"Kimimaro, Karin, you two came all the way to the Land of Earth and didn't even think to find me? I had to come looking for you!"
Kurotsuchi immediately started complaining as soon as she caught sight of them.
"Shorty, it's one thing if you don't recognize strangers, but how can you ignore someone as big as Jugo?" Karin teased.
"I've told you a hundred times—don't call me Shorty!" Kurotsuchi huffed, then turned to Jugo. "Hello, Jugo. Welcome back to the Land of Earth. Did you get to see the sights this time?"
She remembered how the last time they were here, Kimimaro's group had camped for days in the deep mountains near the border. Jugo nodded politely in response.
Karin tugged Kurotsuchi aside with a conspiratorial grin. "Miss Kurotsuchi, I missed you so much."
"If you missed me, why are you dragging me around like this?" Kurotsuchi grumbled.
"Hehe, I just wanted to give you an update on Kimimaro! You've got to be curious." Karin pointed toward Hanabi. "See that little girl? That's Hyuga Hanabi—the second daughter of the Hyuga clan head. Her clan has ties to the Kaguya clan from long ago. Her father arranged a formal engagement between her and Kimimaro!"
"Huh? But she's still so young!"
"It's just an engagement. They'll wait until she's older to marry, obviously. What, are you jealous?" Karin grinned mischievously.
Kurotsuchi's face flushed slightly. "Why would I be jealous? You're the one who should be jealous."
"Me? A big-hearted girl like me? Please." Karin waved it off. "Besides, just so you know—Kimimaro and I already kissed. So, now are you jealous?"
"Karin, you detestable woman!" Kurotsuchi snapped, swinging her arm as if to smack her.
Karin quickly darted behind Kimimaro for cover. "See? Told you she'd be jealous!"
Kurotsuchi calmed herself down, arms crossed. "Why would I be jealous? It's not like I'm his girlfriend or anything."
Her cheeks stayed red—not from shyness, but from a sting of shame.
Why was she reacting this way? This was only the second time she'd met Kimimaro. What was there to be jealous about?
And yet, when Karin—always teasing—boasted like that, she couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.
She glared at Kimimaro briefly, though the happiness of seeing them again outweighed the irritation.
To say she liked Kimimaro would be an exaggeration—there was only a faint ripple in her heart. Still, that small stir was real, and Karin's smugness had amplified it.
Affection between boys and girls at that age could easily be confused with rivalry or pride. Once people around them started poking fun or making assumptions, they often began to take those feelings seriously without realizing it.
Kurotsuchi didn't have many friends her age. Most people in Iwagakure treated her as the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage, not as a peer. Finding someone like Kimimaro—distant, polite, but sincere—was rare for her. That alone made him feel different.
Putting those thoughts aside, Kurotsuchi led the group to play around the nearby areas.
Everyone quickly warmed up to the cheerful and open-hearted "little princess" of Iwagakure.
Hanabi, especially, found common ground with Kurotsuchi—both came from high-status clans and understood what that entailed.
After a few days of fun, the time came for Kurotsuchi to return.
"I'm still a ninja, after all. I can't be out playing forever. But next time you visit, I'll show you around again."
Kimimaro smiled. "Once we settle somewhere, we'd love for you to visit us too."
"You know," Kurotsuchi said, "you could always stay in Iwagakure. I could talk to Grandpa—maybe he'll take you as a disciple."
Becoming the Tsuchikage's disciple was no small offer—it was a path to high status. But Kimimaro politely declined.
"While I'm still young, I want to see more of the world."
"Alright then!"
"Kurotsuchi! Let's go already!" Karin called from outside.
"Coming!"
"Women and their shopping," Kimimaro murmured, half amused.
Kurotsuchi and Karin had promised to take Hanabi out. The boys, tired from traveling, stayed behind.
Guren, due to her more reserved nature and being older than the trio, didn't join either.
Kimimaro had initially wanted Guren to accompany them for safety, but Kurotsuchi dismissed the idea.
"This is the Land of Earth! Who'd dare mess with me? And don't forget—I have Lava Release. Don't underestimate me!"
Lava Release, a fusion of fire and earth chakra, was her inherited Kekkei Genkai.
Guren's Crystal Release was also derived from fire and earth, though it manifested differently.
The two had even sparred over whose bloodline limit was superior.
However, Kurotsuchi's mastery wasn't enough yet—she could only use quicklime techniques rather than full molten lava.
Still, her Earth Release skills were solid, and she had some Water Release proficiency.
Though she couldn't breach Guren's crystal defenses, she was nimble enough to escape Guren's holds.
Watching their duel, Kimimaro shook his head.
"No wonder Kurotsuchi was often ranked among the weakest of the past Kage. A more gifted shinobi with Lava Release would be elite Jonin level by now. But her current power's only brushing the edge of that."
Indeed, during the Fourth Great Ninja War in the manga, Kurotsuchi was shown to be a competent but unremarkable Jonin.
Guren, on the other hand, had already displayed near-Kage level strength during the Shippuden arc—even giving Kakashi trouble when his Mangekyō Sharingan wasn't active.
By comparison, Guren's potential had long outpaced Kurotsuchi's.
Meanwhile, Kurotsuchi, Karin, and Hanabi arrived at the bustling shopping district…
In a large and militarily formidable country like the Land of Earth, the civilian cities remained bustling and prosperous despite the underlying tensions among shinobi factions. Kimimaro, Karin, and Hanabi took a rare moment to relax, enjoying shopping and eating without restraint.
Spending money?
That wasn't even a concern.
With Kurotsuchi accompanying them and Hanabi being the Hyuga clan heiress, money wasn't an issue at all.
Since this was meant to be a leisurely outing, they let their guard down more than usual. Though they were in foreign territory, they didn't maintain a constant watch on their surroundings. Karin didn't activate her Mind's Eye of Kagura, and Hanabi hadn't used her Byakugan since they weren't expecting danger in the heart of a populated city.
None of them noticed the shinobi clad in black, silently tailing them from a distance.
"Three girls traveling with little concern for security... what an opportunity."
The man in black narrowed his eyes.
"The mission is to capture Kimimaro, but it's not as simple as it sounds. The fact that he defeated Matsuda Goro proves he's no pushover. My subordinates alone won't be enough. The lord underestimated him — that worthless fool Taketori Takemoto's failure has distorted our assessment."
His gaze fixed on the trio.
"Still… today might be the perfect chance. I'd rather not touch the Iwagakure kunoichi — it could spark diplomatic trouble — but the other two aren't protected by any village. Capturing them shouldn't be too hard."
He subtly made a hand signal, and within moments, another shinobi appeared at his side.
"Lord Muin, awaiting your command."
"We spotted Kimimaro's trail a few days ago. Now, two of the girls with him have separated slightly from the group. I trust you understand what needs to be done."
"You want us to go after them?"
"Exactly. Don't tell me you're hesitating?"
"Of course not. We of Hozuki Castle were charged with tracking down high-risk targets. If these girls are designated by the warden himself, then mercy is irrelevant."
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