151 Kikyo pass
Nono heard him, though she acknowledged his strength. Puzzled, she couldn't fathom why he sought tea from Rasa, relying on someone else's goodwill.
He inquired, "Is there any water?"
"Yes, here!" Nono handed him a bamboo bottle filled with water.
Taking the bamboo bottle, Fugaku opened it and quenched his thirst.
Bamboo bottles were a common choice among ninjas for water transport, but for civilians, they proved inconvenient. They typically use water from a reliable source, avoiding the hassle of carrying a cumbersome bottle.
In this world, even amidst the chaos of war, water remained remarkably clean. With no processing plants to taint the sources.
Yet, only a select few skilled ninjas could transform bamboo tubes into compact scrolls, allowing them to carry water with ease, a privilege not afforded to every ninja.
"Let's head back to camp. You must be tired. Get some rest," Fugaku suggested with a warm smile directed at Nono.
Nono, acknowledging the wisdom in his words, nodded in agreement.
The two of them strolled back leisurely, oblivious to Tsunade's concealed presence in the woods. Suddenly, Nono's heart skipped a beat as a realization dawned upon her.
Having earlier sought a pass from Rasa and requested the return of his clan members' bodies, Fugaku found himself perplexed by Rasa's response.
The corpses of his kin had inexplicably vanished on their journey back, as if spirited away by some unseen force. The mystery deepened, leaving Fugaku bewildered. Who in the vast expanse of the Land of Wind would dare to pilfer from Rasa?
The only plausible culprit that came to mind was the infamous Red Sand Scorpion, known for having the power and audacity to pull off such daring feats.
Meanwhile, in a small village nestled within the desert, a red-haired boy lay sleeping. Abruptly, he sneezed in the quiet of the night.
"Human bodies are troublesome. Did I catch a cold?" he mumbled to himself, unaware of the unfolding events and the enigma surrounding the vanished corpses.
-----------------------
Deep in contemplation about how to bring an end to the ongoing war, Fugaku found himself grappling with a role he wasn't naturally suited for.
Pondering over the notion of killing thousands of Sand Ninjas, he couldn't shake off the discomfort that arose from the idea of extinguishing over 10,000 lives.
Despite the prevalent belief in the cheapness of human life in this world, Fugaku struggled with the moral weight of such a massive slaughter.
His recent conversation with Rasa lingered in his thoughts, and he sensed a subtle shift for the better. However, the key to this change eluded him.
Seated in a quiet corner of the camp, he observed the bustling activity of the ninjas and continued his introspection.
Fugaku sat in a corner of the camp and kept thinking as he watched the ninjas busy themselves.
Akihiko, bearing bandages from recent injuries, approached him with a slow gait. Intrigued, he asked, "Hey, how did you do it? I couldn't believe it when you said the Sand Ninjas would retreat.
But now, they really have. Do you have a spy among them? How else could you know their movements so well?"
Fugaku waved his hand dismissively. "It's nothing. It's only temporary. The real problem is something else."
"Huh? What could be worse than this? If you can't figure it out, why don't you ask Shikaku?" Akihiko asked curiously, and his interest piqued.
Despite Fugaku's evident trust in Shikaku, Akihiko had always failed to see anything particularly special about him.
However, the absence of war during Fugaku's previous engagements, he now realized, spoke volumes about Shikaku's wisdom.
This realization prompted Fugaku to pause. Why did he continually overlook the importance of Shikaku and his strategic insights?
Akihiko's words acted as a catalyst, and a sudden recollection flashed in Fugaku's mind. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the location where Shikaku was.
------------------------
"KikyōPass?" Shikaku recalled as Fugaku approached. "I sent a team of twelve ninja to look for it, but they came back empty-handed."
"Nothing?" Fugaku frowned, knowing that identifying a mountain by its name wasn't an easy task.
"KikyōPass, Kikyō Pass... Where is it?"
Fugaku ruminated on the significance of the final battle that took place there. Perhaps there was something special about that mountain—something that could hold the key to ending the war.
However, the challenge lay in the fact that the mountain was supposed to be situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind. Frustration etched on his face, Fugaku grappled with the puzzle of why he couldn't pinpoint its location.
Just as Fugaku immersed himself in the perplexing puzzle of Kikyō Pass, Nono, who happened to be "just passing by," caught sight of him talking to himself.
Intrigued, she approached and inquired, "What are you looking for at KikyōPass?"
Fugaku, taken aback, stammered, "Hey? Don't you happen... know?"
Nono, registering Fugaku's surprised expression, nodded nonchalantly.
"Haha." Fugaku burst into laughter. "Take me there real quick."
Shortly after, the two of them raced through the forest, with Nono leading and Fugaku following closely behind.
"How do you know about the place?"
"This mountain is near the orphanage. There were no living beings there before. It's not called Kikyo Pass anymore; that's its old name. Those who live there now don't know that."
"I see. But the orphanage? Is it that far?" Fugaku halted, a look of surprise on his face.
Knowing that the orphanage was in Konoha, he calculated that it would take almost a night to reach there from their current location.
Nono, sensing Fugaku's pause, turned her head and asked suspiciously, "Why did you stop? Aren't we going?
Fugaku shook his head determinedly. "Of course, we have to check it out. But let's take a different route to get there."
Before Nono could react, he swiftly scooped her up, a pair of wings sprouting from his back.
"This… This is…" Nono watched the ground shrink beneath them, rendered speechless with surprise. Was she dreaming? Could he really fly?
Understanding dawned on her as she recalled how Fugaku had returned so swiftly from the Suna camp.
Despite feeling a twinge of embarrassment at being held in Fugaku's arms, with time, she found herself enjoying the experience.
Before long, they arrived at the mountain that was once called Kikyo.
"This place is in the Land of Fire. If we head towards Konoha at a ninja's speed, we could reach the orphanage in an hour.
That's… That one Kikyo pass... You can put me down now," Nono said, surprised.
