The morning sun was just right. In this village surrounded by forest, life was teeming everywhere. Breathing in the fresh air, Sakura felt refreshed and invigorated. Although the Waterfall Village wasn't very strong, it was surprisingly suitable for living.
After eating the breakfast prepared by Shibuki's servants, Sakura decided to go see Fu right away and investigate Shuying at the same time, hoping to be able to head back today.
However, when Sakura was leaving, Shibuki looked at her with some hesitation. She understood that he didn't want her to go looking for Fu, but showing it too obviously would seem suspicious, hence his indecision.
But Sakura didn't care about his inner turmoil. The Seven-Tails Jinchuriki was hers for the taking. After saying her goodbyes, she left and headed toward the divine tree.
Before long, Sakura arrived near the tree. She circled it once and found a house on the mountainside, on the slope to the side of the tree.
That was probably Fu's residence. When Sakura arrived, she was stopped by a ninja.
"Stop. This is not a place for you to be."
However, before the ninja could make another move, he was called out.
"Hey, what are you doing, Yoro? She's my friend. I invited her," Fu said, coming out of the house and speaking to the ninja named Yoro.
"But, this..." Yoro didn't dare say too much, afraid he would expose Fu's identity.
"Don't worry, Shibuki knows about it too," Fu said to him impatiently. She then looked at Sakura. "Come on, let's go to the back. I'll show you, there's another waterfall behind this mountain."
"Really? Then let's go together." Sakura walked past the Waterfall ninja and followed Fu.
Seeing this, the ninja gritted his teeth and decided to go back and ask the leader what to do. Although Fu was a Jinchuriki, the villagers were very good to her, apart from strictly restricting her from leaving the village. They wouldn't force her to do anything.
Following Fu, they climbed the mountain for a while and finally reached the summit. The view from the top was suddenly wide and open. On a terraced platform ahead, water continuously flowed out from a cave deep within the platform, forming a small lake. Such a small lake naturally couldn't contain the endless flow of water, which eventually streamed down the mountain, forming a waterfall.
Although it wasn't as large as the waterfall at the entrance, the scenery was even more pleasant.
"So, what do you think? It's nice here, right?" Fu said proudly, wiping her nose.
"It's certainly beautiful. You can't see a view like this in the Leaf Village," Sakura said with admiration.
"Eh? Hey, hey, what's the Leaf Village like?" Fu asked excitedly.
"The Leaf Village? It has more people than here, and the streets are more bustling, but it's also noisier," Sakura said with a smile.
"Really? That sounds amazing," Fu said with a look of longing. "I've never left the village in my entire life. Every day, they nag me, 'Don't leave the village, don't leave the village, don't leave the village, it's dangerous outside.'"
Hearing Fu's words, Sakura became even more certain of her identity. A Jinchuriki, no doubt. However, Sakura felt a gaze sweeping across her back. It seemed a Waterfall ninja was monitoring her. So, the words she was about to say to trick Fu into leaving with her were swallowed back down.
Making a move now was still too risky. Besides, she didn't have the tools for sealing a Tailed Beast with her.
"Yes, it is indeed dangerous outside," Sakura nodded in agreement. She then asked, "By the way, do you know a girl in the village named Shuying?"
"Shuying?" Fu paused, then said, "I know her."
"You don't know her," Sakura said subconsciously, then froze. "Did you just say you know her?"
"Yeah," at the mention of this, Fu's eyes instantly lit up. "She's the first friend I ever made! And let me tell you, she seems to know everything! There's nothing about the outside world she doesn't know..."
Watching Fu chatter on endlessly about Shuying, Sakura, who had only asked casually, was surprised to have stumbled upon the truth. Fu actually knew her.
"What did she tell you about the outside world?" Sakura asked.
"Hmm... lots of things! Like the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth..." Fu counted them off on her fingers. "And she told me about the Great Ninja Wars, and the Three Legendary Sannin of the Leaf..."
