The man did not come any closer. He merely lifted his cloak, revealing the Konoha forehead protector at his waist and the long scroll wrapped in oilcloth on his back.
More than half his hair had turned white. A corner of his left ear was missing, his right leg always landed half a beat slower than his left, and the soles of his shoes were still stained with the distinctive red mud from outside Kikyo Castle.
Chiba put the old wooden tag into his ninja tool pouch.
"Sakakibara Shinya?"
Hearing that name, the man forced out two dry chuckles.
"The last child of the Sakakibara family died on the Northern Frontier nine years ago. I borrowed his name and paid his taxes for nine years too."
"Akizuki Shiguang."
"To think someone still remembers the Akizuki surname. My old life wasn't spared for nothing."
Asuma stepped two paces to the side, shifting out of Chiba's line.
"The Akizuki family records were sealed after the Second Shinobi World War. How did you get into the Defense Office?"
"Konoha can even lose track of living Senju. How hard could it be to slip in one man who was supposed to be dead?"
"Who forged your registration?"
"If you want to dig names out of my mouth, bring over a chair from the Interrogation Division first."
Asuma raised Flying Swallow slightly.
"No chair, but I did bring two blades."
Akizuki ignored him, his gaze fixed on the Konoha forehead protector by Chiba's shoulder.
After watching for several breaths, he raised a hand and wiped his face. His palm brushed against his stubble, then rubbed back and forth across his chin twice.
"A child of the Senju... You really came back."
"When did you see me?"
"The day Anbu brought you into the village. I