Fox Spirit's Gratitude

After saying this, Shiba Seika sent Kenjiro on his way.

He didn't care whether Kenjiro would pass his words on to Yahiko.

He had always scorned the likes of Danzo, who acted out of selfish desires but insisted on pretending to serve the village and its people. Seika had always opposed Yahiko openly.

Everyone in the Akatsuki Organization knew where Shiba Seika stood.

Besides, his strength was growing by the day, and his Bonds with Konan and Nagato were deepening. He no longer needed to worry about people knowing he had a rebellious streak.

It would be best if Kenjiro thought things through and made his own choice. If he didn't, Seika didn't care all that much.

But it seemed this night was destined to be anything but peaceful.

He had just seen Kenjiro off and was about to put down his book and go to sleep when someone knocked on his door again.

He got up and opened it, only to find a timid-looking Uzamaki Kayo standing outside.

Uzamaki Kayo looked to be around twenty, considerably older than Seika and the three young members of the Akatsuki Organization. Judging by age alone, she could be considered everyone's big sister.

But she was far too meek. Years of wandering from place to place had taught her to endure whatever came her way. Now, standing in front of Seika's door, she didn't even dare look him in the eye, and her fingers fidgeted nervously with the hem of her clothes.

She didn't look like a big sister visiting her little brother at all. She looked more like an innocent little rabbit willingly offering herself to a big bad wolf.

Seika glanced at the pitch-black night outside, then at the thin clothes Kayo wore, and couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth.

Sis, you're making it way too easy to get the wrong idea!

"Is something the matter, Sis Kayo?"

Uzamaki Kayo clenched her fists nervously, as if she had to work up her courage before she could speak.

"I asked the others, and they all said you were the first to figure out that I was related by blood to that little Nagato. I...I just wanted to ask what exactly my relationship with him is."

So that's what this is about.

For a moment, I thought you'd come to repay a fox spirit's kindness...

Seika invited her in and first draped a thin blanket over her shoulders, so she wouldn't get cold during the night.

He also used the time to think through how to handle things.

Judging by the original story, Karin and her mother clearly had nothing to do with Nagato.

But now that things had come this far, Seika could only make them related—and he had to make them related!

Then he unhurriedly brewed a pot of tea and poured Kayo a cup. Only after she had started to grow impatient did Seika finally speak.

"Sis Kayo, do you remember when you and your older sister got separated?"

There was actually a little trick to that question.

Seika hadn't asked, "Do you have an older sister?"

Instead, he'd gone straight to asking when she and her sister had been separated.

It was like how a jianbing vendor never asked if you wanted an egg, but instead asked how many eggs you wanted.

Much the same idea.

Even if Kayo happened to say she didn't have a sister, Seika could keep things vague and ask, "Then who was the person you got separated from all those years ago?"

That would get him a specific name.

You could say this conversation had no sincerity from the very beginning—it was all a setup.

Fortunately, Seika didn't even need to use his follow-up moves this time. His opening gambit alone had struck a chord.

Kayo lowered her head and thought for quite a while. Then, she suddenly understood. Her expression was a jumble of surprise, relief, and gratitude, and she looked as though she might burst into tears of joy at any moment.

"So he's my eldest sister's child! That's wonderful! Just wonderful! I thought that child had died long ago! Thank you, Seika! Thank you! I...I'm just so happy..."

As she spoke, she couldn't hold back any longer and burst into tears, large drops falling from her eyes.

Seika watched her carefully for several seconds, confirming that such genuine emotion couldn't possibly be an act.

Besides, timid Kayo didn't seem like the sort of woman who'd be shrewd enough to play along with his gambit.

So it looked like he'd just gotten lucky.

He hadn't expected Kayo to really have a sister, and for her sister to have had a child around Nagato's age.

Now Nagato had an aunt out of nowhere.

If that kid ever goes crazy and tries to carry rice again, I'll have Aunt Kayo give him a good smack across the face! Seika thought with a grin.

But jokes aside, he still had to take precautions and cover all his bases.

"Sis Kayo, don't get too excited yet. Could you tell me more about your eldest sister? I'd like to check that our information matches. It's only fair to Nagato."

Seika had always been meticulous.

He'd make sure every detail lined up perfectly, without leaving a single loose end!

Kayo didn't suspect a thing. She immediately opened up and told him everything that had happened since she fled the Land of Whirlpools.

Seika kept adding "details" as she listened, and made sure to suggest that after fleeing to the Land of Rain, Kayo's sister might have changed her name to stay alive—just in case there were inconsistencies when Kayo compared notes with Nagato later.

After hearing the whole story, Seika breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help feeling sorry for the woman in front of him.

The Uzumaki Clan had suffered far too much!

Their homeland had been destroyed; they'd been left wandering, surrounded by wolves and with no one to turn to.

Who could have imagined that this powerful clan, once so glorious that it had been able to put its crest on the Forehead Protector of the Shinobi World's greatest village, would end up in such a state?

After they'd talked for a long time, Seika offered comfort that was half heartfelt and half calculated. "Don't be sad, Sis Kayo. Those hardships are behind you now. At least you and Nagato are both doing well. He's been longing for family for a long time, too, so stay and spend some time with him. I'm sure things will keep getting better from here."

Kayo nodded hard, tears streaming down her cheeks. "All right, I will! I will! Oh, right, Seika, I heard you were injured. Why don't you bite me? You'll recover much faster."

As she spoke, Kayo held out one of her wrists.

It was already covered in dark red bite marks, half-healed scabs layered one over another in a horrifying sight.

This kind, foolish woman.

For a moment, there was no scheme or calculation involved. Seika genuinely felt sorry for this silly girl. Even after being rescued, she was still willingly subjecting herself to this kind of torment for someone else.

Of course Seika wouldn't bite her. He didn't need the extra help recovering.

Instead, he clasped Kayo's hand in his.

"Don't worry about me. You should be taking care of yourself, Sis Kayo. Your body's been depleted for far too long. Whenever you have time, come by and see me. I'll treat you."

It would also give him a chance to practice the Medical Ninjutsu techniques he'd learned from the system—a win-win.

But when Kayo's hand was suddenly clasped in his, she seemed to misunderstand something. She shrank back like a startled little rabbit.

Do small ninja villages really have medical ninja? Could this...just be an excuse?

She glanced at the night outside, then at the empty room and the bed not far away. It seemed to bring back some unpleasant memories from not long ago, and her face paled involuntarily.

But then she steadied herself and raised her head, carefully tracing Seika's handsome features with her gaze. She thought again of the enormous favor he'd done her and of how gentle he'd been since she entered the room. The anxious knot in her heart suddenly relaxed.

She clutched the thin blanket around herself with her other hand and let out a tiny "Mm," her lowered eyelids seeming to grow a little hazy with intoxication.

Seika, who was focused on controlling his Chakra to perform basic Medical Ninjutsu, looked at her strangely. He couldn't quite follow her train of thought.

Something felt a little off. What was with this atmosphere?

Why did he feel like he could smell that fox spirit's gratitude again?