The sun climbed higher over the Kasai Clan's grand village, casting warm golden hues over the streets. The air was filled with the chatter of merchants selling their wares, the scent of sizzling skewers drifting through the air, and the rhythmic footfalls of shinobi patrolling the district.
Yet, amid the liveliness, a peculiar scene unfolded—one that had many heads turning.
Ghesso, the infamous Trickster Sage, strolled down the streets of the Kasai Clan as if he owned the place, his violet eyes gleaming with mischief. His loose kimono barely clung to his frame, exposing his toned chest as he took in the sights.
"This place is fascinating," he mused aloud, rubbing his chin. "Haven't been here in centuries… Let's see what's changed."
Kenshiro walked slightly behind him, keeping a wary eye on the legendary sage. His instincts told him that Ghesso wasn't here just for fun—there was always a reason behind his actions.
"What's your true ambition here, Ghesso?" Kenshiro finally asked, his voice calm but firm.
Ghesso didn't stop walking. Instead, he tilted his head, his ever-present smirk widening.
"My ambition?" He tapped his chin playfully. "Hmm… that's a secret. But let's just say—I'm here to 'observe' something interesting."
Kenshiro's Akarugan flickered beneath his headband, subtly analyzing Ghesso's body language. The Sage of the Seven Desires might have looked carefree, but Kenshiro knew better.
"He's watching someone… or something."
Meanwhile, Ryuji and Kai trailed behind them, still fuming from their earlier defeat.
"I want a rematch with Sensei," Kai muttered, his Yamigan gleaming in the sunlight.
"Yeah, me too!" Ryuji agreed, cracking his knuckles. "Next time, I'll take those damn bells!"
Kenshiro sighed. "If you want a rematch, train harder. Otherwise, you'll just lose again."
Ryuji gritted his teeth, but before he could argue—
"Oi! Hold up!"
The group turned to see Serena jogging after them, her red hair bouncing with each step.
"I'm coming with you," she declared, catching up to Ghesso. "You're shady as hell, and I don't trust you wandering around alone."
Ghesso grinned. "Aww, worried about me already? How sweet."
Serena rolled her eyes. "No, I just don't want you messing with my village."
Right behind her, Seinna also approached, her wristwatch flickering as she recorded notes.
"I'm coming too," she stated, pushing up her glasses. "I still don't know who the hell you are, and that bothers me."
Ghesso laughed. "My, my, what an honor—two beautiful ladies watching over me!"
Jasper, who had been standing near a fruit stand, scoffed at the whole scene.
"Tch. What a circus," he muttered under his breath.
But his focus wasn't on them—his focus was on Seinna's watch.
His wristwatch was flickering with an error message.
"Damn it. The internet's unstable here."
Jasper needed to check something. The Emerald Championship Final was happening, and Talon—his old friend—was facing Phi in the grand match.
The problem? The only one with unlimited internet access here was Seinna.
Jasper clenched his jaw.
"Shit. That means I have to talk to her."
Just as he was about to swallow his pride and approach Seinna, her watch buzzed loudly.
A video call.
Seinna lifted her wrist, her silver eyes narrowing when she saw the incoming call.
BLADE. SCARLET. LANCE.
Her three fellow A-Rank Hyperion Defenders.
She accepted the call, and immediately—
The screen split into three feeds, showing three familiar faces.
Blade's stern expression filled the top screen. His jet-black hair was slicked back, his golden eyes sharp and calculating. He was the strategist—the cold and efficient warrior.
Scarlet, the red-haired markswoman, lounged on the second screen, her emerald eyes flickering with amusement. She was Seinna's biggest rival.
Lance, the silver-haired giant, filled the third frame. He leaned forward, his muscular arms crossed, his voice deep and serious.
Blade: "Seinna, are you alone?"
Seinna glanced around. "No. I'm in the middle of an investigation."
Scarlet: "Tch. You're always working, aren't you?"
Seinna ignored her and asked, "What's going on?"
Lance's face darkened. "Three new cases. We handled them, but you need to hear this."
The air grew heavy as Lance began to explain.
CASE 1: The Necrophile of Space Hubs
A serial killer targeted young women near spaceports.
He would rape their corpses after killing them.
Left no evidence—nearly untraceable.
Tracked down through cryostasis shipments.
Scarlet executed him with a headshot.
Seinna remained silent, but her grip on her wristwatch tightened.
CASE 2: The Mass Murderer
A psychopath disguised as a normal citizen.
