The shadow of Konoha, like viscous ink, enveloped this growing infant body. He crawled faster, stood more steadily, and could even totter a few steps while holding onto the cold, iron-pillar-like leg of the "Harrier." However, the increased mobility did not bring a sense of security; the last shred of concealment allowed the malice lurking in the shadows to reveal even more ferocious fangs.
Abuse was already background noise, and small stones were commonplace. But what truly pulled the string of "danger" deep in his Soul to its limit was the man named Shimada.
A Soul utterly crushed by the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage. Once a Konoha Genin, he was now just a shell soaked in alcohol. The ashes of his wife, daughter, and small shop burned day and night in his hollow eyes, eventually transforming into pure, vengeful venom directed at the "demon fox vessel." He was like a wounded mad dog, roaring countless times in the tavern, "Choke that little menace to death!"; he once rushed towards the small house with cheap lamp oil, howling, "Burn it all clean!"; and more often, he would wander the foul-smelling alley near Naruto's residence, his murky eyes filled with undisguised, man-eating killing intent.
He was a walking, highly unstable bomb. Threat Rank: Highest. Clearance Priority: Highest.
— —
The opportunity arrived a few days later. The "Harrier" pushed the creaking, dilapidated cart along a gravel road near the abandoned warehouse district on the edge of the Village, conducting her routine "patrol." This was Shimada's shortcut to the cheap tavern he frequented.
Key location: A two-story wooden covered bridge connecting two rows of old warehouses. It had long been gnawed away by time and insects, becoming dilapidated. The railings were broken, the bridge deck boards were cracked, with Warp up edges, and thick dust and broken debris accumulated. Below the bridge was a hard ground with a drop of nearly four meters, piled with sharp gravel and broken concrete blocks. At the base of several main support beams, mildew spots and insect-eaten holes were clearly visible, exuding the aura of death.
"Yi ya… ah…" As we reached a relatively open area below the covered bridge, I immediately let out an dissatisfied grunt in the stroller, my small hands vigorously slapping the side of the cart, my body twisting, pointing to a pile of relatively clean gravel nearby, sending a strong "want to go down and play" signal.
The "Harrier" coldly glanced at the gravel pile, then looked up, scrutinizing the silent covered bridge and the open view around. After confirming there was no danger, she let out an annoyed "tsk," lifted me out, and placed me beside the gravel pile. "Behave," her command was like a cold wind.
I immediately "immersed" myself in the infant's "exploration." Clumsily picking up stones to tap, saliva dripping. But the corner of my eye, like the most precise aiming scope, locked onto the darkest, visibly Warp up rotten wooden board at the east entrance of the covered bridge, directly above the third main beam, and the sharply angled, jagged broken concrete block in the garbage pile below.
*Footsteps… heavy, dragging, with a drunken stagger… It's Shimada! He's here!*
*Speed… slow… estimated to step on the target wooden board in twenty-five seconds…*
*The "Harrier"'s position… five meters to the right-rear, leaning against a low wall, her gaze primarily on me… a window to distract her attention… must be precise!*
Time stretched, every heartbeat clearly audible. Shimada's cursing and foul language came with the creaking sound as he stepped onto the rotten covered bridge: "…demon fox… bad luck… wine…"
Now is the time!
My intent highly concentrated, that faint warm current of Chakra within my body was compressed to its limit, no longer forming a physical entity, but transforming into an invisible, extremely slender "thorn"! Target: the edge of the gravel pile, a black pebble the size of a soybean, half-embedded in the dirt!
"Chh!"
A barely audible sound, like a blade of grass breaking.
That black pebble, under the precise disturbance of the Chakra "thorn," suddenly bounced out of the dirt! Drawing a tiny arc, it hit a slightly larger stone nearby with a "tap"!
Though the sound was small, in the dead silence it was like a thunderclap!
