Using the darkness of the night and cloaked by the heavy rain, the trio advanced toward the mansion, skillfully avoiding any potential patrols. They scaled the exterior stone wall with ease, slipping into the garden beyond. The mansion stood eerily quiet; no lights flickered from within.
Hagane gave a subtle sign. The mission was underway. From this point onward, there was no turning back. Only success or failure awaited them. Ibuki and Akihiro nodded silently before dispersing, rushing toward their assigned objectives.
Ibuki's task was to secure her mother for the second stage, while Hagane cleared the mansion of any unintended witnesses, eliminating them and planting combustion tags at strategic points. They needed to cover up the abduction. And what better way than a cleansing fire? Nobody would search for bodies if the mansion burned to the ground. After all, she was just a little girl.
"Dammit, where is she? Where is the girl?" Akihiro gritted his teeth in frustration. He scoured the halls, searching for her bedroom, but the girl was nowhere to be found. The mansion was sprawling, confusing, filled with endless rooms, winding corridors, and too many doors to count.
A certain room down the hall caught Akihiro's attention. The paper door was lavishly adorned with paint and golden ornaments. It was conspicuous, standing out amidst the other doors.
Akihiro was convinced this was it. He found the little princess. He slid the door open, only to be greeted by a kunai flying toward him with uncanny precision. Instinctively, he ducked, the blade narrowly missing and embedding itself in the wooden wall behind him.
"This was... unexpected." Akihiro's gaze scanned the room swiftly, searching for the attacker. Standing before him was a little girl, terrified yet defiant, clutching another kunai. Her hands trembled, but Akihiro wasn't deceived by appearances. She was suspicious. Not only was she awake, but she had also been lying in wait, expecting an intruder. Her kunai had been perfectly timed—not a coincidence.
Judging by her still-sleepy eyes, the girl was half-awake, a detail Akihiro knew he could exploit.
"Don't worry, stay calm. I mean you no harm. I'm your friend. You can trust me," Akihiro soothed, though his words found little success.
The girl narrowed her eyes sharply. Her open malice startled him. "I don't think so, my friend. You claim peace, yet you break into my room uninvited. Who are you? What are you doing here?" She gripped the kunai tighter.
Akihiro clicked his tongue. Damn it. One moment she was sleepy and confused, the next she was sharp and resolute.
Time for acting. Akihiro cleared his throat. "I'm part of the local ANBU surveillance squad assigned to this sector. We detected a group of unidentified intruders entering the mansion. We're investigating and moving to secure the residents."
The girl raised an eyebrow skeptically. "ANBU? Don't ANBU wear masks?"
Akihiro laughed lightly. "Normally, yes, but we're with the ANBU police branch. We operate mainly inside the village, undercover. Masks aren't always practical."
"I see. That makes some sense," the girl conceded. "So, what should we do now?"
Akihiro smiled reassuringly. "Come with me. I'll take you somewhere safe. My squad is nearby. We'll also find your mother. Understood?"
The girl nodded happily. "Understood. Just wait a moment, ANBU-san. I forgot something."
Asami trotted back to her bed, retrieving a sword from a weapon stand. Not her only sword—her entire room was lined with a collection of blades.
Akihiro frowned slightly. Why did a little girl possess an arsenal of swords? Among a few scattered dolls, the blades dominated the room. Was this a bedroom or an armory?
The girl returned, hugging her sword to her chest, smiling. "In dangerous times, a girl must be armed, right?" She clearly loved swords.
"True." Akihiro offered a weak laugh.
Still half-asleep, Asami yawned, rubbing her tired eyes. They had torn her from her peaceful slumber, waking her at this uncivilized hour. Carrying her sword and dressed in her fluffy pajamas, she wandered through the dark mansion behind the supposed ANBU operative.
His story was convincing—at least to someone unaware of chakra. Unfortunately for him, Asami was sensitive to chakra signatures. There were no other "intruders." It was they who were the intruders.
One had gone after Okaa-san. The other scouted the house. For their sake, she hoped they hadn't harmed her mother. Otherwise, they would face her wrath. Her first objective was clear: link up with her Okaa-san and ensure her safety.
Still, questions lingered. Who were these men? And why were they here? They weren't common burglars. His reflexes during the kunai dodge suggested training. But if they were assassins, they would have killed her immediately. No—they wanted her alive. But why?
Asami tugged at the man's sleeve repeatedly. "ANBU-san, ANBU-san, ANBU-san, ANBU-san, ANBU-san, ANBU-san..."
"What is it?" The man clicked his tongue, irritated.
"ANBU-san, do you know why these men are here? Do they want to hurt Okaa-san?" Asami feigned concern.
"Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?" the man deflected.
"ANBU-san, are you sure they won't hurt Okaa-san?"
"I said, I don't know."
Asami's eyes turned watery. "ANBU-san, can you promise to protect Okaa-san?"
"I promise." The man sighed heavily. Anything to make her stop. She was extremely annoying.
"ANBU-san, thank you for protecting Okaa-san." Asami smiled sweetly. She almost had him. Just a little more and he would lower his guard.
"No problem." The man smiled back stiffly.
Asami tilted her head. "ANBU-san, can you really protect Okaa-san?"
"Yes, I can."
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Really, really?"
"Yes."
"Really, really, really?"
"Enough! For the last time, yes, I will protect her! Now shut the fuck up! Stop bothering me!" the man exploded.
Asami rolled her eyes and fell silent. No sense of humor. This was going to be a long night.
Akihiro ignored the girl and pressed on. Something about her unsettled him. Her presence, her aura, her sharp gaze—everything about her triggered warning bells in his mind. His instincts screamed danger.
The sleepy girl trudged along in her warm pajamas, hugging her sword. She stumbled over her small feet more than once. Harmless. Just a normal little girl.
Akihiro exhaled slowly. His uneasiness was nothing but rampant paranoia...
The girl tripped, falling hard onto the wooden floor. Her sword clattered beside her. "Ouchie~."
"..." Akihiro blinked. And he had thought she was dangerous?
"Can you help me up, ANBU-san?" she asked, looking up at him innocently.
"Sure." Akihiro leaned down—but froze halfway. A chill ran down his spine. That same uneasy feeling returned, sharper than before. His instincts screamed louder.
Hidden in the sleeve of her pajamas, a kunai shimmered faintly. A kunai with his name etched onto its blade. Had he leaned just a bit closer, she would have stabbed him in the throat.
"ANBU-san, is something wrong?" the girl asked sweetly, breaking his stupor.
"Nothing. It's nothing." Akihiro shook his head, forcibly pushing away the fear. He helped her up, wary now, and they continued walking. Soon they arrived at their destination.
"We're here. Your Okaa-san is inside, waiting for you—Wait, what are you doing with that kunai—and the explosive tags?!" Akihiro blinked, stunned. Where had she gotten those from? And why...?