Relief

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Kakumei – Arc 5: Fear of the Dark

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Chapter 111 – Relief

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It's taken only 2 days for Takeshi Minamoto to understand and solve the case of Fuyuko Yamanaka. The aforementioned has been sent to Konoha's prison where he shares a cell with Seiki Tomoe, another former Kakumei associate. His girlfriend, Julia Tomoe, has been left behind by Takeshi. She reportedly returned to the lands of Heart.

Now back to Kiri, the young Minamoto did as he planned and went for a medical visit to the scientific department where Hideo Kotobuki is currently analyzing him. After the most thoughtful and eventful days of his life, Takeshi needs to know more about his newly discovered powers, relative to his mystic similarities with the Daitengu.

"Hmm… You said you lost your leg and brought it back?" Hideo mentions as he ends his observation. "It seems indeed like one of your legs is younger than the rest."

"Younger…" Takeshi repeats in his mind and aloud, wondering what it means.

"Yes. It seems you restored it to a more long-lasting version. If you can do this same thing to your whole body, and more than once, it could possibly make you outlive any regular human. Theoretically, you could return to youth whenever you want."

"I… don't think I could do that again anytime soon." Takeshi calms the scientist's enthusiasm.

"This is really confusing." Tentoki comments in Takeshi's mind. "Just like Sojobo, you can mold your body and make it young and well again. Just like him you can absorb tengu's chakra and powers. Just like him, your presence accelerates the growth of a tengu seed. And just like him, your body and cells are poisonous to anyone who'd want to absorb them."

"But I'm not as good as the Daitengu itself." Takeshi says, upset. "I couldn't get Ryutoki's Jinton even though I absorbed him. I don't think I'll be able to grow a whole leg again in even a month, and I certainly don't have the same powerful nature as him."

"Still, you have something odd that goes beyond what any other Minamoto had, and it has nothing to do with your tengu." Tentoki adds before looking at Makura who's silently listening. "You wouldn't happen to know anything to help us, the new one?"

"… I am not new, and I already told all I know to our host." the living statue replies. "This connection to the Daitengu is not dated from birth."

"Hmm? So Sojobo gave this to Takeshi at some point…" Tentoki thinks. After all, Naruto Uzumaki defeated the Daitengu without killing him. He killed himself in a time pause. He probably did this to Takeshi while no one could see him. The question is what did he do exactly, and why? Knowing he won't get any answers here, he moves on to another topic, still related to Takeshi's changes these last few days.

"Anyway, Takeshi, it's good to see that this story at least helped you understand how to become a better person. Honestly, I'm somehow proud of you for this."

"Hehe! Thanks 3rd Dad!" Takeshi jokingly says, to Tentoki's amusement.

Where his body sits in the lab, Hideo brings Takeshi's attention back by calling him.

"So, Young Minamoto, it seems like your cell's poisonous behavior is actually useful." he says. "Even without your tengu, your body actually holds an interesting power. One could have gotten great power from a transplantation."

"Excuse me, mister Kotobuki, but why are you always talking about transplanting cells?" Takeshi asks, a bit deranged by this bad obsession.

"Ninja scientists have always craved to control this." he explains passionately. "We've always been frightened or amazed by Kekkei Genkai abilities, and looked to pass them on. Your colleagues, Kaori and Yukiko, are the result of such operations. Orochimaru's works with the cells of the Shodai Hokage are another example."

"And I guess that's why you're also interested in the Otsutsuki clan." Takeshi guesses. "It's true that all those we've seen had a damn lot of these powers… This being said, even if we could, I doubt anyone would survive such a transplantation. Aren't the cells of Hashirama Senju already incompatible with most organisms."

"Indeed." Kotobuki says. "This topic still needs to be investigated."

"Maybe we should find the presumed Otsutsuki who lives in this land and ask him for his help." Takeshi suggests, carelessly mentioning something he's learned from Karasu Komori.

"It would be a great idea, young Minamoto, but may I first ask who this being is and how you know of him?" Hideo demands in an oddly calm and not surprised tone.

Takeshi doesn't answer. He just dumbly looks at his two tengu to blame his own self for this mistake. He received the help of the mercenary called Crow lately, and he's not sure if he should say this to anyone considering that he technically let him go. The lab director looks at Takeshi's bland and silent face and lightly smiles.

"Anyway, you, young man, are more interesting than any celestial or Hokage." he says. "You're like a species on your own. You certainly play an unequaled role in this world. You just have yet to find out what progress and cause should really benefit you."

