You Really Think I'm an Oscar-Worthy Actor?

On the street, Jiraiya made his way from one specialty shop to another.

After asking around, he got a general idea of the situation.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

Someone was watching him!

A hint of greed appeared in Jiraiya's eyes. Grinning, he headed into the specialty shop.

Before long, he was inside, embracing someone.

A figure flashed past outside.

At the inn, after a round of conversation, it was already late at night.

Kyohiko used a kunai as a sword to practice.

He could feel his body quickly absorbing the techniques he had received as a reward as he trained.

Beside him, Kakashi's expression gradually went blank.

It wasn't that Kyohiko had reached a level where Kakashi couldn't offer any guidance. On the contrary, Kyohiko still had plenty to learn, and his swordsmanship couldn't be called powerful. But his stance and the way he put his strength into each swing were already quite proper.

Was this talent, too?

His feelings were complicated. He let out a quiet sigh, then focused on figuring out the Body Flicker Technique—

Kyohiko's secret was useful to him, too!

Kyohiko was completely absorbed in his practice and didn't notice the subtle changes in Kakashi's mood.

He was working on the White Fang Sword Technique.

If his target was a practice dummy, swordsmanship was naturally simple. But what if there was an enemy in front of him?

As he imagined it, Kyohiko carefully practiced each swing.

It was a long while before they finally went their separate ways.

That night, they went to sleep.

Kyohiko was sleeping soundly when, all of a sudden, his instincts picked up the slightest movement. He jolted awake and sat up, immediately gripping the kunai beside him, as if it were second nature.

"Ribbit!"

The kunai stabbed into the wooden floor, startling a little toad into leaping away and cowering in the corner.

Kyohiko paused, then put away his kunai.

"Sorry. I thought you were an enemy."

"It's all right. This is all Jiraiya's fault. If he hadn't asked me to bring this over in the middle of the night, this wouldn't have happened."

The little toad was quite understanding.

It hopped over to Kyohiko and looked him over, then said, "Jiraiya asked me to tell you that during his investigation, he noticed a ninja following him. He still doesn't know which side they're with."

"What does Teacher want us to do?"

"He'll go into hiding for now. You don't need to worry, but don't act too relaxed, either. Basically, he wants you to use your judgment."

"Huh?"

Kyohiko was speechless.

Don't act too relaxed?

That's asking a lot.

Does he really think I'm some kind of Oscar-worthy actor?

He's only telling me. Is he trying to set me up?

After thinking it over, Kyohiko said, "Sorry for the trouble, but please tell Teacher I'll do my best. I'm only a Genin, though."

"Okay."

The little toad vanished.

Kyohiko got up for a drink of water and glanced outside.

A thin mist blanketed the mountain forest at night.

Cautiously, he molded his chakra and let it seep outward.

By sensing the mist, he confirmed there were no signs of anyone affecting the chakra around them. Only then did he feel a little more at ease.

Someone's following Jiraiya...

Mist Village ninja?

Kyohiko thought it over for a long while, then got up and went next door.

Hearing footsteps, Kisame Hoshigaki stared with his small, beady eyes, despair filling his gaze.

If he hadn't known what the Mist Village was like...

He might really have been fooled.

The Mist Village's Genin had all clawed their way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. Did he really think a little hardship could scare Kisame?

Then there was the other one.

He hadn't been in good shape earlier, and Kurenai had tried to help, but he still hadn't improved. At this point, she was just keeping him alive for the Mist Village, while he doubled as her patient.

Kyohiko simply sat down to rest with his eyes closed on the first floor, where they were being held.

Kisame closed his eyes and sighed inwardly.

This kid wakes up at the slightest sound. What a pain!

He'd finally found an opportunity.

What a shame.

If they'd met out in the wilderness, one-on-one, Kisame was confident he could defeat his opponent with the help of the terrain and his various ninjutsu—or at least escape with his life.

But...

With his chakra sealed, his entire body bound, and only two fingers free to work on the ropes, he had no confidence he could defeat the enemy in front of him.

Ha...

