"Here."
Kiyohara peeled off the candy wrapper and held the lollipop up in midair.
"If it doesn't taste good… hmph," Kurenai huffed.
Her ruby eyes lingered on Kiyohara for a moment. She tucked a strand of wavy black hair behind her ear, lowered her head slightly, and parted her soft, full lips—gently taking the lollipop into her mouth.
"Limited edition. You get what you pay for," Kiyohara said.
Sugar, in wartime, was practically a strategic resource.
On missions, ninja had to keep their minds constantly sharp to avoid traps and ambushes.
Sugar could stimulate dopamine release, helping relieve stress and fatigue.
"Didn't think you'd buy something like this," Kurenai said.
The sweet taste bloomed on her tongue, and she bit lightly down on the candy.
Kiyohara let go, and the lollipop hung from her mouth, puffing her cheeks just slightly.
"This kind of lollipop costs more than the usual ones—it doesn't feel like you," she added. It really did taste sweeter than ordinary candy.
"It'll be useful at the right moment," Kiyohara said, shaking his head.
An old ninja had once told him: if a shinobi runs out of food but keeps up water intake, he can last about seven to ten days.
But if you add sugar to the water, that time can more than double.
This lollipop was a special type, fortified with various useful nutrients.
"I'll leave this here. I'm heading out," Kurenai said with a wave, stepping out of his tent.
"Wait up. I'm going out too," Kiyohara said, getting off his bed and following.
He intended to sell off this batch of loot.
They were between missions and had a bit of free time.
If ninja stayed on high alert too long, their minds would start to crack.
Although he knew the first proper mental health clinic in the shinobi world wouldn't be founded until two years after the Fourth Great Ninja War…
"Then let's go," Kurenai said.
Walking side by side, they hadn't gone far before they ran into a cocky-looking ninja who gave off a delinquent vibe.
"Asuma? You got assigned here too?" Kurenai asked, slightly surprised.
She hadn't expected Sarutobi Asuma to be rotated into this sector.
"Kurenai."
Asuma's eyes lit up.
He'd made a point of asking around before coming and already knew she'd be stationed here.
He'd only been searching a short while when she appeared.
Grinning, he stepped closer and held out a small, nicely wrapped box.
"Kurenai, I saw this while I was on a mission. Thought it'd suit you—it's supposed to help calm the mind," he said.
Kurenai glanced at the box, then at Asuma's hopeful expression.
"Thanks, Asuma, but no need. Kiyohara just gave me a lollipop," she said politely.
She pointed to the candy in her mouth, puffing her cheeks a little.
Honestly, she always felt a bit strange around Asuma.
He was constantly trying to impress her, and he was the Hokage's son; as his "friend," she had to constantly worry about saying the wrong thing.
There was pressure—she didn't want to create trouble for her own father, Yūhi Makoto.
By comparison, being around Kiyohara felt much more relaxed and natural.
"Kiyohara?" Asuma's gaze shifted to him.
The three of them had been classmates once.
His impression of Kiyohara was that of a quiet, average civilian shinobi.
Later, he'd heard that Kiyohara had become a chūnin and completed an important mission.
Had being on the same squad with Kurenai made them closer?
The thought sparked a bit of jealousy.
I was here first!
Damned old man, what kind of trash team assignment was that?
"Asuma," Kiyohara said in greeting.
Right now, Asuma was a full-on delinquent: rough around the edges, with a chip on his shoulder, and firmly at odds with his Hokage father, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He'd even left the village for several years before returning as a more mature, bearded "uncle."
Asuma nodded slightly in response to Kiyohara.
"So, Asuma, why'd they send you here?" Kurenai asked.
"I'm just passing through. You'll probably get the news soon—Mist attacks are getting more frequent. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist have reportedly mobilized," Asuma explained.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen…?" Kurenai whispered.
Their reputation was huge. Each one wielded a legendary weapon.
Listening to them talk, Kiyohara felt a jolt.
Might Duy was still alive—so he hadn't faced the Seven Swordsmen yet.
Which meant that was coming soon.
In the original, Guy, Genma, and Ebisu got surrounded by the Seven Swordsmen on the battlefield.
Duy, desperate to save his son, went alone to hold them off.
That battle made the whole world understand just how terrifying a taijutsu specialist could be.
A silent genin of decades unleashed unheard-of power, killing four and heavily injuring three of the Seven Swordsmen.
From Seven Ninja Swordsmen to Three—hard not to be impressed.
"Yeah. So be careful these days, Kurenai," Asuma said, worried.
Then he shifted into full "nice guy" mode, fussing over her with a string of caring comments.
To Kurenai, it felt like being shot with a talking machine gun—nonstop and oddly boring.
Still, he was clearly talking with sincere concern, so she couldn't just cut him off.
Kiyohara listened for a while.
Aside from the useful bit about the Seven Swordsmen, everything else was Asuma fawning over Kurenai.
He had no interest in that.
"I've got things to do, so I'll head off first," Kiyohara said.
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away.
Thanks to his butterfly effect, Genma had ended up in his squad instead of the original formation.
Whether Duy would still fight the Seven Swordsmen like before, Kiyohara didn't know.
He only knew one thing: the war was about to get a lot worse.
And after that would come the Battle of Kikyo Pass.
That one would be fought right on Konoha's doorstep, with Suna's Scorch Release hero Pakura shining bright.
"I'm going with you," Kurenai said.
She'd just been handed the perfect excuse to step away from Asuma.
"Suit yourself," Kiyohara replied without looking back.
"Kurenai, you—" Asuma started, only to be cut off by her raised hand.
"We'll talk next time, Asuma," she said.
He was left standing there alone.
"Is Kurenai just embarrassed? Too long since she's seen me?" Asuma scratched his head.
Still, Kiyohara and Kurenai's closeness had rung an alarm bell.
Time breeds feelings. He'd have to find more ways to show he cared.
...
Leaving Asuma behind, Kiyohara and Kurenai reached the relay town behind the lines.
"Town" was a generous word; there weren't many civilians. Most of the residents were ninja.
The shops there existed mainly to make money off shinobi.
For the next while, I should avoid dangerous missions when I can, Kiyohara thought.
It was time to lay low.
He'd wait for the next Willbook—and then decide his next move.
~~~
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