Tsukumogami * Ōnoki

Mokushō watched Madara and Izuna's figures disappear into the depths of the mansion, then squatted in the shadows of the corridor for a while, making sure that their breathing had become steady and long, before standing up.

He walked barefoot across the tatami mats to the door of Izuna's bedroom and listened for a moment through the paper door.

After confirming that Izuna was asleep, he bent down and scooped up the Crow Netsuke through the crack in the door, tucked it into his sleeve, and turned to leave the mansion.

After leaving the Uchiha Clan Compound, he went into the forest, took out the Crow Netsuke from his sleeve, and placed it on his knee.

"Tsukimiyo? Are you awake?"

The ruby eye on the Crow Netsuke flashed in the darkness.

Then a voice came from the Netsuke, deep and languid. "It's you."

How was your trip?

Netsuke snorted irritably, "Don't even mention it. I had to compete for the Grandmaster title, and I also had to help them resolve their issues. It took me over ten years to open this passage and get here. I'm so fed up now."

Mokushō chuckled twice, his laughter echoing softly through the forest. "Luckily you arrived in time, otherwise I might have lost control."

"You dare to lose control and see what happens?" Netsuke's voice suddenly lowered, filled with murderous intent.

"There's nothing I can do, you know what state I'm in." Mokushō leaned against the tree trunk, one leg crossed over the other, his Geta swaying in mid-air, his tone light and cheerful, "Being able to use a human body, I'm so excited, okay?"

"Heh, if I hadn't turned into this state, you would have already been beaten up by now."

"So scary~ So scary~"

Netsuke didn't continue arguing with him.

The glint in her ruby eyes dimmed for a moment, then brightened again, her tone returning to calm. "By the way, it seems your brother is here too."

The Geta that Mokushō swaying came to a stop.

He leaned against the willow trunk and spoke after a while, "Yeah. I don't know what he's doing, but I have a feeling he's up to something."

"I should find a chance to go see him; I have a bad feeling about this."

"Let's check it out while they're out searching for the Tailed Beasts. I can also go out for some fresh air."

Netsuke's Red Eyes flashed. "Remember to be careful and don't repeat the same mistake."

"I know." Mokushō turned his face away, paused for a moment, then suddenly looked at him, "Speaking of which, when did you get here?"

"Those foreigners who came to the Land of Fire not long ago," Netsuke, his voice tinged with excitement, and he was instantly furious. "You brat! You sensed my arrival, why didn't you send Izuna to find me!"

"That's too deliberate," Mokushō said irritably. "Didn't we agree that the child wouldn't notice anything unusual?"

"You just want to monopolize my brother's attention!"

"Look at what you're saying. He had already left the Capital City by then. I had to wait until he went to the Capital City before issuing the mission."

Netsuke sneered repeatedly, "Heh, you wait, wait until I regain my human form and see how I deal with you!"

Mokushō immediately slid to his knees, "I'm sorry, I was wrong! Please forgive me, Tsukimiyo!"

"And what kind of weird name Mokushō? It's so typical of you, so tacky."

Mokushō, but also despondent.

"Is it really... that tacky...?"

Netsuke: "..."

Tsukimiyo repeatedly told herself that this was just a despicable little trick by Mokushō to gain sympathy.

He's known Mokushō for a long time, long enough that he can recite every Isshiki of the kid by heart: first, he pretends to be pitiful, then waits for people to soften, and then bites you when you reach out to help him.

He could predict this process even with his eyes closed.

Even so, he couldn't help but comfort her, saying, "Actually... it's not that unfashionable."

Mokushō immediately looked up, the Red Eyes on the Talisman Paper shining brightly, his voice carrying a smug "I knew you'd say that" tone. "Yeah, it's much better than your weird name! You're supposed to be Fire Style user, but you named yourself after the Moon Goddess, so childish--"

The forest was silent for a full three seconds.

Tsukimiyo swallowed back the thought, "It's not really that corny," and cursed herself a hundred times for being so soft-hearted towards Mokushō.

A leopard can't change its spots; this guy really is as deserving of a beating as ever!

The ruby eyes on the Crow Netsuke suddenly lit up, the air around the Netsuke began to distort, and the black wooden shell melted and deformed in the light, expanding and stretching outwards, condensing into the shape of a crow.

Then he slapped Mokushō in the face with his wing.

The flapping of the wing sent Mokushō tumbling twice in the air before crashing into the bushes beside him.

The bushes crackled and snapped, then all was quiet.

