The Poisonous Flower of Kumo - Chapter 6


Little Flower


Five months later.

The last months had been hell. In fact, hell was too light of a word to describe how I had lived. Ever since I had done that S-rank mission, all of the assignments I had received were extremely dangerous, suicidal even.

One was bad luck, two was a coincidence, three was worth investigating, four someone was trying to kill me...

But eleven of them was… I don't know, maybe I had offended someone without knowing, someone really powerful, maybe it was snake-face…I never trusted him.

It was a miracle I was even alive, I can't recall the number of times I had finished a mission only to fall in exhaustion, all of my teammates dead. It had given a plethora of scars littering my entire body, a permanent reminder of my time in war and I was pretty sure I had started to develop immunity to the most basic of poisons, though that was also a partly conscious action. I didn't want to accidentally poison myself someday, and being immune to your own poisons was something of an obligation for shinobi who seriously used them.

But if there was a good point in nearly dying every day for half a year, it was that my skills had improved at a monstrous rate, I guess being put in constant life-or-death situations where even the seemingly most useless of skill can save your life does that to you.

I was better, more cunning, more poisonous, deadlier than before. And also richer, those missions paid a lot, people were not actually expected to return from them. With that money, I bought everything I could possibly need to survive: poisons, weapons, training methods, jutsus, books, and so on…

But I still had that look of childish innocence, that cuteness, that only kids had, the one that provoked an inner desire to protect. As such, they hesitated when going for the killing blow. Contrarily to their image, shinobi were not all the emotionless killing machines often described, they had reasons why they fought, most of the time for their village, family, or the next generation.

I reminded them of that, so they hesitated.

Too bad I did not.

I had lost count of the number that had fallen to my hands, I did not want to know, but I still collected he forehead protectors, like horrible trophies, to remind me of what I had done.


As I came back from another successful mission, I realized something, tomorrow would be my birthday. Tomorrow.

It had been nearly six months since I had been thrown into this accursed war. Half a year.

Thinking back on it, a lot had happened this year, I had started the Academy, finished it, been thrown into the front lines, killed, almost been killed, killed again…

The war had also changed, we had stopped sending children to it, it had de-escalated a lot, we were starting to win and we, Kumo, had fought tooth and nail for it. Especially in the last four or so months, everything was going better, so much that they had put the minimal age to be sent to the front lines at nine years old, for whatever it was worth. So, to my immense relief, Karyo was safe for another year, he was my only friend, pretty much the only person I would be sad if they died.

I had hoped it would end soon, a Kage Summit had held not long ago…though, from what I heard, it had not gone well at all…


As I always did, I have my report, collected my pay, went to a quick trip to the hospital just to know if I had overlooked any injuries when I had healed myself, though the mission I had just gone back from hadn't been that bad compared to some others I had done. That was probably because of my quickly growing skills. Especially in medical ninjutsu, once I had been forced to heal myself or die…I had mastered the Mystical Palm Technique and lived. Well, mastered…got it strong enough to stay alive, which was an achievement in itself.

Getting out of my thoughts, I unlocked my apartment -yes I had an apartment, it was awesome!- only to notice the door was already unlocked.

I was immediately on my guard and went into shinobi mode, I focused on my hearing, trying to hear if it was a robber or something more sinister, but I heard nothing.

I made a clone a sent it inside while climbed to the side of my house and peeked in the window.

Oh…Well.

I dispelled my clone relieved, it was only Kumo officials, ANBU I think, they were probably waiting for me, hence why my door was unlocked.

I still was ready for anything if they were less friendly then they seemed.

I went back to the door and entered normally, not surprise by the two ANBU in my living room.

"Hana Yudoku? Follow us, Jonin Commander Shinrai requires your presence," he paused gesturing me to follow me," Immediately."

I complied, not wanting to make the Commander wait, he was a busy man, his time was worth more than money, it was worth lives. Wasting it meant that people would die.

We got out by the window and jumped on roofs, en route toward the Commandment building.

During the whole trip, I pondered about what could've possibly made him request me, but I couldn't imagine something that would require him specifically to see me, why hadn't just ordered someone lower on the chain of command.


Well, it's useless to ponder about that, I'm about to discover why, I thought, standing in front of the plain door leading to the office of whom I had learnt to be one of the most powerful shinobi of the village; Jonin Commander Shinrai. Let's just say he wasn't Jonin Commander for anything. He had proven himself more than once.

