The felines crossed the mountain ranges, then climbed the icy cliffs themselves to save time. The agents clung to them as best they could, unsettled by the vertical ascent. After a while, Kimaru, who was with Kakashi on a cougar, grumbled behind him.

  - It's better for the element of surprise to climb the cliff," replies Kakashi. And we'll get there quicker-

  - It's high, isn't it... he wonders in a small voice.

  Kimaru stared at the void below them, as pale as the snow.

  - Stop looking down! exclaims Kakashi.

  Kimaru closes his eyes, but the cougar turns his head as he feels him trembling on his back. He immediately stops on a niche to get back to a horizontal position before growling.

  - Switch places. I don't want to get scratched because I dropped one.

  - Tom-tom... panic Kimaru.

  Kakashi climbs down, then pushes Kimaru forward to climb back up behind him, keeping an eye on his agent.

  - I-I don't know how Tsukinoko manages to balance herself on the Commander's back," Kimaru bellows.

  - Tsukinoko has been training with the Sovereigns since they were very young," growls the cougar. Talent isn't for everyone, is it?" he sneers.

  Kimaru didn't know what to say, too busy trying not to panic. They finally arrived in Somitto at dawn, and the panthers carrying Team Ro made the rounds so that they could enter the village discreetly, knowing the secrets of the rocky mountains better than anyone, as they were unsuspected when they ventured into any territory

  For her part, Tsukinoko had been interrogated with jets of ice-cold water all evening, and the Head of Somitto had finally agreed to talk to her in the middle of the night because she wouldn't give up. He stepped into the cell, facing her soaked to the skin. He stood there without saying a word, and she jumped in, her voice hushed.

  - Chief of Somitto. Right now, you've got more blood on your hands than we do, so you mustn't act blindly. You should have a precise plan? Yet I'd swear the opposite, given your relentlessness. Why risk new conflicts without trying to discuss things first? If I've come to throw myself into the lion's den, it's because I have nothing to reproach myself for, don't you think?

  - A few years after the Great War and the death of Somitto's third General, an alleged prodigy appears out of nowhere to Hanamaru and excels at everything, he explains. Using a technique eerily similar to the electrical mode of the fire Chief. Hanamaru won the Great War, but didn't ask for reparations from the other hidden villages, because it seems she used herself.

  - That's not true," she whispered. I'm not responsible for anything Hanamaru did during that war or afterwards. Our former Chief didn't claim anything because he appreciated the peace that reigned just after that war and didn't want to rekindle the flame.

  - Why did Haruo Sato choose you among all the orphans of this attack?

  - Well," she laughs sadly, "apart from my skills, which he was able to spot, I think it's also because I was the only one who refused to accept my parents' death. I kept fighting night and day to find them, at all costs, and he must have wanted to help me in any way he could. In any case, neither Hanamaru nor I ever stole from Somitto. Don't confuse our faults," she said harshly.

  She feels him tense up and he raises his fist, ready to strike her after her insolence, but she exclaims before he can.

  - May I ask you a question?

  He slowly lowers his arm and grunts before answering.

  - Why do you insist on stealing other villages' techniques instead of developing your own? Don't you believe in your own homeland? Are you too afraid because you think your soldiers are weak, or because you don't feel up to the task?

  - How dare you?" he growls, lifting his head to crush his jaw.

  His wrath frightened her, but she looked him straight in the eye to stand up to him, without blinking, hoping to make him think about his actions.

  - You use my village to defend your interests while you continue to lie to yours.

  - Enough!" he growls.

  He let go of her head violently and turned on his heels without waiting, but as the guard closed the door, Tsukinoko cried out as loud as she could.

  - You're the Chief of Somitto, and if you don't believe in yourself, then your village will never flourish! And it won't be anyone's fault but yours. Your men give their best, so help them to excel because... because by stealing from others, you're... making them believe they're not up to the job!

  She huffs and puffs and falls back on her buttocks, praying he's heard her, hoping he's found the right words. The gate to her cell opens again, and a glass of water and a snack are placed at her feet.

  Mei, the assistant, helps her drink, but Tsukinoko refuses to eat because of the pain, her mouth full of cuts. Mei wipes her face with a warm cloth, loosening her hair from the dried blood on her temples, before suddenly muttering dryly as she presses down on her painful black eye.

  - Never say again that my village is weak.

  Tsukinoko flinches but interprets his threats differently and decides to make her talk too.

  - I take it hes not up to it then?

  Mei rapped again, but Tsukinoko didn't let up.

  - Well, neither then. But there's got to be a place where things get stuck, right?

