Chapter 237: The Prey Docks
"If that girl really is the future leader of Nadeshiko Village, then by defeating her, Boss, you've basically put a target on your back. They'll definitely come looking for you!" Suigetsu teased, a wide, expectant grin plastered on his face. He was clearly relishing the potential for future drama.
The comment gave Ren a moment's pause. He had spared them on a whim, a fleeting concession to aesthetics. He hadn't considered the convoluted customs of their village. Their rules meant nothing to him. If they became a nuisance, he would simply erase their village from the map. It would be no more difficult than swatting a fly.
"Enough," Ren cut him off, his voice laced with a warning chill. "We are not here for gossip. Our focus is the mission. We head to the port now to monitor the arrival of our guests from the Land of Water." The subtle release of his killing intent was enough. Suigetsu and the others fell silent, the playful mood evaporating as they fell in step behind him, their expressions turning serious.
They secured lodging in a hotel that overlooked the bustling port, its windows offering a commanding view of every ship that sailed into the harbor. The vessel from Kirigakure would not escape their notice. For now, Ren retired to his room. While his stamina was such that he could go days without rest, the journey from the Land of Water was not a short one. There was time yet. With nothing else to occupy his mind, he settled into a state of quiet repose.
Alone, his thoughts drifted to the one variable he could not fully control. Sasuke... he should be with Itachi by now. I wonder what tale his brother will spin for him. Logically, he had little to worry about. Itachi would never physically harm Sasuke; his entire life had been a performance for his younger brother's benefit, culminating in the planned "gift" of his Mangekyō.
But Itachi's influence over Sasuke was a weapon sharper than any Kusanagi. In the history Ren knew, that bond had been powerful enough to sway Sasuke from a path of righteous vengeance against Konoha to fighting for its preservation in the war. Itachi's pacifist ideology, his "will of fire," was a direct contradiction to Ren's own crusade. It was highly probable that Itachi would instruct Sasuke to stop him.
A faint sigh escaped Ren's lips. There's no point in dwelling on it. What will come, will come. Sasuke... do not become a enemy I have to put down. I would find that... regrettable.
Pushing the thoughts aside, he centered himself. The future would unfold as it must.
***
The next morning, Ren descended to the hotel's common area for breakfast. He paused momentarily at the entrance; seated at a corner table were the two kunoichi from the previous day. The middle-aged woman looked up at his arrival, her expression a mixture of apprehension and resolve. The younger one, Shizuka, sat with her hood drawn, her face hidden, her posture tense.
Ren dismissed them from his attention and moved to an empty table. He ordered a simple meal and began to eat, his demeanor making it clear they were invisible to him.
His indifference, however, was a challenge they seemed compelled to meet.
The older kunoichi approached his table, waiting until he had nearly finished before speaking with forced calm. "Lord Ren, might we have a moment of your time? There is a matter we wish to discuss."
Ren didn't look up from his plate. "Not interested."
The woman flinched as if struck. She opened her mouth to protest, but the memory of his suffocating aura the day before sealed her lips. She could only bow her head slightly and retreat.
But Shizuka had less restraint. Infuriated by his blatant disregard, she stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. She marched to his table, her hood falling back to reveal eyes blazing with indignation.
"Lord Shizuka, no!" the older kunoichi whispered urgently, grabbing her arm.
Ren finally lifted his gaze, his eyes meeting Shizuka's furious ones. There was no anger in his look, only a profound, chilling boredom. The girl was beautiful, yes, but beauty was a flimsy shield against his ire. Annoy him sufficiently, and he would snuff her out without a second thought, a fleeting moment of pity long forgotten.
The older kunoichi, sensing the deadly shift in the atmosphere, pulled Shizuka back with desperate strength. "My deepest apologies, Lord Ren! She meant no disrespect! We will take our leave and... and trouble you another time!" She practically dragged the fuming princess away from the table and out of the dining hall.
Ren merely returned to his meal, the encounter already fading from his mind.
Soon after, Suigetsu and Karin joined him, their movements swift and silent.
"Boss," Karin murmured, her voice low. "The ship from the Land of Water. It's here."
A slow, predatory smile finally touched Ren's lips. The waiting was over. "Finally," he said, rising to his feet. "Let's go."
***
Out in the harbor, a ship bearing the distinct crest of Kirigakure cut smoothly through the water, its sails furled as it glided toward the dock. According to their intelligence, it carried the very heart of their mission: the delegation heading to the Five Kage Summit. The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumī, and her two guards.
The ship docked with practiced ease. A gangplank was lowered, and three figures disembarked.
The first was a young man with short, grey-blue hair and black-rimmed glasses, the bandaged form of the twin-sword Hiramekarei visible on his back—Chōjūrō. The second was a veteran, his most striking feature the eyepatch covering his left eye, beneath which rested a prized Byakugan—Ao.
And then, the third.
She was a woman in the prime of her life, moving with a grace that was both alluring and deadly. Auburn hair, so long it reached her ankles, was styled elegantly. Her green eyes held a sharp, intelligent light, and her attire, complete with mesh armor and dark blue nail polish, spoke of a leader who was both fashionable and formidable. The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumī.
From the shadows of a building overlooking the port, Uchiha Ren watched them step onto the soil of the Land of Waves.
A cold, satisfied gleam ignited in his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Hmph," he breathed, the sound barely a whisper. "Fifth Mizukage... I've been waiting for you."
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