A crow landed on a low branch above the bushes, looked down at the two Geta sticking out from the bushes, and let out a cold snort.

Then it flapped its wings and took flight, transforming into a black streak of light that pierced through the night, swept over the walls of the Uchiha Clan Compound, and silently slipped into the crack of Madara's paper door.

It transformed back into the quiet Crow Netsuke, landing not far from Izuna's pillow. The glimmer in its eyes flickered briefly before fading completely.

Mokushō groaned as he pulled his head out of the bushes, a few withered leaves fluttering down from his Kariginu. He rubbed the back of his head, still a little dazed from being slapped, and muttered, "Phew! Still the same old story, his temper hasn't improved at all."

He brushed the fallen leaves off his clothes and turned to look at the outline of the continuous mountain range outside Konoha.

The night breeze blew through the woods, causing his sleeves to flutter gently.

"Tobirama, what exactly do you want to do?" Mokushō muttered to himself. He rarely put away his usual nonchalant tone. His voice was very low, as if afraid the wind would carry it away, and his expression was serious.

"Tsukimiyo and I couldn't appear because we lacked the power, but what about you?"

"If you want, changing your appearance is not difficult. Isn't the reason we went to so much trouble to come here to continue that peaceful life?"

Why did you leave without saying goodbye?

He shook his head, deciding to stop thinking about it, knowing that everything would fall into place once he saw the person.

Then he suddenly realized that Tsukimiyo didn't seem to be answering him.

"Wait a minute." Mokushō stroked his chin. "Tsukimiyo didn't say when or how he arrived. Was it because he was too lazy to talk about it, or was the way he arrived too embarrassing to mention?"

The more he thought about it, the more something seemed off.

Given Tsukimiyo's temperament, he would meticulously record even the slightest mistake to bring up later. Yet here he was, completely ignoring it? How did he manage to overcome all obstacles and get here in this state?

Wow... I'm so curious!

Meanwhile, in the Inn where the Land of Earth Delegation was staying, Ōnoki was lying on his bedding, staring blankly at the ceiling.

The chirping of night insects could be heard intermittently outside the window.

He turned over, unable to resist thinking of that Crow Netsuke.

He found that thing in the eastern part of the Capital of the Land of Fire that day. It was Black Peach Wood Crow, with ruby eyes and Pentagram carved on the bottom. The craftsmanship was so exquisite that it was not something that should be found by the roadside.

He originally intended to hand it over to the Post Station, but the innkeeper said, "Since you found it in the east of the city, just accept it." So he actually accepted it and put it in the inner compartment of his luggage as a good luck charm.

But after only a few days, the Netsuke disappeared.

He turned his luggage upside down afterwards, even searching through the cracks in the bed frame, but still couldn't find it.

That's really strange.

Two days ago, he overheard Ishimi and his attendant talking. The Envoy told Tobirama that Kudan Moku's name would not appear on the list of names for the Memorial Service.

Ōnoki stood silently in the shadows.

He knew Ishimi was right; Kudan Moku was Ninja from the Land of Earth, and Ninjas from the Land of Earth should be buried there.

Although my uncle praised Konoha for its good feng shui and its generous people, that was just praise; it was someone else's family.

Fallen leaves return to their roots; his remains cannot be buried here.

Ōnoki buried his face in the pillow and let out a muffled sigh.

However, Kudan Moku died for Konoha.

He rushed in when he saw that the Konoha Ninjas were about to collapse. He fought with the will of a Ninja, not as a weapon of war for some country to be consumed.

If my uncle's name cannot be kept at Konoha's Memorial Service, then at least someone should remember why he died.

However, the people of the Land of Fire have no obligation to remember these things for the Ninjas of the Land of Earth, and the Ninjas of the Land of Earth may not really want to erect monuments for those who died in this way.

Ishimi said that after returning to Iwagakure, he would hold a funeral for Kudan Moku with the highest honors, and that he would not shortchange Kudanki on any amount of compensation.

But Ōnoki felt that something was off.

Kudan Moku died in Konoha, Kudan Moku saved the people of Konoha, but his name will not appear at Kudan Moku's Konoha Memorial Service.

Is this... really a good idea?

Ōnoki shook his head, pulled the blanket over his face, and decided to stop thinking about it.

It's no use thinking about it; he's not some big shot.

He's just a thirteen-year-old Iwagakure Genin, and he hasn't even mastered the Light-Weight Rock Technique yet. Let the adults think about this kind of brain-teasing stuff first.