149: Lightning Sword - Kiba

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"Shiraishi-sama, we have received information from Kirigakure."

A staff from the Intelligence Department, as part of their usual routine, reported to Shiraishi about the intelligence they had gathered recently, with particular emphasis on information regarding Kirigakure.

"What's been going on over there?" Shiraishi asked after some contemplation.

The Land of Water, isolated by the sea, kept Kirigakure within its borders and maintained a strict policy of seclusion, regardless of entering or exiting.

Purple Rose Medical Company's branch in Kirigakure was made possible because the Priestess sent a letter to the Daimyo of the Land Of Water. Through country to country diplomacy, this made it possible to have a branch within Kirigakure in name.

Naturally, offerings gifts to the Water Daimyo and many of the prominent nobles were indispensable. Otherwise, placing personnel in Kirigakure wouldn't be nearly as easy.

The level of xenophobia in the village was astonishing to outsiders.

During his time in Konoha, Shiraishi had some knowledge of the village, but during that time, while Kirigakure was reclusive and isolated, it hadn't reached this level of seclusion.

Those entering Kirigakure were under constant surveillance by Kirigakure Anbu, and all they manage to glean is fragmentary news.

Moreover, neutral individuals from the Land of Demons were only permitted to enter and exit once every other month. Exceeding this number could result in forced detention. This is a stipulation within the agreement and is thoroughly enforced.

"It appears there's a significant power shift happening within Kirigakure. Though it's unclear who's leading it, the people stationed there in the past month have often reported hearing battle noises at night. Even outside the village, conflicts have been frequent."

If heard accidentally, it could even be regarded as a foreign enemy's invasion.

If the battles at night were enough for foreign enemies to invade, Kirigakure would never have had the power to be counted amongst the Five Great Ninja Villages.

Evidently, this was an internal conflict among Kirigakure Ninjas themselves. The intensity of certain conflicts has led to factional confrontations and the tragic practice of killing themselves within the village.

"What's the specific cause?"

"Based on the intelligence available, it may be related to their ninja academy's graduation assessment held between march and april this year. It had increased the tensions."

"The Hozuki Incident?" Shiraishi nodded.

Momochi Zabuza, a graduate from Kiri's academy, had slaughtered all fellow candidates in that year's graduation exam, leaving himself as the sole graduate.

This event wasn't unique to Shiraishi; other villages must have learned of it in short order and likely took some pleasure in the news.

In recent years, Kirigakure had adopted a test in which two groups of two candidates were pitted against each other, with the victors securing graduation from the ninja school.

And thus, the legend of the "Blood Mist" was born.

Based on most ninja's impressions, Kiri nins were often labeled as 'vicious,' 'brutal,' and 'bloodthirsty.'

Although the number of ninjas had been reduced to some extent, those who survived the ordeal in Kiri were the elite, always ready to shed blood, and they could be considered the best among ninja.

Nevertheless, the fact that only one candidate graduated this year was an anomaly. Even if Kirigakure followed the 'elite' path, the higher ups couldn't ignore such an event.

In all likelihood, various debates and discussions have been held on this matter.

From what Shiraishi knew, not all of Kirigakure's senior managed appreciated the label of "Blood Mist Village." Such an event was likely to cause further friction.

The internal strife within Kirigakure likely seized this opportunity to create deep divisions among the factions.

One side intended to continue enforcing the 'Blood Mist' policy, while the other wanted to abolish this unjust examination method immediately.

However, as Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, has always practiced secrecy, Shiraishi could only deduce this much.

Additional information will only become evident through Kirigakure's following actions.

"Advise our personnel stationed in Kirigakure to remain patient and carry out their responsibilities diligently."

"Understood."

After the Intelligence Department staff left, Shiraishi contemplated and reflected.

The situation in Kiri was intensifying. Sooner or later, those stationed there would likely be kicked out. Even with guarantees from the Land Of Waters's Daimyo, it couldn't be taken lightly.

