The courtyard was in a state of martial lockdown. Samurai encircled the perimeter, posted every five steps, forming an impenetrable wall of steel around the residence.
Asuma's Shadow Clone arrived first, his expression grim.
"Make way! Please, make way!"
Masahiko rushed in from the rear, pushing through the cordon. He sprinted to Kitane's side, sliding to his knees. The Guardian Ninja was clutching his throat, blood gushing between his fingers despite the pressure.
Masahiko didn't hesitate. His hands flew through a sequence of seals.
Water coalesced between his palms, shaping itself into a translucent, jellyfish-like entity that gently adhered to the fatal wound.
'Medical Ninjutsu: Activate.'
In the next second, Masahiko poured medical chakra into the construct to stabilize the trauma. Once the bleeding slowed, he ceased the chakra flow and immediately switched to chest compressions, frantically performing CPR.
Kitane's wound seemed to be knitting together, but his life force was fading faster than the flesh could heal. His bodily functions were shutting down one by one.
Several minutes passed.
Chiriku watched Masahiko's desperate, sweat-drenched efforts. Though it pained him, the monk eventually placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"Benefactor... that is enough," Chiriku said softly. "Let Kitane go in peace."
He could see it. Kitane was already gone.
Masahiko slumped back onto the ground, panting heavily, his complexion pale and drained.
Internally, he let out a sigh of relief. He had just performed the entire "Heroic Rescue" protocol—it was exhausting work.
He stood up, looking as though he wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat.
Chiriku bowed deeply to the group. "Thank you all for your assistance. We will ensure he receives a proper burial."
Tōu covered her face, sobbing uncontrollably. Nearby, Nauma and Seito wore expressions of profound grief.
Masahiko let out a long, weary sigh and turned to Asuma. "Asuma-senpai..."
"Thank you, Masahiko. I know you did everything you could."
Although this was only a Shadow Clone, Asuma's grief was indistinguishable from the main body. He swallowed his pain and forced a nod.
"Go back and rest. I will come to thank you personally tomorrow."
"My condolences to you all."
The next day.
When Kurenai received the news, she was stunned.
It was hard to imagine. A political assassination of this magnitude—inside the Capital, right under the nose of the Fire Daimyō?
She immediately went to check on the situation.
Over the course of a single night, Asuma seemed to have aged years. When he saw Kurenai, he tried to force the corners of his mouth into a smile, but the effort failed miserably.
"Kurenai."
"Asuma... this..."
Seeing the state of the surviving Guardian Ninja, Kurenai found herself unable to ask for details.
After a long silence, Asuma seemed to sense her intent. "We've discussed it," he said, his voice raspy. "We suspect it was Orochimaru."
"Huh?"
Kurenai blinked, completely blindsided.
Orochimaru certainly had the capability to execute a swift assassination, but...
"Why?" she asked, perplexed. "And surely, Orochimaru isn't even in the Capital, is he?"
Asuma shook his head. "That is what confuses us as well."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Kurenai furrowed her brows. "Don't panic just yet. Orochimaru is an S-Rank rogue ninja of Konoha. I'll contact the village's intelligence network and see if I can find anything."
"Yeah. Thank you."
Asuma watched Kurenai leave.
It was a rare moment of solitude with her, yet he didn't have the heart to ask her to stay. His mind was adrift in a sea of confusion and loss.
Could it really be him?
The Capital's Imperial Academy.
Masahiko brought Naruto here for a visit, touring the most prestigious noble school in the Land of Fire.
Naruto had been excited at first, but after a morning of wandering the pristine halls, his enthusiasm had completely evaporated.
While the students here didn't know about his status as the Jinchūriki, they were all born of high nobility. Their inherent arrogance and cold exclusivity didn't mesh well with Naruto's boisterous nature.
By the end of the tour, the fire in Naruto's eyes had dimmed.
"Sensei..."
"Hm?"
"I think... I like Konoha better," Naruto whispered.
Masahiko smiled gently. "People are connected by the bonds they share. Konoha has the friends you know and love; this place doesn't. It is only natural to miss home."
He looked toward the horizon, his gaze distant.
"We're almost done here. Just think of it as a formality."
"Okay! When we get out, I want ramen!"
Cheered up by the promise of food, Naruto sprinted ahead, chattering excitedly.
As they turned a corner, Masahiko quietly formed a seal. A Shadow Clone slipped away, vanishing into the corridor while Naruto remained oblivious.
In a secluded corner of the school grounds.
A small insect buzzed through the air and landed on a stone railing. A moment later, a figure dropped from the rafters above.
"Senior."
"Mn."
Toge emerged from the shadows. "Last night's operation was a success. Lord Danzō is very satisfied. He instructed me to give you this."
The Root agent handed over a scroll.
