Moonlight spilled like liquid mercury across the courtyard, turning the stone slabs cold and bright.
It was already one in the morning, all was silent except for the occasional distant insect cry.
"Ready?"
Kurenai stood in the center of the yard, moonlight flowing over her black hair like a silver edge. She tightened the forehead protector and her crimson eyes blazed in the night like living flame.
"No problem." Mamoru nodded.
The moon outlined his delicate profile, the usually lazy eyes now held a steadiness far beyond his years.
"Kurenai-sensei, Mamoru-kun, please be careful." Hinata's eyes were full of worry.
Shino pushed up his sunglasses and watched in silence.
"Both of you, please! Subdue Tosuke and bring my father home!" Komatsu bowed deeply, shoulders trembling, voice thick with restrained hope.
"Relax. We took the job, you'll get a perfect result." Mamoru flashed a reassuring grin.
"Let's go."
The moment the word left his mouth, the two figures melted into the night.
Tonight, sleep would be scarce and the guest room Hiroki had prepared would stay empty.
Two shadows skimmed across the rooftops, leaving only fleeting silhouettes in the moonlight. Soon they alighted on a roof, crouched silently, not a sound.
"That should be Komatsu's house." Mamoru pointed at a grand compound below.
Several figures stood motionless before the gate. Moonlight caught the outlines of weapons at their waists.
"Go." Kurenai gave a curt order and flipped down.
Mamoru followed. They dropped from the eaves, slipped into an alley, circled the front sentries, and reached the side wall.
Over the wall, a leafy tree loomed, dappled shadows cast by moonlight. According to the map, a small courtyard lay behind.
They exchanged a glance, nodded, and vaulted onto the wall. A silent yard greeted them, lit only by a few dim ground lamps that wrapped the space in hazy light.
Tree shadows swayed like dancing ghosts.
Lightning-fast, they sprang from the wall and vanished into the foliage of the big tree, not a leaf was stirred.
Crouched in the shade, Kurenai frowned. "I must be crazy, agreeing to this with you."
Mamoru said, "The arrow's already on the string, too late for second thoughts."
Mamoru shot her a puzzled look—Jonin hesitate?
"Not regret, just… unbelievable." Kurenai pressed her temple, vexed.
She, a seasoned Jonin, was about to fight side by side with a Genin. What baffled her more was that she now treated the boy as an equal. Perhaps the strength he usually showed had fooled her into forgetting he had only just graduated.
The realization drew a wry smile. "What am I thinking?"
"Under normal circumstances, a mission of this caliber would require several Jonin, or a squad of more than a dozen led by one." Kurenai murmured as she assessed the situation.
"Cut the chatter." Mamoru snapped impatiently. "Don't choke when it counts, spit out the plan."
"Fine…" Kurenai sighed, pointing to a lit-up room farther ahead. "In an hour, Tosuke and his men will be at their least alert. Between one and three a.m. the human mind is drowsiest, that's our window."
He said, blinking, "Sounds logical but mind if I pitch my own idea?"
"Hmm? Go ahead." Kurenai shrugged.
They had time, she might as well humor the kid.
"Frontal assassination."
"We move now. You keep everyone but Tosuke busy and I'll drop him. Quick and clean. Deal?"
"You call that 'assassination'?" Kurenai's brows arched, ruby eyes incredulous. "That's… no, that's a full-on assault."
"Exactly, front-al-as-sas-sin-a-tion." Mamoru enunciated.
"I'll handle Tosuke faster, your genjutsu is perfect for herding the small fry."
"Excuse me?" Kurenai narrowed her eyes, sensing a slight. "My genjutsu is only good for 'small fry'?"
Mamoru back-pedalled, "Not belittling you but for crowd control, your Genjutsu is ideal."
What he really thought: You're support. Leave the glory to me, an all-rounder who can nuke the boss.
"Hold on, let me think."
Kurenai raised a hand, then rested fingers under her chin, pondering.
If Mamoru used that monstrous strength to blitz Tosuke before the man could react, things would become a lot easier. Even if a single clean hit might not finish him, it would at least cripple him.
And she, tasked only with crowd control, could hold the whole room with Genjutsu long enough.
After weighing it twice, Kurenai agreed, yet insisted they wait the full hour.
Excitement flashed in Mamoru's eyes as he nodded eagerly.
—
In the lavish room ahead, shadows swayed under lamplight as cups clinked. Sake mingled with food, while laughter and murmur blended into a lax, festive air.
Just as the wine sank deep—
BOOM!
A thunderous impact caved the roof in, rafters and tiles crashing down in a storm of dust and rubble. The sudden collapse left the revellers frozen, choking on swirling grit.
As the haze thinned, two figures stood back-to-back amid the ruin: a crimson-eyed woman and a boy still soft with youth.
Mamoru's gaze flicked, locking instantly on the lion-maned giant at the head of the room and the goblin-faced creature beside him.
"Trash is yours!" He grinned over his shoulder to Kurenai, already moving.
Kurenai flicked a sidelong glance. "Copy that. Make it fast and watch yourself."
Hands flashed through seals.
From the floor erupted writhing branches, octopus-tentacled, snaring Tosuke's men as they scrambled for ninja tools or the exits.
In heartbeats, a huge, gnarled cherry tree burst through the tatami, its twisted limbs sealing every door.
Meanwhile, blue light rippled across Mamoru's irises—Six Eyes.
"Huh, a fake." He spotted the ruse but shrugged it off.
Knees bent, right fist chambered, he let Chakra flare into visible currents, black hair whipping in the gust.
The instant those sky-blue pupils fixed on the impostor, every hair on the man's neck stood up and breath froze. A killing chill poured over him like ice water.
What were those eyes? Fathomless, star-deep, beautiful and utterly inhuman.
The boy's coiled stance...
Was he gathering… death itself?
Tatami exploded underfoot as Mamoru shot forward like an arrow loosed.
Panic clutched the false Tosuke, instinct screaming at him to flee.
Futile.
In a blink, Mamoru was on him.
The incoming fist seemed to crawl, every bulging vein on its back etched into his vision. Yet all he could do was gape, knowing escape was impossible.
"No—"
THUD!
The scream and impact merged.
The punch hammered his chest, brutal Chakra flooding in. The unstoppable force hurled him backward.
Crash... Crash...
Wall after wall gave way as the body punched clean through the mansion and vanished into distant darkness.
Before Mamoru could reset, the neighbouring wall exploded. A hulking silhouette burst through, murderous fist arcing straight for his skull. Mamoru merely angled his torso, right fist snapping up to meet the giant's knuckles head-on.
BOOM!
The shadow staggered back several steps on the tatami, while Mamoru slid half a meter.
First exchange and the difference was clear.
Under the bright lamplight the newcomer stood revealed: the real Tosuke.
The man he'd blasted moments ago had been a sacrificial double, the mastermind had lain in wait.
A shrewd ploy—public decoy, private ambush—but it collided with Mamoru.
From the instant Six Eyes activated, Mamoru had seen through the transformation and sensed the far denser Chakra lurking next door. He'd expected the sneak attack and welcomed it.
In the Six Eyes' field, every disguise was paper.