After Aosui gave his calm and definitive answer, Pakura fell completely silent.
For a long moment, she simply stood there, rain dripping from her hair and shoulders, eyes lowered as if she were trying to process something far heavier than defeat itself.
Lies were easy to swallow.
The truth, however, cut like a blade.
Aosui had no reason to deceive her.
Which meant there was only one conclusion.
She—Pakura of the Scorch Release, a jōnin renowned within Sunagakure—had truly lost to a Konoha genin.
And not just any genin.
A medical genin.
Her pride, honed through countless battles and missions, cracked audibly in her chest.
In the end, Pakura said nothing more.
She turned on her heel, motioning for her subordinates to follow.
Without another glance back, she left the battlefield, rain swallowing her figure as she disappeared into the distance.
None of her subordinates spoke.
They could still feel the shock lingering in their bones.
Only when Pakura's group had fully vanished did Aosui turn around.
"Don't forget your mission," he said calmly.
The words hit Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato like a bucket of cold water.
"Ah—!"
Yahiko spun around in panic.
"That bastard—he's gone!"
While Aosui had been treating Pakura, Okubo Kiya had seized the opportunity. Noticing that everyone's attention was elsewhere, he had quietly cut his bindings and slipped away into the rain.
A man who had survived as a rogue ninja for years didn't do so by luck alone.
He knew exactly when to run.
"Sorry, Big Brother Aosui…" Konan said softly, her fists clenched. "We let the target escape."
Aosui didn't look angry.
He didn't even look disappointed.
Instead, he spoke evenly.
"So don't make the same mistake again."
The calmness in his voice made the lesson hit harder.
"This time, Okubo Kiya fled because he knew the gap in strength," Aosui continued. "But next time, what if the enemy chooses to ambush instead of running?"
The color drained from their faces.
They all understood what he meant.
If that situation occurred, the price wouldn't be a failed mission.
It would be a dead comrade.
And regret that lasted a lifetime.
"We won't forget," Nagato said quietly.
"We promise," Yahiko added, his usual cheer gone.
Only then did Aosui nod.
One failed mission meant nothing.
Failing to correct one's flaws meant everything.
"He hasn't gone far," Aosui said, already forming hand seals. "Split up. Whoever finds him first, stall him and fire a signal flare."
In an instant, the three scattered.
Aosui formed several Shadow Clones, sending one to silently trail each of them.
He would let them act—but he would not allow them to die.
Fate favored Nagato.
Less than ten minutes later, he caught sight of Okubo Kiya stumbling through the rain, blood still seeping from old wounds.
Nagato immediately fired a signal flare.
The crimson light pierced the gray sky.
Okubo Kiya froze.
When he turned and saw who stood behind him, a flicker of fear crossed his face.
"You… you again."
He hadn't forgotten.
He couldn't forget.
That strange, invisible force that had shattered his Lightning Release earlier.
Yet survival instinct drove him forward.
With a snarl, Okubo hurled several kunai wrapped in explosive tags.
Nagato didn't dodge.
He didn't panic.
He simply raised his hand.
"Shinra Tensei."
The kunai were blasted backward midair.
Explosions erupted behind Okubo Kiya, shrapnel tearing into his back.
He screamed, staggering forward.
"Damn you!" he roared. "If I'm dying, I'll take you with me!"
Madness twisted his features as he charged.
Nagato stepped back calmly, forming seals.
Among the three, he was the quietest.
But also the most terrifying.
A single Lightning Release pierced through Okubo Kiya's chest.
The rogue ninja collapsed, lifeless.
Just like that, it was over.
The Shadow Clone Aosui watching nearby nodded once in approval before dispersing.
When Konan and Yahiko arrived moments later, all they saw was Nagato standing over the corpse.
"…You did it," Yahiko breathed.
Nagato nodded.
"Mission complete."
The words filled them with exhilaration.
For the first time in their lives, they had completed a real mission.
They returned to the black market exchange, where Aosui handled the bounty.
"1.2 million ryō," he said after returning. "Split evenly—300,000 each."
The trio stared at the money in disbelief.
They had once fought over scraps of food.
Now they held more money than they had ever imagined.
"Ninja really do make money," Yahiko muttered.
Konan and Nagato nodded fervently.
Instead of heading straight home, Aosui led them into a nearby town.
Supplies were running low.
And he needed sunglasses—something to hide his Rinnegan.
After shopping, Konan suddenly stepped forward.
"Brother Aosui… this is for you."
She held out a small piece of chakra metal.
It was rare.
And expensive.
They had pooled their money together.
"We know you're good with a sword," Yahiko said quickly. "So we thought—"
Aosui smiled.
"You put thought into this," he said sincerely. "I love it."
He accepted the gift.
Back home, Jiraiya praised the trio's performance, then waved Aosui off.
Later, Aosui knocked on Mikoto's door.
She opened it with a smile.
"…Sunglasses?" she tilted her head.
"Do I look cool?" Aosui asked seriously.
"Cool," she said mercilessly. "And very flashy."
He laughed.
"I've got something for you too."
He placed a delicate necklace around her neck.
Their faces were close.
Mikoto's cheeks reddened.
Then she kissed his cheek.
Rain continued to fall outside.
But inside, warmth lingered.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)