Moonlight spilled quietly into the room.
"Kaito, for the engagement in a few days—should I wear this, or… Kaito?"
Fukuyama Sawa pushed the door open, only to be met with an empty living room.
Her voice gradually trailed off.
She walked into Kaito's guest room.
Everything was neat. Too neat.
She had already felt something was wrong that morning—Kaito had been distracted, distant. Now, that unease was confirmed.
On the desk lay two letters, placed carefully side by side.
One was addressed to her.
The other—to Enshin.
"…Dear Sawa—what kind of cheesy opening is this?"
She sighed, pulled out a chair, and opened the letter.
By the time you read this, I'll have already left the Capital of Fire.
As for marriage… give me some time to think.
Maybe when I become a chūnin—or jōnin—then we'll talk again.
Sawa's eyebrow twitched violently.
You're already qualified, you idiot!
She kept reading.
Besides, I'm not ready to quit being a ninja yet.
Maybe when I finally retire… and you're still willing to offer such a generous dowry…
"Split the wedding gifts fifty-fifty—split your ass!!"
She stomped the letter flat with her sandal, grinding it into the floor several times before finally stuffing it back into the envelope.
"Hmph. You're not getting away that easily."
Her gaze shifted to the second letter.
It wasn't sealed.
She glanced around—no one was watching—then smirked and skimmed it.
"…All encouragement and 'you'll be a great daimyō' nonsense."
Boring.
She put it back.
Land of Lightning
August in the Land of Lightning was surprisingly cool.
High altitude meant even summer carried a chill.
Kaito traveled along the official road with a merchant caravan, simply tagging along.
A fox mask covered his face. His hair had grown longer, only trimmed—not cut—changing his silhouette just enough.
When asked why he wore a mask, Kaito replied casually:
"Too handsome. Causes trouble."
He introduced himself as a wandering doctor, sightseeing now that ninja wars had calmed down. He'd heard Lightning Country had great food.
"You came to the right place!"
The merchant leader, a plump man named Torka, laughed as he rode ahead.
"I'll take you to Kano Town. Best steak in the country—and not expensive either!"
"Sounds good," Kaito said, glancing back at the long line of wagons.
Old-fashioned, inefficient… but that was this world.
As always, his thoughts drifted.
Chakra and ki… same life force, different manifestations.
Yet I can only extract chakra.
Perhaps his system exceeded the world's limits—but his body hadn't caught up yet.
Suddenly—
Kaito's pupils flashed pale blue.
Someone moved through the forest.
A group of Cloud ninja leapt through the trees.
One of them made Kaito pause.
The leading jōnin halted abruptly.
His escorts froze.
"B… Bee-sama? Are you alright?"
The man—B—pressed a hand to his head.
"I felt something strange. Like someone… saw the Eight-Tails."
Kaito had already closed his Chakra Eye.
Eight-Tails, huh.
The ability was dangerous—forcing chakra directly into the eyes without a dōjutsu.
Only Kaito's abnormal physique made it possible.
The Cloud ninja relaxed.
"Probably paranoia."
"It's just a merchant caravan."
"That's Torka's group from Kano Town."
B nodded. "Let's move."
Neither he nor Gyūki investigated further.
Kano Town
Kaito parted ways with the caravan and followed Torka's recommendation.
The restaurant?
Owned by Torka himself.
Figures.
"Seven-tenths cooked Angus steak. Enjoy."
"And this is our specialty wine—low-alcohol black grape wine from Highridge Gorge."
Kaito tasted it.
His eyes lit up.
"This is good!"
"Only ten thousand Lightning ryō per bottle."
"…What?"
"One cup is three thousand."
"…Bring me a bottle."
"Ice it."
The waiter froze—then nearly cried with joy.
Later, chaos erupted.
A rogue ninja began threatening staff.
"I'm a ninja! You think I can't afford this?! Pour more!"
Before things escalated—
CRACK.
Lightning chakra slammed the man into the ground.
"Cloud Village. C-rank criminal Imura Shino."
A Cloud jōnin appeared with three genin.
Arrest complete.
Kaito watched quietly.
Interesting team.
Night — Alleyway
Kaito sensed it immediately.
They're tailing me.
Cloud ninja—post-mission curiosity.
He ducked into a dark alley.
Climbed a laundry pole.
Pulled a blanket over himself.
From the rooftops, the Cloud jōnin scoffed.
"Too amateur."
His genin rushed past.
A moment later—
They returned.
"He vanished!"
The jōnin stared at the very obvious blanket.
"…I swear, my team will be the death of me."
Above them, hidden in plain sight, Kaito smiled beneath the fox mask.
Playing ninja games with kids… not bad.
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