"Hmm?"
"Did my subordinates offend you?"
A young man's voice drifted down from above.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
On the rooftop of a three-story circular building stood two figures—one tall, one short.
The young man wore a cool, pale-blue robe. His hair was tied in a familiar Japanese-style black ponytail, and a rabbit-patterned mask covered his face.
Beside him stood a small girl in a dark green and peach-colored cloak, wearing a sheep mask that Kaito had once used himself. In her hand was a stick of candied hawthorn—barely eaten.
Hyūga Suzuka's instincts screamed danger.
Through her Byakugan, she found that she could not see through their masks, nor could she perceive any chakra inside either of them.
A shallow, slime-like protective layer.
The fact that they had appeared without triggering her reaction—despite her Byakugan being active—was proof enough of their strength.
Yuhi Ryuun spoke coldly,
"This is a central city of the Land of Fire. Even wandering orphans from the Rain Country would normally be sent to border towns or orphan shelters."
She looked directly at Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan.
"So tell me—what identity did you use to enter the Land of Fire?"
"..." ×3
The three of them had no idea either. They had just followed the "Headmaster," passed no one along the way, and somehow arrived here.
"And you—why is this perverted doctor here?!"
"Well~ that's a bit complicated. We're already so close, aren't we~?"
"Who's close with you?!"
Ignoring her, Kaito continued calmly,
"We're here as tourists, visiting Enka Uzushio City."
"Is that not allowed?"
He pulled Honglian to his side and stepped in front of the three.
A faint pale-blue glow flashed in his eyes—deliberately visible within Suzuka's field of vision.
Suzuka stiffened.
"Blue… eyes?"
"What's wrong with your eyes?!"
"What blue eyes?" Yuhi Ryuun whispered, startled.
Suzuka immediately shut off her Byakugan—but could now only vaguely see ordinary black pupils.
Her heart sank.
"Kekkei genkai," she concluded.
"Those pale-blue eyes must be a bloodline ability… that's why my Byakugan was blocked."
"—Hiss!" ×3
Even Fukuyama Sawa couldn't help inhaling sharply.
The Byakugan—an ocular kekkei genkai that could see through everything—had been blocked?!
From the shadows, Black Zetsu watched silently.
Bloodline my ass.
That monster was using chakra to form an external membrane!
Still… even Black Zetsu couldn't identify that eye ability.
As onlookers gathered, Kaito spoke lightly,
"This isn't a kekkei genkai, Miss Hyūga Suzuka~"
"Y-you—how do you know my—"
Before she could finish, he continued,
"I know you. I also know Yuhi Ryuun, Shiranui Genma…"
"And even the daughter of a Fire Country official—Miss Sawa."
"Oh?" Fukuyama Sawa frowned slightly.
His voice and appearance were different—she didn't recognize him. And Kaito had no intention of being recognized.
"So what exactly is your purpose?" she asked.
"Bringing these children. And this… organization of yours."
Kaito sighed inwardly. I clearly left my name last time. Why does my reputation never spread…
"Nothing special," he said cheerfully.
"Just building a future where humans can live together peacefully."
"That sounds like you're not even human," Sawa said with a narrowed gaze.
Then she looked at the three Konoha ninja beside her.
"You all know him, don't you?"
"We do," Shiranui Genma said, clearly irritated.
This bastard ruined my buddy Kaito's relationship back then.
"Well then," Genma continued,
"Let's fight somewhere else. This place is bad for combat."
—If damage occurred, investigations would follow. A bounty would be issued.
"Fine," Kaito replied casually.
"Let's go together," Yuhi Ryuun said coldly.
"Let these kids see how Konoha ninja really fight."
"Yes!" ×3
Kaito was oddly looking forward to this.
Two years as a Special Jōnin… let's see if they've improved.
They left the city, heading to a forest about one kilometer away.
"Headmaster… should we fight them?" Yahiko asked quietly.
Kaito blinked.
After a moment's thought, he nodded.
"Sure."
"Letting three orphan kids come die?" Yuhi Ryuun sneered.
Konan snapped back angrily,
"We're not kids! We're Rain ninja!"
Kaito: "???"
Naive… completely untested.
"Ninja?" Yuhi Ryuun scoffed.
"How did you become ninja?"
As they sprinted through the forest, she suddenly flung a shuriken—aimed straight at Kaito's mask.
Clang!
Yahiko deflected it with his kunai.
"Jiraiya-sama taught us!"
Kaito rolled his eyes internally.
If Jiraiya knew, he'd probably thank you three.
"One of the Three Ninja? Jiraiya?!" Yuhi Ryuun was stunned.
Without hesitation, Konan charged.
"Secret Technique — Paper Shuriken!"
Four paper blades flew.
Shiranui Genma formed hand seals.
"Ninjutsu — Thousand Needle Rain!"
A single senbon multiplied into a dense storm—far beyond the Chūnin Exams level.
Konan panicked. She crossed her arms and shut her eyes.
Then—
"Nagato, careful! Wind Style — Gale Palm!"
BOOM!
The sudden gust distorted the needle trajectories.
Metal clashed against paper.
Needles rained into the ground, stopping half a meter from Yuhi Ryuun.
She stepped back calmly.
"Genma," she said coolly.
"Do you really think I'd fall for that?"
Kaito chuckled.
"You've improved, Ryuun."
Then—
Yahiko flashed behind her, kunai raised.
"Take this! I'm Yahiko!"
Clang!
His strike was blocked effortlessly by her blade.
"I taught you basic swordwork," Kaito mused.
"And you really learned it."
"Leaf-Style Sword Art — Sakura!"
The world exploded into petals.
Genjutsu.
Reality snapped back—
Yahiko stood frozen.
Yuhi Ryuun appeared behind him and struck his neck.
He collapsed.
"Yahiko!" ×2
Shiranui Genma blocked Konan and Nagato.
"Rain ninja?" he said coldly.
"Do you know how cruel the title 'ninja' really is?"
Konan screamed and attacked.
Paper surged forward, boosted by Nagato's Wind Style.
Genma was blown back—
—or so it seemed.
A second later, he reappeared behind Nagato, kunai at his throat.
Before Nagato could panic—
Kaito appeared.
He flung Genma away.
Chakra threads pierced the rings of incoming shuriken midair.
"You okay, Nagato?"
"Headmaster… Yahiko—"
Kaito glanced over.
"He's fine. Just genjutsu and a knockout."
Yuhi Ryuun wasn't done.
"I won't let you go!"
She unleashed her true technique.
Genjutsu. Blades. Illusions.
She pierced Kaito's chest—
—and smiled.
But then—
"So painful~" Kaito whispered into her ear.
Her grip trembled.
In the next instant, he seized her throat and lifted her into the air.
"Why stop now?" he asked softly.
"Weren't you about to win?"
He removed the blade, stitched his wound, healed himself—mid-battle.
Then crushed Hyūga Suzuka with a massive chakra hand.
Black Zetsu stared.
"…That's basically Susanoo."
Kaito released them both.
Silence.
Finally, he looked at Fukuyama Sawa.
"So," he said lightly,
"still want to talk business?"
She didn't answer.
She was terrified.
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
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