Takeshi frowns in incomprehension, deranged by this statement. Hideo quickly changes the topic and hands a paper that sums up his analyses to the ninja.

"Take this, young Minamoto, and goodbye." he says. "Frankly, I should prepare for an important and elegant dinner I will attend tomorrow, so I have to leave."

"Thank you and goodbye then." Takeshi stands up and gets to the door. "What dinner is it?"

"It is a reception, to celebrate the soon-to-become new Daimyo of the land." Hideo explains.

"There'll be a new daimyo? I thought the capital had been destroyed." the ninja asks.

"It's in another village, and it is the grandson of the previous one. He wasn't old enough to take the title before. Let's say the feudal family didn't want Kakumei to win and is doing its best to maintain the Daimyo system in this land."

Takeshi lightly shakes his head to show his understanding and leaves. This information is pretty odd, still. Seems like Oshio and Kakumei's print will be washed off by time. As he thinks so he remembers Izuna, his best friend and brother of Oshio, who is in Shin no Kuni investigating the village that Fuyuko told him to go to, Sochoku.

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Izuna Uchiha is in Hikarigakure, while Inoue is already in Sochoku. Before joining her, he wants to find clues about the person of interest that Fuyuko wants them to find. On his mission, he found Karina Yamanaka, the younger sister of Fuyuko and Akiko. They went to take a coffee together so he could peacefully question her.

After talking to her about her siblings and the recent capture of Fuyuko, he detailed the reason for his presence. Karina, a bit emotional about this discussion, can't be of much help.

"I'm sorry, sir…" she calls Izuna, to his surprise. He's seemingly as old as her, which makes this polite reference disturbing. "Even though I tried, I couldn't reach Fuyuko. I haven't spoken with him since he joined Kakumei, which was 7 years ago."

"I see… But I didn't expect you to tell me what he refuses to say." Izuna reassures her. "Tell me, Karina, while looking for him, did you get in contact with anyone else who was connected to Kakumei?"

"… Well… I spoke to Minako, a young girl who was under General Kawaki's command." Karina says. "She told me about Julia who was in the same squad as her and who is now in a relationship with my brother. I didn't get to meet her,…"

"Anything about a village named Sochoku?" he asks.

"Um… Minako also told me that a former member of her squad had to go to this village to get a specific medical treatment for an incurable disease. She said he had to see a medic manufacturer that she met during the time of Kakumei."

"A former subordinate of Kaaki with an incurable disease?" Izuna wonders. "I guess this manufacturer could lead me to him. Are they also linked to Kakumei?"

"Minako didn't really care about people back then, since nobody was getting along with her." Karina explains. "But I think she said it was a friend of Kawaki. Unfortunately, you can't ask her right now, because she's on a mission currently."

"I understand." Izuna says as he stands up. "Thank you for your help. If I get a chance to do so, I'll help you to get a reunion with Fuyuko."

"Hm!…" Karina lightly fake smiles, expecting to be deceived again. "Lord Oshio promised the same thing to me, right before the Union attacked. Akiko died in battle and Fuyuko was injured. After that, Lord Oshio left the village and never returned."

"In this case, consider that I'm taking on this promise." Izuna gladly replies. "I'm certain that Oshio would have kept it if we didn't stop him. I'll make sure you get what you want in his name."

Karina's smile becomes true, filled with hope again as she says goodbye. Izuna walks away and concentrates to locate Inoue's chakra. Waiting for his intel, she was ready to initiate communication, and connects to him through the Shindenshin jutsu.

"Anything new, Izuna?" she says in his mind.

"Yes. Are you in Sochoku?" he asks his girlfriend.

"I am. By searching on my side, I came to know of an illegal drugs and medication market taking place here." she explains. "Apparently, this started just a month after Kakumei's fall."

"Then that must be it!" Izuna exclaims. "I just met Fuyuko's younger sister. She told me that a former member of Kawaki's squad was getting a medical treatment from a former friend of Kawaki who's manufacturing medicine in this village."

"Oh well!" Inoue exclaims. "Seems like I had the right intuition. So we're either after the manufacturer themself, or the client… Either way, I'm on the right path."

"You're too good at this." the Uchiha answers with an admiring voice. "Keep going. I'm on my way to join you."

"Copy that!"

After this conversation, Izuna activates his Eien no Mangekyo Sharingan and looks toward the sky.

