People were waiting for him. But Kaito didn't want to miss anyone — and instead of returning to Loguetown, he went straight to Turner Village. That, he realized, was his mistake.
"You said you waited for someone? Gladius?" Bellamy sneered.
"Killed by me," Kaito replied flatly, his gaze sweeping over Bellamy. "Now it's your turn."
"Hmph! Like I'd be afraid of you!" Bellamy growled. His whole body twisted and compressed as he transformed into a bouncing mass of coiled energy. In an instant, his arm turned into a spring, launching a powerful, elastic punch straight at Kaito.
The air cracked with the force of it.
"Spring Fist!"
Kaito's expression didn't change. A black sphere formed before him — a Truth-Seeking Orb reshaping into a dark wall of energy.
Boom!
The impact echoed. Bellamy's eyes widened as pain shot through his arm. It felt as if he had just punched a mountain of iron.
"Damn it!" Bellamy cursed, jumping back to gain distance. But before he could react, the black wall disintegrated into swirling fragments that shot toward him. The shards instantly coiled around his body, trapping him like a living cocoon of metal.
Bellamy froze — completely restrained. Kaito's eyes stayed cold, a trace of disdain flashing in their depths. He extended his right hand; a wave of invisible force pulled Bellamy forward like a ragdoll.
With a firm grip on the dark chains, Kaito turned and walked toward Turner Village.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the village's center. Kaito raised a hand, and the ground trembled violently. Under Bellamy's horrified gaze, the earth shifted — the scorched craters closed up rapidly until the land was smooth again.
Then, with another gesture, the soil rippled like water. Grains of dirt burst outward, and bodies began to rise — one after another — from beneath the earth.
The corpses of Turner Village's people surfaced, filling the area with silent tragedy.
Bellamy's voice trembled. "You… Who the hell are you?!"
Kaito ignored him. To him, Bellamy was already a dead man.
He tossed Bellamy aside carelessly, not bothering to check if he could break free from the Truth-Seeking Orb's bindings. Then he vanished in an instant, reappearing above a small, hidden cellar.
"Risa! It's me! Come out — everything's over," Kaito called softly down the narrow opening.
Hearing his voice, Risa's face lit up with hope — but she quickly remembered grandpa Nalo's warning. Biting her lip, she stayed silent. It could be a trick… I'll wait until they leave.
Kaito sighed quietly. "Stubborn girl," he murmured. With a flick of his wrist, the floorboards tore open, revealing the dark space below.
Sunlight streamed in. Risa flinched, her eyes adjusting to the brightness. When she finally looked up — she saw him.
"Kaito-nii! Is that really you?" Tears welled in her eyes, her face lighting up with disbelief.
"It's me," Kaito said softly, smiling. "The danger's over. You can come out now."
"Really? You're sure?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Of course," he said gently. Two vine-like tendrils sprouted from his arms, coiling around her waist. "Don't be afraid — I'll pull you up."
The vines retracted smoothly, lifting her out of the cellar. She stared at the sight in awe — and when she reached the surface, she threw herself into his arms.
"Kaito-nii! It's really you! You're finally back!" she sobbed. "Grandma's gone… Grandpa Nalo too! They killed everyone! If Grandpa hadn't told me to hide, I— I…"
Her voice broke as she cried uncontrollably, clinging to him until exhaustion overtook her. Eventually, she fainted in his arms.
Kaito gently brushed her hair aside, lifting her up. He turned toward Bellamy's bound form, his eyes cold once more. From Risa's words, he understood everything.
Two hours earlier, Bellamy and his men had raided the island — wiping out everyone in Turner Village. Grandpa Nalo had fought to buy time for Risa's escape, but he had fallen, along with everyone else.
Now Kaito understood — and his fury burned quietly beneath his calm expression.
A dark swirl appeared on his abdomen, and from it stepped Kaguya. Her pale eyes softened as she looked at the unconscious girl in Kaito's arms.
"Is this child important to you?" she asked, gently taking Risa from him.
"Yes," Kaito replied. "She was the first person I met in this world. She reminds me of Hikari when she was little."
Kaguya nodded, her expression tinged with sadness. "I once doubted your words about this world being crueler than the shinobi world. But now… I believe you."
Her gaze softened further. "She's just a child. Seeing such horrors… that kind of pain never fades."
"Yeah," Kaito murmured. "That image will stay with her forever."
Kaguya's tone hardened. "And what will you do with him?"
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "Kill him."
Under the pale moonlight, the stars flickered faintly across the silent sky.
Inside Nalo's old house, warm light filled the room. Risa stirred in her sleep, then slowly sat up. She recognized her surroundings and tiptoed toward the kitchen after hearing soft sounds.
When she peeked in, a beautiful woman was cooking quietly.
"You… who are you? Where's Kaito-nii?" she asked, her voice small, hunger and caution mingled in her tone.
"He's outside. He'll be back soon," Kaguya replied gently, smiling. "You must be hungry. Come, sit down."
"You still haven't said who you are…" Risa said, frowning.
Kaguya chuckled softly, her eyes full of warmth. "I'm Kaito's wife. You can call me Kaguya-san."
She handed Risa a bowl of steaming porridge. "It's still warm. Eat up before it gets cold."
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