Night shrouded Green Dam. Mist drifted over the cold stone dam and the silent lake, wrapping the entire area in impenetrable darkness.
Ahead, on the gray stone wall, the squads from the two ninja villages had lit a campfire. Its warm yellow light illuminated their surroundings, adding an air of harmony.
The Iwagakure ninja sat around the fire, talking, their thoughts unknown.
Yanryū, Shunsai, and Suiren sat opposite them.
Suiren used a kunai to trace "have dinner" on the ground, stealing occasional glances at Yanryū. Her pale earlobes had already turned pink as she hesitated over whether to say what was on her mind.
Sharp-eyed Yanryū noticed something unusual about Suiren and turned to ask:
"Suiren, is something wrong?"
"Let's have dinner together after the mission."
Suiren glanced at Yanryū and quickly lowered her head. Her cheeks burned fiercely, and her heart threatened to leap out of her chest as she nervously awaited his answer.
Yanryū gave a vague reply. "Let's talk about it after the mission."
"All right..." Suiren sounded utterly helpless. She looked as though her soul had been drained away, her face turning pale.
At the mention of finishing the mission, Shunsai looked gravely at the Iwagakure ninja opposite them and shouted:
"Hey, you Iwagakure guys! Isn't it time you returned our Kirigakure confidential scroll?"
"I'll give it to you now."
The Iwagakure jonin answered darkly. He glanced at his subordinates behind him, reached into his clothes for the scroll, then turned around.
Shunsai stood up and happily reached out to take the scroll.
Suddenly-
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
A dense barrage of kunai whistled through the air.
Squelch-
A kunai struck Shunsai squarely between the brows. His eyes bulged, filled with shock and helplessness. His slender body instantly stiffened, and he fell rigidly to the