Hikaru still didn't understand what Murashima Takumi's angle was.
He felt his meaning had been crystal clear.
Yet in the end, Murashima still refused him—flatly. He wouldn't even say where Sarutobi Hiruzen was.
It left Hikaru deeply displeased… but he couldn't afford to say much.
Murashima was the Director. A subordinate openly clashing with his superior was practically suicide.
Still, Murashima Takumi was now firmly on Hikaru's radar.
Everyone said Murashima was one hundred percent loyal to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
But today's behavior?
It didn't feel like loyalty at all.
Either Murashima had his own agenda…
Or he'd been trained into something far worse—an extremely rigid machine that only moved when "orders" existed.
If he did have an agenda, then whose was it?
Shimura Danzō's?
Hikaru didn't know Murashima well enough to judge. Their positions were too far apart.
Besides, the ANBU Director was one of the most mysterious people in all of Konoha—everyone knew the name, yet no one knew anything real about the man.
This was Hikaru's first time dealing with him face-to-face.
And it was… disappointing.
I'll have to learn more about him.
If nothing unexpected happened, Hikaru would soon become a Division Commander.
And once he did, he'd have far more chances to cross paths with Murashima Takumi.
"…Forget it. I was hoping he'd pass it along for me, but that's clearly not happening."
Hikaru sighed inwardly.
The documents he'd prepared couldn't be delivered.
And that was awkward in the worst way.
He didn't know where Hiruzen was.
He didn't even have a channel to contact him.
When Hiruzen left after their meeting, the old fox hadn't provided any method of communication at all.
With no choice, Hikaru could only leave—
But the moment he stepped out of the Director's office, he spotted an ANBU member waiting outside.
The masked operative glanced at him, then made an extremely subtle hand sign—barely a flicker—before silently turning and walking away.
"…Follow?"
Hikaru recognized the gesture immediately. A tactical signal.
But the person? Hikaru didn't recognize him.
Still… Hikaru remembered this masked ANBU had been watching him ever since he entered the headquarters.
He hadn't shown himself before.
Only now—after Hikaru left the Director's office—did he step forward.
That alone told Hikaru this wasn't a random encounter.
Hikaru followed.
His sensory perception stayed locked onto the man the entire time.
Not long after, the operative slipped into an office.
Hikaru's caution rose instantly.
He approached the door slowly.
One hand settled on the lock.
The other slid into his ninja pouch.
If anything went wrong, he wanted a kunai in his grip before the first heartbeat ended.
He pushed the door open.
The operative didn't attack.
He stood beside a desk, watching Hikaru steadily, his breathing calm—too calm.
Hikaru's senses confirmed it as well.
There was only one person in the office.
No ambush.
No hidden chakra signatures.
No intent to strike.
"You thought I'd pick a fight with you?" the masked ANBU spoke at last. "I'm not confident enough to deal with someone who can use Flying Thunder God."
"…Is that so?" Hikaru's tone remained gentle, unhurried. "Then I apologize. I was being suspicious."
"A fake apology with no sincerity isn't necessary." The operative shook his head. "Close the door. We'll talk."
He paused, then added, "And call me Owl. Captain Nightingale."
Hikaru didn't turn his back—not even for a moment. His right hand stayed near his ninja tools.
Owl noticed, but only shook his head, saying nothing.
Once the door clicked shut, Owl looked at Hikaru and said calmly,
"Hand over what you were trying to submit to the Hokage."
Hikaru's brow creased. "What are you talking about?"
"Caution is good, but don't waste my time with acting." Owl's voice stayed flat. "You met the Director, didn't you?"
"Yes." Hikaru nodded. "If you have something to say, say it plainly."
"The Director is the Director," Owl said coolly. "But even he needs people to handle things for him.
"You have a document meant for the Hokage. That's not something the Director would personally carry around.
"As his subordinate, it's my job to shoulder that kind of workload. Is that strange?"
…Isn't it?
Hikaru stared at Owl.
Not only did he not relax—
He became even more alert.
He'd already suspected Murashima Takumi was "off."
And now he was nearly certain of it.
Was the so-called most loyal man to the Third Hokage actually a traitor?
Had he sold himself to someone else?
Or was this simply a test?
Hikaru didn't know.
But he knew one thing: he had to make a statement—right now.
This wasn't a situation that was easy to handle…
But it also wasn't impossible.
What Hikaru needed was information.
Enough information to judge correctly.
If I make this loud enough… it might even benefit me.
His mind moved quickly.
He could sense people approaching this office.
Time was running out.
On the surface, Hikaru nodded slowly, then lifted the document and walked toward Owl.
"In that case… I'll leave it to you." His voice remained gentle, even faintly friendly. "Please make sure it reaches the Hokage—"
Owl reached out to take it.
And in the next instant, his expression changed.
"You—!"
The document fell from Hikaru's hand.
A kunai appeared in Hikaru's right palm as if it had been born there.
It drove toward Owl's chest—fast, silent—
And the blue chakra burst out along the blade's edge.
Owl hadn't expected Hikaru to strike.
But he was elite ANBU, and at the most dangerous moment, he used Substitution.
Poof!
Smoke swallowed the office.
The desk that had taken the blow was pierced clean through.
And Hikaru's kunai—cold, gleaming—
Hovering so close to Owl's face it was nearly touching his mask.
Hikaru's sudden attack truly rattled Owl.
He hadn't imagined the boy would be this decisive—this ruthless.
To dare strike openly inside ANBU headquarters…
That was beyond Owl's expectations.
For a heartbeat, Owl even wondered if Hikaru had lost his mind.
But Owl's mind was fast.
