The Reason

Kushina's gaze kept drifting toward Amada's back as he walked ahead.

Her heart was filled with conflict and turmoil.

The Nine-Tails' words were like a thorn, burrowing deep into her heart,

but no matter what, she couldn't believe that Amada was the one who had killed the Daimyo.

In her eyes, Amada had always been a steady, polite boy.

He had even performed better on missions than many Chunin.

More importantly, he had no reason at all to kill the Daimyo.

The civil unrest in Rice Field Country had nothing to do with him, and the Daimyo's life or death offered him no benefit.

Yet the Nine-Tails' words had been like a key, unlocking a corner of her memories.

She suddenly remembered something from an earlier mission—Amada had used an Illusion Technique to make a rampaging, mutated wild boar collapse in an instant.

Even Kurenai couldn't have done that.

Kurenai was an Illusion Technique prodigy of the Yūhi Clan, yet Amada's skill was clearly above hers.

"The Uchiha Clan's Sharingan... It really can greatly enhance Illusion Techniques."

Kushina thought to herself, a complicated emotion flashing through her eyes.

She knew that the Sharingan was the Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai,

which could not only see through an opponent's movements but also greatly amplify the power of Illusion Techniques.

If Amada really had awakened the Sharingan, his skill with Illusion Techniques would only be greater.

Kushina shook her head, trying to suppress her doubts.

But that feeling of unease refused to go away.

"Whatever the truth is, I have to ask him myself."

Kushina made up her mind.

She knew that only by asking him face-to-face could she resolve her doubts.

During a brief rest, Kushina walked up to Amada. Her expression serious, she asked outright:

"Amada, you killed the Daimyo of Rice Field Country, didn't you?"

Amada had been sitting on a rock, resting. When he heard Kushina's question,

his body stiffened slightly, but he quickly relaxed again.

He had actually noticed Kushina's gaze landing on him from time to time along the way,

but he hadn't expected her to ask him so directly.

Kurenai and Asuma heard Kushina's words and stared at Amada in shock.

They clearly couldn't accept the possibility.

Kurenai couldn't help speaking up:

"Teacher Kushina, are you sure you've got it right? How could Amada have killed the Daimyo?"

Asuma frowned too, his voice tinged with confusion:

"That's right, Teacher. Amada had no reason to do something like that."

Amada looked up, a faint smile on his face. His tone was casual and natural:

"Of course not. Why would I kill the Daimyo? Wasn't Inada Kai the culprit? Didn't we already capture him?"

His voice was calm and composed.

But Kushina's gaze didn't waver in the slightest.

As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kushina had a unique ability.

She could sense whether someone was lying.

Although she needed the Nine-Tails' cooperation to use this ability, at that moment, it told her clearly: Amada was lying.

Kushina sighed. She was already sure of the truth, but still wanted to know the reason:

"Why did you kill the Daimyo?"

Amada froze for a moment and looked up at Kushina, wondering to himself:

How did she figure out it was me?

But when he saw the look in Kushina's eyes, he immediately understood that there was no point in continuing to deny it.

He fell silent for a moment, then finally said:

"It was a mission from the village."

Asuma and Kurenai looked utterly incredulous.

They had just been certain Amada couldn't be the culprit, but now he'd admitted it himself.

The sudden revelation was hard for them to accept.

Hearing Amada's answer, Kushina immediately understood most of what had happened.

She knew this had to be a secret mission involving a decision made by the village's upper ranks.

As a ninja, she shouldn't have pressed him for more, but she still couldn't help wanting to know.

"Why did the village kill the Daimyo of Rice Field Country?"

Amada fell silent for a moment. He looked at Kushina, Asuma, and Kurenai, then sighed and said:

"Even if I don't tell you, Teacher, you should understand the reason, shouldn't you?"

"???"

Kushina looked utterly puzzled. She clearly had no idea what Amada meant.

She scratched her head and thought:

I understand? What am I supposed to understand? Analyzing and thinking things through really aren't my strengths!

Seeing Kushina's expression, Amada could only explain helplessly:

"If anyone's to blame, it's the Daimyo himself for being foolish. Rice Field Country is too strategically important—it borders both the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, and it's a major grain producer. How could the Land of Fire allow a country like that to slip out of its control?"

He paused, then continued:

"The Daimyo still had a chance to turn things around, but he chose the stupidest possible course—colluding with Sunagakure. The moment Sunagakure's shinobi infiltrated Rice Field Country, Konoha had no choice. The Daimyo had to die for Rice Field Country to return to the Land of Fire's control."

"Was it the Third Hokage's order? Why did they choose you?"

Kushina couldn't understand why a mission of such national importance

hadn't been given straight to the Anbu, and had instead fallen to a Genin.

Amada replied calmly:

"That's not something I need to know."

He didn't reveal that he had already joined Root.

The fewer people who knew about that, the better.

Even if Kushina asked the Third Hokage why Amada had been given this mission,

it would give him a chance to see how the Third Hokage felt about his joining Root.

Seeing that Amada wasn't willing to say more, Kushina didn't press him.

She knew that some matters involved the village's secrets, and even she shouldn't ask too much.

After learning that Amada had killed the Daimyo, the mood in the group grew unusually heavy.

Although Asuma and Kurenai understood that Amada had only carried out the village's orders and done what he was supposed to do,

A few days later, Team Kushina finally returned to Konoha.

She looked back at Amada, Asuma, and Kurenai:

"The mission is over. Everyone should go get some rest. I'll go report to Lord Hokage."

Asuma and Kurenai nodded and left in silence.

Amada was about to head home too.

"Amada."

Kushina's voice came from behind him.

Amada turned around and looked at her:

"Teacher, is there something else?"

Kushina fell silent for a moment, then simply shook her head:

"Nothing. Get some rest."

Amada nodded and turned to leave.

His shadow stretched long in the setting sun, making him look especially lonely.

Kushina watched Amada's back, her heart filled with complicated emotions.

She knew that Amada was no longer the simple Genin he'd once been.

"I hope you find your own path."

Kushina murmured softly.