Chapter Seventy: Mother and Son

Having received Tsunade’s parting kiss, Kato Mikaze found himself in quite a good mood. It wasn’t the so-called “kiss of death” debuff or any of those strange, mysterious things—was he happy simply for having gained a buff? How shallow. Tsunade’s kiss itself was the true point of happiness.

Leaving the gates of Konoha, Kato Mikaze gathered chakra within himself and cast Wind Release: Gale Step, granting himself a burst of speed.

With his direction set, he began making his way toward the northwest of the Land of Fire, heading for the border with the Land of Rain. There lay a vast camp of Konoha shinobi: the Northwestern Bastion.

To call it a mere camp was to understate its importance. Owing to its unique position, this stronghold formed the western line of defense against Sunagakure of the Land of Wind, and the northern line against Iwagakure of the Land of Earth. All supply routes from Konoha passed through the Northwestern Bastion; since the Warring States period, it had been a fiercely contested strategic point. After years of careful development by Konoha, the Northwestern Bastion had grown into a true military fortress in every sense.

Kato Mikaze chose this fortress as his first stop after leaving Konoha. From there, he could continue west to the Land of Wind, north to the Land of Earth, or head straight into the Land of Rain, all with ease and flexibility. He also intended to use the bastion as his logistical supply point; he had acquaintances stationed there, including classmates from his own year who had been posted to the Northwestern Bastion for some time.

Once past the outermost barrier of Konoha, Kato Mikaze let his chakra circulate at an even swifter pace, reaching a speed suited for long-distance travel without sacrificing readiness for combat.

A ninja’s speed was impressive by default, and Kato Mikaze’s proficiency in ninjutsu lay particularly in swiftness. The Wind Release: Gale Step technique provided significant support when maintaining such high speed over extended distances.

His research into wind-nature chakra focused on three main aspects: sharpness, swiftness, and omnipresence. The Gale Step was a prime example of harnessing the “swiftness” property of wind-nature chakra.

...

While Kato Mikaze pressed onward at full speed, let us briefly shift our attention to the vicinity of his destination.

Near Amegakure in the Land of Rain, the sky was unexpectedly clear today—an uncommon gift of sun shining through the thick clouds, offering a rare sunny day in the village.

In the courtyard of a modest civilian home, a young woman with striking red hair cradled an infant of the same vivid hue, both basking in the seldom-seen sunlight. The baby, having just awakened, was delighting in the warmth, lively and playful in his mother’s arms. Under the loving gaze of his mother, the infant’s bright, round eyes sparkled with energy as he turned his head in curiosity to take in the world.

The woman’s name was Fusang, a direct descendant of the Uzumaki clan from the Land of Whirlpools. The pure crimson of her hair betrayed the strength of her lineage. The child at her breast, if anything, bore an even more vivid shade than his mother.

Fusang’s husband was a native of the Land of Rain. After marrying, due to certain circumstances within the Uzumaki clan and her husband’s own reasons, Fusang had followed him to settle in the Land of Rain.

This home stood near Amegakure, within the village’s sphere of influence. In recent years, thanks to the formidable reputation of Hanzo the Salamander, leader of Amegakure, life for ordinary citizens in the Land of Rain had become relatively secure, especially in areas close to the village itself.

Yet, since the beginning of this year, Fusang had sensed a growing tension in her once-peaceful surroundings. Lately, and she couldn’t say if it was a woman’s intuition or a mother’s instinct to protect her child, she had the nagging feeling that her child was being watched—some subtle, almost imperceptible gaze upon them.

It was a strange sensation, faint and difficult to describe. If not for her deep sense of responsibility as a mother, Fusang might not have trusted it herself. Though she didn’t detect any malice in this watchful presence—on the contrary, there seemed a touch of guardianship—nonetheless, the idea of her child being surveilled by a stranger was deeply unsettling.

Fusang confided her fears to her husband, who did not doubt her, and together they grew anxious for a time. They tried various measures, even considering hiring Amegakure’s shinobi to investigate.

A squad of Amegakure ninja did accept the task and visited their home, but found nothing amiss. In the end, they chalked it up to Fusang’s first-time motherhood and the recent unrest in the Land of Rain, dismissing her feelings as nerves and imagination.

After the ninja left, and with no mishaps occurring at home, the couple’s anxiety gradually eased. Still, as a housewife, Fusang kept her child close at all times, never letting him out of her sight while she tended to chores.

...

At the same moment, not far from Fusang’s home and hidden from her view, a head with a shock of green hair suddenly sprouted from the trunk of a large tree.

Its gaze was fixed squarely on the red-haired mother and child in the courtyard—the white Zetsu clone assigned to monitor Fusang and her son, Nagato.

Though not wholly human—indeed, with that green hair, it resembled a plant more than a person—the white Zetsu clone appreciated the rare sunshine just as much as his surveillance targets. After long stretches spent lurking in dark, damp corners, today’s exceptional weather offered a welcome opportunity to bask in the warm light.

He did not dare reveal his entire body; after all, a pale, gleaming figure with a crown of green, growing out of a tree, would be far too conspicuous. Despite Fusang not being a ninja, she was no fool; on a previous occasion, another white Zetsu clone had somehow betrayed his presence and was nearly discovered by her.

That incident nearly brought a squad of Amegakure shinobi to their doorstep, threatening to ruin Madara Uchiha’s grand designs. The ill-fated clone was later severely punished by the original Black and White Zetsu, disassembled, and sent back to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path for reforging.

Now, only his head poked out, blending with the natural camouflage of green, which was sufficient.

“How is it? Any sign of that red-haired child Nagato acting strangely?” asked a second head, identical in appearance, sprouting beside the first.

This second head, however, was half black and half white. Like the first, its crown was a lush patch of green, but it also sported massive, serrated green jaws on either side, like the maw of a carnivorous plant. This was the true Black and White Zetsu, the original.

The white Zetsu clone replied, “Boss, all’s well. I’m not like that last idiot you had smelted down; I’m keeping things nice and quiet.”

Black and White Zetsu regarded the blissful red-haired mother and child in the yard. “Good. Just do your job,” he said curtly.

Lifting his gaze to the sun, which shone so rarely in these parts, Black and White Zetsu couldn’t help but think that, despite resembling grass more than a man, even he grew weary of constant dampness. Too much watering, after all, would kill even the hardiest of plants.

He spread his massive green jaws wider to soak up more sunlight, inadvertently casting a shadow over the white Zetsu clone beside him.

“Boss, your fancy accessories are blocking my sun! Why don’t I get something like that?” the clone grumbled enviously.

Black and White Zetsu shot a glare at him. “Who’s the boss here—you or me? Move over! I won’t be long.”

...

PS: New author seeking your support—please recommend and add to your favorites!