The sky gradually darkened, and the last rays of the setting sun fell across the water. Occasionally, faint ripples broke its stillness, spreading across the surface...
Underwater, Hyuga Mokujin watched the fish swimming before him with dead-fish eyes, his expression radiating a complete lack of will to live.
Just then, one fish among the school, so dark green it was almost black, seemed to fancy itself the protagonist. Instead of swimming past Muren like the others, it suddenly stopped right in front of Hyuga Mokujin.
Muren: "?"
Their eyes met. The fish's gaze brimmed with wisdom. Just as Muren began to grow suspicious, the large green fish seemed to finally realize what it was looking at and pecked straight at his eye.
Fortunately, Muren had closed his eyes before the fish struck.
Having been shut out, the large green fish had no idea what had happened, given its limited brainpower. Its gaze merely seemed to become even more "wise." Like a patient hunter, it stayed in front of Muren, waiting for that white orb to reappear.
Sensing what it was doing, Muren's forehead twitched with irritation. He silently reminded himself to stay calm. Once he had settled down, Hyuga Mokujin activated his perception and "looked" around the black-and-white surroundings, apparently searching for someone.
Beside Muren lay a white-haired "corpse." Bone Lord had buried his face against the riverbed and was resting with his eyes closed. Unlike Muren, he did not have infinite chakra, so he was thoroughly enjoying slacking off.
After sensing that no one remained nearby and checking several times to make sure, Hyuga Mokujin opened his eyes again. Just as the large green fish was about to bite, he snatched it up.
Large green fish: "?!?"
"One, two, three—off you go!" With a sudden burst of force, the