Itachi brought Jūzō back to his home.
Fortunately, Jūzō wasn't too drunk—at least he still knew how to find his way back.
By the time night had fully fallen, Itachi sat at the table sipping tea, his eyes reflecting a faint ripple of thought.
"Finally awake? After all this time, your drinking tolerance is still as terrible as ever," Itachi remarked, pouring a glass of water for Jūzō and glancing at him as he sat up on the bed.
"I haven't seen you in so long—I'm just really happy," Jūzō said softly, rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his hair.
"How have you been? Weren't you supposed to be acting Mizukage? You look pretty worn out," Itachi asked, his tone as calm as always, as he observed the fatigue on Jūzō's face.
"You don't realize how stressful it is until you actually take on the role of Mizukage," Jūzō replied, sitting down beside Itachi and taking a sip of the water handed to him.
"Heh, why don't you just find someone to take over for you? Being Mizukage doesn't sound all that appealing," Itachi said, looking at Jūzō, who was lazily leaning on the table, and shaking his head.
"Ugh, I'd love to, but the mess in Kirigakure is even worse than I imagined," Jūzō said, rolling his eyes at Itachi's easy suggestion.
"Oh? What kind of issues are you dealing with?" Itachi asked, his interest piqued.
"Kirigakure used to be so closed off. After my efforts, we finally started opening up last month. We're reconnecting with the outside world, inviting merchants, setting up missions—basically laying the framework for a fresh start," Jūzō explained, treating Itachi as if he were an old confidant.
"That sounds like a good thing. If it keeps up, the village will bounce back in no time," Itachi remarked, thinking that Jūzō's plans seemed to be progressing smoothly.
"What's so good about it? Reintegrating Kirigakure into the shinobi world means disrupting the established balance among the Five Great Nations. It's going to cause shifts in missions, trade, and more. There are plenty of predators out there just waiting to take advantage of us. One wrong step, and things could end up worse than before," Jūzō said, visibly frustrated.
"Uh…" Itachi muttered softly, clearly uninterested in such matters.
"So, what brings you here? Need my help with something?" Jūzō asked, deciding to change the subject when he noticed Itachi's lack of enthusiasm.
"Yeah. I'd like a copy of some of the Kaguya clan's ninjutsu," Itachi replied bluntly.
"The Kaguya clan is extinct. What do you need their ninjutsu for?" Jūzō asked, puzzled by Itachi's request.
"I just find their techniques fascinating and want to study them," Itachi answered casually, though he was hiding his true intentions.
Copying kekkei genkai was a dangerous secret, best kept to himself. While it didn't mean much to top-tier shinobi, for villages and nations, it could be as powerful as possessing a tailed beast.
If kekkei genkai could truly be replicated, it would present a new challenge for the shinobi world.
After all, every kekkei genkai possessed extraordinary abilities. If such techniques were mass-produced and integrated into armies, the thought of thousands or tens of thousands of shinobi wielding kekkei genkai was terrifying.
"Is this urgent? If it is, I can look for it now. If not, I'll check on it tomorrow," Jūzō said. He didn't pry further into Itachi's motives. If Itachi wanted it, he'd help him get it.
Jūzō suddenly remembered that Itachi specialized in Water Release techniques. He decided to find a couple of high-level Water Release scrolls for Itachi to try out tomorrow.
As the acting Mizukage, Jūzō was overwhelmed with work, but helping Itachi get some techniques seemed like a small favor in return for his efforts.
"So, how's your time in the Akatsuki? Who's your partner now?" Jūzō asked, breaking the brief silence in the room. He hadn't wanted to bring this up earlier with others around, but now that they were alone, he could check in on Itachi's life.
"Uh, after I returned, the Akatsuki assigned me a female partner," Itachi began. "But during our first mission, something went wrong. I got sick and ended up leaving the organization."
"Really? That's great. The Akatsuki isn't a place to stay for long," Jūzō said, surprised but also reflective.
If it hadn't been for his own circumstances as a rogue ninja with nowhere else to go, Jūzō wouldn't have joined the Akatsuki either.
For rogue ninjas, the Akatsuki was a decent refuge—a place to lay low. While missions were required, it still offered more freedom than life in a village.
"So, where have you been staying lately? If you don't have anywhere to go, why not stay in Kirigakure for a while? Maybe even settle down here? I could pair you with Mei Terumī as your partner—how about that?" Jūzō joked with a grin.
At first, Juzo seemed serious, but as he kept talking, a mischievous grin crept across his face.
It seemed like he had thought of something amusing.
...
"Can you be serious for once? How does your conversation turn so strange all of a sudden?"
Itachi glared at Juzo in exasperation.
"I'm being serious. If you stay in the Hidden Mist Village, I promise you'll live a good life—no more fighting or scheming. You can freely enjoy life and experience the beauty of the world," Juzo replied, completely ignoring Itachi's annoyed look.
He spoke with a sincere tone, as if making a solemn promise.
"Forget it. I'm used to being carefree. Wandering the world feels more comfortable to me," Itachi said softly, averting his gaze from Juzo's earnest expression.
After all, he was a rogue ninja, and his situation was very different from Juzo's.
The Land of Water was about to open up to the ninja world, and there were already rogue ninjas from other villages in the Hidden Mist Village. What kind of message would that send?
...
Once the Land of Water's Hidden Mist Village connected with the rest of the ninja world, spies and informants from other villages were bound to establish bases here, monitoring the village's every move.
It was an unavoidable reality.
To revitalize the Hidden Mist Village, fresh resources had to be introduced.
But with fresh resources came those with ulterior motives.
Even a powerful village like the Hidden Leaf had its share of spies, both in the open and in the shadows.
"Alright then, at least stay a few more days and enjoy yourself here. Let me show you some hospitality," Juzo said, dropping the subject after Itachi's response.
Still, he couldn't help feeling a twinge of regret.
If only Itachi were willing to stay here.
Settle down, get married, have a few kids—wouldn't that be great?
Juzo genuinely wanted the wandering, displaced Itachi to have a place to call home.
His intentions were heartfelt, albeit a bit overbearing.
...
Hidden Mist Village.
Mei Terumi was in the kitchen preparing dinner.
Looking at the plate of charred, pitch-black grilled meat, her once-hopeful expression turned a bit dazed.
She had planned to make a delicious grilled meat dish for Itachi, bring it to him, and share dinner together to strengthen their bond.
If everything went well, a candlelit dinner with a couple of bottles of wine might even lead to something more long-term.
But before she could even begin her plan, it was already over...
For the first time, she felt completely stuck.