"Captain, Kurio Mari has left the village."
"To where?"
"She secured an escort mission to the Land of Fire. She left with her three students and a client."
At Anbu headquarters, Daitengu leaned back in his chair, lightly massaging his chest while listening to Kirigarasu's report.
"Who is this client?"
"A young girl, barely waist-high. A blind one," Kirigarasu replied, gesturing with his hand to indicate her height. "According to Kurio Mari, the girl's father was a merchant from the Land of Fire who came to Kirigakure for business and met with an 'unfortunate disappearance'."
"A blind girl?"
Daitengu's eyes narrowed.
The lockdown had been ordered primarily because the Hidden Mist's top-tier combat power was stretched thin. They feared that if spies sensed this weakness, it would draw the attention of Orochimaru.
However, news had arrived yesterday. Captain 'Kyōga' and his Anbu unit had nearly reached the border of the Land of Water, having finally engaged Orochimaru in combat. Furthermore, word from Genbu confirmed that Ao had successfully dispelled the genjutsu affecting the Mizukage. The final recovery process was underway.
In three days, they would return.
To prevent any surprise attacks during this critical transition, Genbu and the others were keeping a close watch, staying confined within the Anbu's underground facility.
One could say the crisis in Kirigakure was mostly resolved. The only loose thread was the mysterious killer who had murdered Hoshino and Naoko. That person was a ghost; the scene had been scrubbed so clean that even Ketsuken, his best tracker, couldn't find a scent.
"Are you certain she's clean?"
"The girl has no chakra fluctuations," Kirigarasu reported. "There are no calluses on her knuckles or palms from Taijutsu training. Her muscles are smooth, her skin soft and unscarred. I took a blood sample to confirm it wasn't a Transformation Jutsu, and finally, I had her remove the blindfold to verify the blindness."
He paused, then added, "We kept a sample of her blood. If you feel there is any doubt, I will head out and bring her back immediately."
Kirigarasu spoke at length but carefully avoided making a personal judgment, effectively tossing the ball back into Daitengu's court.
Faced with the slippery Kirigarasu, Daitengu sighed. After a moment's thought, he decided the inspection had been thorough enough. He waved a hand dismissively. "No need. Inform the village shinobi that the Mizukage and Lord Genbu are returning soon. The lockdown will be lifted shortly. Tell them not to disturb me."
"Understood."
Kirigarasu bowed, his form dissolving into a puddle of water as he vanished.
Silence returned to the underground chamber.
As Kirigarasu departed, Daitengu felt a lingering sense of unease. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, eventually dismissing it as the stress of the Mizukage's impending return finally catching up to him.
Soon.
Once Lord Ao returns with the power of the Byakugan, the culprit who killed Genku and the others will have nowhere to hide.
Thinking of his close friend whose entire family had been slaughtered, a voice from the past echoed unbidden in Tochihito's mind:
"Tochihito! I don't want to kill our comrades. We're going to change all this together—change this damned 'Bloody Mist'.
Weeds like us only have a fighting chance if we join the Anbu. We need power. Only by becoming the village elite can we fix Kirigakure.
I... Naoko and I are married now. You liked her too, didn't you? I know! But even if you're my best friend, I'm not letting you have her...
Naoko is pregnant. I think I have to leave the Anbu. I can't let my child be born in a village like this.
Tochihito, you're the most talented shinobi I've ever met. You're the one who can change this place. I'm sorry, brother... I can't walk this path with you anymore.
Tochihito..."
Click.
A lighter flickered with a yellow flame, the fire licking at a cigarette and casting dancing shadows against the cellar walls.
"Cough... cough...!"
Clutching the cigarette, Tochihito covered his mouth to stifle the hacking cough. Blood sprayed from his nose and the corners of his mouth, leaving dark, mottled stains on his mask and collar.
His blue eyes flickered in the dim light.
"The most talented... Hah... Genku... cough... urgh!"
Two days later.
"Here. Careful, it's hot."
"Thank you, Brother Arata."
Night had fallen, and a fire crackled amidst the gloomy forest shadows.
Hinami took the roasted wild fowl Arata handed her, blowing on it gently before taking a bite.
Hiss!
Hot!
Hinami chewed quickly, exhaling steam. The rich, fatty aroma of the bird mingled with the slight saltiness of sea salt. Unlike common poultry, the meat was firm and springy, offering a satisfying chew.
"Is it good?" Arata asked expectantly.
"Mmm! It's delicious," Hinami replied with a firm nod, before taking another large bite.
Having his cooking praised, Arata let out a silly, honest laugh.
"I guess your Fire Style is useful for something after all," Sanma remarked, tearing off a piece of meat to check if it was done. He shot a look at Arata's smug face, unable to resist a jab.
"Hey Sanma, how about you whip up some Water Style later? I need to wash my feet," Arata shot back instantly. Before Sanma could retort, both Karin and Mari, who were busy chewing their own food, shot him a look of utter disgust.
Seeing Arata silenced by the two girls, Sanma stifled a laugh and went back to his meal.
Rip.
Savory juices sprayed.
Hinami had finished her entire bird without anyone noticing and had reached over to snag a drumstick right off Sanma's portion.
"Wait... Hinami, that was mine..."
Sanma looked on, dazed.
Hinami devoured the pilfered drumstick in two bites. She licked the juices from her lips, her delicate face hidden behind the blindfold as she put on an expression of pure innocence.
"I'm sorry, Brother Sanma... I couldn't see..."
"Hahaha!"
Mari and the others burst into laughter, with Arata's laugh being the loudest and most obnoxious.
"Hahaha! Well done, Hinami! That'll shut his mouth for a bit. Here! Take my drumstick too."
Arata gave her a thumbs-up—forgetting she "couldn't see"—and ripped a large leg off his own roast.
Sanma looked at his now-lopsided chicken and shook his head helplessly. Hinami was well-behaved, charming, and beautiful. Even though they hadn't been together long, she had already attained a "high status" within the Kurio squad. Whether it was Mari or the students, they all doted on her.
She's a growing girl, Sanma thought. I'm a grand shinobi; I shouldn't bicker with a child.
But within seconds, Hinami had finished Arata's drumstick as well. Her small, cherry-like mouth smacked together, looking very much like she was still hungry.
Sanma blinked, tore off his final remaining drumstick, and wordlessly—almost coolly—pressed it into Hinami's hand.
"Thank you, Brother Sanma."
Hinami beamed, finishing it in a few quick crunches.
Ever since awakening her Shikotsumyaku and Byakugan, her stomach had become a bottomless pit. Any food that entered was rapidly dissolved by powerful stomach acids and converted into pure energy.
If this energy wasn't used, it was converted into chakra and stored. If she lowered her metabolic rate, she could even go weeks without a single meal. Without this hyper-efficient energy absorption, she never would have been able to achieve chakra levels rivaling a Chūnin at such a young age.
Seeing her finish the food so quickly, the group's eyes widened.
Driven by curiosity, Mari and Karin joined in the "feed Hinami" game.
Watching them gather around her through the thin fabric of her blindfold, handing her one drumstick after another, Hinami felt like a professional competitive eater. She could almost hear phantom applause in her ears: Another one! Another one!
Clearing the mental theater from her head, she swallowed every piece offered to her. Being watched was a small price to pay—refueling was the priority.
With enough energy stored, she could finally proceed with the next phase of her plan:
The Perfect Combat Body Modification Project.