The Third Raikage didn't ask why Takuya had infiltrated the Land of Lightning, snuck into Kumogakure, or what mission he had carried out there.
Some things were better left unspoken.
If he ever found out that Takuya and Orochimaru had infiltrated Kumogakure, and that Orochimaru had even caused the Eight-Tails to go on a rampage, he'd probably jump ten feet in the air in rage.
The journey from Iwagakure to Kumogakure took three days.
And that was only because the Third Raikage intentionally slowed down.
Takuya and his group were guests, not subordinates—there was no reason to rush them like a forced march.
They took their time, pausing here and there along the way.
Of course, Takuya returned the courtesy by not dragging the trip out unnecessarily.
Three days later, they arrived in Kumogakure.
"This place is really lively!"
Kumogakure was no less prosperous than Konoha, largely due to the high number of trading caravans passing through.
Some of its commercial districts were even busier than Konoha's.
The moment they reached the shopping district, Kushina stopped in her tracks—her shopping instincts kicking into high gear.
Even though the Third Raikage wanted to deal with the village's pressing threats right away, he knew he had to accommodate his guests first.
Especially Kushina.
To keep her happy, he waved his hand generously and declared that all her and Pakura's expenses in Kumogakure would be covered by the village.
Even though he knew full well that Kushina wasn't hurting for money.
But still, free shopping?
Kushina was overjoyed.
With someone footing the bill, she happily dragged Pakura through the commercial district, splurging without a care.
Pakura, seeing no reason to pass up a free opportunity, went along with it.
Takuya, however, wanted no part in this.
Instead, he found a restaurant specializing in grilled beef and settled in to enjoy the local cuisine.
Meanwhile, back in Konoha, the special operations squad had fully assembled.
With Jiraiya as their leader, no one dared to challenge his authority—not even Kitsuchi or A.
With the squad ready, their first mission officially began.
Armed with a map, the elite team departed from Konoha and set out for one of Madara Uchiha's old hideouts.
Their first destination was the Mountain Graveyard.
There, they might face unforeseen dangers.
No one knew if Madara had left behind any traps.
No one knew if the hideout had already been abandoned.
Back in Kumogakure, Takuya was in full relaxation mode, indulging in the local cuisine and letting Kushina handle tasks like hunting down White Zetsu.
Pakura accompanied her.
As it turned out, there weren't many White Zetsu hiding in Kumogakure.
Perhaps Black Zetsu had foreseen the possibility of their discovery and had ordered them to withdraw in advance.
The number captured was barely a fraction of those found in Iwagakure.
Ironically, this pleased the Third Raikage—fewer infiltrators meant his village's defenses were holding strong.
Unlike Iwagakure, which had been turned upside down.
With business taken care of, it was time for the real fun to begin.
Takuya had promised to take Kushina sightseeing, and he wasn't just saying it for show.
With the shinobi world still relatively peaceful, he wanted to let her enjoy herself as much as possible.
Once things spiraled into chaos, there wouldn't be any more chances.
After enjoying their time in Kumogakure, the trio left the Land of Lightning and traveled through several small countries before finally heading to the Land of Water.
Takuya had promised Yagura that he'd visit Kirigakure.
And Takuya wasn't one to go back on his word—even if Yagura had a knack for making dumb decisions.
Compared to the Land of Lightning, the Land of Water had far fewer attractions.
On top of that, its perpetual misty weather quickly dampened Kushina's enthusiasm.
"I'd rather wander around the desert in the Land of Wind than stay in this dreary place," she muttered, pouting.
Pakura, who had been mostly silent, actually agreed.
The constant mist meant that Kirigakure was always damp.
For people who weren't used to it, the humidity could be unbearable.
Their clothes never seemed to fully dry, and everything felt perpetually soaked.
Combined with the lingering effects of war and a struggling economy, Kirigakure was dirt poor—on par with Sunagakure.
At least Sunagakure, despite being in a harsh desert, had days when the sky was clear.
But Kirigakure?
The mist never seemed to lift.
For Pakura to openly admit she'd rather roam the desert, it spoke volumes about how unpleasant Kirigakure's environment was.
What made things even more uncomfortable was the way they were being watched.
With their Konoha headbands, they might as well have been rare exhibits in a museum.
Everywhere they went, people stopped to gawk at them.
And to make things worse, Kirigakure's people had… let's just say, rather unique facial features.
That alone was enough to kill whatever desire Kushina had for sightseeing.
"Ahem!"
Takuya coughed pointedly.
What the hell are you saying? Yagura is right here.
Pakura wasn't technically wrong, but she needed to remember—she wasn't a Sunagakure shinobi anymore.
She was representing Konoha now.
Sunagakure and Kirigakure had a history of hostility due to past conflicts.
It was best not to add fuel to the fire.
"My apologies for disappointing you," Yagura said flatly.
Standing atop the Mizukage's office, hands clasped behind his back, he gazed over Kirigakure, veiled in its ever-present mist, and sighed.
"This is simply the way our village is. Scattered islands, limited farmland, scarce resources… Years of isolation have left both the village and the country economically backward."
Even through the thick fog, the rundown state of some areas was visible.
"Water Shadow, why haven't these buildings been torn down and rebuilt?" Kushina asked curiously, pointing to the dilapidated structures.
Surely, Kirigakure wasn't so poor that it couldn't afford to fix its own village.
It was a simple question.
But Yagura's expression turned amused as he glanced at Takuya.
Takuya rolled his eyes.
Oh, great.
Realizing the shift in atmosphere, Kushina suddenly remembered something.
Because of the war, Takuya and Minato had infiltrated Kirigakure… and caused massive destruction.
It was said they had wreaked so much havoc that even the Mizukage's office had been blown up.
Large parts of Kirigakure had been left in ruins.
And now, looking at the buildings that still hadn't been rebuilt, it was painfully obvious:
The destruction had been Takuya's handiwork.
Without meaning to, Kushina had just brought up his mess.
Yagura was still staring at him.
Takuya clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"What? You jealous because I'm better looking than you?"
He snorted, folding his arms.
"Back then, it was kill or be killed. To wear down Kirigakure's forces, we infiltrated and carried out sabotage missions.
If the roles were reversed, don't pretend you wouldn't have done the same."
That's just how war works.
There was no point dredging up the past now.
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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read the rest of the Chapter at Patreon com/ Emik01.
DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING