when an Anbu operative appeared in a blur.
The operative dropped to one knee and presented a sealed scroll with both hands.
"Kazekage-sama, a letter from Orochimaru."
Teizawa accepted the scroll and dismissed the Anbu operative.
After undoing the seal, he unfurled it.
The page was covered in Orochimaru's distinctive handwriting, scrawled yet razor-sharp.
The very first line caused Teizawa's pupils to contract.
"The ruins of the Uzumaki Clan have been found."
Teizawa's breathing suddenly quickened.
They had found them.
At long last, they had found them.
Ever since returning from Konoha, he had ordered Orochimaru to send people in search of the Uzumaki Clan's ruins.
That once-glorious clan had been reduced to crumbling walls and shattered foundations.
But hidden deep within those ruins was the Mask Storage Temple.
The Reaper Mask was enshrined there.
It was the key to undoing the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
The Reaper Mask.
The Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
The other half of the Nine-Tails sealed within Minato.
Teizawa rose and walked over to the window.
He gazed at the distant sky, dyed crimson by the setting sun.
His heart pounded like a war drum.
Half of the Nine-Tails' chakra was still more powerful than any other tailed beast.
If he could obtain that half of its power and combine it with the One-Tail, Two-Tails, and Four-Tails he already possessed, his strength would soar once again.
Furthermore, the Nine-Tails' chakra possessed a natural affinity with his Wood Release body.
Hashirama had relied on Wood Release to suppress the Nine-Tails in the past.
With a body capable of using Wood Release, Teizawa should have little trouble controlling it.
Once he possessed the Nine-Tails' power, he would have nothing to fear even if Madara and Hashirama returned from the dead.
He would also be far more confident when confronting the shinobi world war that was fast approaching.
"Kazekage-sama..."
Temari's voice came from behind him. He had not noticed when she entered the room.
"What's wrong?"
Teizawa turned to her, a faint smile in his eyes.
"Pack what you need. We're going somewhere tomorrow."
Temari blinked.
"Where?"
"The ruins of the Uzumaki Clan," Teizawa answered after a brief pause. "We're going to retrieve something."
Temari did not ask any further questions.
She nodded and left to prepare.
Teizawa returned to his chair and read through the scroll again.
Orochimaru had provided a detailed description of the ruins' location and internal structure. He had even included a hand-drawn map.
The ruins stood on a forest-covered island within the former territory of the Land of Whirlpools.
They could only be reached by boat.
The island remained protected by seals and traps left behind by the Uzumaki Clan. Ordinary people had no hope of entering.
For Orochimaru, however, those defenses posed little difficulty.
The letter also mentioned that he had recovered several scrolls and ancient texts left behind by the clan.
Many contained information concerning sealing techniques and forbidden jutsu.
He had already ordered his people to organize the materials and prepare a complete copy.
Teizawa smiled faintly.
Orochimaru might be a pervert, but he was remarkably dependable when it came to getting things done.
Teizawa put away the scroll, his expression gradually becoming solemn.
Minato, the Fourth Hokage and a former jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, had used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to divide the beast in two.
He had sealed half within Naruto and taken the other half into the Reaper with him.
Minato was dead, but his soul remained trapped inside the Reaper's stomach alongside the Nine-Tails' Yin chakra.
Once Teizawa obtained the Reaper Mask, he could undo the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
Minato's soul and the other half of the Nine-Tails would both be released.
When that happened, the Nine-Tails' chakra would belong to him.
As for Minato's soul...
That had nothing to do with him.
Outside the window, the sun gradually sank beneath the horizon.
Dark-red clouds burned along the edge of the sky.
Teizawa rose once more and walked over to the window, gazing at the crimson glow in the distance.
Tomorrow, he would depart for the Land of Whirlpools.
He would go there to claim the power that belonged to him.
That night, Teizawa did not visit any of the girls' rooms.
Instead, he lay alone on the small bed in his study, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Temari stood outside the door for a while.
In the end, she did not knock.
She knew Teizawa was thinking about something important, something she could not help him with.
All she could do was remain beside him whenever he needed her.
The following morning, Teizawa departed with Temari and several Anbu operatives, racing toward the Land of Whirlpools.
...
The coastline emerged through the morning mist like a pale-gray ribbon stitching the dark-blue sea to the leaden sky.
Teizawa stood at the bow of the ship.
