Summary: It all began with an ominous cough. (A reference mentioned in Chapter 22, 27 and 32.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything afflicted with any other video games, anime, manga or comic.


The merchant gave the three books to the regular client who came to pick up the orders once every month.

"Thank you." Xia told the merchant politely as she picked up the books from his hands. Her fingers brushed against his bare skin as her hands puckered the books from his hands.

Xia briefly glanced at the books that she supposed to pick up. These new books were simply added to the ever growing book collection of the Benzaiten Library. Upgrading the precious library up to date was essential.

It was an easiest mission that everyone with a good critical thinking skill in her clan can do it in their sleep. Although selecting the new books required some careful thinkings and making sure that the new books get the approval from the Clan Leader and the Benzaiten Library's overseer.

When the new books got the approval from them, she would go ahead to buy the approved books.

Hence, Xia was selecting and buying the new books.

Once she was satisfied with the new books' pristine condition, she quickly paid him a required amount of currency and left to go back home.

A merchant counted his money happily, then suddenly coughed harshly. His free hand covered his mouth.

"Man, ya sure cough a lot lately. Ah think ya work too hard and will catch a cold." His assistant commented nonchalantly, sorting out the items on the shelves.

The sounds of his coughs quietened.

"Eh? You're right. Maybe I should take some rest now." A merchant muttered distractedly as he was putting away his hard-working money into his personal bag.

He trusted his assistant to watch over his shop. He went back to the backroom that reserved for him and his employees, intending to take a break.

Unberknowest to him, his coughs evolved into the deadly flu. Sadly, he died of the severe acute pneumonia few weeks later. The people, whom knew him, were sad over his death. But they went back to resume their everyday life.

After all, they accustomed to see the people dying from the sickness, accidents or, being an unlucky casualty of the bandit attack or being caught between the freak bloodline users.

In the public eye, he simply died from the sickness. Unfortunate, but common death.

Unberknowest to the public, his death was a harbinger of something deadly soon sweeping over the Land of the Water and its surrounding smaller islands.


A/N: Oh, uh! it looks like a bad news coming. You probably guess that it's deadly plague mentioned in chapter 22, 27 and 32. Poor Xia is unlucky to catch that sickness and unwittingly carrying it to her home.

I hope you enjoy it!