Escape From Konoha

In June, the weather was hot and dry.

While it wouldn't be as scorching as July and August, the hot air still sapped one's energy, particularly for Ayane, whose belly cradled life, making her appear more sluggish than usual.

"Asuka, do you think the baby in Auntie's stomach will be a younger brother or a sister?"

On a sofa in their homes living room, Ayane, engaged in a flower card game with Asuka, she asked him the question with a smile.

Flipping over a card, Asuka, after hearing Ayane's words, raised his head and replied without hesitation, "I think it should be a younger brother."

"Why a younger brother? It could also be another younger sister." Ayane asked with interest.

"Because I want a younger brother, my younger sister is already a girl." Asuka answered innocently. His wish for a younger brother was simple, considering he already had a younger sister.

Though Asuka had the Uchiha surname, his temperament differed from most of the Uchiha. Ayane admired sich genuine temperament so much, he showed his true self without any pretense. So, she hoped her unborn child could inherit the Asuka's good qualities.

Her own childhood lacked happiness, restricted by the rules of the clan, limiting even basic freedoms. What she yearned for when she was young was breaking free from those chains. She wished her children could live with more choices, free from the restrictions by the rules and regulations of the world.

She found out she was pregnant in March, with the expected delivery date in December of the current year or January of the next.

Now the ninja war was over, and Uchiha Madara's threat had been eliminated. Although a new powerful opponent had emerged, life in the Land of Demons had settled.

But, Ayane knew her inability to participate in the upcoming Kirigakure affairs. Even so, she considered it a minor issue. The fate of Kirigakure had already been determined. Even without Shiraishi and Ruri's involvement, they could assist Yagura in securing the position of the Fourth Mizukage, garnering a strong ally for them.

Despite Kirigakure experiencing a temporary power decline with the coup, their size ensured a swift recovery within a few years. The power of the five major nations vastly differed from that of a small country's ninja village, boasting a rich heritage of nurturing a large number of exceptional ninjas.

Her life recently, aside from some simple physical exercises, Ayane devoted most of her time to caring for Asuka and Kazuhime. With Ruri engaged in her training and Shiraishi occupied with work or research, the responsibility of looking after the children naturally fell to her. However, the majority of her focus was on Asuka, as Kazuhime proved much more sensible and intelligent than Asuka.

....

"Kazu.. why would the child born from Auntie Ayane be our brother or sister? Auntie Ayane isn't our mother."

Asuka, engrossed in his building block game within a spacious dollhouse, suddenly remembered something and asked his sister a question

Ayane had retired to the bedroom to rest due to mental distress. So Asuka felt that playing games alone was boring so he joined Kazuhime in the dollhouse for some company.

"I don't know." Lying on the ground, flipping through a book and reading, Kazuhime replied in a neutral tone. Despite being more sensible compared to Asuka, her life experiences were not as rich as one might expect. Compared to money, she didn't really understand the relationships between adults.

"You don't know?" Asuka, still engrossed in building blocks was surprised.

"Why should I know?"

"Because you know more than me."

"If you want to know, you can learn to read first and then go to Father's study to find related books and read them."

"But it's very difficult to learn characters, and I have a bad memory. Mother has taught me many times, I can only write my own name and some simple characters."

Asuka preferred playing games over learning to read and write, especially enjoying toys like building blocks, his favorites. Blocks of different shapes allowed him to freely create interesting structures like houses, animals, and some things he didn't understand. The moment he builds them, a sense of accomplishment and pride usually rose up in him. In contrast, writing words and learning seemed too troublesome and less appealing.

"Uhm, you learned how to read and write very quickly. Mother and Father have praised too many times." Asuka still building admired Kazuhime's quick learning.

Rather than following the original image in the drawing, Asuka allowed his imagination to guide him, resulting in a castle more magnificent and grand than the original design. The complex appearance indicated the significant effort he had invested.

Kazuhime remained silent, still engrossed in her book.

"Kazu, why are you so quiet?" Asuka holding the last block in his hand, was about to complete his castle.

