The once-lively Red Street had been reduced to a sea of flames.
The villagers' cries rose and fell as the catastrophe finally came to an end.
But what awaited them next was even more devastating—
Their homes were gone.
Every family that had struggled for months to achieve modest prosperity was, overnight, thrown back into absolute poverty. Their money was gone. Clothes, furniture—everything reduced to ashes. All that remained was a small amount of dry rations for the road.
Elsewhere, Nikaidō carried the unconscious Morino Yūgetsu, tying him across the back of his horse as he rode along the main road.
Not long after, they arrived at the gates of Tanigawa Town.
The gate guards exchanged glances. Upon recognizing Nikaidō, they wordlessly opened the gates.
Under cover of night, the bandit group passed through the town's narrow streets and eventually reached a grand estate in the inner district.
The town lord had been waiting.
Watching the piles of money, grain, and even furniture being unloaded, Itō Mats clapped his hands in satisfaction.
"As expected of my loyal subordinate, Nikaidō-kun."
"Mats." Nikaidō's voice was flat. "The task is complete. Where's my payment?"
"Don't worry—your reward won't be short."
Itō Mats let out a cold laugh, pulled out five hundred thousand ryō in Rice Country currency from the confiscated money, and handed it over.
Nikaidō glanced at it.
"That's all?"
"Hahaha, of course not," Itō Mats replied smoothly, stepping closer and patting Nikaidō on the shoulder.
"Keeping you safe in the Land of Rice Fields hasn't been cheap, you know."
He then looked around, noting that one of his men was missing and another injured.
"And look at my poor subordinates," he continued mildly.
"They're expensive to feed. You kill when you feel like it, injure when you feel like it—did you ever ask for my permission?"
"I told you," Nikaidō replied coldly,
"if I'm the one acting, unnecessary killing is off-limits. That's my rule."
"Heh. Which is why I didn't blame you," Itō Mats said lightly.
Only then did he seem to notice the bound young man.
"Oh? Now this is a treasure."
"If I'm not mistaken by that headband—this one used to be a Konoha ninja, now a missing-nin."
"He's valuable."
"Nikaidō-kun, hand him over to me. We might get quite a bit out of him. I'll even cut you in."
As Itō Mats reached out toward Yūgetsu's face—
Nikaidō caught his wrist.
Applying pressure.
Itō Mats frowned, glancing sideways.
"What? Is he someone important to you?"
"No," Nikaidō said calmly.
"He's my spoil of battle. And he wasn't part of your request."
Itō Mats' eyes narrowed.
"Are you serious? This is my territory."
Clatter—
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The bandits around them raised their weapons, ready to move.
"You think your men can beat a ninja?" Nikaidō asked quietly.
"A proper one, trained by a major nation?"
Silence followed.
At last, Itō Mats patted Nikaidō's hand, signaling him to release his grip.
"All right, all right," he said with a forced smile.
"I'll let this one go."
"But don't let me see your 'trophies' again," he added lightly.
"I might not be able to resist next time."
Nikaidō said nothing.
Greedy bastard, he thought. He wants everything.
A few leaps later, Nikaidō left the estate behind and arrived at a rooftop in the normal residential district.
Slash.
He cut Yūgetsu's bindings.
Yūgetsu had remained conscious the entire time. Now, he stared at Nikaidō in confusion.
"Why?"
"No reason," Nikaidō replied casually.
"I made some money and felt generous."
"Leave. And don't say anything."
"But… aren't you a bad guy?" Yūgetsu asked.
"You said my head has a bounty."
Nikaidō leaned against the railing, letting the night breeze wash over him.
After a long pause, he said quietly:
"Maybe I felt like being a good person for once."
"Stop asking questions. Go."
"Your information will be sold to the black market soon. This place will become a hunting ground for you."
"But I'm already a missing-nin," Yūgetsu said bitterly.
He had failed to protect Kosei and the captain at the border.
After leaving the Land of Fire and gaining power, he still couldn't protect even a handful of ordinary villagers.
In the end—
He had protected nothing.
"You," Nikaidō said suddenly.
"You defected because of something that happened in the last war, didn't you?"
Yūgetsu nodded.
"Figures," Nikaidō sighed.
"You're like me. Just one war later."
"The First War?!" Yūgetsu stared at him.
"Close enough. I trusted the wrong people. The Third Raikage let me go—but my name stayed on Kumogakure's blacklist forever."
"Trusted the wrong people…"
"Internal politics," Nikaidō said, waving it off.
"Anyway—why don't you protect those homeless villagers?"
