Chapter 15: The Price of Excellence

“Captain, Kaguya Hikari has left the village.”

“Where to?”

“She took an escort mission to the Land of Fire. She’s with the client and her three students.”

The Anbu hideout was silent.

Ōtengu leaned back in his chair, idly rubbing his chest as he listened to Karasu’s report.

“What kind of client?”

“A girl about this tall,” Karasu lifted a hand to waist height, “and blind. According to Kaguya Hikari, the girl’s father was a merchant from the Land of Fire who came to Kirigakure for business but went missing.”

“A blind girl?”

Ōtengu’s eyes narrowed.

The village had been locked down precisely because Kirigakure’s elite forces were depleted, leaving them vulnerable to spies—or worse, Orochimaru.

Just yesterday, word arrived that the Kyōga squad leader and his Anbu team had cornered Orochimaru near the Land of Water’s border and engaged him. Meanwhile, Gengetsu’s faction confirmed that Ao had broken the Mizukage’s genjutsu. Only cleanup remained.

They’d return within three days.

To prevent a last-minute ambush, Gengetsu and his inner circle were under heavy guard—deep within the Anbu’s underground base.

Kirigakure’s crisis was nearly over.

Only one threat lingered: the shadowy killer who’d murdered Hoshizora and Naoko. The culprit left no traces, not even a scent for Chikemuri, the squad’s best tracker, to follow.

“You’re sure there’s no issue?”

“The blind girl has no chakra fluctuations, no calluses from taijutsu training, and her skin is unmarked—no scars, no disguise. We even tested her blood to confirm it wasn’t a transformation jutsu. Removed her blindfold, too. Verified the blindness.”

Karasu rattled off facts but avoided giving his own opinion, deftly passing the decision back to Ōtengu.

Annoying, but typical.

After a pause, Ōtengu waved a hand. “Forget it. Just inform the village that the Mizukage and Gengetsu-sama will return soon. The lockdown will lift. And tell them not to bother me.”

“Understood.”

Karasu bowed, dissolving into a swirl of water.

Silence reclaimed the underground chamber.

Yet unease prickled at Ōtengu’s instincts. He dismissed it as nerves—the weight of the Mizukage’s return, perhaps.

Soon.

Once Ao was back, his Byakugan would root out the killer.

The memory of his murdered friend surfaced—Hoshizora Sora, voice echoing in his mind:

“Taku… I don’t want to kill comrades. We’ll change this damned ‘Blood Mist’ together. For weeds like us, the Anbu’s our only shot.”

“We need power. Only by climbing high can we fix Kirigakure.”

“I… I married Naoko. I know you liked her too. But even as my best friend, I won’t give her up…”

“Naoko’s pregnant. I might quit the Anbu. I won’t let my child be born into this hell.”

“Taku, you’re the most talented shinobi I know. You’ll change this place. Sorry… I can’t walk this path with you anymore.”

Click.

A lighter flared, casting wavering shadows as Ōtengu—Tochitori Taku—lit a cigarette.

“Cough—! Hah…!”

Blood speckled his mask and robes. His glowing blue eyes flickered like dying embers.

“‘Most talented’… Heh… Sora… cough—!”

Two Days Later

“Here. Careful, it’s hot.”

“Thanks, Okamura-nii.”

Nightfall. A fire crackled in the gloom of the forest.

Hai Ruri accepted the roasted game bird from Okamura Arata, blowing on it before taking a bite.

—Hot!

She chewed fast, puffing air. The meat was nothing like bland poultry—rich, springy, salted just right.

“Good?” Okamura grinned.

“Mm! Delicious.” She nodded vigorously and took another huge bite.

Okamura chuckled, puffing up at the praise.

“Only useful thing your Fire Style’s good for,” Nakama Shin muttered, tearing off a strip to check if it was cooked.

“Shin-chan, make some Water Style later. I need to wash my feet,” Okamura shot back. Before Shin could retort, Kaguya Hikari and Dōzan Karin both glared at him mid-bite.

Shin smirked—until a rip sounded.

Juicy meat flew.

Ruri had already devoured her portion and was now stealing a drumstick from his bird.

“H-Hey! That’s mine—!”

“Gomen, Shin-nii,” Ruri licked her lips, blindfolded face the picture of innocence. “I can’t see…”

“PFFT—HAHAHA!”

The team burst out laughing, Okamura loudest of all.

“Nice one, Ruri-chan! Serves him right. Here, have mine too!” He tossed her another drumstick.

Shin sighed, watching his meal shrink.

Ruri—small, sweet, and unfairly pretty—had quickly become the squad’s darling. Even Shin couldn’t stay mad.

She’s growing. I’ll let it slide.

But then Ruri demolished Okamura’s drumstick too, licking her fingers like she was still starving.

Shin blinked, then wordlessly handed her his last piece.

“Arigatō, Shin-nii!”

She scarfed it down.

The team stared.

Curious now, Hikari and Karin joined in, feeding her more and more.

Behind her blindfold, Ruri felt like a street performer—Encore! Encore!—as drumsticks vanished into her stomach.

But this wasn’t just fun.

Ever since awakening the Shikotsumyaku and Byakugan, her metabolism had skyrocketed. Food turned straight into chakra. If she conserved energy, she could go weeks without eating.

Without this, she’d never have built up chakra rivaling a chūnin at her age.

As the squad gaped, Ruri focused on her real goal:

The Perfect Combat Body Modification Plan.

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