Kazuhime closed her book, sat up, cast an unfriendly gaze at Asuka, and she said in a cold tone, "You're very noisy, brother, can't you be a more quieter?"contemporary romance

"But…"

Asuka was about to respond when Kazuhime stretched her hand and decisively took away a block from under his castle..The entire majestic building trembled slightly and then collapsed, blocks fell down one after the other, leaving only a scattered pile on the floor.

Asuka's expression turned blank, the last block slipped from his hand. His nose twitched, tears welled up in his eyes, and soon, the sound of a crying boy loudly echoed from the dollhouse.

"It seems your castle wasn't built properly. With only one block taken away, it scattered. Such a dangerous illegal building is too cheap and needs to be buil properly, brother. But I'll forgive you this time." Holding the book and swaying her braids, Kazuhime turned around walking out of the house, leaving her brother standing there, crying loudly.

Heading to the pet house to read her book, Kazuhime thought about the snacks Raimei had secretly stashed.

...

Shiraishi remained unaware of the events unfolding at home. He busied himself with Konoha's affairs, Jiraiya had departed from Konoha discreetly. Kakashi, too, was in the dark about Jiraiya's motives.

However, considering the available information, there were no more than two possibilities. One was the pursuit his disciple Nagato, who had disappeared in the Land of Rain. or the second possibility was aimed to locate him, Ruri, and Ayane.

He always knew that Konoha wouldn't let them slip away easily. The defection of ninjas from the Uchiha and Hyuga clans had serious consequences, scattering the power of Anbu due to Danzo's incident.

Meanwhile, while he was busy another event occurred, the Nine Tails Jinchuriki Uzumaki Kushina was pregnant, constraining the Anbu's actions once more. Even several Jonins preferred to remain cautious, emphasizing the protection and security of Nine Tails Jinchuriki.

However, Konoha wasn't ready to abandon the pursuit of the three rogues. Thus, Jiraiya, temporarily without anything to do found a purpose. Jiraiya's strength and the support of Mount Myōboku, coupled with his adeptness in intelligence work, made him a tricky opponent. His eclectic nature allowed him to gather information unnoticed in pubs and bars without being noticed.

Facing such a skilled spy master required careful consideration. Though Jiraiya's involvement had its advantages and disadvantages, Konoha would eventually notice Nagato's movements as the investigation deepened either sooner or later.. In order to regain control of the Land of Rain and free it from the dominion of the Land of Fire, Nagato would likely target Konoha. Creating chaos in Konoha was crucial for this plan to succeed.

With Ayane pregnant, the prospect of dealing with Konoha personally seemed daunting to Shiraishi. He was quite reluctant to go alone with Ruri. Confronting the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, required careful planning, considering the Hokage's exceptional abilities.

He acknowledged Minato as the fastest ninja in the world, adding another layer of difficulty to the situation. Extreme speed posed challenges that couldn't be taken lightly.

Allowing Nagato the opportunity to engage with Konoha might serve as a strategy to afflict both sides. he pondered, "It seems like there wluld be no need to intervene personally. Compared to us Nagato is far more eager to take control of the Land of Rain from the Land Of Fire's hands, he will likely create chaos in Konoha."

Moreover, preparations concerning Kirigakure required Shiraishi's attention. Yagura had sent multiple letters, and the plan would unfold in the coming months. At his current strength, dealing with Konoha directly seemed unwise. Even if they had the capability to confront Konoha, the Fourth Hokage, Nine Tails Jinchuriki, and a large number of Konoha Jonins, it still represented a huge risk.

Compared to facing the old Uchiha Madara, Konoha's might posed a greater threat. Instead of attacking, allowing Nagato the opportunity to draw Konoha's attention, weakening them without wasting a single soldier while he focused on his own plans could serve both goals effectively.

With this decision made, Shiraishi picked up his pen to write the necessary information on blank scrolls, distributing them to his subordinates.

"The rest is a waiting game."

Shiraishi thought as he left the office, proceeding to the lab to continue researching about tailed beasts and the Zero Tail. He was currently exploring how to effectively apply the power of the Tailed Beast to one of his clones..It intrigued him.

...