Furthermore, the annual fees for these guarantees were huge amounts.

If it weren't for the purpose of planting some pawns within Kirigakure and obtaining more information, Shiraishi would never have entertained dealings with the Land Of Water's nobility.

To the best of Shiraishi's knowledge, Kirigakure's transformation was in part due to the Land Of Waters's nobility consistently reducing their funding for Kirigakure.

The Land of Water is an isolated nation overseas. Apart from its participation in the first Ninja World War, it has remained dormant and had little interaction with the mainland nations.

As a result, the ninja in Kirigakure became all but irrelevant.

Unlike Konoha, the Land Of Fire found itself surrounded by enemies. Consequently, among the Five Great Nations, the annual development funds bestowed upon Konoha by the Land Of Fire's daimyo are numbers that evoke envy among other ninja villages.

Nevertheless, Kirigakure's ambitions for development are hindered by the reluctance of the their daimyo and nobles to shoulder huge military expenses.

After all, the status quo suffices for the ninjas, and there's no need for external expansion. The daimyos and nobles, from their standpoint, prioritize the country's defense.

This policy stroke Shiraishi as stupid.

Yet, in the eyes of those with vested interests, the daimyo and nobles are primarily motivated by their own interests. This entails curtailing ninja expenditures while indulging in extravagance and profligacy.

For the common people, they are the poor and weak class, collectively disregarded by both the ninjas and the nobility.

If Kirigakure seeks transformation to break free from this impasse, it is inevitable that most of the high-ranking officials within will be implicated, and it might even implicate the daimyo and nobles.

"Let's wait and observe for a while," Shiraishi concluded, refraining from taking any immediate countermeasures.

The current state of Kirigakure remained unclear, and the extent of the factional conflict and the situation of each faction's leaders are uncertain.

As a neutral party, he need only fulfill his duties effectively.

...

"Cough, cough... cough, cough..."

Within a pristine white room, dim yellow light cast an eerie glow. The room exuded an air of death in the late-night setting.

A woman lay upon a hospital bed, writhing in pain. Her eyes barely open, she stared blankly at the ceiling light. Her face pale, she was ravaged by disease.

At that moment, a figure donning a ninja mask and attire entered through the door, bearing a bowl of soup. Slowly, he approached the woman in the bed.

His attire indicated that he was an Anbu directly under Kirigakure's Mizukage, part of the infamous Kirigakure Hunter nin corps.

The eyes behind the mask had a cold and unforgiving gaze, as he was here solely to carry out Mizukage's orders.

"Ameyuri-sama, it's time to take your medicine," the Anbu said.

The woman on the bed turned her head and eyed the bowl of soup in his hand with fear, shaking her head vigorously.

"I'm not sick... take it away," a protested.

"Only patients can deny being sick. Mizukage-sama has asked us to prepar this medicinal soup, which will greatly benefit your health. Drink it while it's still hot,"

The Anbu encouraged, attempting to soften his tone as he spoke to the woman.

"...take it away,"

"As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure, you shouldn't be so stubborn. You'll need to recover from your illness and face your enemies. Here.....i will feed you,"

Ignoring the woman's struggles, the Anbu firmly held her shoulders, helping her to sit up. He brought the bowl of soup to her pale lips.

Just as he was about to tilt the bowl to make her drink, he suddenly detected something wrong. Swiftly, he dodged to the side, causing the bowl of soup to crash to the floor, spilling its contents.

A snapping sound followed.

Even though he managed to dodge in time, he couldn't escape the assailant's attack.

The intruder's mastery of the Body Flicker far surpassed that of the Kiri Anbu.

The newcomer reached the bedside, observing the woman writhing in pain on the bed, and sighed softly.

The woman on the bed breathed a sigh of relief, gazing at her visitor. She spoke in hushed tones, "Long time no see... I've heard you've joined the third as well... are you here to kill me?"

The figure offered no response. Instead, he extended his hand and touched her forehead.

The woman on the bed immediately felt tired as she fell asleep on the bed.

