Soon enough—
The afternoon slipped by.
The once-crowded classroom had fallen completely silent.
Only she remained.
After days and nights of relentless rain, it had finally eased somewhat. The sound of droplets tapping against the window frame came and went intermittently.
Amamiya Ayane didn't feel bored.
She sat cross-legged, removed Arankiri from her back, and laid it before her. Her pale fingers gently traced the sheath.
Closing her eyes, she steadied her breathing. Her red ponytail swayed lightly in the evening breeze drifting through the window.
This was the blade-nurturing technique Ichii had just taught her.
It resembled something like the "blade meditation" from another anime universe.
Supposedly, it was a secret art passed down among samurai—helping the wielder calm their mind, commune with their weapon, and ultimately achieve unity between person and sword.
As for whether it truly worked…
She had no idea.
But the system's feedback was enthusiastic.
[You have completed one ninja blade cultivation session. Achievement Points +2!]
Just over ten minutes of meditation—
More Achievement Points than two grueling hours of throwing practice!
Ayane's eyes sparkled.
Not only had she found a new way to farm points—
It also confirmed one of her earlier hypotheses.
High-rarity Titles brought large one-time rewards.
But high-quality training could yield similarly impressive returns.
Compared to routine practice at the Academy or home—
Actual combat, forged in blood and fire, would likely generate even greater gains.
The bigger the storm, the more valuable the fish.
Some truths never changed.
Just as her thoughts wandered—
A masked ninja appeared before her without warning.
Ayane's eyes snapped open.
Her hand was already resting on Arankiri.
Almost instinctively, she drew the blade—
A flash of steel.
Clang—
A crisp metallic ring echoed.
At some point, the masked ninja had drawn a kunai and intercepted her strike just in time.
"A newly graduated genin… ANBU recruit…"
The gaze behind the mask swept across her face, verifying her identity.
"Your reaction is good. But your strength is lacking."
His tone was cold—whether irritated or simply habitual was unclear.
"I am a member of the ANBU Owl Squad. Codename: Woodpecker. Now, sheathe your weapon and follow me."
Despite his modest stature, Woodpecker exuded a sharp presence. His aura suggested blood on his hands—plenty of it.
He flashed identification briefly before her eyes.
"Keep up. If you fall behind, that's on you."
He spoke tersely, briskly.
Without waiting for her reply, he vanished through the window, leaping onto a tree branch and then to the rooftops, disappearing into the distance.
Ayane exhaled slowly.
No hesitation.
She followed.
His speed was impressive—certainly faster than the Academy's chunin instructors.
Yet she matched him stride for stride, heading toward a black tower in the village's northwest corner.
Woodpecker glanced back, surprised to see she wasn't struggling.
"You know the Body Flicker Technique?"
Though not advanced, it was beyond the usual curriculum for fresh Academy graduates.
Especially in Amegakure, where training was expedited—most students graduated in two to three years.
Nagano couldn't even reliably perform the Three Basic Techniques.
Ayane nodded.
"Yes. I practiced after school."
Woodpecker merely grunted, neither questioning where she had learned it nor probing further.
Soon, they arrived beneath the black tower.
Ayane looked up, startled.
It looked familiar.
Wasn't this the tower Jiraiya infiltrated in the anime?
And the very spot where the Deva Path of Pain would later stand, gazing down upon the village?
"This is Lord Hanzō's administrative headquarters," Woodpecker explained. "And the ANBU's base within the village."
So—
Essentially Amegakure's equivalent of the Hokage Building.
He led her to a concealed side entrance.
"Basement levels one through five belong to ANBU. The third level is logistics. First, we'll register your identity. Then you'll collect equipment and Military Rations Pills."
Military Rations Pills.
Ayane's heart skipped.
"Woodpecker… are we leaving the village immediately?"
Military Rations Pills tasted awful—used only in life-or-death combat or urgent missions.
Perhaps because she had kept pace earlier, Woodpecker answered more patiently this time.
"Yes. We're heading directly to the Eastern Front. The decisive battle against Konoha."
The Eastern Front—
Where Hanzō and Konoha had locked into stalemate for over a year.
Nearly eight thousand ninja deployed.
Well—
Less than three thousand from Amegakure.
Yet with Hanzō's poison, they hadn't fallen behind.
A decisive battle?
So Hanzō's confrontation with the Sannin was imminent.
Ayane's thoughts raced.
If I seize the opportunity, maybe I could encounter Tsunade… find a chance to defect to Konoha…
Given I'm half-Uzumaki…
Perhaps Konoha would warmly welcome a "returnee from overseas"?
But one glance at Woodpecker's black ANBU uniform shattered the fantasy.
Easy to put on.
Hard to take off.
If she stepped into Konoha, she'd probably meet Danzo's Root within the hour.
"Three blows shatter Konoha's soul—Sir, I'm loyal to Amegakure!" she'd be forced to declare.
With the war ongoing, few ANBU remained stationed in the village. Those they passed moved hurriedly.
In the records room, Ayane received her registration form.
Most fields had already been filled out in meticulous detail—background, history—more thoroughly than she herself might have written.
Only one blank remained:
Her codename.
Before writing, she asked carefully:
"Woodpecker, can I choose any codename?"
"Our squad's name is Owl," he replied succinctly. "Best to pick another bird."
Ayane nodded.
After brief consideration, she wrote her new name.
Codename: Black Swan.