After news of the devastation at the border gradually reached Sunagakure, a somber calm settled in.
The list of the victims was published, and new flowers and undried tear stains appeared Memorial Stone. In the mission hall, the footsteps of the ninjas seemed heavier than usual.
The cost of victory was too high, dampening the initial excitement of defeating Iwagakure.
Shira did not return.
The news initially circulated only among a few people—the survivors of the Reppu Squad, the ninjas who participated in the counterattack, and the higher-ups.
But soon, like ink dropped into water, it spread. After all, although Shira was only a Genin, she had already distinguished herself among her peers, was a top student who graduated early, and had just participated in an important border mission.
His disappearance has attracted considerable attention.
The first to sense something was amiss were the neighbors who frequented the general store or were acquainted with Shira's parents. They noticed that Shira's father, Shiya, often stood at the store entrance, gazing towards the village entrance for long periods, his hand unconsciously stroking the jar of tea his son had brought back from Konoha.
Although her mother, Rira, remained busy, the redness and swelling around her eyes and the worry that occasionally showed when she was lost in thought could not be hidden.
When a familiar woman cautiously inquired, Rira could only force a smile and say, "The child's mission isn't over yet," but the forced smile was obvious to everyone.
Next was Ameno. She heard some rumors from Matsuri and Yukata, and mustered up her courage to go to the general store, wanting to ask Shira- kun if he had returned safely, but she only saw Shiya silently shaking his head and Rira's eyes instantly reddening.
The girl's heart clenched. She ran to the bulletin board outside the mission hall and looked at the cold list of the dead and missing over and over again. She couldn't find that name, but she didn't feel relieved at all. Instead, she felt a deeper fear—missing, in a place like the border, often meant a more uncertain and terrible ending than death.
Granny Chiyo also heard the news. Ebizo learned about the general situation at the border through some channel, and while having tea, he casually mentioned, "It seems that kid Shira didn't come back with the group."
Chiyo didn't speak at the time, but squinted at the tea leaves floating in her teacup. After a while, she snorted, "A tough kid like him won't die so easily." But after saying that, she also fell silent for a moment, which was rare for her.
When Gaara learned from Yashamaru that Shira had not returned with the team, he was sitting on a rock in the training ground, fiddling with a hard rock in his hand.
He paused for a moment, his deep green eyes staring blankly ahead. After a long while, he continued to crush the rock into finer powder with his fingers, saying nothing.
That day, however, the sand around him seemed to flow more slowly than usual under his control.
The pressure eventually reached Baki. As the mission commander and the last high-ranking officer he had contact with before Shira's disappearance, he needed to give an explanation to all parties, especially Shira's family.
However, the specific details regarding the mysterious woman and Shira being taken away have been personally ordered by Rasa to be classified as top secret, and are only known to a very small number of people.
So, when Shira's parents had repeatedly tried to inquire through official channels without success and were almost in despair, Baki came to that small general store in person one evening.
He was still wearing his crisp Jonin uniform, his expression as calm and serious as ever, but he had deliberately concealed his sharp edge.
" Shira is carrying out a top-secret follow-up mission."
Baki Gate of Opening, his tone calm and authoritative, carrying an air of official business. "We encountered an incomprehensible being in the border region. This being took Shira away, but their purpose is unclear, and they don't seem to intend to harm her for the time being."
He didn't embellish the story, but chose to tell part of the truth, omitting the most crucial details of the battle and the level of power displayed by the immortal.
This explanation is more believable than a complete lie, and it also leaves room for maneuver.
Shiya and Rira's hearts had just been in their throats when the next words left them bewildered. "An incomprehensible being? It took Shira away?" Rira's voice trembled. "Is it an enemy? Or..."
"I don't know if they're friend or foe," Baki admitted frankly, his gaze calmly meeting the two men's fearful yet hopeful eyes.
"However, the level of power displayed by the opponent far exceeded that of a regular ninja. When she, or rather it, took away Shira, although Shira was seriously injured and unconscious, she was not in immediate danger of death."
"Moreover, they made a point of safely escorting the rest of us away without continuing the pursuit. Judging from these actions, their target seems very clear: Shira herself, and they may have some need for or interest in her."
He paused, giving the two time to process the information, then continued in a calm tone, "Currently, the village has listed this matter as the highest priority for investigation. However, because the other party's strength is unfathomable, conventional tracking and rescue methods are extremely risky and may anger them, which would be detrimental to Shira."
"Therefore, the current strategy is to secretly gather intelligence, carefully assess the situation, and find a safe way to make contact or rescue the victim."
"Then... then Shira..." Shiya's voice was hoarse, her hands clenched tightly.
"He's still alive, that's basically confirmed," Baki said confidently. "Given the abilities the other side displayed, killing him would have been easy. There must be a reason they took him away."