The sea breeze whipped his dark-gold robes behind him.
Temari stood a short distance away. The wind tossed her blonde hair into disarray, but she made no attempt to fix it.
She simply watched the island drawing closer in the distance.
Several Anbu operatives waited inside the cabin, as silent and motionless as statues.
Orochimaru had sent the ship.
It was not especially large, but it possessed four masts, and waterproof sealing formulas had been carved into its hull.
The crew consisted of shinobi from Otogakure.
They were taciturn men whose lips rarely moved beneath their masks.
Teizawa did not care.
He merely continued looking forward.
The ruins of the Uzumaki Clan were just ahead.
That once-glorious clan had left behind nothing but crumbling walls, broken foundations, and the Mask Storage Temple concealed deep within its ruins.
By the time the ship reached the shore, Orochimaru was already waiting on the dock.
He wore a white kimono secured by a purple rope belt. His pale face bore his usual inscrutable smile.
Kabuto stood behind him.
His eyes narrowed slightly behind his round glasses, making him resemble a serpent waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Sasuke stood beside Orochimaru with his arms crossed.
The wind stirred his black hair.
His cold face was completely devoid of expression, but something was clearly churning within his dark eyes.
It resembled magma, fire, and fury mixed with humiliation that had been suppressed for far too long.
From the moment the S-rank missing-nin stepped off the ship, Sasuke stared at him without blinking.
He looked like a chained beast desperate to lunge forward and tear Teizawa apart.
That could not be helped.
His previous defeat at Teizawa's hands had been so humiliating that it had practically traumatized the boy.
Ever since then, Sasuke had been obsessed with defeating him and proving himself.
Teizawa did not even spare him a glance.
He walked straight toward Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
Orochimaru smiled.
"You're too courteous, Kazekage-sama. I only arrived a short while ago."
His gaze swept over Teizawa, moved to Temari, then shifted away.
Temari remained silent.
"Let's go," Teizawa said, showing no interest in exchanging pleasantries. "Lead the way."
Orochimaru did not mind.
He turned and headed inland.
Kabuto followed behind him, carefully observing their surroundings.
Teizawa walked after them with Temari close behind.
The Anbu operatives remained at the dock to guard the ship.
The island's terrain was difficult to traverse.
Collapsed stone pillars and tangled vines covered the path. Thick layers of fallen leaves and moss blanketed the ground, yielding beneath their feet like cotton.
The damp odor of decay permeated the air, mingling with the scents of soil and vegetation.
Occasionally, startled birds burst from the undergrowth and flew into the sky with a frantic beating of wings.
Orochimaru led the way as he explained the situation.
"The Uzumaki Clan's ruins lie at the center of the island. Most of the defensive formations have already failed after so many years."
"Even if they were still functioning, those barriers would hardly pose a problem for us."
He paused.
"However, several traps and seals remain active inside. We should proceed carefully."
Teizawa said nothing.
He merely followed behind him.
He could sense that none of those barriers or traps posed any threat.
His Magnetic Perception could detect all of them.
There was simply no reason to mention it.
"Kazekage-sama..."
Sasuke's voice suddenly came from behind him, cold as ice.
"I haven't forgotten what happened last time."
Teizawa neither looked back nor slowed his pace.
"Oh."
The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched.
He quickened his pace until he was walking beside Teizawa.
His dark eyes bored into him.
"Last time, you said killing me would be as easy as slaughtering a chicken."
"I want to see whether you truly have the strength to justify that arrogance."
Teizawa finally turned and glanced at him.
His gaze was calm, as if he were looking at a child throwing a tantrum.
"You're no match for me."
He paused.
"Train for a few more years. You might have a chance then."
Sasuke's face turned crimson.
Veins bulged across his forehead as his hand closed around the hilt of the Kusanagi Sword at his waist.
"You..."
"Sasuke."
Orochimaru's voice came from ahead.
He did not speak loudly, but his tone carried an authority that brooked no argument.
"Do not be rude. Kazekage-sama is our guest."
Sasuke gritted his teeth and tore his gaze away from Teizawa.
However, he did not fall back.
He continued walking beside him like an enraged wolf ready to pounce at any moment.
Teizawa ignored him.
He had no desire to fight Sasuke.
The kid might be irritating, but the thought that Hagoromo could also be standing behind him made Teizawa decide against stirring up trouble too soon.
Besides, Sasuke might have been one of the protagonists, but he was still just an inexperienced brat.
Fighting him now would amount to bullying a child.
More importantly, Teizawa had no interest in him at present.
His targets were the Nine-Tails, Four-Tails, and Five-Tails.
Sasuke had not even awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan yet. He was still a minor figure who had not fully grown into his potential.
Teizawa could wait until he became worthy of attention.
Temari walked behind him, watching Sasuke grind his teeth in frustration.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
She had seen that expression countless times.
Everyone who had been utterly crushed by Teizawa wore the same look afterward.
The group passed through a dense forest.
The view ahead suddenly opened up, revealing a vast expanse of ruins.
Collapsed stone pillars, shattered statues, moss-covered walls, and stone slabs carved with sealing formulas stretched before them.
Every fragment testified to the Uzumaki Clan's former glory.
"We're here."
Orochimaru stopped.
Teizawa raised his head and surveyed the ruins.
He could feel it.
A powerful chakra fluctuation pulsed deep within the ruins.
It was faint, yet unmistakably strong, like a distant heartbeat or the quiet rhythm of breathing.
The Mask Storage Temple was there.
The Reaper Mask was waiting inside.
Teizawa stepped deeper into the ruins.
Sasuke watched his retreating figure.
His fist tightened, then slowly relaxed.
"What's wrong?"
Kabuto walked over and adjusted his glasses.
"Nothing."
Sasuke turned and headed in another direction.
Kabuto watched him leave, a faint smile rising to his lips.
"Interesting."
A stone chamber stood half-hidden in the depths of the ruins.
Teizawa entered with Temari behind him.
Orochimaru and Kabuto followed at the rear.
Moss covered the stone slabs beneath their feet.
Most of the domed ceiling had collapsed, exposing the gray sky overhead.
An ancient and mysterious presence filled the air, causing everyone to lower their footsteps instinctively.
"It's here."
Orochimaru stopped and pointed at a tightly shut stone door.
Teizawa approached and placed one hand against it.
The door was extremely heavy, but it opened with the lightest push.
A small stone chamber lay beyond it.
Luminous pearls embedded in the walls cast a cold, ghostly light across the interior.
A stone altar stood at the center of the chamber.
A single mask rested upon it.
The mask was white.
Its expression was hideous, with hollow eyes and a mouth stretched almost to its ears, as though it were mocking the world.
The Reaper Mask.
Teizawa walked over and picked it up.
It was as light as if it had been made from paper, yet cold to the touch.
Holding it felt like touching death itself.
He turned it over several times and carefully inspected it.
There was no mistake.
"I found it."
His voice was soft.
Orochimaru approached and stood beside him, studying the mask.
"So this is the Reaper Mask?"
"Yes."
Teizawa stored the mask inside a sealing scroll.
"With this, we can undo the Dead Demon Consuming Seal."
Something flickered in Orochimaru's eyes.
"The Dead Demon Consuming Seal..."
Teizawa looked at him and smiled.
"When the time comes, you'll be able to restore your arms."
"I look forward to it."
Orochimaru's voice was low and hoarse.
Teizawa said nothing more.
He turned and headed out of the stone chamber.
"Let's go. There's nothing else here worth seeing."
Orochimaru followed him.
Kabuto and Temari came after them.
The four emerged from the ruins, and warm sunlight washed over their faces.
Their ship was still waiting at the dock.
Sasuke stood on the shore, gazing out across the sea.
No one knew what he was thinking.
Hearing their footsteps, he turned and looked at Teizawa.
The unwillingness in his dark eyes had not diminished in the slightest.
Teizawa ignored him and boarded the ship.
The vessel slowly pulled away from the shore and began sailing back the way it had come.
The island's ruins receded into the distance until they finally vanished beyond the horizon.
Teizawa stood at the bow, holding the sealing scroll in one hand.
The Reaper Mask was his.
His next step was to undo the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and extract the other half of the Nine-Tails from Minato.
Temari walked over and stopped beside him.
"What are you thinking about?"
Teizawa lowered his gaze to her green eyes and smiled.
"I was thinking about what we should eat when we get home. How about we treat ourselves to something special?"
Temari's face reddened.
She glared at him.
"You're hopeless."
Teizawa merely smiled.
(End of Chapter)
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