Shorai stepped quietly onto the starting open area. The air around him was unnervingly still. Something was different—he could feel it in the way the atmosphere held its breath, as if the world itself was waiting.
Ahead, the three ANBU operatives stood motionless, their faces hidden behind the signature masks that concealed all but their eyes. Boar's eyes sparkled with suppressed amusement, a subtle twitch in his shoulders betraying the laughter he barely contained. Cat's gaze was softer, a slight tilt of her head suggesting a quiet, knowing smile behind the mask. Eagle's eyes, sharp and commanding, flicked toward Boar with a silent warning. His posture was rigid, yet his eyes carried an unusual softness.
Shorai's mind raced, noting every detail. The way Boar's eyes crinkled, the gentle curve of Cat's gaze, the tension in Eagle's stance—all silent signals that spoke volumes. He had learned to read such subtle cues; in this world of masks and shadows, the eyes were the only windows to truth.
Eagle's voice broke the silence, steady but tinged with a rare warmth Shorai immediately recognized. "That… that ending was unique, Shorai." The slight narrowing of Eagle's eyes and the subtle shift in his posture conveyed respect and surprise.
Boar's eyes gleamed mischievously as he glanced between Eagle and Shorai, his body relaxed but charged with amusement. Though his mouth was hidden, Shorai sensed the low rumble of laughter barely restrained. Cat's eyes locked onto Shorai's with curious intensity, her head tilting slightly as if weighing his words carefully.
Shorai's thoughts flickered to the strange behavior of his shadow clone during the test. "My shadow clone… it has a quirky side," he admitted. "This isn't the first time—it's happened before during training. Is this common? A side effect?" He searched Eagle's eyes for answers.
Eagle met his gaze steadily, the calm confidence in his eyes speaking volumes. "No one really knows. It's the first time I've heard of anything like this." The mystery deepened.
Cat's eyes gleamed with quiet amusement, accompanied by a subtle shake of her head. "A split personality? Surprising, given your maturity. There's no trauma in your past, right?" Her gaze was teasing yet probing.
Boar shifted slightly, eyes briefly closing as if stifling a chuckle. His posture relaxed, but the tension in the air hinted at fascination. "Unheard of, really. You might be the first to uncover a hidden aspect of this forbidden jutsu. Fascinating."
Eagle raised a gloved hand, commanding silence with a deliberate motion. "Enough. Verdict time."
The ANBU began discussing Shorai's performance. Though their mouths remained hidden, Shorai read their approval through the sharp focus in their eyes and the subtle nods exchanged. They praised his swift and precise solutions on the fastest route, impressed by his willingness to take risks and choose speed over caution. His chakra control was exceptional, allowing him to clear the path with remarkable efficiency.
As they moved to the mid-length route, their eyes reflected admiration for his analytical mind and calm under pressure. Unlike many who would have spent time slowly disarming traps, Shorai's direct approach showcased his genius-level problem-solving skills. He revealed the second red mark, a symbol of his success.
Finally, attention turned to the longest route. Boar's eyes twinkled with amusement as they praised Shorai's strategic use of Academy theory combined with his skillful henge jutsu. His distraction tactics and decision to secure the entire chest rather than risk disarming it under stress impressed them deeply. Shorai justified his choice: lacking confidence in disarming the mark in time and knowing the chest might be rigged, it was safer to bring it back and disarm it in a controlled environment.
As the verdict concluded, a quiet pride swelled within Shorai, tempered by a flicker of unease. The quirky behavior of his shadow clone lingered in his mind—a reminder that mastery was still a work in progress. Despite the praise, the mysterious split personality of his clone was a puzzle he needed to understand, adding a layer of complexity to his journey.
He glanced once more at the masked faces before him, reading the unspoken respect and curiosity in their eyes.
"Eagle, this should prove his ability, right?" Boar turned to him.
"I think we should test him more, but this and the previous test already made the point?" Cat raised her voice.
Eagle stared in silence, lost in thought.
