"How about it? Have you had lunch? If not, want to grab a drink together?" Shiro Kamimizu invited. "Of course, I don't mean alcohol. Just something to drink. My treat.︽,"
Kanna was a little curious about Shiro Kamimizu, too. There didn't seem to be many people in Kirigakure with such an outgoing personality, so he readily agreed.
Ignoring the onlookers' comments, the two went back inside so Kanna could explain things to his mother. Then he and Shiro Kamimizu left together. They headed to an izakaya, ordered a few dishes, and started chatting again.
"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before," Shiro Kamimizu said.
Kanna gave a wry smile. "Of course you haven't. I only graduated last year, and then I stayed home, receiving instruction from my mother."
"Oh? And your parents are?"
"My father is Kanna Tokiomi, and my mother is Kanna Morishita Mai."
"So you're the Aide's son!" Shiro Kamimizu said, suddenly showing him great respect. "How rude of me. The Aide is a ninja I deeply admire. I never expected to meet his son today. What luck!"
Kanna nodded silently. To be honest, he was beginning to understand how the previous owner of this body had felt. No matter who someone was, once they learned his identity, they connected him to Kanna Tokiomi. How should he put it? It really didn't feel good.
Shiro Kamimizu seemed to remember something. "Then you're the one from the rumors—the one who, during last year's graduation exam... Sorry, sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."
"It's fine." Kanna shook his head and smiled calmly. "No matter how painful the memory is, I still have to face it. Come to think of it, I really thought I was done for that time. Thank goodness for my good fortune."
Shiro Kamimizu patted Kanna on the shoulder. There wasn't much he could say as an outsider, so he could only offer comfort that way.
Once the food arrived, the mood gradually improved. As they chatted, Kanna learned a little more about Shiro Kamimizu.
Shiro Kamimizu was a Kirigakure jōnin who had once served in the village's assassination squad. After his term ended, he resigned and became an independent jōnin. The Third Hokage had recently assigned him to serve as the instructor of a Genin team.
"A teacher? Then where are your students? Shouldn't they be training right now?" Kanna asked, puzzled.
Shiro Kamimizu's expression darkened. He exhaled and muttered, "The team's being reorganized. One of them died."
Kanna immediately felt awkward. Before he could say anything, a voice suddenly came from nearby.
"Shiro Kamimizu?" A man in a jōnin uniform walked over and greeted him.
"Oh, it's you, Motohiko." Shiro Kamimizu turned around. He hesitated, but still answered.
Then Shiro Kamimizu leaned closer and explained in a low voice, "Murakami Motohiko. He's a squad leader, like me."
Kanna understood and looked over.
Murakami Motohiko was a handsome young man who looked no older than twenty-five. A faint, indifferent smile rested on his face. Behind him were two boys and a girl, all teenagers. Kanna had seen all three of them before.
Amayuri! Kanna's expression grew more serious as he watched the girl, her face blank and her attention fixed on the counter as she went to order food, ignoring everyone around her.
All three teenagers had won the Chunin Ninja Exams. Judging by appearances, they were on the same team.
The other two boys still had bandages on, though their injuries didn't seem serious. They followed their teacher to a nearby table and sat down to wait in silence.
A few breaths later, Amayuri returned. Just as she was about to sit down, she suddenly looked up and met Kanna's eyes.
Her gaze was cold, utterly devoid of emotion, and carried an air of superiority. It was as if a person had casually noticed an ant.
Kanna frowned at once. This was what he disliked about Kirigakure! Everyone there seemed so self-centered, acting as if other people didn't exist!
They stared at each other for a long moment, neither backing down. Shiro Kamimizu, Murakami Motohiko, and the two boys noticed the standoff, but no one on either side said a word.
"Who are you?" Amayuri suddenly asked. Her stiff tone grated on Kanna's ears.
"Kanna!"
"I've seen you before." Amayuri slowly walked over as she spoke. "At the Chunin Ninja Exams. Are you the Mizukage's bodyguard? A Chunin? Or a jōnin?"
Kanna was genuinely annoyed now. He'd only looked at her. What was with that tone? Was she trying to start a fight?
"Hmph." Kanna sneered and abruptly stood up. Now he was looking down at Amayuri. Girls might mature earlier, but boys were still generally bigger. On top of that, Kanna's Shikotsumyaku gave him control over his bones, so he stood a full head taller than Amayuri.