Masahiko accepted it without asking for details, maintaining the persona of a loyal, unquestioning tool of Root.
"Regarding the elimination of the Radical Faction," Masahiko asked, "should I proceed, or will the organization send someone else?"
Asking for instructions was never the wrong move. Masahiko waited respectfully.
Toge didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "The Lightning Style nature transformation Kakashi taught you—what level have you reached?"
"Passable," Masahiko replied with practiced modesty. "But I wouldn't call it mastery."
Toge fell into deep thought. Finally, he spoke. "If we deploy Kakashi, we worry it might be too clean, or that someone might spot a flaw in the alibi. He needs to remain above suspicion."
"Then let me do it," Masahiko volunteered.
He paused for a moment, calculating. "If I strike, the target should be Tsubute. He specializes in Earth Style ninjutsu, which is naturally weak against Lightning Style penetration." [T/N: Tsubute (飞砾) The character's name in the source text is Fei Li (飞砾), which literally means "Flying Gravel" or "Thrown Stone." I have localized this as Tsubute, the Japanese term for a thrown stone, to fit his Earth Style specialization and the setting. Please note that this is a novel-original character created to fill one of the unnamed slots of the Twelve Guardian Ninja (Radical Faction). He is distinct from the minor canon character "Tsubute" (the monk-in-training) who appears later in the Shippuden anime filler arc.]
"Agreed." Toge nodded.
Then, the agent's expression turned grave.
"However, be warned. We have received intelligence that Orochimaru has been active in this region recently. He may very well be hiding within the Capital. Exercise extreme caution during your operation."
Masahiko's expression tightened into a mask of seriousness. "I will prioritize safety. But the problem is Naruto. You must ensure his protection."
Toge nodded. "Rest assured. Our operatives are watching him twenty-four hours a day. He is in no danger."
"That is good." Masahiko sighed, feigning the stress of a guardian. "Naruto is too important. With him sleeping in the room next to mine, I barely dare to close my eyes at night."
"The Root squad and the Anbu are handling Naruto's security. You do not need to worry," Toge assured him. "Additionally, if you require a body double for an alibi, I can provide assistance."
Masahiko appeared to consider this. "I might need that tonight. I plan to conduct some personal reconnaissance."
"Understood."
Toge flickered away, vanishing as quickly as he appeared.
Masahiko resumed his walk through the garden. A few moments later, a snake slithered out from the bushes, coiling near his path.
Nightfall.
A full day had passed, and the news had inevitably reached the Radical Faction.
Kazuma hastily convened the remaining five members of his group.
He scanned their faces, his gaze cold and heavy with suspicion. "Did any of you move against Kitane?"
"..."
A burly man broke the silence after a few seconds. "To be honest... even if we wanted to assassinate him, we don't have the capability."
The others fell silent.
It was a harsh truth. Among the six of them, Kazuma was the strongest. The rest were inferior to Asuma and Chiriku.
Forget a solo assassination—even if all five of them had attacked together, it was unlikely they could have killed Kitane while he was under the protection of Asuma and Chiriku.
Kazuma rubbed his temples. The logic was sound.
So, who did it?
If it wasn't them, then a third party—either Konoha or someone else—had taken Kitane off the board.
Regardless of who pulled the trigger, the objective was clear: to ignite a conflict between their faction and Asuma's Conservative Faction, forcing them to slaughter one another.
The five subordinates looked at each other nervously before nodding. "We'll listen to you, Kazuma."
"Good. For now, the situation is irregular. Do not go out alone. If you must leave, travel in groups of two or three..."
Kazuma stopped mid-sentence, his brow twitching.
Boom!
In the next instant, he used the Body Flicker Technique to smash through the door and charge outside.
However...
Outside the door, there was only a fading ripple of chakra. No presence, no assassin.
A Shadow Clone.
Kazuma frowned deeply.
Was it them? Asuma's group?
A sense of urgency gripped his heart. He returned to the room, his voice grim.
"We need to move. This location is no longer safe."
Meanwhile, at Asuma's temporary residence.
Asuma received the confirmation he had been dreading from Kurenai.
"Orochimaru is definitely in the Capital!"
"Are you certain?" Asuma shot up from his seat.
Kurenai nodded gravely. "Yes. Kakashi tracked the traces personally. Furthermore... we discovered signs of the S-Rank rogue ninja, Uchiha Shisui."
"Uchiha Shisui..."
Asuma felt a chill run down his spine. Even stationed in the Capital, he had heard the news of Shisui and Itachi's defection.
Both men possessed terrifying power. Their whereabouts had been a mystery since leaving Konoha—to think Shisui would resurface here, now...
His anxiety deepened. The board was becoming crowded with monsters.
At that moment, Seito walked in, his face cold.
"Kazuma and his group... they've moved."