**Drip. Drip. Drip.**
Steam curled through the bathroom, thick enough to blur the edges of the room.
Hot water gushed from the showerhead, rinsing the blood from Hikari's silver-gray hair. Bare feet pressed against the cold tiles as rivulets traced down her ankles.
Nearby, a woman's corpse lay curled beneath the sink—hands cradling her rounded belly, brown eyes frozen open, staring blankly at the harsh light above. The blood beneath her had long since dried.
**"Haaah…"**
Hikari tilted her face into the spray, letting the heat scour away the grime and exhaustion. She stepped into the bathtub, sinking into the water with a sigh. Her hair fanned out like pale seaweed, swaying gently in the current.
This had been her favorite ritual in her past life.
After a grueling day at work, nothing beat a long, scalding soak. For a few precious moments, the world outside ceased to exist.
The warmth seeped into her bones, loosening muscles knotted from battle. Her eyelids grew heavy…
---
**Meanwhile: Ruins of the Kaguya Clan, Eastern Kirigakure**
The once-bustling Kaguya compound was now a graveyard of shattered wood and trampled ancestral tablets. Over twenty ANBU operatives combed through the wreckage, their movements methodical, ruthless.
At the center stood a man in a slate-gray cloak, armored beneath with standard-issue shinobi gear. His face—unmasked—was all sharp angles: a broad, straight nose, cold blue eyes, and brown hair cropped short.
**Kyōga.**
The ANBU Commander.
**"How much longer?"** His voice was a blade's edge. **"Where's Ao?"**
The tengu-masked operative kneeling before him didn't flinch. **"Elder Genzui summoned him. He's unavailable."**
**"And the Fourth's objective?"**
Kyōga's gaze could have frozen the sea. As the Mizukage's right hand—and the leader of Kirigakure's anti-Kekkei Genkai faction—he knew exactly where his authority came from. Failure wasn't an option.
**"Still searching. Orochimaru took the Kaguya survivor east, then looped west. He may have already intercepted the target. And…"** A pause. **"There are reports that Momochi Zabuza has returned to Water Country. His path may intersect with Orochimaru's."**
Kyōga's jaw tightened.
Orochimaru. Zabuza.
Both were wild cards. If they joined forces…
The Mizukage's orders were clear: **Retrieve the relic said to date back to the Sage of Six Paths—no matter the cost.** Even if it meant facing the Snake Sannin and the Demon of the Mist.
**"Squad—form up!"**
*Shunshin!*
The ANBU materialized in ranks, disciplined as clockwork.
Kyōga's eyes swept over them. **"Tengu, your unit stays. Secure the village. Once Ao returns, have him sweep the area again. The rest—with me."**
**"Hai!"**
As the squad vanished into the mist, the tengu-masked operative lingered. Beneath the mask, his eyes glowed faintly blue.
---
**Hidden Bunker, Kirigakure**
*Tap. Tap-tap.*
The coded knock echoed through the dim chamber.
**"Enter."**
The voice was aged but firm—a sound that carried the weight of decades.
Tengu—no, *Hokora Takuto*—removed his mask and stepped inside.
Candlelight flickered across a massive table, illuminating three figures:
- **Ao**, his lone eye sharp beneath gray-blue hair, sealing talismans dangling from his ears.
- **Mei Terumī**, her lips painted pink, auburn curls cascading over one eye. Even now, her presence was magnetic.
- And at the head, **Elder Genzui**, gripping his serpent-headed staff like a relic of forgotten lore.
**"Elder,"** Takuto bowed. **"Kyōga took the bait. He's chasing Orochimaru with the bulk of the ANBU. Only my squad remains in the village."**
**"Well done."** Genzui's milky eyes narrowed. **"And the Fourth…?"**
**"Forgive my presumption, but—is he truly…?"**
**"That is not your concern."**
Takuto stiffened. **"My apologies."**
This man had served since the *First Mizukage's* era. To some, his word held more sway than the Kage's.
**"Go. Protect the village in its weakened state."**
**"Understood."**
As the door shut, Ao leaned forward. **"Elder, what *are* they searching for?"**
Genzui exhaled slowly. **"The Kaguya's history stretches beyond the Sage of Six Paths. Their clan guarded something… older."**
**"Older than the *Sage*?!"** Ao's voice cracked.
Mei's nails dug into the table. **"Enough speculation. When do we *move*?"**
Her youth bled through—impatient, fierce. Not yet the poised leader she'd become.
**"Rashness will get us killed,"** Genzui said, calm as deep water. **"Our enemy controls a jinchūriki with genjutsu. If you lose focus, you become his blade."**
Mei's fists clenched—then relaxed. She dipped her head. **"…You're right."**
Ao watched, impressed. *This* was why Genzui had survived the centuries.
The old man's staff thumped against stone.
**"Prepare yourselves. Tonight, we reclaim Kirigakure."**
---