"Oh, another brother down. Looks like it was a brutal death."

In a canyon at the Land of Rain and Land of Fire border, a light rain fell.

A White Zetsu whose body was pierced with kunai, lay lifeless by the side of the road.

Several other White Zetsu emerged from the ground, discovering the fallen comrade and expressing their grievances.

"While he may not be a special type, he can accurately locate traces. Seems like he's capable of moving through the ground, much like us."

"Oh, is that crafty guy similar to Black Zetsu?" Another White Zetsu chimed in.

"In any case, let's dispose of the body first."

The remaining White Zetsu licked their tongues, eyeing the dead Zetsu as if they were about to have a delicious meal. Just as one was about to indulge, another White Zetsu sensed something wrong, stopping the eager one from eating the corpse.

"What's wrong?"

"There's something inside the body." The alert White Zetsu approached, retrieved the kunai from the corpse, and sliced open its belly, revealing a scroll inside.

"What's this?"

"Idiot!! it's a scroll."

"I know it's a scroll, but why is there a scroll in his stomach?"

"Maybe the enemy wants to send some information to us."

"Could it be a trap?"

The White Zetsu began discussing hurriedly. This scenario had happened before. They recalled that Sharingan woman who had previously used a White Zetsu as bait to successfully locate their master. Given the suspicious placement of the scroll, it was hard to dismiss the possibility of a trap deliberately set to trap them. However, curiosity got the better of them, and they were eager to know the contents of the scroll.

One White Zetsu picked up the scroll, and to their relief, nothing unusual happened.

"It seems there's no trap jutsu on it." The White Zetsu holding the scroll sighed in relief.

"Don't talk nonsense; open it quickly and look at its contents."

"Got it."

The White Zetsu, holding the scroll, opened it, and the others gathered to read the contents, making sure not to touch the scroll.

They found a simple message:

"October,the Nine Tails Jinchuriki will be giving birth, and the eal will get weaker. You can go to Room 323 on the third floor of Konoha Hospital for confirmation."

"What does it mean?"

Holding the scroll, the White Zetsu thought. While the White zetsu holding the scroll thought the meaning, another White Zetsu launched a sudden attack from behind, seizing the kunai lodged in the corpse and thrusting it into the thinking zetsu's body.

The scroll fell from the hand, and the dying White Zetsu had a confused expression, seemingly questioning, 'Why did you kill me?'

The rest of the White Zetsu looked on in confusion at the perpetrator as if asking why he had killed him. The one who struck down the thinking White Zetsu explained without guilt, "Idiot, he touched the scroll. Who knows if there's a tracking seal on it. We only need to know the content. We can't fall into the same trap twice. Be careful, and you will all be safe."

Hearing the explanation, the others nodded in approval.

Following that, they picked up stones, smashed the scroll, destroying it without making contact. Afterwards, White zetsu's body was destroyed on the spot. Having completed these actions, they returned to their stronghold with this crucial piece of information.

...

Within a cave concealed behind a waterfall, the internal passage looked like a maze, complex and easy to lose one's way for the unfamiliar.

White Zetsus stood guard everywhere, both on the path and in the surrounding ground, eliminating any possibility of unauthorized entry or exit by adversaries.

"In October, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki will give birth..."

Nagato was stunned upon hearing the news. However, he quickly grasped the situation. Was this important information shared to him to incite a conflict with Konoha?

Black zetsu said with a slightly deep meaning, "This may be bait for Nagato-sama to fall into a trap."

"It is indeed possible." Nagato nodded. Allowing him to engage with Konoha and then seizing the opportunity to eliminate both him and Konoha seemed a possible strategy. After he thought for a moment, he asked, "Is it true that the seal weakens during a Jinchuriki given birth?"

Black Zetsu fell silent before responding, "Yes. Female humans might indeed face such disadvantages. During childbirth, the restraining power of the tailed beast will become weaker."

"In other words, the other group isn't acting without purpose." Nagato said meaningfully.

"Nagato-sama, you don't mean..."

"This is one of the few opportunities to weaken Konoha. I need tl secure control over Ame as soon as possible."