The "Harrier"'s gaze, as if pulled by an invisible hook, instantly shifted from the back of my head, sharp as an eagle, shooting towards the source of the sound! Her right hand instinctively reached for her ninja tool pouch! A 0.5-second alert shift, completed!
Almost simultaneously!
On the covered bridge, Shimada, who had just stepped onto that fatal rotten wood, was startled by the sudden unusual sound from below! His eyes were already blurry with drink, and now he was like a startled bird!
"What was that?!" He suddenly lowered his head, his body instinctively leaning forward, trying to see what was below the bridge!
Crack—!!!
That rotten wood, bearing the full weight of his forward lean, let out a desperate wail! Instantly breaking completely!
"Ugh ah—!!!"
A terrified scream replaced the cursing! Shimada lunged forward! He instinctively grabbed at the rotten railing nearby— "Crash!" The fragile wooden strips shattered under his desperate tug! Sharp wooden splinters deeply pierced his arm and palm!
"Bang! Clang! Crack—!!!"
A series of heart-stopping crashes!
The heavy body tumbled and collided with the rotten wooden structure, carrying a sky full of wood splinters and dust, like a discarded sack, plummeting four meters down! It smashed with uncanny precision onto that sharply angled, broken concrete block!
After the dull impact, there was a clearly teeth-grinding "crack" of bones being snapped! Then, everything fell silent. Only dust silently drifted in the dim light.
Beside the gravel pile, I was "frightened" by the enormous sound and fell to the ground, my small face pale (the huge impact indeed made my eardrums numb), my small mouth puckered, "Waaah—!" A earth-shattering wail erupted! My small hands frantically pointed towards the dust-shrouded fall point.
The "Harrier"'s figure had already appeared like a ghost in front of me, her gaze no longer wary, but astonished and solemn! She scooped me up and shielded me, her short blade instantly unsheathed, its cold gleam sharp, locking onto the fall point!
She approached the wreckage cautiously, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Shimada lay in the rubble and gravel in a twisted posture. His neck was unnaturally bent at a right angle, and below the back of his head, the sharp edge of the broken concrete block was deeply embedded, surrounded by a rapidly spreading pool of viscous dark red blood. A broken railing splinter had pierced his side abdomen, and blood stained his tattered clothes. His eyes were wide open, frozen in the last moments of terror and bewilderment before death, utterly devoid of Life Qi.
The "Harrier" quickly checked, confirming his death. Her cold gaze swept over the broken rotten wood, the shattered railing, and finally returned to the scene of death composed of garbage, gravel, and the corpse. There were no external traces, only irrefutable evidence of disrepair and a drunkard's fatal misstep.
She sheathed her blade, expressionlessly picked up me, who was still "wailing," and quickly retreated. Before leaving, she cast one last glance at Shimada's twisted corpse, her eyes devoid of pity, only the cold disgust of having dealt with a troublesome piece of trash.
The infant's heartbreaking cries echoed through the abandoned warehouse district, gradually fading away.
The crying gradually subsided. I buried my face in the "Harrier"'s uniform, which smelled of dust and gunpowder, my body trembling slightly from fright (and the immense instant consumption of Mental Energy).
However, deep in my consciousness, there was a frozen dead sea.
Shimada's wide, terrified eyes, his twisted neck, the crisp sound of breaking bones, the dark red spreading beneath him… these images were clearly imprinted.
No fear.
No nausea (aside from physiological trembling).
Not… a single ripple.
Only a cold sense of confirmation.
Like brushing away an annoying, dangerous speck of dust from a chessboard.
*Obstacle… cleared.*
*Safety threshold… increased.*
A subtle, indescribable sense of relief, like a cold stream, quietly flowed across the frozen tundra of my Soul.
This was the iron law of this world.
Naked, chilling.
Either wait in silence for the butcher's knife to fall at an unknown time.
Or… actively strangle, crushing the threat in its infancy.
There was no other way.
The "Harrier"'s footsteps echoed monotonously on the empty road. I closed my eyes, feeling the lingering tremor in the infant's body gradually subside.