Celestial Path Chapter 29 (Patreon)

Tenshuku City... A cesspit of vice that was a riverside city that laid between the Lands of Grass and Wind. A very popular city in which the nobles of Wind sold gems, salt, and other luxurious things in return for the whores, drugs, and bountiful food from the Land of Grass.

As the Land of Grass for the Western Continent, where almost of Naruto take place within. Was the continent's biggest breadbasket as the land was utterly perfect for the mass production of rice and other grains.

Because, further to the west of the Land of Grass was the Land of Rain... And that shit hole of a country, which constantly rained every single day, somehow. Made the Land of Grass super fertile with all the water flowing through the Grass's many rivers.

And worse for me anyway, was Yae Miko giving me a tablet made in a circular shape that would excuse me from any responsibility while on this divine quest.

Which left Yoruichi with a rather annoyed expression as she grimaced at the sight of the tablet. "Haaa, we expected Yae Miko to attempt to pull you into some nobles game, make you a Shogun or maybe even attempt to have you supplant the Daimyo's bloodline."

She shook her head with a helpless grin crossing her face as she said in amusement. "Instead, she sends you into the Land of Grass. The land we are literally invading."

I imagined she would have had an even stronger reaction if I explained that the goal of the mission was to have me pull out Karin Uzumaki and her mom as well.

"It's for a mission that will help the Hokage in many ways... I have no choice but to take the mission." I confirmed with a shrug.

Then I added. "Not only that, but I will need to go alone, as while I disguise myself, I am still unknown, as I will be traveling in the way of civilians and shrouding my chakra to around civilian levels."

Yoruichi gave me a long look before she said flatly. "Normally... I would smack you upside the head for rushing off to do a mission on your own. But right now, we aren't far from Grass either."

Kaori then spoke with a sigh. "Uchiha chakra is also noticeable, so we can't follow with the minor touches of divinity we carry."

So I brushed a hand through my hair before I said firmly. "Her priestess said this WAS time sensitive... And with that hanging over my head. I can't just sit here for at least the next three days or even up to a week, depending on how corrupted that noble brat is."

Yoruchi exhaled heavily before tossing me back the tablet bearing the seal and aura of Amaterasu, before she said. "Then put on your best disguise, and then do your best to sneak out of the city and temple without getting tracked or followed." 

A chuckle escaped me as I said confidently. "If there is one thing that Master Jiraiya taught me that I absorbed better than anything else. It's how to run away from people trying to mob me!"

"Yeah... A wonderful talent to escape the rightful disgust of the women he peeps on." Kiyome retorted.

With that, I transformed myself into a single-tailed fox, and I leapt out from the window in the room. And with a few bounds, I leapt from building to other buildings.

Then I built up speed as I quickly got used to running around in this form and in but a few minutes I snuck under a large carriage leading out of the city that was being led by several samurai.

And thus, after we left the city and temple grounds, I left that convoy before any of the samurai could notice me.

I ran into the thick nearby forests before transforming back into my human form, with my tails spreading out as I made a sighing noise of comfort as I popped my neck then I paused.

"Might as well just fly to the Land of Grass, actually. I still have that Zelda gliding walk ability, as well as having figured out the Tsuchikage's gravity technique." I mused to myself as I formed the technique within myself.

And with a slight drain to my chakra, I myself lost ninety-nine percent of my weight so that only a weak, harmless stream of wind chakra pushed my body into the air, and with the Zelda perk mentioned before. I flew through the air with the grace of a powerful Daiyoukai.

But rather than being some weird flying human kitsune, I transformed into a large hawk that I knew was a common species found in the Land of Grass.

As with my techniques active, I didn't need to know 'How' to fly like a real bird. I just needed to look like a gliding bird to any sensory ninja's watching the border.

Or... More importantly, avoid the ninja's scouts and spies of Kumo and Iwa who were watching the Fire and Grass borders in particular.