  - Don't make me regret being here charitably.

  Mei picked up the glass and bread and left immediately. Tsukinoko went back to sleep at dawn, exhausted, while reinforcements were arriving at the gates of Somitto at the same time.

  Shikaru, Yukihyō and Haruo were advancing with the escort unit, and the pack of wild beasts encircling them cautiously. The two soldiers on guard stood up abruptly when they saw everyone arriving and exchanged terrified glances, but Ken and Sora suddenly jumped in front of them.

  - Hanamaru's Kage," exclaimed Ken indolently, a twig in his mouth. To what do we owe your visit?

  - Well," he said, puffing on his pipe, "that depends on your answer to my question.

  - What question?" he hesitates.

  - Where's Tsukinoko?

  They both exchange glances with Sora out of the corner of their eyes, and Ken exclaims casually.

  - Talking to the head of Somitto right now.

  - Idiot... Sora grumbles quietly.

  He is surprised to hear this, but remains stoic and Haruo Sato continues.

  - We'd like to join in.

  - All of you?! shouts Sora.

  - Only the Chief and his Commander," growls Yukihyō. Unless they need a special escort?

  - On no account," he shouts confidently. Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that this will not be possible. Our Chief wishes to speak to Tsukinoko alone.

  - Very well, and are you going to make us wait here in the snow then?" asks Haruo, raising an eyebrow.

  Sora remains sheepish, while Shikaru takes his turn to corner them.

  - When can we join them? Tsukinoko- made it clear in her message that she would like our testimony in this case. That's why we're here.

  - Sora is astonished.

  He gives Ken an annoyed look, and Ken gives him a discreet wave of the hand, as if he'd done nothing, lost too. Shikaru and Haruo exchange a discreet glance, then Haruo crosses his arms and taunts Ken.

  - So, Ken, would you please go and get the Head of Somitto for us? We'd like to speak to him immediately," he replies curtly. Tsukinoko informed us that they would speak with us when we arrived," he says, looking him in the eye.

  Sora is still puzzled and turns around, making big eyes at Ken, who panics under the pressure of his teammate.

  - I never wrote that!" he whispers in defense.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  - That's right, he never wrote that," smiled Haruo mischievously, having just heard it. And Tsukinoko, did she?

  The two companions turn pale and Yukihyō fires loudly at them to finish them off under pressure. They flinch for a second, but Sora pulls himself together and shouts to the guards, having realized that the little game couldn't go on any longer.

  - Ask for the Chef! It's urgent!

  The beasts stared contemptuously at the two soldiers, who tried to look the other way while waiting for their leader to come and get them out of this mess.

  While they were talking, Team Ro had split in two, with Y?ji, Kakashi and the new recruit, Karumin Nezumi, on one side, and K?, Kimaru and a sensory member of the other squad as reinforcements on the other. The two teams split up on either side of the village and set out discreetly to find Tsukinoko.

  Thanks to his insects, Y?ji finally finds his way back to the prison perched on the mountain. Guided by the insects, they find an air vent in the rock and silently make their way to the top of Tsukinoko's cell.

  Through a grating, they see Tsukinoko chained below them, sitting on her buttocks with her head hanging in the air. Kakashi signals Y?ji to send the insects to warn her and get more information on the situation to get her out. A swarm of insects descended and formed words in front of her on the ground, waiting for her to notice. But she didn't move, and the insects mobilized to stroke Tsukinoko's cheek, eventually forcing her head up to look up.

  She came to her senses, feeling heckled, and opened her eyes with difficulty. After long seconds of adjusting her blurred vision, she discerned three Colony agent masks through the grate and smiled. A red glow emanated from behind one of the masks. It was Nezumi, unaware that he had joined the squad. She began whispering quietly so that they could read her lips. Kakashi also notices a seal of chakra inhibition on her body. Nezumi nods to Tsukinoko that all is well and she lowers her head. While they were thinking about a plan, one of the guards shouted from the other side of the gate.

  - Who are you talking to? You think I can't see you?!

  - I pray," she murmurs.

  - You're right," he sneers.

  She didn't have the energy to reply and just sighed. The insects were stirring in front of her again, then writing on the floor that she had to find a way to open the gate.

  - Hey," Tsukinoko says to the guard, "could I have some water, please?

  - Silence," he rants.

  - Your boss will be happy if I clamor," she says in the same tone. I haven't had a drink in two days...

  The man rants in his beard, then returns with a canteen of water. He opens the gate, but no sooner has the gourd been placed in front of her than Nezumi jumps behind him to knock him out.

