"We just came to watch the fun!" she said with a grin. "That little blond kid is having a birthday. It looked pretty lively!"
At the sight of the Bone Mask on Lilynette's face, the two Anbu's pupils abruptly contracted!
That distinctive feature... Las Noches!
Almost by reflex, both leaped back, raised their kunai, and shouted sharply, "Spies from Las Noches! Everyone, on alert-!!!"
Amplified by chakra, their voices instantly carried across the entire square.
It was as though someone had pressed pause on the bustling celebration.
The cheers cut off abruptly.
Every gaze turned toward the edge of the square, toward those two gray-clad figures.
On the platform, Minato's expression instantly darkened, and he quickly handed Naruto to Kushina beside him.
With a single step, he appeared at the edge of the platform, his piercing gaze locking onto Starrk and Lilynette.
"Las Noches..." he murmured, the Flying Thunder God formula on his special kunai already giving off a faint glow.
Kakashi, Might Guy, and every Konoha jonin nearby instantly readied themselves for battle, moving to surround the pair in a semicircle.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, the ordinary villagers erupted in terrified screams and fled in every direction, plunging the square into chaos.
Lilynette blinked, seemingly surprised that she had provoked such a strong reaction.
"Oops. Looks like I messed up." She stuck out her tongue and hid behind Starrk.
Starrk sighed and finally pulled his hood all the way back.
He had tousled, short black hair, pale skin, sunken eye sockets, and a stark-white Bone Mask resembling a wolf's head that covered the upper half of his face.
Beneath the mask, his deep-blue eyes were half-lidded, brimming with weariness and drowsiness.
"Like I said..." He scratched his head, his voice so languid that he sounded as