Kusagakure.
It is said to have a long history and was once a thriving village.
At its peak, it nearly dominated the entire shinobi world, but the first iteration of Kusagakure was suddenly destroyed. The exact cause and process remain unknown, leaving only the fact of its destruction.
The surviving Kusagakure shinobi rebuilt the village, but even within this single village, two opposing factions emerged.
One faction, Grass Seed, advocated for the revival of Kusagakure's former glory, while the other, Grass Flower, pursued peace.
Currently, Grass Flower held the upper hand.
After all, if the warmongers had been in charge, they wouldn't have tolerated being bullied by other villages without retaliation.
This was all Kin knew about Kusagakure.
Though, most of it was likely fabricated.
The concept of hidden villages was proposed by Senju Hashirama, and the system hadn't even existed for a century.
There was no way a Kusagakure from that era could have dominated the shinobi world, even if their secret treasures dated back to the era of the Sage of Six Paths.
What did that have to do with Kusagakure?
They were just inflating their own importance.
The only plausible timeframe was the First Shinobi World War, but Kusagakure hadn't even been a notable player then.
Go further back?
Senju Hashirama could have defeated them with one hand tied behind his back.
Uchiha Madara smirked silently.
The Second Shinobi World War was even more out of the question.
The current Kusagakure was its second iteration, and little was known about the first—only that it had existed.
Even the exact time of its destruction remained a mystery.
By the time Kusagakure made its presence known in the shinobi world, it was already the second iteration.
Kusagakure wasn't hard to find, as the village still needed to take on external missions to sustain itself.
In the Land of Grass, practically every noble knew its location.
All Kin had to do was capture one, extract the information, and then dispose of them. Why keep them around?
When it came to dealing with nobles, Kin was the only one in the shinobi world who had no reservations.
After all, nobles in the shinobi world were inherently seen as sacred.
Kin's carriage slowly made its way toward Kusagakure.
"Sir, we've arrived at Kusagakure," the shinobi driving the carriage called out to Kin inside.
Deep in his pupils, a Sharingan flickered faintly.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Shimada."
Kin's voice came from within the carriage. He had changed into a set of luxurious noble robes, though the terrifying black oni mask on his face ruined the elegance.
The driver, Shimada, was originally a guard shinobi for a noble—now repurposed by Kin.
As the carriage approached the village, figures suddenly emerged, surrounding it.
Shimada halted the carriage and swiftly drew a kunai.
"Identify yourselves," the leader of the squad demanded sternly.
Kin pulled aside the curtain and spoke apologetically, "I've come seeking assistance. I heard there's a place called Kusagakure that can help me."
The leader's expression softened.
"Kusagakure is indeed willing to assist you, sir. However…"
His gaze shifted to Shimada.
"We don't welcome foreign shinobi into our village."
Shimada's face darkened. "I must ensure Mr. An's safety!"
"We will guarantee Mr. An's safety," the Kusagakure leader replied bluntly, making it clear Shimada wasn't allowed in.
A hidden village wasn't a place just any shinobi could enter without special permission.
"It's fine, Shimada. You can wait for me elsewhere. I trust Kusagakure will keep me safe."
Kin's tone was gentle but left no room for argument.
Reluctantly, Shimada complied.
"Understood!"
He stepped down from the carriage.
"Muui," the leader called.
A young man nodded and took the driver's seat.
Shimada watched bitterly as the Kusagakure shinobi escorted the carriage away. Once they were out of sight, his pupils fully transformed into the Sharingan.
Expressionless, he walked to a secluded spot.
With a swift motion, his kunai slit his own throat.
His head lolled to the side as he collapsed, his eyes flashing with struggle before his life faded entirely.
Meanwhile, Muui drove the carriage into Kusagakure. The shinobi flanking the vehicle frowned and shook their heads at the leader.
They hadn't found any signs of money on the visitor.
This was standard procedure in Kusagakure. If a client carried substantial wealth, the village would adjust the mission fees accordingly.
Since their prices were already low, they maximized profits where they could.
Even with adjustments, they avoided being too blatant—especially with nobles, as causing a scandal would harm Kusagakure's reputation.
But if the client were a commoner or merchant, that was another story.
The leader gestured silently to Muui, who nodded in understanding.
"Mr. An, may I ask what kind of assistance you're seeking?" Muui inquired.
Kin's voice drifted from inside the carriage. "It's nothing too serious. An elder from my family has gone missing, and we don't know where he's gone. I'd like your help finding him."
Though his voice was soft, everyone nearby heard him clearly.
"A search mission? The cost varies greatly depending on the details. If the information is too vague, our fees will be higher," the leader explained.
"Money isn't an issue. The elder in question is… somewhat simple-minded. He was lured away by someone promising grand ambitions. He's quite old, and the family misses him dearly."
Kin had prepared his story well.
"How does Mr. An plan to pay?"
"My servants are bringing the money. I simply got ahead of them because I wanted to explore. They'll arrive in a few days."
"Then it seems Mr. An will need lodging in the meantime."
"Indeed. Does Kusagakure have accommodations? The payment will be settled together."
"We do."
Muui guided the carriage deeper into the village.
Kin peered out the window. Kusagakure wasn't as grand as Konoha, but it was well-constructed.
The village was small—he could vaguely see another exit in the distance.
Most of the passersby were shinobi; civilians were rare.
"Why is your village so small?" Kin asked curiously.
Muui stiffened. To him, the village seemed plenty large. How could Kin call it small?
"Well…"
The truth was, during the Second Shinobi World War, they had relocated to avoid becoming a battleground between Iwagakure and Konoha.
The war had also drastically reduced their mission volume.
Kusagakure had suffered greatly.
"Sir, we've arrived."
...
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(End of Chapter)