Nono Yakushi was an orphan, taken in and raised by Danzo in the Root organization since she was a small child. The long-term brainwashing meant her loyalty to Konoha was undoubtedly supreme, even above her own life.
However, having spent so long in the darkness, Nono inevitably yearned for the light. Infiltrating the sanctuary was the first official mission she had ever received, yet it allowed her to feel a warmth she hadn't experienced in a long time. Shiori, Konan, Momoka, Granny Rong, and Kaito—the people of the sanctuary had all treated her with sincerity, and so she had somewhat forgotten the darkness of her life in Root.
But the truth was, she was not truly Koyu; she was the Konoha spy, Nono Yakushi. All this warmth was, in fact, an illusion for her. The people of the sanctuary were only kind to Koyu. If they knew her true identity, they would probably draw their swords against her.
Walking along the street with Shiori, Nono's mind drifted back into her memories. Just two days ago, a new order had arrived from Konoha, demanding that she find an opportunity to assassinate the new leader of Amegakure, Kaito. To increase the chances of success and ensure a one-hit kill, the assassination would naturally not be carried out by Nono alone. Her main task was to get as close to Kaito as possible, learn his schedule, and if a suitable opportunity arose, notify the members who were truly responsible for the assassination. Even a powerful person could fall to an assassination from the shadows—this was Danzo's line of thinking.
That was why Nono had taken the initiative to accept the challenge at the opening ceremony. In the end, with her harsh training experience, she had successfully emerged as the final victor. Next, she would have to work hard to become Kaito's disciple.
Although Nono felt a certain resistance to this mission in her heart, she struggled for a moment before deciding to follow Danzo's orders. The light she had experienced these past years was there, but it had not yet reached the point where it could shatter the darkness of her past.
"Nono, we're here," Shiori's voice called Nono back from her deep thoughts.
She looked up, slightly dazed, at the not-so-grand residence in front of her and couldn't help but narrow her eyes. "This is where Lord Kaito lives?"
"Mm, is it a little small? Originally, Lord Hanzo was going to give his residence to Lord Kaito, but Lord Kaito disliked that the place was full of poison, so he just randomly found another house." Shiori covered her mouth and giggled. "I've already had someone start building a larger residence that should be more fitting of his status. We'll just have to make do with this for now."
"I heard you and Konan live here too?"
"Ah? Ah, yes, yes. It's just for the convenience of work. I am his secretary, after all," Shiori said, slightly flustered.
"What about Konan? Isn't she joining us?"
"Konan said she had something to take care of and will probably be back a little later. Alright, let's not just stand here. Let's go inside first."
"Okay."
Following Shiori, Nono stepped through the gate, bypassed a small courtyard, and arrived in the living room. Although she couldn't sense them, she knew there were definitely many Anbu ninja on standby here.
"Koyu, just sit here for now. If you need anything, feel free to help yourself. Just make yourself at home. I need to go call Lord Kaito back, otherwise, he'll definitely be late again."
"Mm."
Nono watched Shiori leave and sat alone in the living room, looking around but not wandering about. After waiting for a while, the sound of the main door opening and closing echoed through the house. Nono looked toward the sound and saw that it was Konan who had returned.
Their eyes met. Konan smiled and was the first to speak. "Sorry, Koyu. Momoka and I had arranged to practice, so I'm a little late."
"Mmm, it's okay," Nono shook her head. "After such a high-intensity battle, you should be resting for a day."
"I can't help it. If we don't work a little harder, I'm afraid you'll leave us in the dust," Konan said sincerely. "Koyu, you're really strong."
"No, it's just because I started training in ninjutsu earlier than you. You'll catch up to me sooner or later." Nono knew that in terms of pure ninja talent, she couldn't compare to Momoka or Konan, nor was she outstanding among her peers. Her real talent lay in intelligence gathering. Of course, she couldn't tell Konan any of this.
"No matter what, a win is a win. Right now, neither Momoka nor I are a match for you. And once you become Brother Kaito's disciple, your strength will improve by leaps and bounds," Konan said seriously.
"It's still a question of whether Lord Kaito will accept me as his disciple," Nono said, feeling apprehensive. She didn't want the mission to fail, but she didn't know how to pique Kaito's interest. So, she planned to get some useful information from Konan, who was more familiar with him.
"You have a very good chance," Konan said, sitting down next to Nono. "Since Brother Kaito proposed this reward, it means he really does have the intention of taking a disciple. And you... actually, Brother Kaito has always thought very highly of you. He says you're both sensible and smart."
"Huh? Is that so?"
"Yes. So just act naturally later. Relax."
Hearing Konan's reassurance, a faint smile finally appeared on Nono's face. "Konan, thank you."
"You're welcome."
After that, they chatted about girly topics. Time passed quietly, and by the time it was dark, Kaito and Shiori finally returned together.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Koyu," the Ice-Fire Clone said apologetically.
"It's alright. Konan was here with me, so I wasn't bored at all."
"That's good."
Shiori and Konan went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, leaving the Ice-Fire Clone and Nono to chat in the living room. After asking about Nono's recent life, the Ice-Fire Clone smiled and said, "Actually, I also prepared a gift for you."
"A gift?"
"Mm. Now, close your eyes."
"Oh."
Nono obediently closed her eyes. She then heard the rustling of plastic wrapping, and then something cool touched her nose and ears.
"Alright, you can open your eyes now."
She opened her eyes, and her breath caught in her throat. She found a pair of glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. The world, which had always been somewhat blurry, suddenly became sharp and clear.
"How did you know...?"
"Because during the competition this afternoon, you kept making mistakes in places where you shouldn't have. I observed you carefully and guessed that you might be nearsighted, so I went out of my way to buy you a pair of glasses." The Ice-Fire Clone said proudly, "Looks like I guessed right. Does the prescription fit? I just estimated it."
"It fits. It fits perfectly," Nono replied quickly. She touched the frame, and a bright smile bloomed on her face. "I love this gift. Thank you very much, Lord Kaito."