Chapter 92: Kidnapping A Shiro First
In the inn, dim yellow lights illuminated the cold gleam of the special Flying Thunder God Kunai in Orochimaru’s hand. He stared at the familiar runes on the kunai, his snake-like pupils flickering with contemplation.
The inn boss nearby was standing with empty eyes.
Just now, Orochimaru had thought Lord Shura would temporarily place that Ice Release Bloodline Limit child in the inn, and make plans after going to Kirigakure.
But unexpectedly, after Orochimaru followed over, Lord Shura casually handed him a Flying Thunder God Kunai, then right in front of him, took the child and instantly vanished using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
“Tsk tsk, what a useful ninjutsu. If it were from here to the Land of Bears…” Orochimaru’s tongue tip lightly licked his lips, his snake pupils contracting with excitement.
That was a distance spanning most of the Ninja World!
How vast was Lord Shura’s chakra!
Even the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, who invented the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, who became famous in the Ninja World during the Third Great Ninja War with the Flying Thunder God Technique!
These two needed several relays of the Flying Thunder God Technique to go from Konoha to the border frontlines battlefield.
“Lord Shura, who exactly are you?” Orochimaru toyed with the special Flying Thunder God Kunai in his hand, murmuring to himself.
While Orochimaru was waiting at the inn in the Land of Water.
Menma had already brought Haku across most of the Ninja World using the Flying Thunder God Technique, arriving at the base in the Land of Bears.
After landing, Menma led Haku toward the family compound.
In the snow-covered military zone, two Star Ninja immediately knelt on one knee: “Lord!”
“Go call Kushina over.” Menma gave a brief order.
“Yes, Lord!” The two patrolling Star Ninja respectfully saluted and immediately went to handle it.
This family compound was located on the east side of the Capital City of the Land of Bears, between the military zone and administrative zone, and mainly housed core personnel from Hoshigakure and the organization.
Menma also had a residence here.
Soon, Uzumaki Kushina hurried over.
“Lord Shura!” Seeing Menma with a child, Uzumaki Kushina respectfully addressed Menma as Lord Shura.
“This child is named Haku, a survivor of the Yukigakure Clan.” Menma introduced to Uzumaki Kushina: “His mother was the last clan member of the Yukigakure Clan. After marrying a commoner, because of the Ice Release Bloodline Limit manifested in him, she was killed by his father and the villagers who saw it as ominous…”
Hearing such a similar experience, Uzumaki Kushina’s eyes under her red hair instantly softened, maternal love and sympathy overflowing. She squatted down and gently said to Haku: “Hello, I’m Uzumaki Kushina. You can call me Aunt Kushina.”
“Uh…” Haku timidly hid behind Menma.
Menma patted Haku’s head and said to him, lowering his head: “This will be your home from now on. Aunt Kushina will take care of you, so be good and listen, okay?”
As if to dispel Haku’s wariness and suspicion, Uzumaki Kushina activated the Adamantine Sealing Chains: “Don’t worry about your ability. Look, Aunt has special abilities too.”
A golden chakra chain emerged from behind her, swaying in the air like a tail.
Seeing this chakra chain, Haku’s eyes lit up, and he lost his wariness toward the red-haired aunt in front of him.
Menma smoothly supported the back of Haku’s head with one hand, encouraging him forward.
Haku slowly walked over and was hugged by Uzumaki Kushina.
“Haku will be in your care. I still have some things to handle.” Menma entrusted Haku to Uzumaki Kushina with peace of mind.
He then added: “Clear out a few rooms. In a while, some Bloodline Limit children might come.”
“Yes, Lord!” Uzumaki Kushina stood up, holding Haku’s hand, and respectfully saw Menma off.
After Menma left using the Flying Thunder God Technique, Uzumaki Kushina looked down at the cute Haku like a little rabbit, her maternal love overflowing, and said with a smiling face: “Aunt will take you to bathe. I bought some clothes for Karin before that haven’t been worn; you’ll look so cute in them.”
——————
“Back?” In the Land of Water, Orochimaru was standing by the window gazing at the heavy snowfall. Hearing the movement inside the house, he slightly turned his head.
