Night had fallen, and thick clouds shrouded the sky, blocking the already dim moonlight and making the darkness even more oppressive.
Thirty kilometers southwest of Kumogakure, a bustling town was ablaze with lights.
Even though midnight was approaching, the noise of laughter, shouting, and revelry remained unabated.
This place was similar to the town near Konoha—a retreat for shinobi looking to unwind after completing missions.
However, due to its strategic location along a major trade route, the constant flow of merchants and travelers made the town far more prosperous than Konoha's.
Gambling dens, taverns, entertainment districts, hot springs, shopping streets…
One had to admit, even though the Land of Lightning didn't have the geographical advantages of the Land of Fire, its current Daimyō was an exceptional ruler.
At the very least, when it came to economic growth, the Land of Lightning was leading among the Five Great Nations.
[...]
Amidst the bustling crowd, a young woman with black-framed glasses walked leisurely, humming an unfamiliar tune.
She had a gentle and refined air about her, appearing no older than a teenager.
Her left hand carried several shopping bags filled to the brim, making her look like someone simply enjoying a shopping spree after a long mission.
Without breaking her stride, she stepped into a dark alleyway.
From a nearby izakaya, several drunken men regretfully withdrew their gazes.
So young, such a great figure, and that face—so damn cute...
If only she weren't a shinobi…
In this era, shinobi were synonymous with merciless killers.
They didn't necessarily hold the highest social standing, but they possessed power beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Even the pompous nobles who strutted around the capital weren't foolish enough to provoke a shinobi unnecessarily—let alone mere merchants with a bit of wealth.
[...]
The girl navigated through the maze of alleyways, turning left and right multiple times before stopping in front of an old, weathered house.
Glancing at the five small stones placed in a distinct "three-one-one" formation by the door, she confirmed the meeting point.
Her expression darkened slightly as she listened to the faint, indulgent noises coming from inside.
Desires were natural for shinobi.
Every shinobi had their own way of relieving stress after missions.
But indulging so recklessly in the middle of a mission?
That made her question whether this person was even a qualified shinobi.
This mission was of utmost importance.
If they failed to change Konoha's current predicament, then in the event of war, Konoha would become the primary target of the other villages.
Given the circumstances, she could understand why the person assigned wasn't a ROOT operative.
But for them to be so wanton...
Could it be that the one waiting inside was the infamous pervert, the so-called insatiable "Sannin," Jiraiya?
If it was him, then maybe this made sense?
[...]
A small stone suddenly flew to her feet, rolling twice before disturbing the original stone arrangement.
The girl—Yakushi Nono—instantly felt her hairs stand on end.
Her body stiffened slightly, but she maintained a serene smile as she turned toward the direction the stone had come from.
A middle-aged shinobi, wearing a Kumogakure headband, stood in the shadows of the building.
He looked to be in his late thirties, with an unshaven face and wary eyes as he scrutinized her.
"Nokai, what are you doing here?"
"Seisai-senpai? I never expected to run into you here! I was just wandering around, but I think I got lost."
Yakushi Nono let out an awkward laugh, scratching her head as if embarrassed.
She played the role of a confused, yet respectful, Chūnin flawlessly.
But internally, she rapidly recalled all available information on Seisai.
A Kumogakure Chūnin. Cautious by nature, highly experienced in missions. Lost his wife a few years ago. Has a son, Musai, who recently graduated from the Academy as a Genin.
Judging from his demeanor, he was already suspicious of her.
Nearly forty and still a Chūnin—his combat skills were likely lacking.
If she handled it right, erasing all traces and eliminating him would be the best course of action.
"Tsk~ I have a cat at home that can do backflips. Nokai, want to see it?"
Seisai's eyes shamelessly roamed over her figure.
The greasy air of a middle-aged man practically assaulted her senses.
"... A ninja cat? I heard that in Konoha, the Uchiha and Izuno clans have strong ties with ninja cats."
Nono's eye twitched slightly, but outwardly, she tilted her head in an innocent, curious manner, pretending to be interested.
As if drawn in by the topic, she unconsciously took a step closer to Seisai.
"It's the Izuno clan."
A voice interrupted.
The greasy middle-aged man suddenly smirked.
But it wasn't Seisai anymore.
It was Yamanaka Shinno.
His triangular eyes glinted with malice as he watched her reaction.
"Huh? Did I get it wrong?"
Swish—!
A pale blue chakra glow ignited in Yakushi Nono's right hand.
Her chakra scalpel slashed straight for Yamanaka Shinno's throat.
But the next second—her body went rigid.
She stood frozen in place as the chakra scalpel dissipated, her figure reverting to that of a harmless, clueless girl.
"I already responded to the passphrase. Don't you think this is a bit rude?"
Yamanaka Shinno sighed, looking helplessly at Nono.
"My cat can do backflips" and "Izuno, Izuno clan"—these were prearranged passcodes.
The fact that Nono could follow along meant she had confirmed his identity.
And yet she still tried to kill him?
That was just overkill!
"Yamanaka clan's mind-body switch technique… And your appearance—this isn't the Transformation Jutsu, is it?"
Though she was still under the jutsu's control, Nono had already confirmed that this was a Konoha shinobi.
But the lack of any disguise-related chakra fluctuations, the undeniable stench of middle-aged sweat, and the lingering smell of debauchery…
"This is the 'Face Copying Jutsu.' A secret technique of the Kida-in clan from the Land of Fire. It perfectly replicates the target's face and scent, to the point where even ninja hounds can't tell the difference. The drawback is that the original must be present, and the transformation process takes time."
Yamanaka Shinno shrugged as he casually explained his technique.
The Kida-in clan was well-known in the Land of Fire, but they had never joined a shinobi village.
Instead, they made a name for themselves as highly sought-after body doubles for nobility.
In the ninja world, assassination was a constant threat.
And the Kida-in clan, with their impeccable disguise techniques, had become the go-to choice for the elite.
As for how he had learned this technique…
It all traced back to an incident with Konoha's Military Police Force.
Years ago, they had captured a Kida-in clan member who had disguised himself as another man's husband—just to seduce his wife.
That guy was a real piece of work.
He had ambushed the original husband outside the village and taken his place, living with the woman as if nothing had happened.
Unfortunately for him, his ruse only lasted a single day before the woman reported him.
Her reason?
Well, apparently, her real husband could last at least thirty minutes.
But this impostor?
He barely made it to thirty seconds.
If that wasn't a red flag, what was?
"Kida-in… Analysis Squad… Yamanaka Shinno?"
Yakushi Nono frowned, thinking for a moment before saying his name.
"Wait… Am I that famous?"
Yamanaka Shinno blinked in surprise.
Since when were professional spies this terrifying?
He had barely said anything, and she had already deduced his identity?
"... I just happened to hear about you."
Yakushi Nono sighed.
Back when Konoha captured that Kida-in shinobi, they had struck a deal with his clan.
As part of the agreement, they trained Konoha's intelligence operatives in disguise and transformation techniques.
And the infamous "Thirty-Second Incident" had become a running joke among the trainees.
She had even thought back then—
Memory-reading techniques were truly terrifying.
It was a shame her spiritual energy wasn't strong enough to learn them!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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