Ameno Hohi

Using his unique ability, he transports himself as far as he can see above, and unleashes his Perfect Susanoo, high enough to go unnoticed by the masses. His version is almost identical to Oshio's, except it doesn't wear any weapon, has muscular naked arms, and is white rather than black. Its face also looks different. It doesn't have horns and a demonic mouth. Only two long curved ogre fangs. Using this armor, he flies over the land on his way to Sochoku.

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In the said village, Inoue Yamanaka was already following clues toward an underground lab that produces drugs and medications. She rapidly identified potential drug consumers in a poor district and harnessed intel about drug sellers.

From there on, she found a dealer and stole his body with Shintenshin. Using it, she got access to his apartment and part of his knowledge. There, she looks to find the said drugs and finds the type of it quite surprising. It is actually nothing more than medications. Out of market medications.

Still, she has to move forward and solve this mystery. Based on the stocks she found, she goes back up the track to approximately locate the hidden factory. Linking this to Izuna's intel makes it quite obvious that the owner of the said lab is the mentioned manufacturer and potentially the Kakumei acquaintance Fuyuko wants them to find.

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Later again, after she brought her own body and the dealer's to the found location, she looks for a secret entry. By sensing surrounding chakra she detects the presence of people below the streets. It must be the underground lab she's looking for. Now, she still has to find an entry.

Not patient enough to look for a real passage, she leaves her real body on the surface and uses Doton to dig her way through to the lab's hallways. Underground, she finds an oddly well built facility with many lab rooms that serve different purposes. In some rooms are beds for potential patients. In others are chemistry labs where medicines, military drugs and other products are being made.

Much to her surprise, she also finds a cozier lab room filled with a pleasant smell of chocolate. It seems like this room is for nicer products than the others. On a shelf in the back is a package with a little label. "For Kawaki, eventually.", which at least confirms that Kawaki isn't the one they're looking for. This must be a gift waiting to be delivered. The phrasing seems to indicate that whoever is hiding here isn't aware of whether the former Kakumei general is alive or not. In contrast with this last room, Inoue finds a more disturbing place two doors away.

There, a very well presented surgery chamber with a single table in the middle. In the back, the scent of multiple trash bags invade the air. It is the smell of rotting human remains. On the left and right are glass shelves where other preserved parts of skin and organs are exposed.

Inoue swallows her saliva and walks away in disgust, thinking that she might prefer waiting for Izuna to go forward. Just as she prepares to exit the room, she's troubled by the chakra of another person she feels nearby.

She quickly turns around and sees a woman in a lab coat, hiding her face in her brown hair and a surgical mask. This woman passes by the door frame and sees her. She recognizes one of her dealers, but is really upset by his unexplained presence in the corridors.

"What are you doing here?" she exclaims. "This is my solo implant lab. You've got nothing to do here."

Inoue stands still, not knowing what to do. She takes a better look at the scientist and notices her two eyes having a different shape and color. She also has stitched scars all over her face and body, and it looks like she has skin of many different colors stitched together. After a moment, and a good look at the silhouette of this woman, she understands who she is.

"You're… Minoka?" she asks aloud, which startles the scientist.

By just the tone and behavior of this person, the manufacturer understands that it isn't who she expects. Aware of Fuyuko's recent defeat and capture, she suggests to herself that ninjas of the Union could come after her as well. Feeling unsafe, she throws a hot cup of coffee she had in her hands to Inoue's face and runs away. While she goes, she pulls out a sealed note that she's ready to activate.

Right as she takes a turn into a hidden door, she hurries up a staircase and exits her lab. Too fast for the invader, she lost Inoue and left her alone in the underground lab. Once out, she sets on the seal she holds and causes a series of explosive notes to detonate underground, destroying most of her material and killing anyone still inside.

Inoue fortunately understood that this person was running away and left the dealer's body to return her mind to her own at the surface. However, she has to wait a moment before her real body can wake up after using this jutsu.

Alone at the surface, the scientist runs away in panic, while the ground collapses due to the below explosion. While she flees, she thinks of the lab she just destroyed. Luckily, she didn't set any bombs in her chocolate lab so this one and at least one of the medic labs should still be fine. Some of her medical drugs and her gift for Kawaki should still be intact.

As she runs without looking forward, she collapses with a person standing in her way. Startled, she turns around, shakes her head and raises a scalpel blade that she takes from her pocket. But when she sees the face of who is in her way, she's paralyzed by fear.