"What we can do now is to trust the village, trust that Lord Kazekage will use all available resources to handle this matter, and at the same time, trust Shira himself. He's a resilient child; to survive in that situation and be noticed by such a being is perhaps a kind of opportunity or test that we cannot understand."
Baki's words were a mix of truth and falsehood, illustrating both the severity and extraordinary nature of the situation while providing information that could sustain Shira's parents—that they were "still alive," "being noticed by a special entity," and "the village was trying to find a solution." At the same time, he classified the incident as "extraordinary secret," preventing them from asking too many questions about the details.
After hearing this, Shiya and Rira's faces turned pale, but they eventually calmed down. A great deal of shock and worry still filled their hearts, but Baki's words were logically clear, not concealing the worst-case scenario, yet also leaving a glimmer of hope.
This is more acceptable than a pure lie or utter despair.
"We understand." Shiya took a deep breath, trying to straighten her slightly hunched back. " Jonin Baki telling us the truth. We trust the village, and we're waiting for the child to return."
He didn't ask what the other person was, where they were, or what they wanted to do. Some things, even if you know them, you can't change, so it's better to keep a sliver of hope.
Tears streamed down Rira's face silently, but this time she didn't break down. She wiped away her tears and bowed deeply to Baki: "Please, please, Lord Kazekage, you must find a way to bring Shira back safely."
"We will do our best," Baki solemnly promised, then took his leave.
This embellished version of the "partial truth" also circulated through informal channels in a small circle and in a more ambiguous form.
The gist of it is. " Shira encountered an extremely unusual situation at the border and was taken away by a hidden force or powerful individual. The situation is complicated, but she should still be alive. The village is taking it very seriously and is handling the matter."
This sounds more thrilling than "being taken in as an apprentice by a reclusive master," but it also better reflects the brutality of border missions and leaves enough room for imagination and hope.
After hearing this vague version, Ameno locked herself in her room for a long time. She didn't know exactly what had happened, but the words "taken away" and "complex situation" made her panic. Yet, the words "she's alive" and "the village is taking care of her" gave her a glimmer of hope.
She could only train harder, as if that would bring her closer to Shira, who might be in danger.
After learning from Ebizo what Baki had said to the Shira family, Granny Chiyo squinted and slowly said, "That kid Baki did speak some truth. But... 'an incomprehensible existence'? Sigh, there are many things in this world that we can't understand. That kid is destined for this tribulation; whether it's a blessing or a curse, we'll see what fate has in store."
When Gaara heard from Yashamaru that " Shira was taken away by a special being, her fate unknown, but the village is investigating," his hand, which was holding sand, stopped.
He said nothing, but the next day, he controlled the sand to form shapes that were more stable and complex than ever before.
However, those who truly know the truth are filled with inner turmoil.
Asuka, Sasori, and Sada Tuo and Reppu, who were gradually recovering in the hospital, all witnessed that scene. The mysterious woman in blue who appeared out of nowhere, summoning gales and desert beasts with a wave of her hand, easily suppressing them all, and the unfathomable look in her eyes as she took away the unconscious Shira...
The term "incomprehensible existence" is far too lenient! It's a monster! A demon!
When Asuka heard the villagers talking about how " Shira has gotten into some kind of trouble and has been targeted by a powerful figure," he really wanted to shout, "It's not just trouble! She was captured without any power to resist!"
But he could only grit his teeth and swallow his words and fear. Jonin Baki's orders were ironclad rules. He could only vent all his emotions on training, training until he was exhausted, as if that would allow him to temporarily forget his powerlessness.
Sasori became even more gloomy, barely speaking to anyone, only burying himself in tinkering with his puppet, his eyes filled with coldness.
After learning of this official explanation from his sickbed, Sada smiled bitterly at Reppu, "Captain, this explanation... is more believable than the one about taking on disciples. But we all know in our hearts that it's not the same thing at all."
The wound in Reppu's chest made speaking difficult. He stared at the ceiling and slowly said, " Jonin Baki has his reasons. Spreading this kind of thing out loud will only cause panic and bring no benefit. We are too weak right now."
"So weak that you don't even understand what happened, who the other party is, or why. Become stronger, Sada. Only by being strong enough will you be qualified to investigate the truth and have any chance of doing something."
His voice was soft, yet it carried a heavy determination that even his severe injuries could not diminish.
Kazekage's Office, late at night.
The light cast Rasa's shadow on the wall. Baki stood alone in front of the desk, giving a detailed account of the entire border trip, especially the unbelievable encounter at the end.
"The way the other party appeared was completely incomprehensible. There were no Hand Seals, no Chakra fluctuations; it was as if they simply walked out of thin air."
