The chakra within Yoru's body was senjutsu chakra.
Although the quantity was only at the level of an elite jonin, the quality had already surpassed that level.
Kakashi frowned slightly, something clicking in his mind.
"This chakra… it feels a bit like Jiraiya-sama's."
"No… more like when Jiraiya-sama enters that state."
Kakashi had seen Jiraiya activate Sage Mode before.
The sensation Yoru's chakra gave him was almost identical to that transformed state.
"This child really is hiding many secrets…"
For a moment, Kakashi hesitated.
Logically, he should report this to the Third Hokage.
But after everything he had experienced—after years in ANBU—Kakashi understood what such a report would mean.
Once the Third Hokage knew, regardless of whether Yoru posed a threat, his life would no longer be peaceful.
In the worst case—
He could become little more than a research specimen.
Kakashi's gaze steadied.
"Let's hope you never become a threat to Konoha."
In the end, he chose to keep silent.
Within Konoha, aside from the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan, only Kakashi's Sharingan could see the abnormality in Yoru's chakra.
As long as he said nothing, even if Asuma reported the matter, the Third Hokage would not grasp the full truth.
With that decision made, Kakashi vanished from the balcony.
Yoru had no idea he had just narrowly avoided being reported.
And even if he knew—
He wouldn't have cared.
He was living a second life.
Whether the road ahead led to glory or to becoming a laboratory subject—
If he could resist, he would.
If he couldn't, then worrying was meaningless.
His mindset was calm.
Not ambitious.
Not self-destructive.
Simply… living.
The next morning, Yoru arrived early at the training ground.
He didn't notice that Tada was slightly more distant than yesterday.
Shumu, however, was exactly the same.
He sidled up to Yoru and whispered, "So? Did anything happen when you walked Tada home yesterday?"
His tone was shamelessly curious.
Yoru replied calmly, "What exactly are you hoping to hear?"
Shumu grinned mischievously. "You know what I mean."
"Nothing happened. What are you imagining?"
Yoru felt speechless.
They had only known each other for a day.
How could anything happen?
And even if it had, he wouldn't be reporting it to Shumu.
Shumu looked disappointed.
"Can't you tell Tada likes you?"
"Such a perfect opportunity yesterday, and you wasted it."
"Don't tell me you don't think she's pretty?"
Yoru stared at him.
"What is going on in your head? Are you really twelve?"
He knew kids in this world matured early.
But this was excessive.
For a moment, he wondered if Shumu was secretly twenty.
Shumu waved his hand dramatically. "I'm disappointed. Truly disappointed."
"If I were you, I would've confessed already."
"She's from a wealthy family, she's beautiful, she's gentle—and she clearly likes you."
Yoru's forehead twitched.
"Maybe put that energy into training."
"If you trained as seriously as you gossip, you wouldn't still be at this level."
Shumu's strength was average among the new graduates.
Yesterday, that had been true for Yoru as well.
Now—
It wasn't even close.
Beside them, Tada stood quietly, her face red enough to bleed.
She pretended not to hear.
They were whispering clearly to avoid her listening—
Yet she had heard enough.
Last night, she had nearly confessed.
She just hadn't found the courage.
Though she was trying to follow her mother's advice and keep some distance—
Her feelings hadn't vanished.
Just as the three were talking—
Yoru's expression changed.
A faint disturbance.
The whistling cut through the air.
Clang—clang—clang!
In a flash, Yoru stepped forward.
A kunai appeared in his hand.
Several other kunai and shuriken embedded themselves into the ground on either side of him.
He stood in front of Shumu and Tada.
The metallic echoes still rang.
Yoru's eyes narrowed as he stared toward the trees.
"Dōichi-sensei."
"That was excessive."
His tone was cold.
The attack just now—
An ordinary genin would not have reacted in time.
If he hadn't moved—
Shumu and Tada would have been riddled with blades.
Judging by their stunned expressions, they hadn't even realized what had happened.
Yoru's anger wasn't about himself.
It was that Dōichi had risked his teammates' lives.
From behind a tree in the distance, Dōichi stepped out slowly, clapping.
"Not bad."
"I knew attacks of that level wouldn't threaten you."
He didn't seem bothered by Yoru's reproach.
Only now did Shumu and Tada process what had happened.
They looked down at the kunai and shuriken near their feet.
A chill ran through them.
If Yoru hadn't acted—
They might have died without understanding why.
They looked at Dōichi, fear deepening in their eyes.
From yesterday's killing intent to today's ambush—
His methods were ruthless.
Then they looked at Yoru's back.
At that moment, it seemed impossibly tall.
Like a mountain shielding them.
But Yoru's mood was anything but calm.
To him, Dōichi's behavior treated their lives too lightly.
Seeing the anger on Yoru's face, Dōichi walked closer.
"Don't be so upset. I was just testing your reaction speed."
"I wouldn't put my own students in real danger."
Yoru didn't accept that explanation.
But since no one had been hurt—
He held his tongue.
What Yoru didn't know—
Was that the way he had intercepted those kunai and shuriken—
The speed.
The precision.
The instantaneous judgment—
Had deeply shocked Dōichi.
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