At first she recognizes the eyes of Oshio Uchiha, her former chief. But next to it, she notices pink hair strands, and a blue diamond shaped mark on the forehead. It is Izuna Uchiha, the one that she tortured for weeks in her lab in Hikari, and who then took a gore revenge by leaving her mutilated and nearly dead.

Izuna Uchiha, on the other hand, is as stunned and shocked as her, but not out of trauma. He immediately recognizes the scientist and drops down the unconscious body of the dealer that he had time to rescue from the underground before the explosion. He feels an odd mix of culpability and relief. He sees the woman that he thought he had killed in his anger last year well and alive. Even though well isn't that sure.

He can't ignore the visible scar marks and stitched body parts that she has. After the severe state he left her in thinking she was dead, she must have survived his rage by rebuilding her own body with pieces of other people. Trembling as she relives the experience she had last year, Minoka opens her mouth and prepares to ask for mercy, but is interrupted.

Without a word, Izuna bends forward and tightly hugs her. He holds her against him and holds back tears of relief. He had given up on his greatest dream thinking that he betrayed his ninja way and couldn't hold himself back from killing someone. Finding out that this person is still alive makes him feel glad, but awful for what he thought he had done.

Minoka confusingly lets him hug her and waits for him to let go. Behind her arrives Inoue in her own body, seeing Izuna come to terms with his past. She perfectly understands why Fuyuko led them to this. She passionately smiles and walks closer, wondering what they will get out of this meeting. The Uchiha steps back and finally speaks.

"I… thought I killed you." he says. "I am sorry for what I've done. It wasn't fair, even in response to what you did…"

"Don't worry, Minoka." Inoue adds. "We are not here to capture you. Unlike Yamanaka Fuyuko, you didn't attempt any attack on the Union. We are just here for intel gathering."

"Intel gathering…?" Minoka says, slowly calming down and clearing her mind. "So… Will you just leave me be?"

"We may still have to stop your illegal commercial activities." Inoue says. "I noticed that you're only manufacturing medical treatments and… chocolate? But it is still unfair to produce and sell it this way."

"Why aren't you in Hikari? Serving like you did in Kakumei's time?" Izuna asks, acknowledging the scientific wonders she's capable of.

"This wouldn't work, Izuna." Inoue says. "Hikari is under control of the feudal families of the 5 great nations. They wouldn't accept a former Kakumei member."

"… Then you should come to Konoha." Izuna proposes, eager to find pardon. "You can work for the scientific department with Kabuto and Shiho until you can return to this land."

Minoka is confused and upset that her little comfort business comes to an end, but only nods in agreement, not in position to refuse anything. Inoue gets closer and holds Izuna's hand, to make him feel that she's here with him, as usual.

"This… Is so confusing." Minoka says. "You're Izuna Uchiha, the boy I toyed with for weeks. Why would you want to bring me to your home?"

"It's a habit he got from his master I guess." Inoue teases Izuna by replying to the scientist.

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This story, as it happened a day ago, is being told later by Sakura to Oshio Uchiha. On a visit to her son in his antic prison, she tells about his brother and friends. This isn't the first time she visits even though coming there is quite complicated.

She's standing at the end of a bridge that leads from the border of a volcano to Oshio's cell, suspended above the lake of lava.

"I see… I'm kind of upset that Fuyuko has to be jailed, but I'm sure this won't hold for long." the imprisoned Uchiha says. "Also, I'm glad Izuna could come to peace with his past deeds."

"Oshio… Why didn't you tell him sooner that Minoka was alive?" Sakura blames him. "He gave up on his dreams because of this, and you didn't say anything?"

"At the time, there was no need for him to pursue his dreams, I believed." He frankly says. "I was gonna abolish the Kage system right after the feudal system anyway."

"…" Sakura marks a silence, not knowing what to say.

"Anyway… How's Sarada?" Oshio asks. "You didn't bring her with you this time."

"Oh she's growing up faster than Izuna." Sakura gladly says. "She goes more after you and your Dad than after Izuna and me."

"Is that so?" he answers with a smile. "Difference is she won't go wrong, I hope."

"Oh, don't worry about that! She's got nothing to lead her down such a path. She's also more mature and conscious than others, but in a good way."

"In a good way, huh?" Oshio wonders as he turns around and goes to sit on his little bed. "How about Father? Is he making any progress?"