"This might be a trap."

"Even if it is, it's worth the risk. Time isn't on our side."

Nagato replied in a determined manner. Black Zetsu fell silent, recognizing Nagato's resolve. Their hidden enemy had revealed an absolute conspiracy, exploiting Nagato's weakness—The Land of Rain. Nagato understood that this could be bait, forcing him to confront Konoha.

"However, if it's a trap, that's not necessarily true. Konoha is also deeply concerned about the three of them, as far as I know. Maybe they attempt to use me to disrupt Konoha looking for them." Nagato speculated.

"Even so, it's too risky to go this suddenly."

"No, concerning dealing with Konoha, my goals align with theirs to some extent. With such important information, we can plan something. If it's a trap or not, we will need to verify for ourselves." Nagato sat there, a cold light flashed across the emotionless eyes.

"Since Nagato-sama has decided, leave this to me." Black Zetsu volunteered.

"Very well. You go to Room 323 on the third floor of Konoha Hospital. If it's true, I don't mind being the temporary sword in their hands against Konoha."

"Understood." Black Zetsu nodded in understanding, dived into the ground, and stealthily headed towards Konoha direction.

With Black Zetsu gone, Nagato's mind lingered on the information provided by the group. The enemy clearly wanted to make both him and Konoha harmed. Moreover, he couldn't figure out why they would generously share such important information with him. Even White Zetsu couldn't uncover such classified important. It appeared the their influence within Konoha ran deeper than White Zetsu's.

Regardless, those three people had lived in Konoha for nearly twenty years. Investigating within Konoha was undoubtedly more easier for them than for White Zetsu.

Dealing solely with Nine Tails Jinchuriki meant confronting the Yellow Flash Namikaze Minato, a challenging feat. Renowned for his prowess, both Iwa and Kumo had suffered consecutive defeats against him. Nagato lacked the confidence to outright defeat the Yellow Flash, who could potentially annihilate the Six Paths of Pain controlled by him in an instant.

"It seems we need to make preparations in advance."

Not only that, Konoha's Third Hokage Hiruzen, Root leader Shimura Danzo, and two advisors were highly capable. Using the Nine Tails to weaken Konoha's power imposed immense pressure on Nagato. However, retreating now wasn't an option. Missing this opportunity might doom the chances of thr Land of Rain rising again.

...

Around the same time Nagato received the scroll, Yagura also received a scroll Shiraishi passed on. However, Yagura's scroll was encrypted with a seal requiring a specific method to unlock; otherwise, it would self-destruct. Since Shiraishi had provided information multiple times, Yagura deciphered the scroll in the usual manner.

There wasn't much content in the scroll, only a few words.

"October, the Nine Tails Jinchuriki will be giving birth, and there will be chaos in Konoha. Please make preparations."

Yagura's eyes flickered. He hadn't expected Shiraishi to could know such confidential information. This revelation hinted at the presence of someone within Konoha, perhaps among its important medical personnel. Even with such an ally, he felt a considerable burden.

pressure Yet, considering Shiraishi's group were former Konoha ninjas, they likely had planted spies within Konoha, providing real-time information.

"October?... Hmm.."

It was currently late June, allowing at most three months of preparation time. While not too fast, concealing the present situation within Kiri was certainly more pressing. Originally, he intended to schedule the coup in November. However, given that Konoha's chaos could attract the attention of others around the world, he felt compelled to capitalize on the opportunity presented by Shiraishi's crucial report.

"October it is. It's no big deal anyway." Yagura destroyed the scroll, venturing outside his residence.

"Come."

A ninja appeared before Yagura, kneeling on one knee, awaiting orders.

"Yagura-sama."

"We will continue the purge. The selection meeting for the Fourth Mizukage will be held on October. I will inform you of the specific date." Yagura issued expressionlessly.

The Third Mizukage had delegated the selection meeting for the Fourth Mizukage to Yagura, enabling him to determine the date at his discretion. Yagura perceived it as a ploy by the Third Mizukage to shift the pressure from all factions onto him.

Nonetheless, he would soon become the Forth Mizukage.

----

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