Suspicion at Wind Chime Pavilion and the Byakugan Sky Net's Deliberate Opening

Wind Chime Pavilion Inn, second floor.

Fine dust floated through the air, resembling restless flying insects beneath the dim yellow lamplight.

Outside the window, the wind howled mournfully, making strange, sobbing sounds as it swept across the eaves, stirring unease in anyone who heard it.

Kidomaru sat cross-legged by the window, his six dark eyes fixed intently on the alley leading deeper into the district.

One hand unconsciously tapped against the cold windowsill, producing soft taps. Each sound seemed to hammer against his taut nerves.

An hour had passed.

It had been a full hour since that arrogant woman, Tayuya, had set out.

According to the plan, retrieving a Scroll from the liaison officer should have taken no more than fifteen minutes, even if she encountered inspections along the way.

But now, the night had deepened, and Tayuya was like a stone dropped into a bottomless pool—not even the slightest echo had returned.

"Tch, that stupid woman..."

Kidomaru cursed under his breath, his voice hoarse and carrying a trace of agitation that even he had not noticed.

He did not like this feeling.

It was a sense of losing control, of being shrouded by an unknown shadow. Like a spider skilled at weaving webs, only to discover that he himself was caught within a larger, invisible web.

As the brains of the Sound Four, he possessed a beast-like instinct for danger.

From the moment he had entered Konoha, something had felt wrong.

This village was too quiet.

So quiet it was like a vast graveyard holding its breath, waiting for prey to come to its door.

He closed four of his eyes and gathered all his Chakra into the third eye at the center of his forehead. His vision instantly broadened and sharpened.

Yet all he could "see" were the