"He didn't tell much about this lately." Sakura replies. "He's with Boruto, somewhere on Earth, for once. I'm sure he'll find something to save you."

"You don't need to be so oblivious to me, Mother." Oshio frankly replies. "You didn't mention it, but I know you've noticed my hair and skin getting paler. I know you're saddened by the sensation of my presence in my body fading away. I know Father is doing his best, but I don't think we're at the right time for solving such an issue."

Sakura sadly looks down, struck by this honesty and pessimism, but doesn't let it reach her.

"Don't say that! We'll save you." she says. "He'll find something. Because there's no way he loses to Momoshiki again! Next time you'll see him will be home for dinner, in Konoha."

Oshio lightly laughs, cheered up by this positive statement. Having reached the end of the allowed time, Sakura says her goodbyes and leaves her son for now. Oshio stays alone in his cell and looks up to the dirty sky, thinking of what is to come.

"Tell Father to not put too much effort into this!" he shouts to his mother. "The gods who stepped in earlier will soon come to us again. I feel it."

The Uchiha mother takes a deep breath in and doesn't turn around, ignoring but hearing this warning. When she gets to the end of the prison, down the volcano she's led outside by ninjas of Iwa.

One of them stops and turns around to look toward the highly secured containment of Kakumei's former leader. This kunoichi bites her lip in anger and firmly holds back her right arm with her left. It is Meinu Imai, Killin' Kiss, disguised as an Iwa-nin to whom she stole the face by using Orochimaru's Shoshagan jutsu. She acquired this skill after stealing part of the snake sage's documentation back when she attacked Otogakure with Mikitaka.

She came to this prison to analyze it and plan a future escape for the one she still needs to complete his fate, but only got frustration out of this visit. Judging from the state of Oshio's body, she could hurry Momoshiki's resurrection by breaking the seal laid on him, but she doubts her ability to do so. After all, this seal was made by Naruto Uzumaki.

Once again, it is him who indirectly stands in the way of the world's deserved and needed rest. Containing her disappointment to not reveal herself, Meinu walks away. This prison is entirely built in and around a massive volcano, and Oshio's cell is the most secure one, suspended above the top of the mountain.

Not far away from here lives one of the 9 Biju, Son Goku. There is basically no way for her to succeed in any plan to free Oshio. And even so, he'd probably not cooperate if freed. At the moment, with Sakura Uchiha still around, she better not act foolish and make a quiet escape, without what she'd certainly get killed.

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Meanwhile, far away into space, on the surface of the ringed red planet called Ashihara, Sakitsuki Otsutsuki, the one with the golden eyes, calmly walks through the halls of the dark crystal palace of the Shinden council. Her mistress, Naobi Otsutsuki, is currently absent and bringing blessings to faithful inferior beings on stranger worlds.

Others of the Shinden, including Tokubei and Yasona, are currently in other dimensions. Sakitsuki goes to the council room to find who she just saw return, the Ryu Shinsen, the high commander of their kind, Yamitsuki Otsutsuki.

She steps in and bows in front of her sovereign.

"Do not do this." he says, back to her on his chair, embarrassed by such manners. "Sakitsuki, you should not blindly follow the procedures told by Naobi."

"Please accept my apologies, Ryu Shinsen." she says.

"Is this about Shitsuki?" Yamitsuki demands, knowing that she's come to provide information. "Is he still a step ahead of the Tenshin?"

"Yes, he is." she replies. "They didn't find him, and they aren't close. But it isn't about him, my Lord."

"Then it is about the Ninja world." he guesses.

"Yes…" she confirms. "It is about an ancient member of our clan who lives on their planet."

"Rihetsuki." Yamitsuki guesses again, knowing only one celestial living on Earth legally.

"Yes. There are humans, renegades, criminals to their society, who came to know of his descendants and plan to manipulate them."

"Why should it bother us?" The Dragon Sage asks. "This is only the start of another selfish quest from humans who, in the end, will once again fail to equal us."

"It isn't that simple, Yamitsuki-sama." Sakitsuki argues. "It appears that one of Rihetsuki's descendants, for the first time in a millennium, manifests divine attributes. And the human who is after her has the means to absorb her power."

After this remark, Yamitsuki marks a long silence. He thinks very quickly to figure out the situation and manages to understand it perfectly with no more intel. Someone or something, at some point in time did or will make one of Rihetsuki's descendants the bearer of a true god's might. These powers are already able to manifest and dishonest humans have noticed it.

