Ch87. Ringo 5

Since she was healthy, Ringo came to inform the Mizukage about her return to duty...

Entering the office, she could see the astonished look of the leader of the village who was furrowing his brows at her. "Ringo... you are alright?" He asked with suspicion in his voice when he saw the girl walk in on her own feet. Something he would never think was possible. "I was told you would be unable to continue your ninja career."

He knew she was sick. Actually, he was the first one who was informed two years ago that Ringo was sick. Same as he knew the medic-nin in the village had no way to cure her and she most likely didn't have even a year left. Unfortunately, it was right after she claimed Kiba by killing the previous owner and it was impossible for him to order her to give the Kiba to someone else. That would make every single of the seven swordsmen pissed as all hell at him. The girl also refused all of his subtle 'advice' to train an apprentice for Kiba blades... something about being too young to train a brat. In the end, he was forced to make a medic-nin inform her about her disease in hopes it would make her come to senses and pass on her techniques before passing on for real... Needless to say, that didn't happen.

But he took what he got. It was maddening that one of his S-ranking ninja... the youngest S-ranking ninja of Kiri if he didn't count Rei and Konan since they weren't born in the village... was about to die before the war even started. He decided to make use of Ringo as much as he could and made her run assassination after assassination... maybe it did take away a lot of her strength but she was dying anyway. He saw no need to be gentle with her and resolved himself to make as much use of her superb skills as possible. Thankfully, her knowledge of her sickness only made the girl even madder and she didn't stop going on missions. The Mizukage couldn't help but admire the girl standing in front of him, to be honest. She should have been dead a year ago and yet, she is standing in front of him as if nothing out of ordinary was happening.

Before Ringo could answer, the door flew open, and inside walked a man. When he saw Ringo calmly standing in front of the Mizukage, his eyes narrowed and he turned towards his leader with furrowed brows. "You told me the previous wielder of Kiba is weak and will not survive long." The man said and Ringo's eyes narrowed. It was only then she saw 'her' Kiba blades strapped to the waist of the man. Suddenly, her world completely changed when she realized... she didn't really mind. It was a revelation that made her widen her eyes and look speechlessly to the empty space for a second.

The Mizukage saw her blank look and couldn't help but curse as he could already see the fight for Kiba and knew one of his skilled ninjas would die for it! That's why he got the surprise of his life from Ringo when she said. "It's fine. You can keep Kiba." The Mizukage couldn't comprehend why Ringo gave the swords up but for him, it was incredibly lucky. They could kill each other for the blades after the war... not like Ringo would survive the war in her condition. No matter how strong her will is, he really doubted that.

Ringo would never think Kiba blades were given to someone even before she died. For a swordsman, that was an insult of insane proportions and her giving up the blades would actually show her unconfidence to win against the man she recognized as Raiga Kurosuki. But Ringo somehow didn't care. She remembered a pair of swords... given to her by a man she loved that were superior even to Kiba blades and her want to hold onto Kiba blades was gone. She would let him have those...

"I knew you would be a smart woman. A pity I won't be able to attend your funeral." The man said with a sad undertone that pissed Ringo off but before she could quip something back, he just up and went away.

The Mizukage opened his mouth and promptly closed it when he realized he would have to summon Raiga again as he had a mission for him... This was getting really troublesome.

"I will take a year break from my shinobi duties. To make sure my health is okay during the upcoming war." She said with a humph. When the Mizukage heard that, he turned to Ringo and wanted to scream at her! What 'break'!? There was a war on the horizon!

But he couldn't do anything else other than say. "Okay." Ringo had a reputation and now that he lifted the secrecy on her sickness, many people knew it. If he forced her to take missions while knowing well she was sick... they could use it against him later on. He was also sure Rei wouldn't be very happy about it... "How come you are fine?" He asked her, knowing well such miracles really didn't happen in this world.

Ringo peered him directly into the eyes and mulled over her answer. She remembered her last two years of work for the village and how dismissive of her the Mizukage was when she was thought to be sick... there was only one answer after considering all that. "I don't know." She shrugged, deciding not to snitch on Tsuna. Ringo was not yet resolved to leave the village but she would not be a puppet on strings for men like the Mizukage who would use her and throw her away at the first convenience. She thought her time with Rei taught her better as he always emphasized she needs to put her own safety before everything else but she was apparently wrong.

The Mizukage obviously didn't really believe that answer but he had no choice but to nod. "Well, then. Jonin Ameyuri, I allow you to take a year of vacation. You rightfully deserve it." He said but Ringo could hear the sour undertone in his voice and it made her sad. She gave this village everything but nobody other than Rei really cared about a little orphan like her. Her only source of influence was her own strength and the status of the wielder of Kiba she just lost. And with that, she also lost her S-rank as a Kiba user without Kiba didn't seem that threatening. In the end, her efforts for the village didn't bring her any lasting recognition nor respect.

She didn't even think that these thoughts were coming from Rei's teachings and how he always told her to not blindly trust others. She just never used it as she thought Kiri and its higher-ups could do no wrong. Apparently, she was wrong.

Both she and the Mizukage stared at each other impassively before Ringo turned around and started walking towards the door when she heard the Mizukage's voice. "Are you sure there is nothing you want to tell me, jonin Ameyuri?" She stopped in her tracks and slightly turned her head to take a proper look at the man. She instantly recognized the look he was giving her. Scheming, plotting, a look befitting of a Kage. It made her smile bitterly but it just strengthened the belief that only personal strength mattered in this world. She would have to become stronger. Pursing her lips, she answered before leaving the office.

"No... not really."