...

In the early morning, sunlight pierced through the mist, casting a glow upon buildings in Kiri.

On the silence of the morning, a group of over a dozen ninja rushed out of Kirigakure, led by two male ninja.

One had a with long, thorny, yellow hair. With a Kiri Anbu mask, slender frame resembling that of a young woman. However, their true gender was a male, and he carried a needle-like tool on his back.

Kushimaru Kurirare, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the wielder of the longsword needle with a thread which allowed the user to pierce and stitch things - The Nuibari.

The other ninja had long brown hair, a vertical whip, a long beard, and his left eye was covered with a black cloth. His sharp teeth and cruel appearance gave off a menacing vibe.

Jinpachi Munashi, another of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, wielder of the explosive sword - Shibuki.

Referred to as the "ruthless duo" among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Kushimaru Kurirare and Jinpachi Munashi were often inseparable, operating in pairs. In the world, they were notorious figures for their brutal combat methods.

But they considered their actions amusing and a source of glory.

They were followed by elite ninjas from Kiri as well.

Presently, the two of them were executing a classified S-rank mission personally entrusted by the Third Mizukage.

As they moved beyond the village's borders, they maintained high speed movement.

"Leaving a mission like this to us suggests that the third is quite understaffed," Jinpachi's disdainful voice echoed through the misty forest.

As those trailing them were trusted confidants, there was no need for restraint or hesitancy speaking about the village. Venting their concerns felt necessary.

"Considering his old age, it's only natural that he might have lost some of his edge. And as I mentioned earlier, it would have been more efficient if he just executed them directly. If we insist on calling them comrades in the village, she, under the guise of a genius, contracted a grave illness and passed away at a young age. His vision isn't what it used to be."

"Hmph. More pressing than this is finding out who allowed that woman to leave in secret."

"There are numerous suspicious people" Kushimaru pointed out.

In the village, there were several who opposed the esteemed 'Blood Mist' policy. Even though they had been purged to some extent, their resilience was evident.

"Once we deal with the sick woman, we'll return and kill them all. The opposition's blood will be scattered by Shibuki," Jinpachi's lips curled, revealing sharp teeth, as he released a cruel and eerie laugh.

....

In the Land of Fire, within Konoha.

In a conference room with only three individuals, Hokage Hiruzen directed an indifferent gaze at the two advisors, Koharu and Homura.

Under Hiruzen's scrutiny, the two advisors hesitated briefly. But before they could speak, Hiruzen seized the initiative and questioned them, "Why did you secretly issue my order to investigate the Hyuga Clan?"

Initially, he had been reluctant to believe it.

Koharu and Homura had audaciously passed his Hokage warrant in order to probe into the Hyuga Clan's Byakuga related information.

After discovering this, Hiruzen felt like he might collapse, his face contorted with anger.

Were it not for these two being his comrades-in-arms he had known since childhood, he might have ordered Anbu to immediately detain them in konoha prison for a period of reflection.

As advisors, did they truly not understand the seriousness of falsifying the Hokage's order?

A single misstep could lead to them losing their status as advisors and being confined to prison, with almost no possibility of getting out.

Yet, these two had committed this act even in the current circumstances.

If the Hyuga Clan became displeased with him as Hokage over this matter, choosing to take the opposition's side, there would be no way to mend that rift, regardless of later efforts.

"We did it for your sake, Hokage. A delicate balance has been disrupted, and we cannot allow it to crumble due to the Hyuga Clan," Homura stated.

"If you truly held me, the Hokage, in high regard, you would not engage in these unnecessary actions. The same goes for the Uchiha situation, and now the Hyuga Clan... Are you determined to turn them all into enemies?" Hiruzen questioned the two angrily.

His voice was so loud that even the Anbu stationed outside could clearly hear it. It marked the first time they had witnessed their typically gentle and benevolent Hokage erupt into such a furious rage.

