Hoshiyomi instinctively glanced around when he heard Kuugetsu say that.
Good thing Hokushin wasn't here—if he had heard those words, he probably would have drawn his blade already.
"Go change into some clothes without any Konoha symbols and take off your forehead protector. I'll take you somewhere fun."
After sending Kuugetsu off to change, Hoshiyomi also returned to his tent to change his clothes and remove his forehead protector.As for the "divine weapon" he mentioned to Kuugetsui, it was, of course, the pinnacle of swordsmithing in the Naruto world, the legendary Kusanagi Sword.
From the descriptions in the original story, there were three Kusanagi blades: the Sword of the Kusanagi of the Heavens, the Sword of Kusanagi, and the the Totsuka Blade.
All three were incredibly durable, able to slice through steel like paper. More impressively, each possessed its own unique ability:
Sword of the Kusanagi of the Heavens (Grass Long Sword, Kusanagi Blade) was Orochimaru's personal blade, capable of freely extending or retracting its length, and even moving independently under the wielder's will—"controlling the blade with intent." Its most outrageous feat came during the Tenchi Bridge battle, when it extended for hundreds of meters in an instant, knocking Naruto away.
Sword of Kusanagi: Chokutō was Sasuke's blade—simple in appearance but unmatched in chakra conductivity. When paired with his Lightning Release, it could cut through nearly anything.
Totsuka Blade was the spectral blade wielded by Itachi's Susanoo, the most mysterious of the three. Without a physical form, it could seal the soul of any target it pierced, trapping them forever within the sake gourd it carried, to wander for eternity in an endless genjutsu dream.
The Totsuka Blade seemed to be exclusive to Itachi's Susanoo, so Hoshiyomi had no intention of aiming for that one. His focus was on the Sword of the Kusanagi of the Heavens and the Sword of Kusanagi.
Truthfully, he was curious—was his own Mikazuki Munechika, which never appeared in the original story, stronger than the Kusanagi Swords, or not?
Hoshiyomi had already made up his mind that if the two were similar in strength, or if the Kusanagi Sword was slightly weaker, he would give it to Kuugetsu as a gift. The ability to extend and retract at will and the incredible chakra conductivity were both excellent abilities. If he could get his hands on one, it would be a great help to Kuzuki's growth.
Just as he was thinking about these things, Kuugetsu's voice came from outside the tent.
"Hoshiyomi-sensei, are you ready?"
There was an uncontainable excitement in her tone—clearly, she was already brimming with anticipation for this so-called "Divine weapon."
Hoshiyomi chuckled softly when he heard Kuugetsu's voice. He casually picked up the two masks he had prepared from the table, put one on his face, and walked out of the tent. He then put the second one on Kuzuki's face, and together they left the Konoha camp.
"Sensei, where are we going?"
After leaving the Konoha camp, Kuugetsu became noticeably more cautious, scanning the surroundings for any sign of enemies.
"The black market."
Hoshiyomi replied while amusedly observing her vigilance. It wasn't really necessary here, but he didn't stop her—such habits were good ones to have.
"The black mark—huh? Didn't you say we were going to find a divine weapon?"
Her smile froze beneath the mask, her eyes giving him a look that practically said: "The city is full of tricks, I want to go back to the village."
Seeing her expression, Hoshiyomi smiled.
"That's because we don't yet have definite intel on the Kusanagi Sword. If we want information, that's the best place to get it. Other than the Five Kage's offices, there's nowhere in the shinobi world with more complete intelligence than there."
Kuugetsu nodded with an I see look, but after a moment of hesitation, she asked shyly:
"Um, can I not go?"
Hoshiyomi reached out and patted her head again.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you. No one will lay a finger on you."
He didn't know if the head-patting was more effective or if Hoshiyomi's words were, but a moment later, Kuugetsu bravely mustered her courage and once again followed Hoshiyomi on the road to the black market.
Hoshiyomi didn't know exactly where the Kusanagi was hidden, but as one of Konoha's two commanders stationed in Amegakure, he knew the location of the black market's Rain Country branch entrance.
The Rain Country black market outpost was located in a small town on the outskirts of Amegakure—not as crude as Fire Country's, which was hidden in a public toilet. This one was tucked away behind an unremarkable tavern that looked like it barely had any customers.
Inside, the place was empty, save for a single attendant behind the counter, polishing glasses while whistling.
Hearing the wind chime at the door, the man looked up and saw the two masked figures enter. His brows twitched slightly—he knew what that meant.
"What can I get you to drink?"
Hoshiyomi didn't answer, but walked up to the counter and tapped the solid wood surface four times.
The attendant's eyes lit up. Lowering his voice, he said:
"This drink's not cheap. You two should make sure you have enough money."
Still silent, Hoshiyomi tapped the counter twice more and coughed twice.
Recognizing the two-part passcode, the man quickly stepped out from behind the counter.
"Please, follow me."
With that, he led Hoshiyomi and Kuugetsu to the kitchen behind the tavern. He lightly moved the chopping board on the table, and the wall in the kitchen made a grating sound. After a moment, a black, cavernous entrance was revealed.
"Please, come in."
With a small bow, he stepped aside. Without hesitation, Hoshiyomi pulled the slightly nervous Kuugetsu along into the passage.
When the wall closed behind them, lights flickered on, revealing a long corridor.
They followed it until Hoshiyomi pushed open a set of double doors—leading into the true heart of the Rain Country black market.
Unlike Fire Country's tiny branch office from the original story, this was the headquarters: a vast underground cavern, set up like a tavern but bustling with activity.
At least two or three dozen people were scattered throughout, most in cloaks or masks, speaking in hushed tones. A few bold ones showed their faces openly—men who had already made a name for themselves in this lawless underworld, confident enough to survive with their identity exposed.
The moment Hoshiyomi and Kuugetsu stepped inside, over a dozen gazes turned toward them. Kuugetsu shrank back slightly, but Hoshiyomi didn't hesitate—he strode straight toward the largest bar in the place.