"You said you wouldn't kill them," Yūgetsu replied earnestly.
Nikaidō turned to face him, expression serious.
"Are you serious right now?"
"What do you mean…?"
"You really think I'm the only ninja working for that lord?" Nikaidō asked.
Yūgetsu froze.
"I don't like killing," Nikaidō continued.
"As long as it's not right in front of me, I don't interfere."
"So someone else handles the cleanup."
"The kind who enjoys watching people die."
Yūgetsu's face drained of color.
"But… you said you only wanted money!"
"You're naïve," Nikaidō said quietly.
"There were travelers there—some might've been nobles, or ninja, or mercenaries."
"The first strike had to be 'clean.'"
"But after that… for reputation's sake, to bury the truth—"
He pointed toward a hidden gate in the city wall, where figures were slipping out.
"A second strike. Total silence."
"That man," Yūgetsu asked,
"who is he?"
"A Fūma clan ninja," Nikaidō replied.
"His name is Fūma Yōto."
"Why would a Fūma ninja help the town lord?"
"Who knows? Maybe he enjoys it," Nikaidō said flatly.
"He destroyed villages during the Second War too."
"You going to stop him?"
Yūgetsu nodded without hesitation.
"If I see it, I can't ignore it."
Nikaidō stared at him, momentarily stunned.
Then—
"Wait."
"I'll go with you."
"What?" Yūgetsu turned. "Aren't you working for the lord?"
"I'm sick of this life," Nikaidō said quietly.
"Being a missing-nin isn't as easy as you think."
"Let me be your senior."
"…You?"
Nikaidō smirked.
"I'm stronger than you, older than you, and I've seen more of this world."
"Move," he added.
"Or Yōto will catch up to them."
They arrived at the forest near Red Street.
Tracks were fresh.
"Not long ago," Yūgetsu said, touching the soil.
"They went north."
"To report to the capital," Nikaidō sneered.
"Useless."
"Former ninja can't beat nobles with money and power," he added.
"No matter how strong you are."
"So being a ninja just means becoming a tool?" Yūgetsu asked quietly.
"That depends on your choice," Nikaidō replied.
"And you," he continued,
"a Konoha missing-nin, protecting people who aren't from your village, your country, or even your friends."
"Why?"
Yūgetsu paused.
"Because," he said simply,
"when Uncle Hongye learned I was a missing-nin—he still let me stay."
Nikaidō stared at him.
"…You know there's something called a Transformation Jutsu, right?"
Yūgetsu blinked.
"Oh."
Nikaidō pinched the bridge of his nose.
I should not have followed this idiot.
But Yūgetsu smiled.
"Maybe that's a ninja's fate," he said.
"To follow your heart and protect what you want to protect."
Ahead—
A standoff.
Yūgetsu froze.
"Nawaki-jōnin?!"
"An actual jōnin?!" Nikaidō whispered, stunned.
Under the moonlight, Nawaki stood alone before dozens of bandits.
"Was it you," he asked coldly,
"who destroyed Guren's home?"
"I am Fūma Yōto," the green-haired ninja replied.
"Acting under orders. Prepare to die."
The battle erupted.
Bandits rushed in—
"Guren!" Nawaki shouted.
A small figure stepped forward.
Wearing a lamb mask, Guren formed seals.
"Master once said—
lambs are gentle creatures.
But when wolves attack…
even lambs will fight back."
"Crystal Release: Shatter Crystal Descending Dragon!"
A massive pink crystal dragon burst from the ground, tearing through the bandits.
Even chakra-enhanced defenses were shattered.
Yōto went pale.
"A child… using this level of ninjutsu?! Impossible!"
"Nothing's impossible," Nawaki replied flatly.
Yōto panicked and fled—
But it was already over.
A coordinated attack.
Wire. Wind. Restraint.
Captured.
"Mission complete," Nawaki said calmly.
He turned his gaze.
"And whoever's hiding there—come out."
A kunai struck the tree beside Nikaidō.
"…Found out already," Nikaidō sighed.
"I'm Nikaidō," he stepped forward.
"I led the raid."
"And him?" Nawaki asked.
"I'm a Konoha missing-nin," Yūgetsu said clearly.
"Morino Yūgetsu."
Nawaki stared.
"…I remember you."
Yōto was executed on the spot.
Afterward, Nawaki waved casually.
"Don't run. I don't feel like chasing."
"Mind if we help clean up?" Yūgetsu asked.
Before Nawaki could answer, the two had already rushed off.
Watching Nikaidō's movements, Nawaki muttered:
…Did I just find the director's favorite kind of test subject?
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