Chapter 308 - Cap 286: Nadeshiko Hospitality

Kurama quickly appeared in the mansion, to notice how everyone was staring at him.

"Is it all over?" - asked Kushina as she looked at her husband.

"Nagato! - exclaimed Konan as she looked around without being able to see her best friend.

". . ." - Kurama was silent for a few seconds before letting out a sigh and beginning to relate everything he had managed to see.

Konan fell to her knees as she mourned the loss of the only family she had left, the other girls in the mansion quickly went to try to comfort her, although it was obvious that this would take a long time to happen.

Kurama watched this silently as he shook his head.

It was better to let the woman be alone for a while, so she could accommodate her thoughts and think about what would happen from now on, although it was also necessary to have someone watching over her, so she did not kill herself out of desperation.

* * *

Two days had passed since Kurama had returned to Uzu after his last encounter with Akatsuki and was currently observing Inari's training, or at least he had until he received one of his Anbu's reports that a message had arrived from Shizuka of Nadeshiko Village with a request to accompany her back to her village so that she could talk about a new alliance, not to mention that her mother wanted to talk with him, so she could thank him for the help Tsunade had given them regarding the poison.

"I guess I can accept," said Kurama as he created a clone to continue to supervise the training of his student. "I have to do everything before I go into the [Hyperbolic Time Chamber] to train this new force that I have acquired"

Kurama could only frown when he noticed his chakra getting out of control for a few seconds.

With a quick movement, he reappeared inside his office and took the communication scroll, so he could tell Kakashi that he would be there soon. It was better to get it over with quickly, so he could go in for training because something was telling him that things were about to get out of control.

* * * * *

"This didn't turn out the way we thought..." - said Black Zetsu as he watched as the few remaining White Zetsu were dragging Menma's body - "Although this makes things a little easier for us"

"What do you plan to do?" - asked Obito as he raised an eyebrow in exhaustion.

"Normally I would ask you to use your Rinne Tensei and bring him back to life, but right now we can't afford for you to get weak, that's why I'll turn him into a Zetsu" - replied Black Zetsu with a cold smile on his face - "With the experiments I've managed to do, I've been successful in coming up with a method where I can replicate what happened with Tobi"

Obito was silent when he heard the name of his benefactor - "I understand, do it"

"You don't have to say it twice," replied Black Zetsu with disdain. "Now if you need me, I have to take our little pawn's body to our real base so that we can use the roots of Shinju to complete the work"

Obito remained silent while using his Kamui, only to have Midori's figure fall unconscious - "You may have lost your true purpose, but you can still be of use to us, after all, we still need a sacrifice to use the Edo Tensei"

Obito gave the woman one last glance before making her disappear from his sight.

* * * * *

"So this is Nadeshiko Village..." - said Kurama as he looked around and noticed how most of the inhabitants were women, which honestly made him a little uncomfortable because they all seemed to be about to jump on him.

Shizuka frowned when she saw this, so she released some of her chakra to keep all her sisters away. She was aware of the laws of the village, so it was better not to show weakness because it would only make the other women try to take her partner, after all, Nadeshiko was a village that used Amazonian laws.

"We'd better go to my house right away, my mother really wants to meet you" - answered Shizuka calmly as she grabbed the boy's hand and led him to her house, but not before giving her sisters a neutral look.

After 10 minutes, the couple arrived at the most prominent building in the village, only to notice how a woman in her thirties with dark brown hair was waiting for them.

"Tokiwa?" - Shizuka asked in surprise.

"Finally you're back, Shizuka-sama!" - Tokiwa exclaimed with a frown, "Your mother told me that I had to accompany you on this journey, but you left me here"

"I'm sorry, I was a little rushed, not to mention that you were going through a crisis because of your last relationship" - replied Shizuka as she gave her a blank look.

". . ." - Tokiwa was about to say something, but could only be silent when she heard a third voice - "OK, I think that's enough"

"Hai, Miya-sama!" - exclaimed Tokiwa as she bows slightly.

"It is a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to finally meet you, Kurama-dono, or would you prefer me to call you Sekkusu Kami-sama?" - asked the woman now known as Miya.

". . ." - Kurama gave the woman a blank look because he noticed that she was not acting with what he would expect from a mother. He gave the woman an analytical look so that he could observe her closely, only to notice how similar she was to Shizuka.

Shizuka was the spitting image of her mother, only she had a much more developed figure, as well as long, flowing hair of a beautiful brown color. She was wearing a traditional black Kimono that accentuated her curves well. Her emerald eyes showed the experience of the years that Shizuka couldn't demonstrate because of her immaturity, her delicate pink lips next to her small nose made the symmetry of her face almost perfect, showing that she had well deserved the title of the most beautiful Kunoichi of Nadeshiko.

"I have to admit that I am surprised" - said Kurama as he looked at the woman.

"Why? - asked Miya as she tilted her head in confusion.

"Seeing your appearance, I am surprised that Jiraiya (Pui) didn't agree to marry you" - answered Kurama seriously. Kurama was being sincere with his words because she was on a par with the beauty that Kushina and Mikoto had.

"Oh, thank you for the compliment, honey" - smiled Miya with happiness thanks to the words of the redhead - "And answering your doubt, I also ask myself the same thing, I mean, I don't love Jiraiya (Pui) or anything like that, but as a leader of Nadeshiko I have to follow our laws, that's why I'm surprised he didn't take advantage of the situation knowing how perverted he is..."

"I guess everyone has some good in them, in Jiraiya's case (Pui), I guess he couldn't accept forcing a woman to be with him" - answered Shizuka, who had known the white-haired man a little better. She was sure that her assumption was right because even though Jiraiya was a pervert, he never forced his 'acquaintances' into anything.

"It's possible, after all, it's something that idiot would do" - Miya nodded calmly - "Anyway, we'd better go in and talk about more serious matters"

"OK" - Kurama nodded seriously as the three of them entered the house of the leader Nadeshiko.

* * * * *

"I see..." - Miya murmured as she closed her eyes - "The situation is much worse than I thought"

Kurama had explained to her all the situation that had happened during the last months, something that she really appreciated, since Nadeshiko was a Village that most of the time was isolated from the rest of the villages, and they only went out to get a husband.

"What do you plan to do now that you have this information, Miya-dono? - asked Kurama calmly as he waited for the woman's answer.

"It is obvious what I will do, Nadeshiko will participate in this war, after all, we cannot stand idly by when the fate of the Elemental Nations is at stake" - answered Miya seriously - "Not to mention that I am also tired of following the rules that force us to isolate ourselves from others"

"Okaa-san?!" - Shizuka exclaimed in surprise because she never thought to hear her mother curse the customs of their village.

"I'm sorry Shizuka, but I'm serious," said Miya seriously, "I'm tired of following these damned old rules. Nadeshiko deserves a better future, our inhabitants deserve to find that special person, that person they can love without fear of persecution"

". . ." - Shizuka was silent when she heard this.

"I have been talking to the others in the Council, and we have come to the conclusion that it is time for Nadeshiko to change," Miya said seriously. "We are falling behind the other villages and if this continues, what happened 100 years ago will happen again"

". . ." - Shizuka was silent when she heard this because what her mother was saying referred to the cruelest moment in Nadeshiko's history, the moment when they were hunted down to be slaves.

"Kurama-dono, I would like to ask you to stay and experience Nadeshiko's hospitality," Miya said with a smile, "I promise you won't regret it"

". . ." - Kurama thought about it for a few seconds before nodding.