The streets were eerily quiet.
At this hour, few pedestrians could be seen.
Only two Cloud ninja staggered drunkenly down the road.
They had been plied with alcohol at the tavern, and even as shinobi, they weren't immune to its effects.
Caught up in the tavern's lively atmosphere, they had absentmindedly drunk a few extra cups.
Now, as they made their way back, one of them—a burlier Cloud ninja—voiced his concern.
"Isn't this… a bad idea?"
Returning reeking of alcohol—would they be punished?
It hadn't occurred to him earlier, but now, the realization hit.
"What's the big deal?" The leaner ninja waved it off.
He was used to this.
Such things happened often among Cloud ninja. After all, he'd been introduced to the habit by his seniors.
Of course, this was only tolerated within the Land of Lightning.
The country's stability allowed Cloud ninja to let their guard down, and minor infractions were common.
As long as no major mistakes were made, no one cared.
There was no need to worry about other villages, either.
Which village would be foolish enough to attack here?
Naturally, Cloud ninja weren't overly vigilant within their own borders.
But outside the Land of Lightning?
Not a single slip-up was permitted.
Discipline was strict.
That was how Cloud ninja operated.
"But, senior…" The burly ninja still hesitated.
This was his first time doing something like this.
Anxiety gnawed at him—what if they were caught?
"Relax. Even the Raikage does this sometimes."
The other ninja thumped his chest confidently. He saw no issue.
After all, the Raikage had set the precedent. They were just following suit.
Besides, this was merely a gathering of ninja, not an active mission.
It wouldn't affect anything.
"And who knows when we'll get to drink again?"
The words silenced the burly ninja.
The Cloud Village was now considering joining the war raging outside.
Thanks to the Basic Internal Energy Technique, they finally had the means to compete.
The Third Raikage was eager to throw his forces into the fray—especially against Konoha, the self-proclaimed "top village."
But survival in war was far from guaranteed.
Even the Raikage had died in the First Shinobi World War.
Though, admittedly, it was his own men who'd killed him.
At the mention of Gold and Silver Brothers, every Cloud ninja spat in disgust.
Traitors who assassinated their own Raikage—they deserved their fate.
The two stumbled along, their ears twitching before they abruptly fell silent.
They'd spoken too soon.
Maintaining their drunken facade, they veered into a secluded alley.
The moment they were out of sight, their slurred movements sharpened into clarity.
In the next instant, they vaulted over the nearest wall, splitting up and sprinting in opposite directions.
Two black streaks shot through the night.
But the burly ninja hadn't gone far before Kin blocked his path.
Resting the sheathed Kusanagi Sword on his shoulder, Kin tilted his head.
"If you noticed us, why not fight?"
He and White Fang had deliberately let the two Cloud ninja detect them.
Normally, targets would assume their pursuers were weaklings—yet these two had bolted without hesitation.
This ruins everything.
How was Kin supposed to lure people in now?
The burly ninja didn't answer. His hands flew into a seal—only for a blade to press against his throat.
The gleaming white steel froze him mid-motion.
And that distinctive white blade—
It could only belong to one man.
"Konoha's White Fang!?"
The Cloud ninja had never seen White Fang in person, but his reputation was legendary in their village.
A blade that glowed white—his trademark.
Who'd have thought a night of drinking would end with this?
If only his luck worked for gambling.
So much for the senior's reassurances.
Regret twisted his features.
White Fang stood behind him, the other unconscious Cloud ninja slung over his shoulder.
"Care to explain?"
Kin was still curious.
The burly ninja gritted his teeth—then yanked out a kunai, aiming for his own skull.
No words. No surrender.
A black chakra bullet struck him first, knocking him out cold.
"It's not like we're asking for state secrets. Why so tight-lipped?"
Kin sighed.
Mission accomplished: Cloud ninja captured.
Instead of returning to their inn, Kin and White Fang carried the unconscious duo downhill.
They stopped at a hidden cave, its entrance choked with weeds.
Dropping the prisoners, Kin placed his hands on their abdomens.
"Basic Sealing Technique!"
Black liquid oozed from his palms, spreading across their bodies.
A modified version of the Basic Internal Energy Technique—this variant completely sealed chakra.
"Now what?"
"Interrogation, for now."
White Fang rubbed his chin, though he didn't sound hopeful.
He glanced at Kin.
"Got any memory-extraction jutsu? Cloud ninja are notoriously stubborn."
The burly ninja's first instinct had been brain destruction over combat. That said it all.
"Not yet. Give me a few days."
Kin checked the Deduction Input Interface.
The simulation was progressing quickly—but mastering the technique would take time.
"Then we wait."
White Fang's hands flashed through seals.
"Genjutsu: Dream Chain!"
Two translucent insects crawled into the prisoners' nostrils.
A genjutsu to prolong unconsciousness.
"Hurry. If the Cloud Village notices their absence, they'll act."
Back in the city, White Fang reminded Kin.
"I'll try."
Mastering a jutsu wasn't like selling cabbages. It required research.
As they neared their inn, both men halted.
Their expressions darkened as they studied the building ahead.
Ducking into the shadows, they positioned themselves in the inn's blind spot.
"They're fast."
Kin was impressed.
Cloud ninja had already infiltrated the inn—how did he know?
Several stood guard at the entrance.
Luckily, their own presence remained undetected.
But they couldn't take chances.
As they observed, a child playing nearby skipped past.
To him, Kin and White Fang were just two men chatting against a wall.
But then—
His gaze lingered.
Hadn't he seen them yesterday?
Recognition dawned.
Weren't they the outsiders?
The Cloud ninja were looking for them.
The boy's voice rang out.
"They're here!"
Kin and White Fang turned as one, their piercing stares making the child flinch.
They didn't retaliate.
They simply left.
Behind them, Cloud ninja converged on the spot.
...
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(End of Chapter)