'It's sad that the transformation technique doesn't allow you to change your weight.' I mused to myself as I flew as it was only the facet of the fact that I could in fact almost negate my weight that I could pretend to be a bird to good effect.

I swiftly flew into the Land of Grass at high speed and due to the fact that I didn't need to sneak in or generally hide myself from the squads of Kumo and Grass ninja in particular I found on the way. 

I was able to find the Tenshuku river and follow it up to Tenshuku City itself after a good three-hour flight... 

A three-hour flight in which I flew more than three hundred miles.

'Hmm I kinda wish I got Jiraiya's summoning seal and had the Toad Summoning Contract. I could skip... A fuck load of trouble if I just have a giant toad eat the two women only to spit them out when they get reverse summoned back into Mt Myoubuku.' I mused to myself before I paused in realization as the city came into view.

"Wait. I literally do have a summon back in Konoha. I can just have Queelag reverse summon herself and them back to Konoha!" I realized with a laugh.

 As I had no fucking doubt at all that should I spring the local Uzumaki healer from her slavery that the Kumo ninja's running around everywhere. To say nothing of Grass's own forces would be after me.

But if I just teleported her back home, then all those problems would be averted!

'Now there is just one issue... I have to find the two Uzumaki's in particular.' I mused with some annoyance before I had an idea as to how to do so.

I landed on the ground and then, using shadow clones, I made a couple of dozen clones that had weak amounts of chakra that hid themselves in illusions of various female ninja forms with Nadeshiko Village headbands.

Meanwhile, I transformed myself into a handsome young master with ornate clothes but a pale countenance before I finally finished my plan off by using Crystal Release to create a small box filled with gem-cut crystals.

With my entourage, I strode purposefully towards the city lords castle and after bribing the guards to make an appointment with the caretaker of the house, which then got me a meeting with the city lord with another hefty bribe of gem-cut crystals, I met the city lord in an ornate drawing room.

"A scion of the Kazura clan of the Land of Sky, you have come a long way to the Land of Grass to seek me in particular. What can I do for you." The city lord who was a portly man with a rich merchant's demeanor spoke thoughtfully.

I gave a wane smile before I said with a knowing smile. "I am on my way south to the Land of Hotsprings, but I have been having... A bit too much fun, and I was told by local friends that some healers here can help a man get back his energy."

I waved towards a busty Nadeshiko kunicho behind me and she brought over a felt bag of ruby-like gems that gently clattered on the low table that separated us. 

And the city lord smiled before he said past a cough. "Haha. A young man could indeed use some supplements to keep up his prime, haha. But this is... A special service we offer for fellow nobles you understand?"

I honestly wondered how in the hell the Nobility of the Land of Grass managed to keep hold of the two Uzumaki's... As the Uzumaki village, even in this timeline, was still destroyed like in the canon timeline.

 Still I made a tsking noise of disdain before I waved to another transformed clone who brought a small chest from out of a cloak and I saw the city lord grin in delight at the gems within the chest.

Then I myself gave a hum and said. "How about after the healers look at me. I can also share a wonderful vintage from my homeland. I am sure the city of Tenshuku has many of it's own delights." 

The city lord chuckled heavily before he pulled out a large dark coin that he pushed over to me.

Then he said in an agreeing tone. "Oh... We have all types of flavors here. We have a lot of tough girls from the Land of Earth, some delicate beauties from the Land of Iron, and of course."

He lowered his voice. "We just got a wonderful shipment of fresh and untouched prizes from the Land of Waves from a dear friend of mine."

'Land of Waves... Is Gato still a thing here?' I mused before another thought couldn't help but sneak into my mind. 'Wait... Does that mean the OG Femboy in Haku will be the Land of Waves?'

I shook the idle thought aside before I smiled and said with a knowing grin. "I couldn't say no to such fun. The Land of Grass truly has the best sort of hospitality." 

The city lord likewise gave me a knowing smile before he explained where to find the 'healers', and I needed to give the guards of the estate where they were kept within the coin to get the service of the healers in particular.