The one who wants these powers must have an ability that derives from the Otsutsuki's Shigetsu no Juin, allowing them to absorb their fellows and gain their powers and chakra.

"I understand." he says, to Sakitsuki's surprise. "I repeat. Why should it bother us? No matter the identity of the said human, he will fall to the protectors of his world before he ever gets to witness any of us."

"Um… Yamitsuki-sama… I think… It is in our best interest to prevent any celestial's death." she shyly argues.

"Is it?" he asks.

To this odd lack of interest, Sakitsuki can't answer. She just hesitatingly looks away in doubt. What the Dragon Sage is saying isn't completely false. Even if one of them comes to die, it is the purpose of the Tenshin, the celestial judges, to find the murderer and fix his wrong. Still, she can't let this happen. Through her observation, she found one detail about what will soon come to Earth that motivates her engagement.

"Sakitsuki, golden-eyed child, you need not disguise your ambitions." The owner of Ashihara says. "I know what I asked of you. And I know where and why you focus your attention. The people concerned by this include the cursed Minamoto family, more specifically the elder son. Confirm it."

"Um… Y-Yes." she shamefully admits.

"You knew about this plan being in action for a long time, but you come to me only now because of the absence of your mistress Naobi and the other Shinden. They are not here to lecture you or judge your actions, so you take advantage of it."

"Y-Yes." she repeats, fully figured out by her sovereign.

"I will tell you the same words I have told to anyone who came for a demand to me." Yamitsuki says. "Whatever happens to the ninjas of Earth and their enemies, I could not care less. If you are unhappy with it and want to intervene, I could not care less."

By this declaration, Sakitsuki is confused. Is it a lesson, saying that her complaints are worthless, or is it an invitation to follow her heart? These are two totally opposite points that Sakitsuki can't differentiate. To make things even more complicated, Yamitsuki doesn't complete his speech due to a sudden presence he senses in a corner of the room.

"Hyakki, did you not learn the lessons of your master?" he asks to Hyakki who suddenly appears out of a white translucent chakra cube that spawns, glows and vanishes in the corner of this wide room.

"Sure I didn't, Ryu Shinsen." the young god of destruction says as soon as arrived, having heard only the last words of the sentence but guessing the first part. "Tokubei-sama forbids teleportation into this room. Heaven knows what secrets he has to hide to give such lessons."

To this mockery, Yamitsuki doesn't answer. He just stares back at Sakitsuki and finishes his speech by staying as ambiguous as possible to prevent Hyakki from catching up to the conversation, out of respect for the golden-eyed child.

"Take this as a warning, Sakitsuki Otsutsuki." he says. "I do not provide myself with the power to undo your will. However, if you wish to bring divine intervention to an underworld, first judge if my word is more worth following than the one of Naobi."

Hyakki, intrigued, looks at the young girl with the golden eyes. What exactly did she just ask Yamitsuki for him to be so visibly careful about his words? Despite his constant lack of interest, it seems like this time, the Ryu Shinsen is trying to manipulate Sakitsuki into thinking she is making her own choice. How would anything this girl could do be of any interest to Yamitsuki?

Deranged by another person's presence, Sakitsuki pretends that the discussion is over and leaves. As soon as she's gone. Hyakki questions the ruler.

"What was this little doll doing here?" he asks.

"Hyakki, she is the same size as you." Yamitsuki ironically replies. "She was only announcing her possible departure soon."

"Saki? Departure?" Hyakki exclaims. "Wouldn't she need Naobi-sama's agreement for that? And her absence means we don't have her eyes until she returns. Are you going to let this happen?"

Yamitsuki leans forward and looks straight in the young man's eyes before slightly opening his mouth, ready to say words that Hyakki already guessed.

"I could not care less."

Outside of the castle, Sakitsuki is still witnessing the scene taking place in the council room and can clearly read what they are saying on their lips. What Yamitsuki just gave as an explanation for their conversation to Hyakki surprised her. It is the first time she sees the Ryu Shinsen blatantly lying under her eyes.

Still, she knows there must have been a reason for this. To her, these last words sound like a final call to take her freedom and do what she thinks is right about what she sees on Earth.

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End of Chapter 111 – Next Chapter: The new Water Daimyo

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End of "Kakumei – Arc 5: Fear of the Dark"

Next: "The Shinden Saga – Arc 1: Kimera"