"This... We didn't force the issue. In fact, when we visited, the main family promptly granted us access to relevant information about the Byakugan, without any dissatisfaction,"

Homura attempted to change the focus elsewhere to calm Hiruzen down.

"...the issue doesn't lie there. You two..."

Hiruzen felt a piercing headache and struggled to find the words to reprimandthese two comrades-in-arms. Why did they have to disrupt his strategies every time?

"The Byakugan matter carries significant implications. Regardless of your reasoning, we wanted to protect Konoha and uphold Tobirama sensei's philosophy," Koharu remarked.

At the mention of "Tobirama-sensei," Hiruzen's expression turned complicated, and he visibly softened. He sighed.

"Yes, that's the only way we can have peace of mind. After all, the Byakugan's vital role on the battlefield is clear to everyone, and there's no room for surprises. During our visit to the Hyuga Clan, we did uncover many secrets about the Byakugan. We'll compile the information and leave the decision to you,"

Homura continued, shifting the conversation to emphasize what they had learned following their visit to the Hyuga Clan alongside Koharu.

"This is not an isolated incident," Hiruzen stated firmly.

"This time, you made a grave mistake. I will deduct the consequences from your salaries for the next three years. Furthermore, you are prohibited from issuing my orders privately!"

"We understand,"

The two advisors sighed in relief, with the issue temporarily resolved.

Just as they were about to continue the conversation, a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," Hiruzen called.

An Anbu entered and reported to Hiruzen, "Hokage-sama, a messenger from Kirigakure is requesting an audience."

"Kirigakure?"

At these words, the three of them exchanged surprised glances. They wondered about Kirigakure's purpose for coming to Konoha at this time.

The Anbu then presented the letter from the Kirigakure messenger.

After reading its contents, Hiruzen frowned.

Afterwards, Koharu and Homura also read the letters one after another, they frowned in concern.

The content of the letter was simple.

Kirigakure hoped that Tsunade, one of the Sannin, could intervene to cure the disease afflicting Ameyuri Ringo, the wielder of the Dual Lightning Sword Kiba from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Kirigakure expressed their willingness to engage in diplomacy with Konoha in return.

"What do you think?"

"Given their request, we should agree. In the midst of this fierce war, Konoha is in dire need of a strong ally."

Although Kirigakure's recent reputation as the "Blood Mist Village" was unfavorable, it was another village's internal matter. As an executive of Konoha, they couldn't pass judgment on it. What concerned them was Kirigakure's stance toward Konoha.

.....

Within Konoha Hospital,

Tsunade held the printed document in her hand. It not only featured a human anatomical diagram, but also contained numerous sinister black spots. As she perused it further, Tsunade's brows furrowed deeply.

She looked at the woman lying on the operating table, who seemed akin to a lifeless corpse, her breathing weak, almost on the brink of death.

Afterward, Tsunade set the materials aside, exited the operating room, and entered the adjacent chamber. Inside, a female ninja from Kirigakure sat in anxious anticipation.

Upon seeing Tsunade enter, the Kirigakure ninja promptly rose and inquired with eagerness, "Tsunade-sama, how is Ringo's condition? Can it be treated?"

Tsunade perceived the Kiri nins anxiety. She shook her head and replied, "Forgive me for my inability. What she suffers from isn't an incurable disease, but rather a long-term poison that has completely destroyed her body functions. It's nothing short of a miracle that she's still alive."

The Kiri nin was stunned.

"Tsunade-sama, you're the most skilled medical ninja in the field. Are you kidding me?" She found it hard to believe.

"Aren't you also a medical ninja? You should be aware of how grave Ringo's condition is. To be honest, this exceeds the realm of medical ninja capabilities. The poison has infiltrated her bone marrow, even merging with it."

"Can we give up all hope?"

"Hmm... not entirely."

Tsunade's words injected a glimmer of hope into the ninja.

"What do you mean?"

"I hace managed to eliminate the poison from her body. However, if my observations are correct, the poison has been deeply rooted in her system for an entire year. It has already eroded her bones completely. Even if we were to remove the poison, her bones will become fragile due to the damage. Thus, the price of saving her life means she can only stay in a hospital for the rest of her days."