So with that done, my entourage and I went to where the 'healers' were all together, as I could already tell a rather shitty ninja was following us lazily to watch us. So I didn't dismiss my clones.

We got to the estate without issue, I gave the coin to the estate manager and the older woman brought me to the larger chakra signatures I could sense in the estate.

And as I laid my eye's on the two healers who were sitting at a low table. I could tell the eldest, the mother of who was obviously Karin who was also an older teenager had been drained too many times.

'Her once vibrant crimson Uzumaki hair has turned a dull salmon pink with the ends of her hair turning white with a lack of life force.' I mused to myself as the mother of Karin gave a weak smile at seeing my transformed form.

Then she waved to the housekeeper and said tiredly. "I will send him out Lady Houshuku, you need not remains." 

And that housekeeper gave a sniff of disregard before she strode off with a cruel smile at knowing I was going to make 'use' of the two Uzumaki.

When the door closed with a soft snap, I looked back to the Uzumaki's and silently I shed my transformation, making both women freeze at seeing my true, painful beauty and fox ears and tails splay out with a flicker.

I strode over to their short table and with chakra on my finger that glowed a dark blue, I quickly traced a seal on the table that would absorb sound. So that any spies who had ears within the room woudn't be able to hear me.

"My name is Akari Sadra, and I am a ninja of Konoha," I announced my identity while pushing my Konoha headband towards the mother, who took the headband with thin fingers.

Then Karin's mother gave a wane smile before saying. "My name is Changli... And this is my daughter Karin."

Karin's look upon me... Wasn't full of fear, but to my own helpless amusement. A look of pure lust as she stared at my swaying tails behind me and my own face.

Still, her mother gave a light sigh, and she said quietly. "I know you are telling the truth. I also inherited the Uzumaki's Mind's Eye of the Kagura so I can read your chakra fluctations for lies."

That was an interesting tidbit, I couldn't recall Karin being able to do that in the anime but... Who knows if that was a secret only an Uzumaki with the right training could do?

Still, I nodded and said softly. "I was given a task from Lady Amaterasu to bring you to Konoha where surviving members of your clan would welcome you into Konoha. I hope you both can accept this."

Then Karin's mother dragged back her long sleeves, and I grimaced at seeing her lacking her own hands with her arm bruised darkly from where deep but healed-over bite marks covered her arm.

"I... I am not capable of seal work, nor can I take care of myself that well, with how my life force has been so drained. I almost certainly don't have more than a couple of years left in my life." She said softly.

I exhaled at the sight before I chewed on my inner cheek for a moment of thought before I said mentally. 'Fuck it.' 

"If anything... You should just take Karin with you. I can pretend that she snuck away and ran away. But I am useless to you and Konoha." She said helplessly.

But I shook my head, and then I said rather bluntly as I saw Karin's eye's redden. As she herself clearly knew how exhausted her mother clearly was.

"I am a Champion of Sun Goddess, Changli if I so desire,, you will not die, and I can help you here and now if you will trust me to do so."

Because... Not only was it a cool thing to do to help the woman who clearly had been suffering for a long ass time. But I knew Kushina would appreciate this favor a lot as well.

There was a heavy pause as Changli didn't respond for a moment before Karin gently grabbed her mother's arm and said quietly. "Mom, any extra days you can have. Is another day I would treasure with you."

And Changli sighed helplessly before she looked back to me and said softly. "So what do I need to do? Will I need to pledge myself as maiden to your service to receive divine favor?"

I blinked at her words before I chuckled, and before Changli could react. I gently picked her up and held her in my lap with her moaning in relief as my super hug touched upon her very soul

Then, before she could get over that. I slit open my thumb, bringing my immortal ichor to the surface and then... Popped into her mouth, and the moment my gleaming crimson and gold streak filled blood hit her tongue.

I felt Changli shudder as she melted against me with her tongue lapping at the cut I opened on my thumb as I made sure to hold back my immortality so the cut didn't instantly seal over.