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Megumi appeared in front of Tsume's door, knocking to announce his presence.
Maria was the one who poked her head out to check who was knocking.
"It's you, Megumi. Come in," she said, opening the door for him to enter.
Sitting on one of the dining room chairs was Tsume with baby Kiba.
"There you are. I've been looking for you," Tsume said before handing Kiba to Maria.
"We've been informed by the Hokage that the academy will reopen in six months."
"So what are your plans, and why do you want to join the academy with your current strength?" she asked, unable to find a good reason why he would join.
"I already promised my mom that I would join the academy," Megumi said, remembering the day Kaede had worried about him. Within a year or two, he had changed so much.
He had lost his mother, his teacher, and on the same day, he lost his humanity.
He swore he would get back at the Nara elders and the Hokage's faction.
"And I'll have to leave this clan after the barrier is installed."
"What? Why do you want to leave? You're safer here, and you have my support and the whole Inuzuka clan's backing." Tsume couldn't let Megumi leave since he had contributed so much to the clan.
"I'm sorry. I don't want to make you a target of those hungry wolves. Me leaving is best for both of us."
Megumi couldn't allow Danzo or Hiruzen to use them against him. Since he no longer had emotions, he didn't want anyone seeking revenge for those who died.
"Okay, so where are you planning to go? Your house was destroyed during the Nine-Tails attack, and Kaede is dead."
Tsume didn't want to push Megumi to the point where he'd walk away from her clan, so she decided to help him.
"I want to buy a place, but I always get looked down on when I check properties."
Megumi never realized that his small stature might be blocking some interactions.
"You want to buy a property?" Tsume asked, still thinking she should get him a room in one of the properties the clan owned outside the compound.
"Yes. I want it far from the village, quiet, and big enough so I can create a pond for fishing."
Megumi casually stated what he wanted, not realizing that Tsume was nearly foaming at the mouth when she heard his requirements.
"Pfft!"
Both Tsume and Hana struggled to control their laughter at Megumi's speech. They found his earnest delivery amusing.
"What's so funny?" Megumi was confused seeing both mother and daughter laughing as if he'd become a comedian.
"Well, it's funny because what you just described is very expensive right now. Houses are scarce due to the impact of the Nine-Tails' rampage."
"And that kind of property is already so expensive that only a clan could afford to buy it."
Tsume herself couldn't fork out that kind of money now. Since the incident, they'd been required to pay for reconstruction. She couldn't imagine where Megumi would get the funds, and she hadn't forgotten about his mother's loan with the Gekko clan.
"How are you going to get that much money? And don't forget about your mother's loan with the Gekko clan." Tsume tried to persuade him not to gamble like his mother had.
"Here's the money." Megumi pulled a large bag from his shadow, one that was nearly as tall as he was.
Tsume was dumbfounded. She exchanged a glance with her daughter, who stayed back while she approached the bag.
Opening it, she discovered it was stuffed with money. She looked back at Megumi, surprised at where he'd gotten it from.
But she believed that since he didn't want to share his secret, and knowing she wasn't his mother but more like an aunt, she shouldn't question him.
"Okay, don't worry. I'll get you that house and handle all the arrangements. But when are you planning to pay back the Gekko clan's loan?" She couldn't count how much was in the bag, but she knew it was enough to buy the house with plenty left over.
"I'll pay it, but not yet." Megumi had already planned to delay payment for a year since he could manage that with his power. "And please get me blood samples from everyone in this clan, babies and dogs included, so I can start preparing the barrier."
"Why do you need blood?" Tsume had never heard of such a method before. Even the barrier surrounding the village didn't require blood.
"You see, the barrier I'm making is..." Megumi was starting to get fed up with her constant questions. "You'll see it when I'm done."