I knocked and was invited to enter, so I opened the door, seeing his office for the...what? Fourth time? I was almost a regular. He still gave me the creeps, though.

He was smiling when I entered, with his unusually sharp teeth, speaking as soon as the door was closed.

"Ah! Hana! Truly a pleasure to see you…Still in one piece, the war has done you good, you look fantastic! You should try this lotion, it would do you marvels…Ah! But where are my manners, I'm Jonin Commander Shinrai…wait, you already know that, why I am here again…"

He looked at a wall, a barren wall, reading? Something, suddenly enlightened, before continuing, abruptly becoming serious. I remembered it was not the first time I had caught him doing this, but it was still as unnerving.

"Yes, yes, Hana Yudoku, soon to be five years old, eleven completed missions, including one S-rank and two A-ranks, seemingly 'immortal.' Yes! I have a mission for you, something only you can accomplish."

I looked at him curiously, what mission could it be. My skill set was quite common and I did not have enough control over my Gekkei Genkai to use it that usefully, there was always Jonin who could do anything I could, but better. I did not have to ponder on this long, though, as he continued shortly after.

"Your mission, Hana, should you choose to accept it, is to poison Konoha ninja by passing yourself for a little girl in need of shelter, sneaking into their camp and poison their water supplies…Fan-ta-stic! Isn't it? Also a bit morally ambiguous, the reason why it's up to you whether to accept it or not… So, what do you think?"

I was momentarily stunned, what the fuck? What kind of mission was this? I knew we were in war, but still...I needed to know the details, so I asked.

"Can you…explain it to me please, I'm not sure I understand…And why me?"

"Oh, it's simple my dear, since you are a young, very cute and quite competent Kunoichi, quite good at suppressing your chakra, it's perfect for you. And you don't look like a Kumo native! You would fake being recently orphaned, which isn't totally a lie in case you didn't know, ask to spend the night at the ninja camp while maintaining your chakra levels at barely civilian levels. Then, once the night comes, you go up, and poison all of their supplies using a poison we will give you. As simple as pie! Of course, it's a bit more complicated than that, but it's a genius plan…I take all of the credit if you want to know…" he smiled proudly at the end.

I suppressed a shiver, a normal occurrence whenever I talked with him, and thought back on what he had just proposed me, it was risky, there were too many ways this could go wrong, but if it worked…it was not like those Konoha pigs did not deserve it either and it would help the village. It also told me the rumours were true, the Kage Summit for peace held a few weeks ago had not been effective; otherwise we would not employ such a strategy.

If it is what it takes to avenge my parents…

"I…accept. How will it go?"


He explained to me how I would have a storage seal drawn on myself, with the poison, antidote and a couple of other things inside me. I would then wander, with a perfected backstory, to an enemy's camp, saying my parents were recently murdered by ninja resembling Kumo ninja, that I was cold, hungry and injured, all the while heavily suppressing my chakra. With a bit of luck, they would house me for the night. I would then put a new device that they had, which would imitate my chakra signature, on my bed, before completely masking my chakra and going to poison all of their supplies, using a camouflage technique to go unseen.

Honestly, even with all of my hate for Konoha, I had hesitated to do it, it was simply too inhumane. It was just like slaughtering pigs, there would not be a fight for my life, no danger, adrenaline, there wouldn't be the thrill of a fight. Simply some poison and good acting...

Then I had remembered all of the comrades I had lost because of this war, everything we had sacrificed and I realized it was either us or them, some would die, no matter how and it was better them.

If it is what it takes, I'll do it…

The war had to end, no matter the cost, otherwise even more lives would be lost.

I had only asked for one thing in exchange, I wanted Karyo exempted from the Academy, so that he would not be sent to war, he could still participate in the war as a blacksmith, as he had always dreamed.

They had relented, one civilian Genin wouldn't make a big difference. Not compared to what they wanted me to do.


After I had accepted to do the mission, I was told all of the minor details, how to suppress my chakra even better, even in my sleep and I was shown the Camouflage Jutsu, a difficult, but powerful jutsu that would probably prove invaluable to me in the future. As the name implied, it allowed someone to camouflage with their surroundings, its only weakness was that the Sharingan or Byakugan could see through it, two bloodlines quite common in Konoha. But since i would be using it outside of a fight, they would have no reason to be using their bloodlines, I would be safe.