These were things even civilians would know, so she didn't think much of Shuying knowing them. But what Sakura wanted to ask about wasn't this, but Shuying's origins.
"Fu, when did you meet Shuying?" Sakura asked.
"When?" Fu scratched her hair in frustration. After thinking for a moment, she said with some uncertainty, "Maybe a week or two ago? I don't remember clearly."
"I see." Sakura didn't find anything strange about that. Just as she was about to ask for more information, Fu spoke again.
"But it's so weird. I'd never seen her before. She said her family has been living in the village for a few years, but I've never seen her. It's like she just appeared out of thin air," Fu muttered to herself.
"Are you serious? Didn't anyone else notice?" Sakura asked, instantly on alert.
"That's what's so strange! Everyone around knows about her family. They say they were chased here by bandits. But why didn't I know?" Fu's expression was a bit strange, but then she brightened up. "Oh well, anyway, she's my first friend!"
Sakura closed her eyes, connecting these clues in her mind like a movie. Fu couldn't have remembered wrong. She was watched so strictly and was curious about everything from the outside world. It was impossible for her not to have known about Shuying's family, who had come from outside to settle here. Yet she had only learned of Shuying a week or two ago.
This further confirmed it: there was definitely something wrong with Shuying. But her own encounter with her was a coincidence. Sakura had thought about it for a long time last night but couldn't figure out Shuying's purpose in bumping into her and deliberately spraining her ankle. It seemed to have no purpose at all, yet her final, traceless disappearance was suspicious.
There was only one explanation: she wanted to get my attention. Now, she had successfully gotten my attention. But for what purpose?
And her asking Fu about her today was also a coincidence. Fu had only met her a week or two ago. Too many coincidences become a certainty...
Sakura opened her eyes and gazed into the distance, a heavy feeling in her chest that wouldn't dissipate. Laying out all the clues, it boiled down to a few points.
The Jinchuriki, Fu.
One week ago.
And herself, and her plan to capture the Tailed Beasts.
Heh, I really was too naive. The Third Hokage had truly set up a masterful game. After learning of her plan to capture the Tailed Beasts, he indeed hadn't told anyone. However, he had made two preparations.
First, knowing his life was coming to an end and that he had no power to stop her, he used his life to try and move her.
Second, was probably Shuying. He had likely long known who the Waterfall Village's Jinchuriki was. No, he probably knew about the Jinchuriki of all the major villages. So he predicted that she would start with the weakest Jinchuriki.
Thus, he sent Shuying to the Waterfall Village to get close to Fu and secretly guard against her. The timing was just right. Fu said she met Shuying one or two weeks ago, and the Third Hokage had died two weeks ago.
As for yesterday's "coincidence," after straightening out this connection, Sakura understood. It was nothing more than a reminder not to forget her promise, and that, even though I'm dead, your plans could be exposed at any time.
If she had given up on the Tailed Beast plan, she would never have met Shuying. If she started to implement it, then she would definitely meet her. It was a warning.
What if she hadn't gone after the Seven-Tails first? Sakura guessed that there would be a "Shuying" in the likely areas of activity for all the other Jinchuriki as well.
Truly worthy of a man who was in power for 48 years and played the game of politics his entire life. Flawless, farsighted. Sakura admitted that she was no match for the Third Hokage.
But why would the Third do this? Sakura thought it over and over. The only explanation was that during the attempt to corner her, her state of Tsu Transformation had made the Third feel a sense of crisis—a crisis for the ninja world. He had acted this way to protect it.
Heh, Third Hokage, your breadth of mind is admirable. To be able to put aside your prejudice against an enemy to prevent a potential crisis in the ninja world. Even if the means weren't honorable, against someone like me, it's perfectly fine.
But I've said it before, no one can stop me. Even if it means slaughtering a god, I will not hesitate! Sakura clenched her fists, screaming silently in her heart.