The mission was clear—escort the Kirigakure emissary safely back to their village and ensure that nothing jeopardized the alliance between Kirigakure and Sunagakure.
It was a top-secret assignment, directly issued by the Fourth Kazekage himself.
At the time, Pakura had been in the training grounds.
She cast a warning glance at the approaching figure, silently telling them not to interrupt.
Taking a deep breath, Pakura controlled her Scorch Release, expanding a fiery sphere fifty meters away.
The heat burst forth in a cross-shaped explosion.
Her target—a massive boulder—was reduced to molten rubble under the searing temperature.
Her battle against Yagura had exposed her weakness in long-range combat.
This technique was the result of months of relentless training.
Lowering her hands, Pakura gave a slight nod, signaling the visitor to proceed.
"A new mission?"
"Yes. A classified one."
Taking the scroll from the messenger, Pakura unrolled it and scanned the contents quickly.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Kirigakure and Sunagakure… forming an alliance?
Pakura had never been involved in Sunagakure's diplomatic affairs. She only heard rumors of the higher-ups' dealings.
Hadn't there been talk just recently about Kirigakure siding with Konoha? And now they were allying with Sunagakure instead?
From a strategic standpoint, this was undoubtedly a boon for Sunagakure.
Pakura didn't hesitate. She accepted the Fourth Kazekage's orders and thanked him for his trust.
...
Half a year had passed since she last set foot in the Land of Water.
Staring at the endless mist before her, Pakura couldn't help but reflect.
Ever since becoming a ninja, she had spent much of her time traveling between the Lands of Wind and Water.
Eating, sleeping, and completing missions in the Land of Water had become part of her routine.
For the past six months, she had been stationed at the Konoha border.
This was the longest she had gone without returning to the Land of Water. Now, experiencing the damp, foggy atmosphere again, she realized how much she had grown accustomed to it.
"Still the same as ever… The Land of Water."
"Indeed," the Kirigakure emissary beside her nodded. "The mist rises and falls, but Kirigakure never changes."
Times, however, had changed.
That naïve boy who had once spared her life was now the Mizukage.
Curious, Pakura turned to the emissary. "Hey, sir, what kind of person is your Acting Mizukage?"
"I wouldn't know," the emissary replied, shaking his head. "Apologies, Lady Pakura. I'm just a low-ranking official with no direct contact with the Mizukage."
He tucked his hands into his sleeves and added, "All I can tell you is what I've heard. By most accounts, he is a kind and hardworking young Mizukage."
"When the Third Mizukage was still in power, he advocated for the abolition of the 'Bloody Mist' policy. This year's academy graduates no longer have to kill their peers to pass the graduation exam."
"He also traveled to the Land of Artisans on a mission and saw the impoverished people there. Instead of ignoring them, he brought them back and built a settlement near Kirigakure—a village for blacksmiths and craftsmen."
"And now, with the Five Great Nations on the brink of war, he seems more focused on maintaining neutrality rather than picking sides. He believes war brings nothing but suffering."
Pakura scoffed. "Sounds just like something he'd do. Naïve."
A shinobi with an excess of compassion.
"You know the Mizukage?"
"Uh… No… I mean, I've just heard of him," Pakura quickly corrected herself, realizing she had spoken too freely.
The emissary gave her a long, knowing look.
Pakura had no idea what rumors were circulating in Kirigakure, but she knew if word got out that Yagura had let her go, it could cause him significant trouble.
She decided to change the subject. "How much farther until we arrive?"
"Just beyond that valley ahead."
"Alright. Let's pick up the pace."
Pakura took the lead, urging the emissary forward into the thickening mist.
...
Upon entering the valley, visibility plummeted. Outside the valley, she could still see about ten paces ahead. Inside, the mist was so dense she could only make out her immediate surroundings.
The damp air clung uncomfortably to her skin.
For the first time, she found herself preferring Sunagakure's dry desert heat.
"Lady Pakura of the Scorch Release!"
A blue-haired Kirigakure shinobi emerged from the mist, waving at them.
"Welcome. I've been sent to escort you both. I trust you encountered no trouble on the way?"
Pakura relaxed her stance and smiled. "No, it was a smooth journey. Thanks for your concern."
"Good. We can't afford for anything to go wrong. You two are the key figures in this… uh… historic alliance."
The shinobi struggled to find the right words, clearly unused to giving compliments.
Pakura found it amusing. "How much farther to the village?"
"Not far."
The blue-haired shinobi stepped aside, gesturing for them to continue.
"Once we cross this valley, we'll be there."
Pakura nodded and stepped forward.
She had no reason to be on guard.
She had no reason to suspect betrayal.
…
Shk!
A chilling pain shot through her chest.
A jagged ice spear had pierced her heart.
The icy tip protruded from her front, stained with blood.
Pakura's breath hitched as a bone-deep cold spread through her body.
"You… why?"
The Kirigakure shinobi withdrew the spear and backed away, pulling the defenseless emissary with him.
At the same time, kunai and shuriken rained down from the valley walls.
"Sunagakure delivered you to us as part of the alliance agreement."
"Your death will ease the lingering hatred between Kirigakure and Sunagakure, creating the perfect excuse for war."
"The Sunagakure higher-ups must have thought it was a fair trade."
Pakura's vision blurred.
In her final moments, everything became painfully clear.
Her village had never sent her to protect the Kirigakure emissary.
They had sent her as a sacrificial offering.
The very leaders who had once praised her as a hero had discarded her like trash.
And Yagura…
What role had he played in this?
...
Back in Kirigakure, the message was delivered to the Mizukage's office.
A stamped agreement—The Kirigakure-Sunagakure Non-Aggression Pact.
"I warned you not to step foot in the Land of Water again."
In the end, it had all been meaningless.
Or perhaps not entirely.
Yagura skimmed the document before setting it aside. "Good work. Where is the body?"
"I sealed her chakra using the tags you gave me. The body is intact."
They were the same sealing tags Yagura had received from Sasori during the assassination of the Third Kazekage.
"Well done," Yagura said. "Hand the body over to the Intelligence Division. Let them study her Scorch Release."
The messenger hesitated. "But, Mizukage-sama… Sunagakure requested her body be returned."
Yagura's gaze was cold.
"Sunagakure needs us more than we need them. Do you think they'd dare challenge us over this?"
He turned to the window, watching as jubilant Kirigakure shinobi spread the news.
Pakura was dead.
The village had finally avenged their fallen comrades.
And with that, the rumors against him would fade.
A necessary sacrifice.
And nothing more.
(T/N: I wasn't expecting it, but it was good.)
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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