Fortunately for me, it didn't use that much chakra, it required a fine chakra control instead, but I had that in spades, so I had been able to learn it pretty fast. I had not mastered it by any means, but it would be enough to sneak in the middle of the night.

I was also shown how to act, how to lie, act to act like a little girl in shock, lost, scared, vulnerable, in need of protection. They had me perfect my act, from how I would proceed at the beginning until the end of it, every single detail was covered. And finally, a few weeks later, I was deemed ready.

It had all passed in a blur, I wasn't sure I had truly understood my mission, and its implications, it still did not feel real to me, like I was stuck inside a permanent fever dream. Everything seemed to be so quick and sudden.

But it did not matter to them, I had an assignment to complete.


I was in the middle of a forest, the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. I only knew to go east and I would eventually find a Konoha border camp with about thirty shinobi in it.

So that's what I did, I walked up to there, in a torn, dirty kimono that made me feel nude, bare, vulnerable. I had to fight off all of my shinobi instincts, suppress my chakra, it was uncomfortable, I was weak, helpless, but I was someone inherently adaptable, it was in my nature, so I would manage, as I always did.

Some minutes, and some bruises, later, I spotted a mass of habitations, mostly tents and small huts, in the distance and started pacing up, my bare foot getting scrapped with each step in the treacherous forest.

The mission began now, I was not a Genin anymore, but simply a scared little girl. I slipped into my persona as easy as in a shoe, weeks of gruelling practice showing themselves.

The habitations slowly transformed into tents, as I got closer, my eyes haggard, tired, lost, afraid…it was not just an act anymore, I was weak. I was not Hana anymore.

I reached past the first sentry, not showing any signs I had outward signs detected him, I acted oblivious. He let me through, I was not a threat to them.

I reached past the second, third, fourth…sentries, the same scenario repeating itself, they never stopped me nor helped me, but I could feel the pity…

I reached the first tent and truly began my play, my grand scheme.

"H-hello?" I stuttered, shaking from the cold. "I-is there anyone here…please…I'm lost…"

Radio silence.

Nothing.

"Hello?" I spoke, loudly and worriedly, "I lost Mommy and Daddy…have you seen them…I'm hungry…can you help me..."

I heard some quiet shuffling before a sorry shinobi, a Chunin, I reckon, came and kneeled in front of me, looking anywhere but my pleading eyes. I could tell I had him, he believed the act.

"Hello there," he spoke softly, slowly, "what are you doing here? It's dangerous to be alone in the dark, you know…"

"I'm lost, Daddy…Daddy told me to go, to run when the lightning came…" I sniffed, sobbed, "can you help me please… I feel wobbly, Mommy said that I was sick..."

Before he had the chance to answer, I flipped a tooth in the back of my mouth and ingested the poison inside of it, causing me to instantly faint in his arms, in a very dramatic, but not bad fashion.

The poison was something recently discovered by Kumo, it left no traces and acted instantly, it greatly weakened someone. In my case, it had caused me to faint as I was already very weak. It had to be ingested, though, so it was more useful for infiltration missions than fighting.


I woke up, in character, I had been in character for the past three days. Method acting was well known to shinobi. I rolled weakly in the bed, warily looking around me. Where was I?

I shakily got up, standing on my frail legs. I looked around me, I was in a medical tent, I overheard some people speaking outside.

"…greatly weakened…almost no chakra…starving! …no food in...days…parents deads…Kumo raid…village….no survivor…"

The voice was worried and outraged, perfect.

I continued my grand play.

"H-hello? Sir ninja? Daddy…Mommy!"

I started to panic lightly, said ninja quickly coming in to reassure me, he took me in his arms, rocking me gently.

"Breath in…breath out…breath in…everything's fine now, I'm with you now, you're safe…"

I calmed slightly, his deep voice soothing me, easing my worries, my pain and started to cry lightly in on his shoulder, real tears, the ones I had never shed.

"Everything's fine now, you're safe…" he repeated a few times, like a mantra.

"What is your name little one? I'm Shiyano Monoki."

"I-I'm…Hiku…mister ninja…where are my parents? They said they would find me soon, that I had nothing to worry about…but then the lightning came…"

I started to sob on his shoulder again, repeating the same questions: "Where is Mommy? Where is Daddy?"

I broke his heart, his blackened and hardened shinobi heart at that moment, it was almost too easy. I had won.

"Shh, I'm sure they will come for you soon, just sleep for now. Just sleep, Hiku…"

So I did, I fell asleep, disgusted by myself.


