Shuomo left, either because he couldn't stand the atmosphere or because he couldn't sit still.
He went outside alone to keep watch, leaving Yayoi and Yan behind with Rin.
The latter two stared eagerly at Yayoi. Rin's eyes were as pale and cool as usual, but Yayoi had already noticed the subtle expressions in them.
After hesitating for two seconds, Yayoi took a sword out of his scroll.
It was forged entirely from repeatedly tempered fine steel. A good sword, but otherwise unremarkable—not even made of chakra conductive metal.
Yan looked at Yayoi in confusion.
Had Yayoi-kun run out of good stuff to give them?
Or had he given all the good stuff to himself?
"I named it the Sword of Forgetting. It lowers the wielder's presence, making it suitable for assassination. And this kunai is for Rin-chan, too."
Rin accepted the sword Yayoi handed her and stroked its blade, a faint smile appearing on her face.
"Yayoi-kun, I begged you for ages to give me this, and now you're giving it to Rin-chan?"
Yan, meanwhile, hadn't noticed what had happened. She looked at Yayoi with a wounded expression, feeling as if she'd brought this on herself.
"Relax, I have something for you, too."
Yayoi gently tapped Yan's nose, just inches from his face, then took another sword out of the Sealing Scroll.
"But this one's unfinished. For reasons I can't explain, I can't extend how long it lasts, though its presence-lowering effect is much stronger."
Yayoi explained helplessly.
This Dragon Script, which lowered one's presence and was exceptionally well suited to assassination, was something he'd pieced together on a whim.
It had been pure chance, an extremely rare occurrence. So Yayoi had no idea how to improve it.
He had only optimized the materials. After trying several kinds, he'd