The Kiri nin fell silent. For a ninja, this outcome was tantamount to death.

"In any case, I extend my heartfelt thanks, Tsunade-sama. Kirigakure will always remember your kindness."

"You're welcome; it's the most I can do," Tsunade sighed.

Judging by the state of Ameyuri Ringo, she had probably guessed the inner turmoil in Kirigakure.

Rather than directly killing Ameyuri Ringo, the wielder of the Kiba, directly, they had chosen the crueler path of slowly poisoning her, disguising her as a young genius who died. For a woman, for a ninja, this was more brutal than death.

"Well, I'll take my leave then."

No matter what, Ringo's injuries had to be addressed. This was an order from her immediate superior and had to be carried out unwaveringly.

However, even Tsunade, one of the Three Legendary Ninjas and Konoha's medical master, was helpless, and the Kirigakure ninja was similarly at a loss.

They could only take it one step at a time.

As she was leaving, Tsunade hesitated and stopped the Kirigakure ninja:

"That..... please wait."

"Is there anything else, Tsunade-sama?"

"It's nothing; I just wanted to ask if you will continue to be involved in Ringo's affairs."

The Kiri nin registered the uncertainty in Tsunade's eyes.

"Yes. I know the odds are slim, but I don't wish to abandon her."

"Your intention is good, but slightly unrealistic. Furthermore, you will only be wasting your time by searching for other doctors in haste."

Tsunade cautioned as such.

The eyes of the Kiri nin came back to life and asked: "Does Tsunade-sama know someone who can heal Ringo Jonin's injury?"

"Well... To be honest, I don't really want to mention that person's name."

A trace of complication flashed across Tsunade's eyes.

"That person's name?"

The Kiri ninja tilted her head in confusion.

"Chiba Shiraishi."

'?'

The Kiri nin hasn't heard of the name before, she was unsure if he was someone famous. A trace of confusion flashed in her eyes.

Among the famous medical ninjas in the ninja world, there doesn't seem to be an outstanding medical ninja named 'Chiba Shiraishi'.

Even if they were hidden in the fog and then closed, it was impossible to know nothing about it. However, the name was a bit familiar, but she couldn't just recall who it was.

"The S-rank rogue ninja who escaped from Konoha before can be regarded as one of my students."

"Tsunade-sama's...student?"

"It isn't the kind of master and disciple. I just taught him some medical ninjutsu during my tenure in the ninja academy." Tsunade said.

The Kiri nin seems to have recalled something about this person.

"Is his medical ninjutsu better than Tsunade-sama?"

"No, in general, his medical ninjutsu shouldn't be exaggerated to this point. But in terms of treating diseases in this area, he has more methods than me."

Tsunade guessed that Shiraishi, who had mastered Sage Mode, must have mastered the extremely powerful healing sage art of Katsuyu.

It shouldn't be difficult to transform senjutsu chakra into strong vitality and help rejuvenate Ringo's body.

"But the problem is, I have no idea where he is at the moment."

The Kiri nin had no idea on how to react. "Is there any other method?"

"Pay a visit to the Land of Demons."

"The Land of Demons?"

"The drugs developed by the Purple Rose Medical Company have the power to rejuvenate the body. According to my deduction, they should possess even more powerful bod -rejuvenating drugs within their company, although those might not be available on the open market."

Tsunade outlined an alternative.

"The Purple Rose Medical Company?"

The Kiri nin considered this, reflecting on how their drugs were highly effective, and they also cooperated with the company.

"I see. In essence, thank you very much, Tsunade-sama. Then, without further delay, I shall take my leave. Please convey my thanks to Hokage-sama, and know that Kirigakure will always remember Konoha's friendship."

"Farewell."

Tsunade watched the Kirigakure ninja leave, then sat down in a chair, gazing out of the window with a distant fascinated look.

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