"You can't keep her Shiyano, we both know."

"She's not a threat, she's only a little girl, you also felt it, she's nothing more than a civilian…who just lost both her parents. We'll send her back to the village along with the next supply team, we can't just leave her, she'll die. You saw how she was, you treated her. Tell me to send her back…"

"Fine…Fine Shiyano, you win, but she's your responsibility. If anything goes wrong…"

"Thank you…I knew you still had a heart somewhere…"

"Don't make me regret this. "

"I won't rest assured."


I spent the whole day with Shiyano, clinging to his side like a lifeline. The looks of pity were back, magnified a hundred-fold, when people saw me at his side, but nobody said anything. I already knew this camp was only for guarding the border, so I was not surprised when absolutely nothing happened for the whole day.

Shiyano was one of the kindest men I had ever seen, he showed me around, reassured me, let me cry.

He was a saint.

I did not want to kill him.

Too bad I did not have a choice.

I would regret it.


The night came again, I slept on a little mat next to Shiyano.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, I woke up due to nightmares and snuggled into his side, where he protectively held me, while I cried.

I cried for my parents.

I cried for my victims, for those I had killed.

I cried for my lost childhood.

I cried for him, for what I would have to do to him.

He never felt the poison.


I extricated myself from Shiyano's grasp, he would be sleeping like a rock for the next hour at least and replaced myself with a pillow, where I put the chakra-emitting device, the moment it powered up, I completely erased my chakra and used my camouflage jutsu. I did not exist anymore.

I sneakily exited the tent I was sleeping in a moment ago and, for everyone, I was still sleeping inside, stuck to my protector like glue.

I, making sure not to make a single sound, made my way to the supplies, I had discovered their location the day earlier, thanks to Shiyano.

The bored and sleepy guard never saw, felt or detected me, I slipped inside unbeknownst to all and started my sinister task. I took out the poison from my storage seal and poisoned everything.

Once the deed was done, I simply returned in Shiyano's grasp, as if I had not signed his death warrant.

I did not want to think about it.

I slept like a log for the rest of the night.


The next morning was peaceful, as always. Like every day before, people ate, washed, played, trained. It was a better life than at most border camps, they had been stationed here a long time and nothing had happened so there were not on the edge anymore. Of course, they were still very cautious, but they had a surprising number of sensors, so they did not have to worry too much. It was considered the ideal life to have in the war.

I spent the whole day with Shiyano, scared, like the orphan I was supposed to be, living the life I never had the chance to.

He had been arranging for me to go back to Konoha the next time the supply wagon came back, he was already growing attached to me. Well, to the nameless orphan that I was.

Then…the evening came, and just like that, the first person fell. Before they could react, another was on the ground, writhing in pain, not understanding what was happening, while the others simply watched in grim fascination, not yet realizing their turn were next.

I watched, incapable of tearing my eyes away from them as one by one they were vanquished.

In a matter of minutes, they were all powerless, while I stood, like a god amongst men, towering over their fallen forms, a crazy smile gracing my lips.

The poison was a truly vicious one, a work of art. It was odourless, tasteless, undetectable by the immense majority of jutsu. The only downside and reason it wasn't more used was that it was extremely slow acting, it took about ten hours and that it deteriorated very fast, in less than twenty-four hours, so the target needed to ingest it within this time frame.

But it caused a failing of the nervous system, death in a matter of minutes once it started working.

I had taken the antidote.


It took no time before they realized I was the only one not affected and the, they knew.

They knew it had all been a ploy, I had played them like fiddles.

I looked down on Shiyano, who did not want to accept the reality of my actions.

"Thank you…I needed you."

He, showing immense willpower, managed to get a single word our of his mouth.

"Why?"

I took out my Kumo forehead protector, dangling it in front of his face.

"Because this is war."

Understanding shone in his eyes, rather than fury as I was expecting.

He stopped resisting the poison, his movement ceasing.

"You Konoha scum."

I collected his forehead collector, then went on to the next fallen, doing the same thing.


Once I had all of them, I looked back on my work, smiling sadly.

An ANBU operative flickered beside me, while Kumo shinobi flooded the camp, taking everything which could be reused, burning the rest.

I left this macabre scene, walking at a slow pace, a little girl in a field of the dead.

This was war. Sacrifices needed to be made.

It was us or them.

I chose them.

I am the Poisonous Flower of Kumo.