But to Kanna's disappointment, even when Amayuri tilted her head up to meet his eyes, her expression remained unchanged.
Murakami Motohiko sensed the tension and gave a small signal. The boy to his left promptly called, "Amayuri, come eat."
To everyone's surprise, Amayuri's eyebrows shot up. "Shut up!"
"Haha, how domineering!" Kanna laughed, mocking her.
"When you have power like mine, you can act the same way," Amayuri replied coolly, completely unfazed.
The boy behind her moved his mouth, but didn't dare say anything. He meekly sat back down.
Murakami Motohiko had had enough. With a helpless sigh, he said, "Amayuri, come eat. That's an order!"
Amayuri gave Kanna a long look. This time, she didn't defy her teacher. She returned to her seat, ignored Kanna, and began eating.
Kanna's eyelid twitched. He wanted to get angry, but had no grounds to. She hadn't actually done anything to him. At worst, she seemed to look down on him; at best, she was merely cold. What could he pick a fight over?
Kanna sat down, still seething. Shiro Kamimizu filled his glass and lowered his voice. "The child Amayuri killed in the Chunin Ninja Exams was one of my students."
Kanna's hand tightened. The Chunin Ninja Exams tested teamwork, so participants had to enter in teams. This year's rules were much like the previous years': if one person withdrew during either of the first two tests, the whole team lost eligibility. That meant the six people in the final one-on-one combat test had been divided into two teams. One was Amayuri's team, and the other must have been Shiro Kamimizu's three students.
No wonder the two jōnin were from the same village, yet their groups seemed so awkward around each other. Murakami Motohiko hadn't seemed to have any personal conflict with Shiro Kamimizu, but his student had killed Shiro Kamimizu's star pupil. There was no way he could act close to him.
Kanna had seen Amayuri for himself today. She was undeniably arrogant. Or perhaps she wasn't deliberately looking down on anyone; she simply didn't consider other people at all, confident that she could surpass anyone. Her nature was domineering and self-centered.
If that was the kind of personality she'd developed while growing up, Kanna had no right to criticize her. But he still couldn't stand it!
She wasn't invincible yet, but she was already letting her ego go to her head. What would she be like if she really did become invincible?
Amayuri and the others' arrival had ruined Kanna and Shiro Kamimizu's good mood, too. They hurriedly finished their meal, exchanged contact information, and said goodbye.
That night, at a training ground in Kirigakure, Murakami Motohiko clapped his hands and called his students over. "Good work. Today's mission went smoothly. Same time tomorrow. You're dismissed!"
"See you tomorrow, Sensei."
"Good night, Sensei Motohiko."
The two boys said their goodbyes politely. Amayuri silently turned and left on her own. The other three were already used to her personality, so they didn't comment.
The bright moon hung high overhead as a breeze stirred. A dark cloud suddenly drifted over, plunging the whole world into darkness.
Looked like another rainy day was coming.
When Amayuri reached a secluded alley, she seemed to sense something. She stopped at its entrance and gripped the hilt of the sword on her back.
"Come out," she said indifferently.
Three shadows slowly emerged from deep within the alley, blocking the way. The one in front stepped forward and said, "Amayuri, come with us! The Hayashinaka Clan wants an explanation from you!"
"What a joke!" Amayuri drew her sword and held it upright in front of her. She studied the blade without even looking at them. "What are you supposed to be, ordering me around?"
The ninja across from her didn't get angry. "The Hayashinaka Clan sent us. We're not here to hurt you, but to invite you to the clan. Once you've explained yourself, we'll let you go home."
An explanation? For what? They weren't going to ask her to explain why she'd killed Hayashinaka Shigure. They planned to lure her to the clan first, then threaten and entice her, perhaps place a curse seal on her or find some leverage over her. If Amayuri agreed to go with them, she'd be signing away her life to the Hayashinaka Clan.
In Kirigakure at this time, the combined power of all the clans was greater than the Mizukage's! They controlled the village's businesses, trade, and vital posts across its various departments, so they had a great many ninja under their command.
Now, the Hayashinaka Clan had finally reacted to Hayashinaka Shigure's death!
Either become a pawn of the Hayashinaka Clan—or die here!
They were brazen and utterly lawless. That was how the clans in Kirigakure acted now!
Before you continue