Who would've thought we'd run into Jiraiya?

When you fell into the hands of a ninja like that, Sealing Techniques were child's play. He wouldn't give a Genin any chance to escape.

Kisame stared at the ceiling and sighed inwardly.

Before long...

Kakashi's head appeared over the upstairs railing. Seeing Kyohiko below, he felt reassured and withdrew.

But...

That spot should have been the hallway outside Ichiro Matsuyama's room.

He was keeping watch in the hallway to ensure Ichiro Matsuyama didn't fall into danger.

Putting Kakashi's personality aside, when it came to missions, he really was a reliable teammate. He rarely let the team down.

Being on the receiving end of his disdain as a teammate was pretty unpleasant.

For Obito and Rin to get along with a Kakashi like that in the future, they must have had exceptionally good tempers. If it had been Kyohiko, he would've given Kakashi a serious warning on the first day.

After that, too, he'd had to rely on his strength to gradually intimidate Kakashi and keep the situation under control.

Otherwise, he and Kurenai would've been treated the same way as Obito and Rin.

As he was thinking this...

The mist began to thicken.

Kyohiko's eyes flew open. He focused at once, his gaze sharpening.

Thick fog at night often went unnoticed, especially with the mountains so close by.

But...

The chakra in the mist stood out like a firefly.

This was the Hidden Mist Technique!

Kyohiko drew out his chakra and slowly let it seep into the thick fog around him.

Wisps of killing intent drifted through the mist, prickling his skin like needles.

A bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Fortunately, Jiraiya was only hiding in the room behind him. He hadn't actually left, and could come to their aid at any moment.

Probably...

Right?

Cold sweat trickled down Kyohiko's forehead.

Whoosh!

In an instant, Kurenai landed in front of Kyohiko.

The next moment—

"Back! Go protect Mr. Matsuyama. He's our mission target."

Kyohiko barked.

Kurenai wasn't as fast as he was. Rushing over in a situation like this was no different from throwing her life away.

"But—"

"We can abandon the other two if we have to."

Kyohiko said.

Kurenai hesitated for a moment, then nodded and headed upstairs to help Kakashi protect their client.

Just then—

Splash!

Kyohiko spun around and slashed, his kunai sweeping through the air like a sword.

But...

His opponent's head instantly turned into a splash of water, while the other arm swelled and swung toward him.

Water Style: Great Water Arm Technique!

A vicious grin tugged at Hozuki Mangetsu's lips.

But then—

Boom!

The person in front of him turned into a log.

??

What?

Hozuki Mangetsu realized—

His opponent had used the Body Flicker Technique to get away, leaving behind a Substitute made with the Substitution Technique.

A simple trick to distract him, combined with the Body Flicker Technique, had been enough to fool him.

And that wasn't all.

The first time, his opponent had dodged the assassination attempt and hit him in the head with a kunai in return.

The second time, he'd fooled him with the Body Flicker Technique and the Substitution Technique.

At this level...

That Leaf brat wasn't an ordinary Genin!

He turned his head and saw his opponent leaping toward the second floor, already forming Hand Seals in midair.

In the next instant, a torrent of water crashed down from above.

He's trying to kill me with water?

Hozuki Mangetsu didn't dare underestimate his opponent any longer. He treated Kyohiko as an equal and immediately retreated at top speed.

The next moment—

Crackle!

Electricity surged from above, spreading everywhere with the water. Both Kisame and his companion were caught in the lightning.

Hozuki Mangetsu had moved quickly and escaped the Lightning Style attack.

But...

He'd made several attacks without landing a hit, and instead had been forced into a humiliating retreat by his opponent. It was a serious blow to his pride.

Hozuki Mangetsu was about to attack again.

"Stop playing around. Take them away."

A cold voice came from the mist.

"Yes!"

The next moment, a blade tore through the mist and surged toward them.

From its shape, it appeared to be Kubikiribōchō.

Kyohiko frowned.

Kubikiribōchō. Biwa Juzo?

Were there other Mist Village Jonin hiding nearby?