"The other party was dressed in blue, with a light veil covering their face, and barefoot. They could easily control a gale, a wind that wasn't Nature Transformation of Wind Release Chakra, but rather closer to a natural storm, yet their control was incredibly precise, managing to send us away without harming a single person."
"She can also command enormous desert scorpions, Golden-Scaled Sand Snake, and other ferocious beasts. Those beasts have a faint blue glow on them, indicating that they are also under her control."
Baki's description strives for objectivity and accuracy, but a trace of lingering fear still remains in his tone.
"She only took the unconscious Shira with her. Throughout, she didn't utter a single word revealing her identity or purpose. We don't even know if she was male or female; we can only judge from her build and voice that she might be female."
"Her strength is unfathomable. Before her, we were utterly powerless, feeling like ordinary people facing Tailed Beast —no, perhaps worse, it was a completely different level of oppressive power."
Baki ultimately delivered this incredibly somber judgment.
Rasa listened in silence, his fingers tapping slowly on the table. Only after Baki finished speaking did he open his mouth in a deep voice, "Isn't it Ninjutsu? Manipulating natural forces, controlling wild beasts? It sounds more like the ' Senjutsu ' or 'natural power' from ancient legends."
He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the sleeping village in the night. His gaze darkened. "Why would such a being suddenly appear? And why is it targeting Shira? Is it because of his outburst at a place called ' Heart of the Bedrock ' on the border of Sunagakure? Or is there something special about him?"
"It's impossible to determine at this time," Baki replied truthfully. " Shira's outburst originated from the secret medicine ' Life Origin Pill ' given to her by Uzumaki Kei."
"But when the other party appeared, Shira was already unconscious, and the effects of the drug had probably worn off. As for anything else special? Shira does have a unique talent in Taijutsu, and she created her own breathing technique to enhance her physical abilities, but that doesn't seem enough to attract such a being."
"The vortex's secret medicine, Shira's self-created breathing technique, and his previous performance in the village..."
Rasa pondered, "Let's look at this intelligence together with the intelligence about the disturbance of the ' Heart of the Bedrock ' energy. Perhaps, for beings at that level, Shira possesses some kind of 'quality' that we cannot see, which has just piqued her interest."
"Or perhaps, Shira's outburst inadvertently triggered some kind of 'rule' or 'taboo' that we are unaware of, drawing her here."
He turned around and looked at Baki: "What's the reaction from Iwagakure?"
"After the rout, their border troops have withdrawn and their activities have decreased. However, energy monitoring in the ' Heart of the Bedrock ' area shows that the disturbances are still ongoing and are becoming more complex. There is currently no indication that Iwagakure is aware of the mysterious woman's existence," Baki replied.
"This makes things even more troublesome." Rasa frowned. "A third-party force that none of us can understand has intervened, with unclear objectives. Iwagakure is eyeing ' Heart of the Bedrock ' covetously. With Shira falling into their hands, the situation is in complete chaos."
He returned to his desk and issued the order, "This matter is classified as top secret; the scope of knowledge remains unchanged. Maintain the status quo regarding the Shira family's statements."
"At the same time, we will increase long-range, non-contact surveillance of the ' Heart of the Bedrock ' area on the border, but we will absolutely not allow anyone to approach that area for detailed exploration, so as not to alert the other side."
"If Iwagakure makes any unusual moves, report them immediately. Secretly review all ancient texts concerning legends, Natural Energy, and Senjutsu, even the most absurd and outlandish records."
"Yes, Lord Kazekage," Baki replied, then hesitated for a moment, "And Shira..."
Rasa was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Judging from the current situation, the other party did not kill him immediately, but instead took him away. This means that Shira is safe for the time being, and may even be of some value to her."
"But what that value is, and how long it will last, nobody knows. All we can do now is gather as much intelligence as possible, improve ourselves, and wait for the unexpected to happen."
" Shira's safety depends on the will of that mysterious being, as well as his own luck and ability."
He looked at Baki, his eyes grave. "Tell the team members who know the truth, especially those in the Reppu Squad, to keep it a secret and focus on recovery and improvement."
"Dwelling on things you can't change is pointless. Turn that feeling of powerlessness into motivation to become stronger. Sunagakure needs every ninja who can stand up to become stronger."
"Understood." Baki bowed respectfully and left the office.
Rasa remained alone in the empty office, his fingers lightly tapping the desk. A person far beyond common sense had appeared, and a promising Genin had fallen into his hands; everything was fraught with uncertainty.
" Shira..." he murmured to himself, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
The child's fate has completely gone off track, drawn into a vortex that even he, the Kazekage, finds confusing and heavy.
And Sunagakure was forced to stand on the edge of this vortex.
The future has become a blur...