"No need to rush this. But, even if he fails the next one, his abilities and decision-making combined with the intelligence he has shown… does make a point." Eagle crossed his arms, as the three looked at each other, lost in thought.
Then, Eagle turned to Shorai. "Fine. You showed enough to approve a slight deviation in plan. We will have to test how you handle real-life experience, then."
Shorai's mind flickered. Interesting—they're skipping something. Well, as long as I can keep the Reality Stone hidden, that's for the better.
"The four of us will go on a mission. We've already delayed it for some time." Eagle gestured to the others. "But before we proceed, you'll need to change your appearance. Right now, both your hair and clothing stand out, and you're easily recognizable."
"Sure, I can fix that." Shorai said, intending to use henge.
"No, no. Transformation won't do." Boar shook his head, pulling out a scroll from one of his pockets. After unrolling it, he released a bag.
"Here, you can use my kit, kid." Boar smiled as he shared the bag with Shorai.
Shorai took and opened it. Inside were items for a disguise—face decorative paint, removable and attachable extensions, wigs, lenses, and even a special headband with a changeable symbol for different ninjas.
"I… can really use it? What about you?" Shorai looked at him, puzzled.
"It's fine. I'll get another one from headquarters. Hokage is generous." Boar's tone carried a tinge of amusement.
Shorai took a wig and began creating a disguise with the others' help. Soon, he looked completely different.
"Look at you now! You're as cute as before!" Cat chuckled.
"Cat!" Eagle eyed her strangely.
"What?" Cat tensed.
"We're on a mission." Eagle gave a sharp reply.
"Right, right." Cat crossed her arms, looking away.
Eagle looked at Shorai. "Now for the last piece…"
Shorai quickly reacted, bringing out a mask from his storage scroll and another set of clothes—a bit shabby, mixed grey, black, and green.
A while later, he put it all on.
The three gave him appreciative, surprised stares.
Now, in front of them stood a 12-year-old kid with light brown, messy, mid-length hair peeking out from under a fox mask. It had a slightly tousled texture with uneven layers, some strands falling around the ears and neck, giving a casual, unkempt look. He stared at them with his new eyes mixed orange and a tinge of blue through the thin holes of a white mask adorned with blue stripes.
"You actually had one prepared? How thoughtful of you." Boar was impressed.
"Interestingly enough… it does suit you." Cat commented, joining in.
"Now that this is over, the mission awaits!" Eagle gave a final comment, gesturing toward Cat.
Cat came closer, took out a scroll, and unrolled it in front of them, while Boar and Eagle quickly secured the area and used a voice-suppressing sealing formation around them.
"Our mission is basic reconnaissance and intel gathering. However, there is always a chance for complications. Hokage chose to give us something that will be good enough to test you. Here, you can read the details." Eagle pointed at the scroll, giving a brief explanation.
Shorai's fast mind scanned through the content, nodding.
So, this is a layered mission. Although mostly intel gathering… there is something more in here. Surveillance… yet perhaps an abduction? Infiltration in the Land of Rice.
Eagle looked at him. "Our mission has something to do with what happened two days ago. We can share only this small detail with you for now…"
He gave Shorai another scroll. Shorai stared back at the scroll, then at Eagle. "Mizuki-sensei… is a traitor."
Eagle nodded. "He was caught and interrogated. I may add that his previous reputation was already severely tarnished. But it makes me wonder why Hokage kept him around."
"We have some leads pointing towards his involvement with… well, so far dealing with a newly risen group calling themselves 'Sound ninjas'." Boar added another piece of information, scanning the area as his hands formed a hand seal.
Shorai's eyes narrowed hearing that last detail.
Sound ninjas… I see. This mission might be more dangerous than they think. After all, only I know that they are Orochimaru's pawns.
"Shorai, we will disguise ourselves and enter the Land of Rice." Eagle shared some of the plan. "For now, masks on. We all travel to a border, to an ANBU hub operative assistance and get what we need."
"Move out!" Eagle commanded.