Killed over 100 people for pleasure.
Recorded every murder—laughed as he tortured victims.
His tapes were found.
They used his own torture machines to execute him.
Jasper, who had been listening nearby, felt his stomach turn.
"What the hell…?"
CASE 3: The Abyss Market (Organ Trafficking Case)
A secret black-market trade.
Sold children's organs to the highest bidder.
Victims as young as infants were harvested alive.
A mutilated child in an escape pod led them to the source.
They burned the entire operation to the ground.
The call went silent.
Everyone who had been listening felt a chill.
Even Ghesso, usually playful, had stopped smiling.
Scarlet finally spoke, breaking the silence.
Scarlet: "We handled it fine without you, Frostveil."
There was mockery in her voice.
A taunt.
Seinna stared at the screen, unblinking.
Scarlet smirked. "You're getting too soft in that Shinobi Verse."
Blade remained quiet, merely watching.
Lance added, "We don't need you. But HQ still wants you back soon."
Seinna exhaled slowly.
Then—she smiled.
But it wasn't a friendly smile.
It was a challenge.
Seinna: "Don't get cocky, Scarlet."
Scarlet's smirk widened.
Scarlet: "Prove it then. Get back here and show me you're still worth a damn."
The call cut off.
Seinna lowered her wristwatch.
Her expression was unreadable.
Serena, sensing the tension, asked, "Seinna, you okay?"
Seinna nodded. But inside—
"I need to return soon. And when I do…"
"Scarlet, I'll make you eat those words."
***
A Morning Meal with a Side of Madness
As the sun peeked over the horizon, casting a golden glow over the Shinobi Verse, the group followed Ghesso to a bustling restaurant. The enticing aroma of sizzling meats, freshly baked bread, and exotic spices filled the air, making their stomachs rumble in anticipation. It was breakfast time, and even warriors, shinobi, and pro heroes needed to eat.
They entered the lively establishment, where waiters dashed between tables, balancing trays laden with steaming bowls of ramen, grilled fish, and plates piled high with rice. Ghesso, with a smug grin, led them to a spacious table.
The seating arrangement was about to become an issue. Jasper, ever the brooding loner, tried to subtly pull his chair away from Seinna. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief—until Seinna, completely unfazed, plopped herself down right next to him.
Jasper stiffened. His plan to keep his distance had failed spectacularly.
Meanwhile, across the table, Ghesso narrowed his eyes, feeling a strange pang in his chest. Why does that guy get to sit next to a goddess like Seinna? His inner monologue was screaming. He gritted his teeth as he absentmindedly chewed on a piece of meat, feeling an irrational surge of jealousy.
As they dug into their meals, Ghesso casually mentioned to Seinna, "The Outer Worlds are full of monsters. You wouldn't believe some of the horrors out there."
Seinna barely raised an eyebrow. She wiped her mouth elegantly with a napkin before responding in a calm, unimpressed tone. "This is nothing. I've seen worse—handled worse. You have no idea what kind of nightmares exist beyond your shinobi village."
The table fell silent.
Even Kenshiro, Ryu, and Kai, who prided themselves on being fearless, exchanged uneasy glances. They had all assumed Seinna was just a researcher in the Shinobi Verse, but now… now they were realizing she was far more experienced—perhaps even deadly.
Serena, on the other hand, was preoccupied with her plate. She pouted, staring longingly at the grilled chicken on the menu. She wanted it. She needed it.
Unfortunately, Seinna had other plans. With a stern glare, she placed a small plate in front of Serena, filled with carefully measured, prescribed food.
Serena groaned. "Come on, just a bite of chicken?"
"No," Seinna said flatly.
"But—"
"No."
Serena slumped in defeat, stabbing her fork into the food.
Meanwhile, Jasper, who had been awkwardly eating in silence, was having an internal battle of his own. His mind was on something completely unrelated to the conversation—he wanted to watch the Emerald Championship Finals between Talon and Phi. But there was a problem.
The restaurant's internet was garbage.
His only hope? Seinna's wristwatch, which had limitless internet.
But asking her was the hard part. He glanced at her, then looked away. He cleared his throat but didn't speak. He tapped his fingers on the table, then stopped. His entire existence right now was a loop of hesitation.
As everyone was absorbed in their own thoughts, Ghesso turned to Kenshiro, chewing his food noisily. "By the way," he said, between bites of rice. "The Chunin Exam is starting in a month."
Kenshiro froze mid-chew. "WHAT?!"
