Land of Water, inside Kirigakure.
Inside a towering building shrouded in thick fog, Uchiha Tokino slowly drew back his wary gaze from a dark corner of the office.
For some reason, just moments ago, he had felt his heart give a violent thump.
The indescribable sensation instantly put him on guard. He stared warily in the direction it had come from.
The feeling had lasted only a moment before vanishing. For a while, Uchiha Tokino even wondered whether it had been an illusion brought on by his own tension.
His face cooled slightly as he carefully considered it, but he couldn't come up with an explanation.
"What... could have caused it? Could it have just been my imagination...?"
In the darkness, Tokino murmured to himself.
"Creak!"
Just then, the door to the room was gently pushed open. Tokino's gaze turned cold as he looked toward the newcomer.
A purple-eyed boy slipped quietly into the room.
He wore a light green robe and had brown hair. For some reason, he seemed furtive; once inside, he cautiously looked around.
Now and then, a glint of wariness flashed in his eyes.
He crept silently into the dark room, apparently afraid of disturbing anyone inside. He tiptoed lightly, careful not to make a sound.
Just then—
"Ahem..."
A hoarse cough suddenly rang through the dark room.
The unexpected sound nearly scared the purple-eyed boy to death. He whipped around, his small face turning deathly pale as he stared toward its source.
"Fwoosh..."
A flame suddenly flared in the room. A moment later, the bright candlelight illuminated everything.
In the shimmering glow, every detail of the room became clear.
At the desk in the office, a middle-aged man slowly withdrew his hand from the candle he had just lit. With a kindly smile, he looked