After leaving the Senju compound, Akio first returned to his " Kiboku-dō shop" to inform Sara of his plans to travel to Kirigakure. He told her he'd be gone anywhere from a few days to a couple of months at most.
Sara didn't object. She had long grown used to Akio's frequent "long trips," and since Ichiraku didn't need her help, she could take care of herself just fine.
After getting her answer, Akio hesitated briefly, then stored the fat cat inside his personal space. The creature was stupid, sure but Akio had gotten used to seeing it every day.
A moment later, he decided to enter the dimensional space himself. He still hadn't fully grasped how the space's coordinate nodes worked, but he had an inexplicable confidence, he felt lucky. The trauma of his old "mining punishment" days was long forgotten.
"Uzumaki Akio is a European,"
he muttered, tapping his fingers across the nodes. When his finger landed on one marked "human," he grinned.
"Let's go!"
A flash of light later, Akio was staring out at an endless desert.
He was silent for a long moment.
"…I have three tries."
"Let's go!"
"Let's go!"
He blinked again and still wasn't anywhere near Kirigakure.
"…Forget it. I'll just fly there."
The Land of Water was the smallest of the original Five Great Nations. Even after the inclusion of the Land of Whirlpools, it still ranked last, with Uzushio just ahead of it.
But a small land didn't mean weak ninja. The islands themselves were just tiny, with no room for expansion and unlike Akio, they didn't have the ability to literally build new land.
Kirigakure's location was odd too deep in the mountains, shrouded year-round in mist.
After half a day of travel, Akio finally reached a high ridge overlooking the hidden village. Twilight was falling, the air heavy with fog.
"Can't see a damn thing," he muttered. The thick mist completely obscured his view.
Compared to the other villages, Kirigakure was notoriously secretive. Outside of the Great Ninja Wars, it rarely interacted with others, almost like a nation under isolationist rule. Still, its strength was formidable especially the legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
That thought made Akio grin. "As if those guys still exist. Uzushio already has four of their swords."
He didn't use his real face this time. By now, he was someone whose very name made enemies flee on sight. If the remnants of Akatsuki really were hiding here, they'd probably run the moment they sensed his presence.
"Let's see… Konoha's identity was Hagi, Sunagakure's was Hamura… Then for Kirigakure, how about Ashura?" Akio smirked. "I'll lower my rank by one generation this time."
He altered his appearance, transforming into an ordinary middle-aged man, then pulled the fat cat out of storage and held it in his arms. It made him look more harmless.
A few quick flickers later, Akio appeared on the main road leading to Kirigakure.
This mountain road was the only official path in or out of the village used mainly by civilians from the Land of Water coming to request missions.
As he went deeper into the misty mountains, the air grew damper and colder. The fat cat squirmed and burrowed into his coat for warmth, its fur already half-trimmed thanks to Akio's "maintenance."
"Who in their right mind builds a village in a place like this…" he grumbled.
After about ten more minutes, he finally reached Kirigakure's gate.
A guard approached, cold and expressionless. Akio immediately gave him a mental "one-star review."
"Mission request?" the guard asked in an icy tone that could freeze the fat cat solid.
So rude to paying clients, Akio thought. How does this village even stay in business?
Outwardly, he smiled. "Yes, I'm here to post a mission."
"What kind of mission?"
Akio froze. You're asking that right at the gate?
His original plan had been simple: pretend to post a mission, meet the Mizukage, see if they were under someone's control, and act accordingly. If they were controlled, he'd intervene. If not, he'd just leave maybe give a quick "check on the people's welfare" speech. Who would dare stop him?
But now…
He glanced down at the fat cat in his arms, inspiration striking. "I'm here to find a handsome tomcat to mate with this one."
The Kirigakure ninja's expression finally changed he was clearly thinking, are you kidding me?
"You don't understand the pain of a fat girl who can't find a boyfriend," Akio said solemnly. "She's not happy at all."
The guard hesitated, then replied stiffly, "Mission requests won't be processed for ten days. You can stay in the village until then."
"Ten days?" Akio frowned.
"Don't ask unnecessary questions."
Akio muttered under his breath as he walked past the gate, "You're lucky, or I'd hang you upside down by your ankles after I'm done here… Right, fat cat?"
"Meow~" the cat replied cheerfully, blissfully unaware it had just been used as an excuse.
Kirigakure was small far smaller than Konoha. Few ninja, even fewer civilians.
The "Bloody Mist" policy had wiped out countless shinobi in internal purges, and the oppressive atmosphere had driven most civilians away. Those few he did see hurried down the streets, eyes downcast.
"An inn, an inn…" Akio murmured, searching while cradling the cat. After wandering for half an hour, he finally found one.
It was a combined inn and restaurant, bustling with people. When Akio stepped in, he saw every table occupied it was dinnertime.
"So all these people came to post missions too? Guess I'm not the only one being made to wait ten days," he mused with a smirk.
"Welcome, sir. Would you like something to eat?" The innkeeper's attitude was surprisingly friendly and clearly not a ninja.
"Just some fish," Akio said, holding up the fat cat. "Also, got any tables or rooms?"
The innkeeper looked apologetic. "All the tables are full, but there's still a room available."
"No problem, I'll share a table." Akio smiled easily. Perfect chance to gather some intel, he didn't actually plan to wait ten days. If necessary, he could always go full stealth.
Should've just infiltrated from the start, he thought with a sigh.
He sat down across from a slightly chubby young man definitely a civilian who eyed the fat cat with mild disgust.
"He's judging you," Akio whispered to the cat, then turned to the man. "Here to post a mission too? Can't wait ten days, huh? Want me to help speed it up?"
The young man rolled his eyes. "Quit bluffing, old man. Don't you know? They're holding duels to decide the next Mizukage. No one's free to take missions right now. We just have to wait."
Akio chuckled inwardly. What a conveniently naïve kid. He hadn't even needed to ask, the guy had spilled everything on his own.
"So that's what this is about…" he murmured.
"A duel to choose the Fourth Mizukage, huh?
What is this; the Mizukage Championship Tournament?"
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