Chapter 69: Peeping

In a forgotten corner of Kirigakure, far from the eyes of the crowds, two adolescents—barely past childhood—faced off in silence.

A boy and a girl.

Two empty wine glasses lay discarded at their feet, as if they had just shared a farewell drink before deciding to fight.

Both were listed in the academy's intelligence records.

The boy's name was Chojuro, an S-class prodigy. Despite being only two years older than Sasuke, he was the youngest graduate in his class and already a skilled swordsman.

The girl was Luna, a B-level graduate with no particularly remarkable talents.

They had grown up together—childhood friends, perhaps even something more. Luna, three years his senior, had always taken care of Chojuro like an older sister. Given Kirigakure's twisted sense of entertainment, they were, naturally, placed in the same group for the graduation duel.

They refused to perform like gladiators in the underground arena—fighting for the amusement of gamblers. Instead, they chose to settle it alone, quietly, far away from prying eyes.

A battle with no real suspense.

Even though he was younger, Chojuro's blade technique was peerless. He didn't even need ninjutsu to win. Luna never stood a chance.

His blade now hovered an inch from her chest, unmoving.

"Luna," Chojuro whispered, his voice trembling, "let's run away. We can leave this place—become rogue ninjas and live freely."

Luna stared down at the blade, then slowly shook her head.

"We can't," she said softly. "Most other villages tolerate defectors… but not Kirigakure. They hunt down rogues without mercy. If we flee, we'll both die eventually."

She took a step forward, allowing the blade to graze her clothing. A line of crimson bloomed on her chest.

Chojuro stood frozen, his face stricken with grief. Tears welled in his eyes, trailing down his cheeks.

But Luna just smiled, calm as ever. She reached out and wiped away his tears with the same gentle touch she'd used for years.

"It's alright," she whispered. "Kill me. That way… at least one of us can go on."

Just as she prepared to take another step, a voice cut through the air:

"Excuse me, kids… could you stop for a moment?"

Startled, they turned toward the sound.

From the shadows emerged a man with a cold, gloomy expression. He held an intelligence booklet in his hand and eyed them with calculating detachment—like a merchant inspecting goods, not people.

"Who are you?" Chojuro asked, raising his blade defensively.

The man sneered, then suddenly grinned wide, baring yellowed teeth.

"Chojuro, huh? Sorry, but my boss—Mr. Gato—placed his bet on this young lady, Luna. That makes me… an interested party."

He slowly drew a curved sickle from behind his back.

"I don't really want to kill you, but orders are orders. My job is to make the boss happy. At first, I was worried about how to take down an S-class prodigy, but now…"

He raised an eyebrow mockingly.

"If you want to protect her, just stay still. If I kill you, I'm technically helping her survive, aren't I?"

Chojuro's grip on his weapon loosened. He looked at Luna, then at the man, then down at the ground.

The man wasn't wrong.

This… might be the only way to save her.

With trembling hands, Chojuro let the sword fall.

"No, Chojuro—run!" Luna shouted. "You don't have to do this!"

But Chojuro didn't move. He stood silently, eyes closed, prepared to die.

The assassin chuckled darkly and charged, his sickle gleaming in the pale light.

So easy, he thought. This money's practically falling into my lap!

Sssshhh—!

A flash of golden lightning sliced through the air.

The assassin didn't even see it coming. He instinctively swung his weapon, but it halted mid-swing, frozen. A searing pain exploded through his wrist. He dropped to one knee, gasping.

A shadow loomed over him.

Logan stood above, calm and collected. He glanced down at the man, voice quiet but cold:

"Who did you say your boss was?"

"K—Kado... I mean, Gato, sir," the man stammered. "The Gato from the Land of Waves."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "That Gato? From the shipping company?"

The thug almost growled in protest—he hated when people disrespected his master. But when he met Logan's gaze, his bravado evaporated.

"Yes, sir. That's him. Are… are you an acquaintance of Mr. Gato?"

"You could say that," Logan replied, thinking of the crates of drugs Gato's men had dumped into the sea during their last encounter.

He crouched down and brushed the dust from the man's pants with casual politeness. "Is Gato in Kirigakure?"

"Yes, sir! He arrived a few days ago. I can take you to him if you'd like—"

Click—

Two discs popped from the man's head—one containing his memories, the other his ninjutsu.

Logan caught them midair and casually scanned the contents of the memory disc.

Four words surfaced in his mind: Not worth saving.

"No need," Logan said calmly. "I can find him myself."

With a light push, he sent the man sprawling to the ground. He hit the pavement hard and lay still, eyes staring blankly at the darkening sky.

Even someone as talented as Chojuro had never seen anything like that before. The man in front of him seemed less like a ninja and more like an unknowable force—an embodiment of the night itself, cold and implacable.

Chojuro grabbed Luna's hand and began backing away, trying to slip quietly into the mist.

But Logan's voice stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going? Planning to die somewhere else?"

Chojuro froze.

He realized, suddenly, how futile running truly was.

If they didn't solve the problem at its root, they'd just end up in the same place again. One dead, the other broken.

"There's nothing noble about suicide," Logan said evenly.

Chojuro turned around slowly, holding his sword in both hands, eyes downcast. "I… I just wanted the pain to end."

Logan let out a low chuckle.

"What's funny?" Chojuro asked, lifting his head.

With his round glasses and shy demeanor, he looked more like a bookworm than a warrior.

"I'm laughing because you already understand the truth," Logan said. "You just haven't acted on it yet."

He stepped forward.

"You don't want to die. You want the pain to stop. That's a big difference. Life is just beginning for you. There's still a future—countless paths you haven't walked. If you die now, you won't escape pain; you'll surrender to it.

That's the worst kind of defeat."

Logan turned to Luna and pointed a finger at her.

She flinched instinctively, but her body wouldn't move—as if bound by invisible threads.

He tapped her gently on the shoulder.

A warm current flowed into her body. Luna gasped as a soft tingling sensation spread through her chest.

By the time she glanced down, the wound had already healed. Only the torn fabric remained as evidence it had ever existed.

"Go home," Logan said, brushing the air as if swatting away a fly. "Get some rest. Maybe tomorrow… a miracle will happen. Maybe you'll both live."

The two stood frozen for a moment, staring at him.

Had anyone else said such words, they might've laughed or cried. But something about Logan made it feel real—like miracles were not just possible, but inevitable.

Without another word, Chojuro and Luna ran off, hand in hand, disappearing into the thick fog.

Logan watched them go.

Whether they chose to live or die… that was up to them.

He couldn't control their fate—only offer a sliver of hope.

With a sigh, he pocketed the discs and headed for Kabuki Street, following the directions pulled from the thug's memory.

The sunset had long faded. Now the mist ruled the city, shrouding everything in gray silence.

Then—he felt it.

A presence.

Someone was watching him.

Logan turned his head sharply.

There was nothing. Only fog. Dim outlines of buildings. A rustling leaf. Empty stillness.

At the same moment, far away, Obito let the curtain fall, cutting off Logan's line of sight.

"Tch. Sharp as ever," he muttered.

Pein stood beside him, Rinnegan glowing with silent fury. "You've found him. Why not strike?"

Obito's Sharingan spun behind the hole in his mask.

"Patience," he said. "The actors aren't all in place yet. There are too many rats hiding in the mist. When we strike… it'll be all at once."

He turned toward the window.

"Let's go. It's time to block their escape."

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

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