People in Demon Slayer: The Journey That Began with Demon Slayer

"Quan, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just can't understand what's been going on lately. My companions, who used to be able to rely on, have all distanced themselves from me. The villagers are looking at us with hostility, and the atmosphere within the tribe is very strange. It feels like something big has happened."

As a genin, Izumi was unaware of what had happened within the Uchiha clan and between them and the Konoha leadership. Izumi was also one of the people Itachi wanted to take away from Konoha.

"Don't worry about it, Izumi. Just keep living your life as it is."

Izumi sensed that Itachi might know something: "Itachi, do you know something? What's wrong?"

Itachi put his index finger to his lips and said, "It's a secret!"

Quan pouted and said unhappily, "Okay, you'll probably say it's a secret mission or something and can't be revealed. I know."

The two strolled through the woods and sat down by a small river.

Izumi glanced at Itachi's profile beside her, her cheeks flushing slightly as she daydreamed, 'Was this a date? I guess so...'

"Itachi, will we keep walking down the same path forever?"

"Hmm? Why do you ask that? Haven't we been on the same path all along?"

Izumi gently shook her head, looking at the shimmering river surface, and said forlornly, "Although Itachi is by my side now, I feel that you are so far away from me. I want to keep up with you, but it feels like I can never catch up."

"Don't overthink it, Izumi, I've always been here for you."

"Itachi, do you know why I became a ninja?"

Itachi glanced sideways at Izumi.

Quan pursed her lips, then parted them slightly and said, "Because I want to walk on the same path as the person I like."

Itachi's body suddenly froze, unsure how to answer Izumi.

Quan suddenly laughed and said, "I was just joking, don't worry about it."

Izumi stood up, dusted herself off, and said, "Alright, it's about time we went back. Sasuke must be waiting for you."

Uchiha clan.

Izumi and Itachi parted ways.

Izumi watched Itachi's departing figure with a hint of disappointment, muttering softly, "What I said was all true..."

——

The Land of Grass, within the Hidden Grass Village.

Yosuke, who had traveled here, was having a meal with Deidara in a tavern.

Yosuke raised his glass and sipped his wine contentedly, while Deidara wolfed down the dishes on the table.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you!"

"@！￥！@#"

Yosuke's face darkened: "Swallow what's in your mouth before you speak!"

After struggling to swallow his food, Deidara said, "I can't waste time eating; I still need to study my art!"

Yosuke rubbed his throbbing temples and said, "Can you calm down? Last time we passed through the capital of the Bird Country, we were kicked out because of your reckless use of clay bombs."

Deidara said nonchalantly, "They're so weak, why should we run? Why don't we just take them out?"

"Being powerful doesn't mean you can do whatever you want..."

When Deidara saw that Yosuke wanted to lecture him, he covered his ears with his hands and started shoveling food into his mouth like a dog.

Yang Jie's forehead veins bulged: "Forget it!"

Deidara lowered his hands and continued eating.

Yosuke felt that his blood pressure had never gone down since he started taking Deidara with him. If it weren't for his immortality, Yosuke would really be worried that he would be driven to death by Deidara one day.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside the tavern, and all the diners hurriedly left.

Yosuke stopped a customer and asked, "Excuse me, what happened?"

"Kusagakure was ambushed by ninjas from Tsurugakure, and now the casualties are heavy. We need to take refuge."

Yosuke casually picked up Deidara and walked out of the tavern.

On the streets, the villagers of Kusagakure were frantically trying to escape.

The ninjas wearing headbands headed towards the edge of the village.

Yang Jie frowned and muttered, "What bad luck, looks like I'll have to leave."

Yosuke had no intention of getting involved in the battles between villages, since it was none of his business.

Just as Yosuke was leaving Kusagakure with Deidara, he suddenly sensed a familiar presence.

Following the scent, Yosuke arrived at a desolate corner where a little girl with red hair was helplessly squatting at the door of a dilapidated house, hugging her knees.

Yosuke sensed that the aura emanating from this little girl was identical to that of Kushina Uzumaki.

"An orphan of the Uzumaki clan, lost and exiled...?"

Yosuke stepped forward and asked, "What happened?"

The red-haired little girl sobbed, "They took my mother away."

"Arrested? Can you tell me more details?"