When he turned around, he saw Menma putting the kunai back into the ninja tool pouch.
‘Strange, feels like I forgot something.’ Menma had just landed using the Flying Thunder God Technique and felt a bit empty inside.
Did he forget something? Couldn’t remember.
Once Orochimaru approached, Menma temporarily put the issue aside. Anyway, it didn’t feel like a big deal; probably something minor.
“Let’s go, stroll around Kirigakure.” Menma stood up and walked outside.
Orochimaru lightly hummed and walked with Menma, laughing meaningfully: “Really envious. Your Flying Thunder God Technique has surpassed ‘eternal carry sister,’ huh.”
Menma didn’t answer, merely heading coldly toward Kirigakure.
The Land of Water was a country composed of countless islands, with the largest one mainly featuring mountains, rivers, and forests. Combined with its unique ocean environment, the entire island was often shrouded in thick fog.
Kirigakure was located deep in the western mountains of this island.
Soon, Menma and Orochimaru arrived at the outskirts of Kirigakure, standing on a high mountain, overlooking the village covered in heavy snow.
‘The terrain here has a bit of the charm of Guilin landscape.’ Menma noticed that not only the Land of Water’s mountains, but even Kirigakure’s buildings were in the cylindrical style of Hakka Tulou.
In Kirigakure, they were basically circular fortress-like buildings resembling Hakka Tulou, some even up to a dozen stories tall, like giant beasts coiled among the mountains, faintly visible in the snow and fog.
At the very center of the village was an especially massive red-tiled fortress, with a deep blue ‘Water’ character imprinted on the cyan brick walls.
“That’s the Mizukage’s Office.” Orochimaru crossed his arms over his chest and introduced: “With the tyranny of the Fourth Mizukage Kagura Yagura in recent years, all the Bloodline Limit families in the village have been driven to the village outskirts. That side is the Kaguya Clan’s clan territory, that side the Hozuki Clan’s clan territory, and over there, the Hoshigaki Clan…”
“Speaking of which, that kid earlier seemed to have the Yukigakure Clan’s Ice Release.” Orochimaru suddenly narrowed his eyes: “I recall the Yukigakure Clan was slaughtered a few years ago due to a rebellion.”
Orochimaru didn’t know why the Fourth Mizukage Kagura Yagura implemented such harsh rule, turning a good Kirigakure into this, even exterminating the Yukigakure Clan.
But Menma knew very well.
That guy Obito, to avenge Rin Nohara, used the Sharingan to control Kagura Yagura, implementing the ‘Bloody Mist Policy,’ suppressing the Bloodline Limit families in the village under high-pressure rule, intensifying the relationship between civilian ninja and ninja clans.
The already tense relationship between civilian ninja and ninja clans under high-pressure rule was like a powder keg, ready to explode at a spark.
When the time was ripe, they would find a reason to exterminate them.
First the Yukigakure Clan, then the Hozuki Clan and Kaguya Clan.
These three ninja clans could be said to be the strongest in Kirigakure, especially the Kaguya Clan known as battle maniacs, who were Kirigakure’s top combat force.
Their status in Kirigakure was like the Uchiha’s in Konoha.
If Mei Terumi hadn’t later noticed Kagura Yagura’s abnormality, ordering Ao to check with the Byakugan and dispel the illusion technique on Kagura Yagura, the Bloody Mist Policy might have continued harming them.
This years-long ‘Bloody Mist rule’ ultimately caused a generational gap in Kirigakure’s youth, so during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kirigakure’s notable figures were just the Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi, and two jonin, Chojuro and Ao.
Other famous Kirigakure ninja were either rogue ninja like Zabuza Momochi, Suigetsu Hōzuki, Kisame Hoshigaki, or strong practitioners like Ringo Ameyuri and Mangetsu Hozuki who died young and were later reanimated.
Oh, and the Six-Tails Jinchūriki Utakata.
Who also defected.
By the time Boruto began twenty-something years later, Kirigakure’s Fourth Generation Seven Ninja Swordsmen were all some rotten fish and shrimp.
