Pakura was certainly not the type to be completely hamstrung by the lives of ordinary people.
However, as a shinobi of a Great Nation, avoiding the involvement of civilians in war was a core tenet of their education. Even during wars between the major powers, they tried their best to spare the non-combatants. During the Second Great Ninja War, for instance, two Leaf ninja searching for food in the Land of Rain accidentally killed Nagato's parents, mistaking them for enemies in the shadows. Upon realizing they were just civilians, they were struck with deep regret—they didn't even silence Nagato to cover their tracks, but instead apologized to him.
For the majority of shinobi, especially those from the Great Nations, targeting commoners was considered a shameful act. Only those who had devolved into wandering rogues or rogue ninjas would slaughter ordinary people for a twisted sense of pleasure or superiority.
But right now, what confused Pakura even more was how this mastermind—the architect of the Bear upheaval and the Star rebellion—had found her so easily and didn't seem intent on attacking immediately.
Just what is he... Pakura's dark brown eyes were filled with deep wariness.
Meanwhile, Menma, sitting beside her, was observing this tall, beautiful Sand kunoichi with great interest. When he was first recruiting for his organization, he had assumed Pakura was already dead, sacrificed by the Sand high command to secure a peace treaty with the Mist during the Third Great Ninja War.
But it seemed this timeline was different. If Pakura hadn't died in the Third War, then her fate was likely to fall at the hands of Hiruko.
Menma vaguely remembered Pakura's appearance in a movie where Hiruko was the antagonist—he couldn't recall the title, but the plot involved Hiruko gathering bloodline limit shinobi from the Five Great Nations to absorb them using his "Chimera Technique." Hiruko's targets had included Gari of the Stone (Explosion Release), Pakura of the Sand (Scorch Release), Nakane of the Mist (Dark Release), and Toroi of the Cloud (Magnet Release).
That old man Kishimoto... Menma grumbled internally. Shoving movie characters into the manga timeline makes everything a mess, giving them all these different bloodline limits.
If Pakura was still alive, it meant Hiruko hadn't gotten to her yet. Menma had almost forgotten where that guy was hiding. When his sensory abilities detected ninja from the Lands of Wind and Earth entering the Land of Bears, he had focused his attention on Pakura, using the opportunity to mark her chakra.
If possible, he intended to use Pakura to lead him to Hiruko.
"Your sake, guest," the shop owner said, arriving just in time.
"Give it to the lady," Menma said. He didn't drink.
"Understood. Enjoy, miss." The owner tactfully set the carafe and a small cup down.
Pakura looked at the spiky-haired youth, her face a mask of questions. She couldn't grasp his motive.
"What is your goal in controlling the Star and slaughtering the Daimyo?!" After the owner left, Pakura poured a small cup and took a shallow sip. As a Sand shinobi, she was well-versed in poisons and medicine; as a Jōnin, she carried Lady Chiyo's universal antidote. She knew after one sip if the drink was tainted.
"Simply to clear out some parasites," Menma replied, leaning lazily on his hand.
"You'll only plunge this nation into chaos! Countless people will die because of this!" Pakura retorted sharply. She confirmed the sake was ordinary, which only deepened her confusion regarding the boy's apparent kindness.
Menma smiled slightly and gestured toward the street. "But look. Now that the parasites are gone, everyone is cheering."
Outside, the bustling market was filled with laughter and the sounds of life, leaving Pakura momentarily speechless.
"Regardless, I will find a way to stop you. If you're willing to stand down now, the Hidden Sand can offer you asylum," Pakura said, suddenly shifting her tone in an attempt to recruit the mysterious youth.
"Hahahaha!" Menma let out a hearty laugh. To hear Pakura—who in another timeline was betrayed by her own village—trying to recruit someone into the Sand was incredibly ironic.
"In that case, we'll have to settle this with our hands," Pakura finished her sake in one gulp and stood up.
Menma called the owner over, left some silver, and followed her out.
"Good luck, kid!" a tipsy patron shouted, raising his cup. Other guests chimed in with cheers, and even the owner smiled as he watched the "young couple" depart.
Menma followed Pakura out of the city, both of them blurring through the forest. When they reached a river valley, Pakura stopped on the far bank. She turned slightly to face the youth who had come to a halt across the water.
Pakura drew a kunai and gripped it tightly. "Pakura of the Hidden Sand."
Menma rested his hands behind his head nonchalantly. "You can call me 'Shura'."
Pakura's breath hitched. Her pupils contracted as her wariness spiked.
"You... you're the 'Shura' who caused havoc in the Leaf and Cloud? The one with the seventy-million-ryō bounty?" She hadn't expected Shura to be so young—he looked no older than fifteen.
The biggest news of the year, aside from Orochimaru's defection, was this mysterious ninja's feat of provoking two Great Nations simultaneously. The Leaf and Cloud had even called a truce because of him. As for the Grass Village incident, the news had been suppressed; as a member of the weakest Great Nation with dwindling funds and limited intel, an ordinary Jōnin like Pakura had no way of knowing the full story.
"So, Miss Pakura, how do you plan to stop me?" Menma's lips curled upward as his aura shifted violently.
The air in the valley suddenly grew heavy with tension.