In the very next breath, he understood.
This bastard…
He thinks I'm a spy.
It was the only explanation that made sense.
And honestly, Owl couldn't even blame him.
From a "normal" point of view, what Owl had just done really did look excessive.
The problem was, it was his job.
Owl's primary role within ANBU was to maintain communication channels and handle contact matters involving the Hokage.
ANBU was complicated. Certain responsibilities were never explained to outsiders.
Hikaru not knowing was normal.
But still—
Attacking without giving even a sliver of room for explanation?
Wasn't that a bit much?
Hikaru didn't care what Owl was thinking.
Even if he knew, he wouldn't regret it.
Because when Hikaru chose to strike, he had already decided on the excuse he would use.
He attacked for three reasons.
First, to test ANBU's bottom line.
Second, to force information out into the open.
And third—
The most airtight, undeniable reason of all:
He was "protecting the Hokage's interests inside ANBU."
He gave Owl no chance to speak.
Hikaru yanked the kunai from the desk and kicked forward.
The substituted desk couldn't withstand the force—it shattered into pieces.
Owl rolled hard to the side, barely dodging the kick, and the movement exposed him again in front of Hikaru.
Hikaru snapped a kunai toward Owl.
At the same time, his right hand drew his ninja blade from behind his back.
Owl's heart sank.
This wasn't pressure.
This was intent to finish.
Worse—Owl couldn't explain.
Not now.
Not like this.
Grinding his teeth, Owl drew his own ninja blade and raised it just in time.
He blocked Hikaru's slash—
And his arm went numb from the shock.
He'd heard other ANBU talk about Hikaru. He'd watched Hikaru's evaluation matches.
He knew Hikaru's speed and strength were terrifying.
But watching from a distance and feeling it up close…
They weren't even the same world.
Now Owl understood.
Hikaru really was strong—absurdly strong.
No wonder he could defeat a Yamanaka shinobi even before using Flying Thunder God.
No wonder he could fight Hyūga Lone Wolf for so long.
"Enough, Nightingale!" Owl shouted, sensing the situation slipping. "There's a misunderstanding between us, but I can't explain it in detail—"
"Then I'll make you explain after I capture you." Hikaru cut him off calmly. "I didn't expect to find someone this interesting inside ANBU."
Hikaru's pressure increased again.
Owl felt the weight spike instantly.
But he refused to be captured.
This kid is terrifying… and he still hasn't used Flying Thunder God.
Owl cursed inwardly.
He could sense reinforcements nearing.
But instead of comforting him, that fact made Owl even more uneasy.
Flying Thunder God wasn't something that feared being surrounded.
Even if a crowd arrived, Nightingale could leave whenever he wanted.
And if he decided to counterattack?
Owl and whoever came with him would never endure it.
With a roar, Owl forced Hikaru back and launched into a desperate offensive—reckless, aggressive, almost suicidal.
He wanted only one thing:
Drag this out.
Make it bigger.
Because only then could he survive this mess.
Clink! Clink! Clink!
Inside the cramped office, the two of them smashed together.
Ninja blade against ninja blade, metal screaming against metal.
Their speeds were both high, and both had real combat experience—
But Hikaru clearly held the advantage.
His speed was faster.
And with the Sealing Arts Seed no longer restraining him, Hikaru could pour out chakra freely.
Add in the lessons he'd learned fighting Lone Wolf—
Owl couldn't handle it.
He was being pushed back steadily.
Their shadows crossed again and again, and Hikaru's tempo only rose.
Even without Sage Mode, Owl was starting to crumble.
The room was too small—no space to breathe.
Hikaru's speed was too fast—no rhythm to match.
Cuts appeared one after another across Owl's body.
Worse—Hikaru gave him no chance to form hand seals.
Clink!
After another brutal exchange, Hikaru's blade swept—
And Owl's ninja blade was knocked clean out of his hand.
Owl's reaction was sharp enough to be called elite.
Ignoring the blood pouring from his right hand, he drew a kunai.
In the instant Hikaru's blade had the slightest recovery lag, Owl twisted aside and drove the kunai toward Hikaru's chest.
Hikaru's brows lifted slightly.
Owl's reaction and sense for openings were genuinely good.
But—
Hikaru was more vicious.
His coordination, reflexes, and sensory perception were all exceptional.
In a heartbeat, he slipped the strike, raised his left hand, and caught Owl's wrist.
A sharp twist.
Owl's kunai dropped to the floor.
The sheer ease of that counter made Owl's blood run cold.
He had expected he might lose once Hikaru chose to strike.
But he never imagined he'd be losing this badly…
While Hikaru still hadn't used Flying Thunder God.
I can't even force him to use it? What the hell is Nightingale?
Owl gritted his teeth and tried to break free—
Then he saw Hikaru's right hand move.
Blue chakra surged along the ninja blade.
And Hikaru stabbed straight toward Owl's chest.
At the edge of death, Owl ripped out another kunai and blocked the thrust by instinct.
If he hadn't…
He would've died.
Hikaru frowned slightly.
This Owl was tougher than expected.
Hikaru knew he'd gotten an advantage through the initial ambush and by abusing the cramped terrain.
Owl couldn't form seals, couldn't use ninjutsu properly, couldn't even create space.
In a normal fight—or a formal evaluation—Hikaru doubted he could've driven Owl into such a miserable state.
But shinobi were shinobi.
Winning was what mattered.
Hikaru glanced at Owl—struggling, bleeding—
Then at the reinforcements whose chakra signatures were already almost at the doorway.
Hikaru's hand paused.
And then, in a warm, almost gentle tone, he spoke—
"Let me borrow your hand for a moment."
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