We learn from the red-haired little girl that her name is Uzumaki Kaori, and her mother's name is Uzumaki Chizuru.

After the fall of the Land of Whirlpools, he wandered to the Land of Grass.

In order to end her life of wandering, Kaori's mother, Chizuru, made a deal with the ninjas of Kusagakure. Chizuru used her Uzumaki clan's healing abilities to help many of the ninjas of Kusagakure heal and recover from their injuries in exchange for staying in the village.

Just now, because the ninjas of Longyin Village launched a sneak attack on Kusagakure Village, resulting in heavy casualties, Xiang's mother was forcibly taken away to heal the injured ninjas.

Xiang, who has special perception, noticed that her mother was in a very weak condition and was worried that something might happen to her, which is why she squatted helplessly at the door.

Yosuke crouched down, extended his hand, and said gently, "I know Kushina Uzumaki, who is from your clan. She is my friend. If you trust me, I can take you to find your mother."

Kaori looked at Yosuke with surprise: "Really?"

"Of course it's true."

Xiang grabbed Yosuke's large hand, wanting to take him to the hospital in Kusagakure immediately.

However, a ninja from Kusagakure stopped Kaori, rudely saying, "Uzumaki Kaori! Come with me right now! There are countless wounded in the village, and your mother alone is not enough!"

Chapter 195 The Choice of Fragrance

Faced with the menacing ninjas of Kusagakure, Kaori fearfully hid behind Yosuke.

The ninja glared fiercely at Yosuke: "Who are you? Get out of my way!"

Yosuke called out, "Deidara!"

"Okay, okay, this is such a hassle!" Deidara reached into his ninja tool pouch, chewed some clay with the mouth of his palm, and a lifelike little centipede appeared in his palm.

Deidara threw the clay centipede at the ninja, which instantly grew larger and then wrapped around and bound him.

"drink!"

An explosion followed, but this time the blast only severed the ninja's two legs.

The ninja continued to wail on the ground.

Seeing this, Xiang grabbed Yosuke's clothes in fear.

Deidara spoke first to Yosuke, saying, "I didn't kill him this time, so you're not allowed to lecture me anymore."

Yosuke ignored Deidara and let Kaori continue to take him to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital in Kusagakure Village, they found it overcrowded, filled with screams of agony.

Xiang led Yosuke through each room, finally stopping in one of them.

Inside, there was a woman whose face was covered by a white cloth. Her exposed ankles and neck were covered with teeth marks. She lay lifelessly on the bed.

Xiang's pupils dilated, and she covered her mouth in disbelief, tears streaming down her face.

"Mother..."

Xiang rushed into the room and lifted the white cloth, revealing a scene that disgusted her.

Kaori's mother, Chizuru Uzumaki, had countless teeth marks on every inch of her skin.

Yosuke placed his hand on Chizuru Uzumaki's forehead, sensing the condition within her body.

"The internal organs were not damaged at all; the person died after having their life force completely drained."

Xiang knelt on the ground and wailed loudly.

Xiang's crying attracted several ninjas.

"Too slow! You've finally arrived! Your mother is dead, and you, possessing the same abilities, will take her place to heal the wounded ninjas! We've taken you in, but you'll have to earn your own food!"

Faced with the threat from the ninjas of Kusagakure, Kaori retreated in terror.

"There's no need to be afraid of fragrance."

Yosuke's voice came from behind Kaori.

"Hey! Who are you two? Don't interfere in our village's affairs!"

Yosuke reached out his hand to Kaori again and said, "Kaori, now you have a choice in front of you. Do you want to join us? We will protect you, and no one will be able to bully you anymore."

"Damn it! Attack!"

Seeing this, the ninjas from Kusagakure launched an attack on Yosuke.

"Blood Demon Art? Dark Entanglement!"

The ninjas of Kusagakure were bound by ropes woven from blood.

With her powerful senses, Kaori sensed the ominous power within Yosuke's body and looked at him with some fear.

"Xiang, what's your choice?"

Kaori glanced at the bound Kusagakure ninja, then at Yosuke, whose expression remained gentle despite emanating an ominous aura, and at Chizuru Uzumaki, who lay lifeless on the hospital bed.

Xiang grasped Yosuke's hand, closed her eyes tightly, and cried out, "Please save me!"