  He catches his fall so as not to make a sound and hurries off to knock out the second guard, while Kakashi climbs down and snatches the key from his belt to open Tsukinoko's chains. His subordinate collapses in his arms and he climbs back up with her, while Nezumi has gone to get his things, accompanied by the insects that destroy all the information Somitto had on her and Hanamaru.

  Kakashi crawled through the ducts with Tsukinoko on his back, using her last strength to cling to him. Y?ji warned the second part of the unit with his insects and Haruo of the mission's success.

  Out in the open, Kakashi carried Tsukinoko in his arms, half-conscious, who finally recognized him and snuggled up to him, reassured but dead cold. He paused for a second to wrap her warmly in his cloak, and didn't flinch when she put her frozen hands under his sweater to warm herself.

  At the gates of Somitto, the two chiefs gauged each other, Haruo trying to clarify the situation and get him to admit his wrongdoing, to no avail, before entering into negotiations to calm tensions that were turning into escalating threats.

  The agents and Tsukinoko were crouched behind a rock in the snow and Kakashi had broken the seal of inhibition on her forehead while Kimaru remained kneeling beside her, concerned at her condition as she shivered with cold and exhaustion. Nezumi stepped forward to make sure he'd taken all her belongings and handed her his bag and swords, kneeling before her.

  - Are you feeling better, Commander Tsukinoko?" he asks respectfully.

  - Berk," she mumbles, "don't call me that, K?...

  - It's not me," replies the person concerned.

  Tsukinoko squinted and noticed that it wasn't her mask, and suddenly exclaimed that she didn't recognize the figure.

  - Huh... Is that my replacement?" she pouted, looking at Kakashi. I wasn't planning on fucking dying!

  - That's what's going to happen to you if you keep bawling like that," K? sighs, hiding his concern.

  Nezumi is surprised, wondering if he was definitely replacing her, a little embarrassed.

  - He's the new recruit," replied Kakashi. He's become another permanent member.

  - Commander Tsukinoko, would you please check that all your belongings are here? asks Nezumi again.

  - Hey, we're gonna fight, you and me," she says with her eyes closed. Whoever you are.

  Nezumi remained sheepish, then turned to Kakashi, wondering what he was doing wrong, but the latter sighed. Kimaru then whispered in his ear to stop being so formal.

  Meanwhile, she checks her belongings and signals that everything's there, and Nezumi stands up, thanking her. She raises an eyebrow at his umpteenth polite gesture, and he quickly steps aside for fear of being caught out again.

  Tsukinoko, a little less numb, was dozing in Kakashi's arms by the time his Chief beckoned them over. Somitto's Chief, Sora and Ken, who had been joined by troops, widened his eyes at the sight of Tsukinoko and he took a step forward on impulse, but Yukihyō fired violently as he stood over her to protect her, waking her up and stopping him dead in his tracks.

  - How did you-

  - My colleague. We have no wish to break the treaty," exclaimed Haruo, "but that was your last warning. There won't be another, nor will there be a declaration of war if Somitto gets too close to Hanamaru again...

  The head of Somitto is a little surprised, but he continues before he can react.

  - ...because we will have wiped this village off the map before any attempt is made. We've given you the benefit of the doubt in this matter, but you've made a number of obvious errors along the way. I hope that we won't have to move again, and that you understand what's at stake

  The Somitto chief held his gaze, annoyed.

  - You have entered my village without authorization," he cries, "I will not tolerate your men's intrusion! You will have to answer for this act. Tsukinoko tried to steal information, which is why we had to lock him up," he scolds. We are in no way responsible for this masquerade! Stop your provocations, this is your last warning," he rages.

  - Acknowledge your affront, and we'll leave without reprisal-

  - Oh Jījī fucking abbreviate, Tsukinoko suddenly rants behind him. I'm cold. And hungry.

  - Jījī?" Sora and Ken are astonished at the same time.

  They exchanged surprised glances at the way Tsukinoko spoke to her Chief. Sora impulsively smacked his team-mate on the head, understanding how the false message hadn't convinced them, while Somitto's Chief clenched his fists in anger.

  Haruo was about to retort, but laughed quietly as they realized their mistake, and Tsukinoko decided to cut short the discussion. She spoke slowly, and her broken voice gave the impression of listening to a wise old man.

  - The Chief of Somitto wanted to make sure that his village wasn't in danger, which it should be," she exclaimed. And that her father hadn't been soiled. We're not going to stand here for hours debating who cast the first stone, we've got nothing to blame ourselves so let's get out of here. I've wasted enough time and energy here trying to reason with stubborn people.

  - Tsukinoko," he calmed her down.

