Sora slowly lowered his majestic dragon head, his azure-gold vertical pupils coldly gazing at the man lying on the ground below.
Fox.
His captain.
Also... the only person who had witnessed all his secrets at this moment.
Sora's inner turmoil was far from as calm as his exterior appeared.
The full Beast Transformation brought not only power but also an almost instinctive desire to eliminate potential threats. That cold will urged him to completely erase the human below who might leak his secret.
But at the same time, another emotion was pulling at him.
This was the first time Sora had seen Fox's true face—a man in his thirties, pale from blood loss. Not particularly handsome, but with sharp, strong features.
This was the first person Sora had seen after crossing into this dangerous world.
Afterwards, nearly three years in the Anbu flashed through Sora's mind like fragments.
Although Fox's initial care for him carried the orders and scrutiny of a superior, investigating the secret behind his rapid strength increase.
Sora was well aware of this. How could people like Sarutobi Hiruzen completely trust an outsider orphan?
But it was undeniable that Fox had never treated him harshly.
During missions, he would subconsciously leave the relatively safer positions to Sora. During training, he would instruct him without reservation in Anbu techniques and ways of survival. When Sora was injured on a mission, he would silently toss him a bottle of more effective medicine.
Sora remembered all these small acts of care.
Thus, Sora held complex feelings towards Fox.
But now, all of this was placed on a scale. On the other end of the scale was his greatest secret—the power of the Azure Dragon Fruit.
Once leaked, what he might face was the coveting, capture, and even... dissection and research by the entire ninja world.
'Kill him?'
'Only the dead can best keep secrets. This is the safest, most permanent solution. Isn't one of the Anbu rules to eliminate all potential threats when necessary?'
Sora whispered in his heart. He had long witnessed the dark side of Konoha—Danzo's Root, the schemes of the higher-ups, the tragedy of the White Fang... all reminding him of this world's cruelty.
To survive, being ruthless and merciless seemed a necessary quality.
Fox also read the killing intent contained within the silence from Sora's cold dragon eyes.
To Sora's surprise, Fox did not panic and beg for mercy, nor did he try to resist—that was meaningless in the face of absolute power.
Instead, he moved with difficulty, leaning against a piece of rubble to lie down more comfortably. Then he spoke calmly:
"Hah... I never imagined the little guy I casually picked up five years ago... was hiding such earth-shattering power."
Fox looked at the mythical dragon in the air, his eyes complex—shocked, comprehending, and with a hint of ineffable emotion.
He still remembered, on the way back to Konoha after picking Sora up from the border, he had personally checked Sora's vital signs. Sora had clearly shown no signs of life then, yet miraculously revived not long after.
Back then, he only thought Sora had a special constitution and didn't pay it much mind. It wasn't until Sora entered the Anbu and Hatake Sakumo specifically sought him out, asking him to secretly observe and guide the child, that he truly placed Sora in his heart, gradually developing a special sentiment towards him, part mentor, part friend.
"Are you considering... whether to kill me to silence me?"
Fox stated it outright, even pulling a smile with a hint of appreciation at the corner of his mouth:
"A very correct choice. If I were in your position, I'd probably do the same."
His words caused Sora's huge dragon pupils to contract slightly.
Fox paused, catching his breath, then continued:
"The rules of the Anbu, the laws of the ninja world... sometimes they are just this cold. Captain Hatake Sakumo... my old captain, in the end, perhaps he never fully understood this point, or... he was unwilling to understand."
Mentioning Hatake Sakumo, Fox's eyes dimmed for a moment, revealing deep regret and a trace of disappointment.
That disappointment was not towards the White Fang, but towards the Konoha higher-ups who drove him to his death.
"Konoha... is not always what it seems in the light. I've seen too much darkness during my many years in the Anbu. For the sake of the village, many things can be sacrificed, including individual lives and reputations."
"You possess such power..."
Fox looked at Sora again, his gaze turning sharp:
"This power is too astonishing, too tempting. Once exposed, you will become a 'treasure' in everyone's eyes, or... a 'threat'. How will the village higher-ups treat you? How will other villages react? Have you thought about it?"
Sora remained silent. Of course he had thought about these things, countless times of deduction and contingency plans.
Precisely because he had thought about it, he had been hiding it from the moment he ate the Azure Dragon Fruit.
Then Fox spoke again, his tone surprisingly carrying a hint of affirmation:
"You did the right thing! Hiding it, protecting yourself, that comes first."
"This kind of calm—almost cold—thinking is what allows one to survive in this devouring world, to… reach the peak. I even feel that one day, you will become a true 'strongest,' surpassing even the Kage level."
These words did not sound like they came from someone about to be silenced. Instead, they sounded like the expectations and earnest advice of a senior to a junior.
Fox took a deep breath. The intense pain made sweat bead on his forehead, but his eyes were exceptionally clear. He glanced at the unconscious Grey Wolf and Night Owl in the distance, his voice carrying a plea:
"My life… you can take it. Seeing what shouldn't be seen—this is the resolve an Anbu member should have. I have no complaints."
"But… Green Snake. Sora."
For the first time, Fox called Sora by his name rather than his codename.
"I… beg you. Spare Grey Wolf and Night Owl. They have been unconscious the entire time. They know nothing. They are innocent. Moreover, they have always seen you as a trustworthy teammate."
"Squad C Five cannot lose any more members. Take them back to Konoha… or just leave them here to fend for themselves. Just don't do it yourself… all right?"
Fox's voice carried a trace of barely concealed exhaustion and sorrow. After saying these words, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength. He slowly closed his eyes, no longer looking at Sora. His expression was as if he were offering his neck for execution, awaiting the final judgment.
In the air, Sora, in his Azure Dragon form, felt enormous waves surge within him.
Fox's words were like a hammer, striking against the defenses of his heart.
He hadn't expected Fox to be so direct, so composed, and even… so understanding of the possible choice of "silencing" he might make.
'He actually... doesn't hate me? And even thinks my choice is correct?'
'Is it to protect Grey Wolf and Night Owl? Trading his own life for a chance for them to survive?'
Sora instantly understood Fox's intention. This was a sacrifice, a kind of responsibility and protection belonging between Anbu ninja, belonging to a captain for his team members.
This reminded him of Hatake Sakumo, who abandoned a mission to protect his comrades and was ultimately driven to his death.
It also reminded him of the characters in the original work who fought desperately for their comrades.
'Isn't the Naruto world... only darkness and schemes?'
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