Ghesso nodded, stuffing another piece of grilled fish into his mouth. "Yeah, it's early, but that's how it is. Ryu, Kai, and Ai are all Genin, right? They need to take the exam to become Chunin."
Kenshiro wiped his mouth and sat back in shock. "But they're amateurs! They need more time to train!"
Ghesso shrugged. "That's how it works, buddy. They need to step up or step out."
Then, as if the conversation hadn't just taken a serious turn, Ghesso suddenly leaned forward with a devious smirk. "Oh, by the way, Kenshiro, you're lucky."
Kenshiro blinked. "Lucky? Why?"
Ghesso leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You've got that fancy Akarugan ability, right?"
Kenshiro nodded, unsure where this was going.
Ghesso smirked. "So that means you can see through things… including clothes."
Kenshiro choked on his rice.
His entire face turned redder than a cherry tomato, and his hands trembled as he picked up his chopsticks. He refused to look at anyone, especially not Seinna or Serena. His mind was SCREAMING.
Does he know?!
How much does he know?!
Seinna, completely unaware, continued eating gracefully. Serena, on the other hand, was struggling to hold back laughter.
Ryu and Kai, who had no idea what was going on, looked confused.
But then, Ghesso—being Ghesso—turned his perverted gaze toward Seinna and Serena. He wasn't even being subtle anymore.
He was noticing things.
Specifically, the "giggle physics" happening every time they moved.
His eyes darted between them, as if mentally tracking some forbidden scientific phenomenon.
Ryu squinted at Ghesso, watching his creepy expression. And then, it hit him.
Ryu slammed his hands on the table and pointed an accusing finger at Ghesso.
"HE'S EVEN MORE PERVERTED THAN JASPER!!"
The restaurant fell into chaos.
"YOU LITTLE IDIOT KID!!" Ghesso roared, his face red from being caught.
Jasper, who had been minding his own business, was deeply offended. "HEY! What did I do?!"
Seinna and Serena immediately stood up, pushing their chairs back. Seinna, adjusting her gloves with an ice-cold expression, cracked her knuckles.
It was about to go down.
This was chaos, comedy, and peak anime breakfast madness. Hope you liked it!
The moment Seinna cracked her knuckles and Serena adjusted her gloves, a cold chill ran down Ghesso's spine. His perverted instincts screamed DANGER.
Without another word, without another sound—he vanished.
One second, he was sitting at the table, grinning like a fox. The next—he was gone.
Poof.
A single leaf fluttered down onto his empty chair, as if mocking them.
Kenshiro sighed, rubbing his temples. That damn perverted sage... Still pulling his same old tricks after all these years.
Serena blinked in disbelief. "Wait—WHERE DID HE GO?!"
Ryu scowled, crossing his arms. "Coward. He runs faster than Jasper avoiding Seinna."
Jasper, mid-drink, almost spat out his tea. "Oi, what the hell does that mean?!"
Seinna, completely composed, simply adjusted her gloves. "Oh well. He can't run forever."
Her calm but ominous tone sent a shiver down Kenshiro's spine.
"She's not letting this go…" Kenshiro muttered under his breath.
Meanwhile, Kai, who had remained quiet this whole time, simply rolled his eyes. "What a waste of time. Let's focus on real training instead of chasing some clown."
Jasper leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, let's move on. I need to check the Emerald Championship Finals, anyway—"
And then he paused.
His brows twitched.
His entire body tensed.
His worst realization hit him all at once.
He STILL needed Seinna's watch for internet access.
And he had no excuse to ask her for it.
Serena, chewing her food, casually glanced at him and smirked. "Oh? You looked like you were about to say something, Jasper. Maybe to Seinna?"
Jasper scowled. "Shut up, woman."
Serena laughed.
Seinna, now intrigued, tilted her head. "Oh? What's wrong, Jasper? You look… troubled."
Jasper clicked his tongue, refusing to answer. His pride wouldn't allow it.
But Seinna knew. She always knew.
And that made it even worse.
Meanwhile... Somewhere Far Away
Ghesso landed on a rooftop far from the restaurant, wiping sweat from his brow. "Whew. That was close. Too close."
He leaned against a chimney, catching his breath. His violet eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Damn, that Seinna girl… She's something else."
Then, a grin crept back onto his lips.
"Oh well. I'll just find her later. A deal's a deal, after all~"
With a lazy stretch, he cracked his neck and disappeared again, vanishing into the wind.
The perverted sage was far from done.
And his next move would be even more unpredictable.