  - Who do you think you are? scolds the other.

  - Shut up," she snaps, sticking her head out of Kakashi's cape, "you listen to me now!

  She leans on her leader to straighten up in his arms and look the Somitto Chief straight in the eye with a sanctimonious air, out of her depth.

  - You insist on maintaining your positions at the risk of starting a war, is it really worth it?! We've shown you that your accusations are unfounded and false, and I've explained that Hanamaru didn't commit any affront against Somitto. It's time to admit what we've said, because if you don't, we'll be forced to act accordingly following your abduction and kidnapping, as well as the murder of two of our men, for which you are indeed responsible! It was you who tried to steal confidential information about Hanamaru!

  - We never wanted to start any conflict with Hanamaru," raged Somitto's Chief. I've only seen to the protection of Somitto, I'm within my rights. Military villages jump at the first opportunity to monopolize the power of others-

  Tsukinoko didn't let him finish and started shouting in anger, annoyed at this story that was going nowhere, and intent on reminding him that he was losing sight of his objectives, in her opinion.

  - Power is not defined by the quantity of men or techniques, each rarer than the last, but by the will and strength of a village that grows within itself! she shouts.

  Her voice echoes through the mountain and everyone is surprised by her tone and words, but the Somitto Chief almost laughs at her.

  - The foundations you cite only lead to the elevation of compassion and pity in men, and it is these behaviors that lead to their downfall.

  - Not if you teach them how to use it properly," she rants. You were lucky enough to have a living proof of this power, who gave her life to protect the thing she believed in! And today it's you who's trampling on her honor, no one else!

  He had crossed his arms but was annoyed that she dared to talk about her father, and the tension was beginning to weigh on everyone. Tsukinoko didn't give up, however, and shouted out, brandishing her fist.

  - Defeated by his own village," she shrieks, "which itself is now an even more formidable weapon than he is. That's the goal of a true Kage, to make his village strong enough to get along without him from now on! If a Kage doesn't believe in his village, he can provide it with all the techniques in the world, but the result will be the same!

  The Somitto Chief drops his mask a moment after her words, while C and Ken stand dumbfounded, equally fearful of her insulting the Somitto Chief in this way.

  - Are you beginning to understand? It would be a shame not to continue showing Somitto where his power really lies, wouldn't it? Not to give him the chance to prove himself, she insists.

  Some raised an eyebrow, not sure they understood everything, even if they were surprised and anxious. The Head of Somitto held his gaze, really considering her words and remembering those of the day before. A thoughtful silence had fallen and Tsukinoko finally calmed down.

  - Good!" she exclaims suddenly as her voice fades. I'm going to faint in a few seconds thanks to your warm hospitality. I personally pledge not to demand compensation for your actions and to defend the peace treaty by preventing any reprisals by Hanamaru against Somitto," she exclaims solemnly... If you promise never to deceive Hanamaru again.

  His boss smirked, exchanged an approving word with Shikaru and finally concluded.

  - Hanamaru accepts her conditions. And Tsukinoko must be removed from your books. The ball is in your court," he says calmly.

  The latter stared at them blankly, his agents looking at him anxiously as they waited for his answer, as did the rest of his teams.

  - We need your word of honor that this kind of incident won't happen again and that you'll respect the treaty from now on," insists Shikaru.

  - You've got it," he finally replies, without seeming to lose his temper.

  Everyone catches their breath, relieved. Haruo finally turns on his heels with his men, but Tsukinoko meets the Somitto chief's gaze. Holding no grudge and wishing the best for all the villages, she gives a sincere smile before fainting again. The latter watched them go, meditating on his benevolence despite what they had done to him, his willingness to help them and put things into perspective instead of debating their wrongs, before thinking again of his father. He finally gave up and squinted before turning on his heels. Kakashi held his subordinate tightly with one arm on Yukihyō. Halfway back to Hanamaru, she woke up and snuggled up to him, talking to Haruo behind as well.

  - Boss... I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I should have disappeared before they caught me. But I was too scared for what came next, and I hope the Somitto Boss didn't take what I said the wrong way, and I'm sorry I demanded my terms, and insisted on leaving in the first place... But-

  - My little one," he sighs. You single-handedly took care of the situation.

  - Master Betto!" she suddenly recalled, startled. Is Shikaru back? Is he all right?! she panicked.

  - Save your strength," sighs Shikaru from behind.

  - Phew... she breathes in relief. Hey Boss, I'm hungry...

  - I know," he smiled reassuringly. We'll be home soon.

  She buried her head in his sweater and he held her tightly against him, while Shikaru smiled with pride behind them