29 The Land Of Earth

Kakuzu led Kentaro and Hatsu to the border of the land of earth.

They traveled day and night to reach it quickly. On the morning of the second day, they had finally reached the border.

The border was a rocky mountain range.

"Kentaro, it has been our pleasure to have you with us. We will never forget the help you have offered us."

Kentaro gave a good old handshake to Kakuzu.

"It was my pleasure. Also, try to spread my name in this country and in the surrounding countries, ok?"

Kakuzu nodded.

"Don't worry Kentaro, your name has spread far in the country of waterfalls. I will do my best to spread what you have done here in the surrounding countries."

The two men bed farewell, maybe they would never see each other again.

Kentaro and Hatsu entered the mountain range.

They went from a country with waterfalls and fields to a dry desolate place.

Hatsu drank lots of water to hydrate herself, while Kentaro was looking on his map to locate a village.

"Kentaro, here, drink some water."

Kentaro looked at Hatsu, she was reaching the water to him.

Taking the water, Kentaro drank some. In this dry and warm place, he had to stay fresh and hydrated.

"So, where are we going now?" Hatsu followed Kentaro but didn't know exactly where they were going.

"We're gonna find a village and ask for directions to my clan."

They soon reached Yasuda village. A little village, eight kilometers further of the border.

When they entered the village, they attracted the attention of everyone.

Kentaro approached a woman who was selling little biscuits in her stand.

"Hello madam, do you know where the Fujimoto clan is located?"

The woman found it a weird question because Kentaro weared the clan's robe. So logically, he should know where they are because he is a member.

"If you go fifteen kilometers east from here, you will stumble upon a very imposing stone pillar. This is where their territory lays."

Thanking the madam, Kentaro and Hatsu left the village.

Fifteen kilometers was not an impossible distance to do in one day, what made it difficult was the terrain.

It could be rocky and dry then there could be fields and mountains, the land of earth varied greatly from place to place.

Ultimately they managed to find the pillar.

It was imposing indeed. The pillar was thirty meters tall, as tall as Madara's imperfect susanoo.

"Let's go further, Hatsu."

Hatsu nodded her head and followed Kentaro very closely.

If one went further than the pillar, one would fall in a forest of pillars. Yes, that's what it looked like to Kentaro.

Hundreds of pillars of all sizes where gathered in one place, like trees in a forest.

Kentaro and Hatsu were soon stopped by four shinobi on patrol.

"Stop there you two! This is the territory of the Fujimoto clan!"

The four Fujimoto stopped in front of Kentaro and Hatsu, blocking their path.

But they soon noticed that Kentaro had the same robe as them.

"Do not worry my brethren, I am Kentaro. I have come back after all this time."

The four of them looked at each other, there was only one Kentaro in the whole clan and he was gone for four years.

"Let's go then, Kentaro. The clan leader has tasked us to bring you to him if we spotted you. You have to report everything that has happened after they left the land of grass."

Kentaro and Hatsu followed the four of them, this place really was a forest of pillars.

After five minutes of running in the forest of pillars, they finally arrived in front of a large stone wall.

The stone wall encircled the village, the entrance was guarded by two clansmen.

Kentaro and Hatsu entered the village while being escorted by the four clansmen.

The houses in the village were made out of stone and were painted in red, it was beautiful.

They walked until they were in front of the largest house, above the entrance was the clan's crest painted in white.

"Enter, Kentaro."

Kentaro entered with Hatsu, it was very silent inside. They walked until a young man called them.

"Kentaro, you have finally come."

Looking towards the voice, Kentaro saw Habiki with a bandage over his left eye.

"Habiki! I'm happy to see you, it's good that you have managed to escape."

Habiki didn't look that happy and was looking at Hatsu.

"who is she? You know well that outsiders are not permitted in our home."

"Don't worry Habiki. She and her grandma saved my life, if not for them I would have never returned."

Habiki was about to say something when a middle aged man appeared behind him.

"Son, What took you so long?"

It was Kentaro's father, Tetsuo. He didn't look that happy.

"Let's not talk here, come to my office and present me your new friend."

Kentaro followed his father to his office, Hatsu was behind him. She didn't feel welcome.

Tetsuo sat behind his desk. He looked at Kentaro, waiting for him to talk.

"It is good to see you too, father." the air was gloomy, Tetsuo didn't answer Kentaro.

"Things didn't go as planned when you left me with the thirty-eight men. Lord Kusa allied the Uchiha, lured us to the border of the land of fire and encircled us with his men.

Madara Uchiha was also present, he told me that he was there for payback. I stalled some time by facing him, giving time to the surviving clansmen to escape."

Tetsuo listened intently to what Kentaro was saying.

"I already know about all that, you did good son. To hold your ground against Madara Uchiha is an impressive feat.

What I want to talk about with you is how you reacted when you returned to Hayakama village."

Hayakama village, Kentaro didn't want to talk about it anymore.

What he had seen there was horrible and the poor Ryu....

Were his father and Habiki angry about how he had reacted? How should he have reacted?