When Kiyotaki got home, he found the place in complete disarray. The kitchen was an even bigger mess.
"What the hell! Are you trying to tear my house down?"
Kiyotaki stared in shock at his soot-blackened home. Then Jin walked out, looking utterly miserable, her long hair a tangled mess. This was the ruthless kunoichi who killed without hesitation?
"I'm terribly sorry. I wanted to make something to eat, but I didn't expect things to turn out like this."
Jin bowed over and over, apologizing profusely.
Kiyotaki sighed helplessly. What else could he do? He had to forgive her.
After tidying up the place, Kiyotaki looked at the vegetables. They'd been brutally butchered. She'd even used a kunai to cut them. Kiyotaki gaped at the sight. There was nothing for it—they all went in the trash!
Once he'd cleaned up and opened the windows to air out the house, Kiyotaki had to cook for himself. When he'd first arrived in this world, he hadn't known how to cook either. But then, how many young people in modern society knew their way around a kitchen?
He'd had no choice after being transported here. He had a huge appetite, and didn't want to shortchange himself, so he'd learned how to cook.
A few simple, fresh dishes were set on the table. Jin took the initiative and laid out the bowls and chopsticks. Just then, the doorbell rang.
Jin went to answer the door. Hanabi had come over, happily carrying a small box of treats. She looked up, only to find a strange woman opening the door.
At first, she thought she'd gone to the wrong house and even took a few steps back. Then she heard a familiar voice from inside.
"Dinner's ready!"
"Coming!"
Jin called back over her shoulder.
"Kiyotaki-kun, you have a guest!"
Kiyotaki, wearing an apron, leaned out and saw that it was Hanabi.
"Hanabi-chan! What brings you here? Come in and eat!"
Hanabi's eyes instantly grew misty. She felt an ache spreading through her whole body.
"Ah! I've already eaten!"
She turned to leave. After taking a couple of steps, she remembered the treats in her hand, but couldn't bring herself to deliver them. Instead, she asked her bodyguard to take them over.
"Kiyotaki-kun, Lady Hanabi sent you these treats as a gift. Please accept them!"
Kiyotaki accepted the treats, wondering at the strange look in the bodyguard's eyes.
Jin took a bite of her food and watched the scene, thoughtful. Her sixth sense was always spot-on!
"Kiyotaki-kun, I think that little girl likes you!"
"That's not it. She's so young—how would she know what liking someone means?"
Kiyotaki waved a hand, then changed the subject and began asking about Otogakure.
Jin fell silent. Otogakure was a cruel place, and she didn't even want to talk about it. Now that she was a rogue ninja, the thought of what might happen to her filled her with fear.
She didn't answer. Instead, she asked him, "Why did you warn me to leave, and why are you willing to shelter me? Don't you know how terrifying Orochimaru is? My coming here might get you killed."
Kiyotaki took a bite of food and answered casually, "I only warned you because I couldn't live with myself otherwise. Maybe you still don't know what you were sent to Konoha to do."
"As for Orochimaru..."
Kiyotaki shrugged.
"Hah! He was the one who picked a fight with me first. I'm not afraid of him! Just stay here without worrying."
As for taking Jin in, he'd only done it because he wanted information about Orochimaru. If the day ever came when he truly needed to unite the Shinobi World, he'd destroy Otogakure without hesitation and install one of his own men—someone familiar with the village—as its leader.
As soon as he finished speaking, a masked ninja suddenly burst in.
"Tenzawa Kiyotaki! You're conspiring with a ninja from another village. Are you planning to betray Konoha?!"
Kiyotaki looked up. It was a Root ninja. He spoke coldly.
"By law, you can be killed for breaking into a private residence. Did you know that?"
The Root ninja's gaze was indifferent. "I've never heard of any such law in Konoha. But I do know that conspiring with a ninja from another village is considered treason under Konoha law. You're to be executed on the spot!"
"Are you trying to kill me?"
Kiyotaki picked up his chopsticks as if they were a kunai and spoke calmly.
The Root ninja broke into a cold sweat. He'd only just remembered that the kid in front of him was a little demon—a genuinely ruthless one. If he dared make a move, he'd be the one to die.
What should he do? What should he do?
The Root ninja was extremely tense. Why had he been so impulsive as to barge in?
"Get lost! She's a Sound Ninja I captured. I'll give you an explanation in a few days."
Kiyotaki waved him away. He couldn't be bothered to argue. He just wanted the man gone.
The Root ninja fled in a panic. He hurriedly wiped the sweat from his brow, only to realize his clothes were already soaked through. Still, he felt incredibly lucky.
Thank goodness! He hadn't ended up like those two seniors.
That night, the darkness was quiet and still.
Kiyotaki felt a little awkward being alone in a room with a girl he'd only just met. He watched the full moon slowly rise outside the window.
It was such a lovely night that Kiyotaki decided to leave Jin alone in the house and go admire the moon from the rooftop.
The moonlight was clear as water, bathing Konohagakure in its glow. The village was peaceful and still. It was a shame that its people had lived through so much war that their hearts were in turmoil; they didn't even know how to appreciate the moon.
A faint surge of energy came from the distance, followed by an eruption of sinister chakra.
Kiyotaki used the Flight Technique to fly over. When he arrived, he saw Gaara beating up Dosu. Gaara stretched out a strange, enormous hand and slapped Dosu flat against the ground, then looked up savagely at Kiyotaki on the rooftop.
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