Kazuki lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze.
He was still a little confused.
To be honest, he really wanted to choose the third option. Their mission on this trip was to investigate why the spy had stopped reporting information. And now… their task was technically complete.
As for saving the spy…
Kazuki's intuition told him not to get involved in troublesome matters like this.
As a traveler, he was well aware of what happened to White Fang… If things didn't go well, he might end up suffering the same fate as Sakumo Hatake.
Aside from these specialized ninja tools, Kazuki had the strength of an elite shinobi at just 12 years old. He had even been appointed as an Anbu captain. Once the news of his abilities spread, certain individuals in Konoha would start watching his every move, waiting for him to slip up. And the moment he did, they would pounce on him like wolves.
This was not paranoia. Konoha truly had such people.
For example—Shimura Danzo.
Kazuki really wanted to go with the third plan. His rational mind told him that avoiding unnecessary risks was the right decision. There was no need to create trouble for himself in the future.
But…
He was born here, and he lived here.
The person in question was a Konoha shinobi—a loyal ninja who had dedicated himself to the village and had not been involved in any of Konoha's darker conspiracies. A dutiful comrade, now controlled by a mysterious casino…
Kazuki still felt conflicted.
He truly didn't know what to choose.
"Haidao! Haidao!"
The bright moon hung high in the night sky.
A Konoha Anbu ninja, code-named Qing, crept outside his companion's room and whispered urgently.
"Qing?"
"What do you want from me this time?"
"Haidao, pack your things. Come with me to that casino—we're going to save him!"
"Qing, are you insane?! Are you planning to disobey the captain's orders and violate Anbu regulations? Do you have any idea what that means?"
Haidao's face was full of disbelief.
As Anbu operatives, they knew exactly what happened to those who broke the rules.
At best, they were severely punished.
At worst… they died.
"Qing, never bring this up again. Hurry back. I'll pretend I didn't see you, and I'll forget this conversation ever happened."
Click.
With that, Haidao shut the door.
"Wait!"
Qing stepped forward, preventing the door from closing completely.
"Haidao, just hear me out—"
"Qing, are you out of your mind?!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down! You'll wake the others!"
Haidao glanced left and right through the crack of the door. Seeing that there was no movement from the other rooms, he sighed and lowered his voice.
"Qing, go back. Stop talking about this. I'm not going to break Anbu rules."
"Haidao, listen to me—"
"No, Qing! Don't ruin the mission. I won't be a part of this, and I strongly advise you not to act recklessly. If we go against orders, it'll lower our entire squad's standing within Anbu!"
"And do you think that leaving a comrade behind won't affect our squad's reputation?" Qing retorted.
"Haidao, you have a family. You should understand."
"For those of us from the Branch Family, we receive little support. We had to fight for everything we've achieved. We worked our way up, step by step, to become Anbu. If we leave a comrade to die, it will stain our records. But if we complete our mission and save him, we'll return to Konoha with both success and honor. A strong reputation means more backing for us in the future."
Haidao fell silent.
The night wind howled, making the air even colder.
The breeze lifted the ends of Qing's hair, revealing the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead, adding an eerie weight to the conversation.
Finally, Haidao gritted his teeth.
"…Alright. I'll go with you."
Knock knock knock!
A hurried knocking broke the silence.
Kazuki, who had just managed to push his thoughts aside and fall asleep, woke up immediately.
"…Sunflower?"
"What's wrong?"
Kazuki got up and opened the door to face his visitor.
As soon as the door swung open, Sunflower burst into Kazuki's room with urgent news.
"Captain Kazuki, it's bad!"
Kazuki, who had just woken up, was immediately alert, his drowsiness vanishing.
"What happened?!"
"Qing and Haidao… they're gone! The island is missing too!"
Boom!
Kazuki's heart pounded. His mind raced as he considered the implications.
"Gone?!" He clenched his fists. "Wait… they didn't go to the casino, did they?!"
"Captain, I think so too!" Sunflower's voice was laced with anxiety.
Kazuki took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.
"We can't assume anything yet. Let's check the contact point first. They might still be there."
After a brief exchange, Kazuki grabbed his gear and rushed out of the hotel with Sunflower. They made their way through the bustling streets of Yugakure's hot spring district, heading straight for the tavern where they had made contact the day before.
Upon arrival, Kazuki's expression darkened. The tavern owner, looking troubled, confirmed their worst fears—
Qing and Haidao had indeed disobeyed orders. They went to the casino.
And not just that.
Before storming in, they had even questioned the tavern owner about his combat abilities, hoping to recruit him for their reckless mission to rescue the captives. Fortunately, the owner had refused, trying to talk them out of it. But Qing and Haidao wouldn't listen.
They had gone straight to the casino.
Kazuki exhaled sharply, frustration boiling inside him.
"Captain, what now? Should we go after them?"
Kazuki's jaw tightened. "We don't have a choice."
Disobeying orders on a mission like this was dangerous—potentially catastrophic. If Qing and Haidao had been captured or killed, the repercussions would be severe. Not only for them, but for him as well. Konoha's higher-ups would hold him responsible.
There was no turning back now.
"We're going in."
Sunflower straightened. "I'll get our ninja gear—"
"No." Kazuki cut him off. "We enter as guests."
"Huh?!" Sunflower blinked in disbelief.
Kazuki explained calmly, though his voice carried an undertone of irritation.
"Think. Qing and Haidao aren't strategists. They wouldn't waste time lurking around, especially since they know we'd try to stop them. The moment they entered, they probably went straight for the captives."
"But they don't even know the enemy's strength!" Sunflower realized. "They just rushed in? That's insane!"
"Exactly. And if I had to guess… best case, they were captured. Worst case, they got themselves killed along with the spy they were trying to save."
Kazuki's eyes narrowed.
"The casino knows it was infiltrated yesterday. They'll be on high alert."
He turned to Sunflower.
"Which means we need a different approach."
Sunflower scratched his head. "A different approach? How?"
Kazuki smirked. "You'll see."
Moments later, they had changed into civilian clothes and made their way to the casino. The establishment was in the heart of the hot spring district, an extravagant building radiating wealth and vice. The entrance bustled with gamblers, some eager, others broken by their losses.
As they approached, a commotion erupted from inside.
"Cheaters! You rigged the game!"
A furious gambler was being dragged out by two burly men.
"You let me win two days ago, but now you take everything?! This place is a scam!"
"If you can't afford to lose, don't play!" one of the guards sneered. "Now get lost!"
With that, the gambler was thrown to the ground. He spat dust, cursed under his breath, then staggered away.
Kazuki watched in silence.
"Let's go," he muttered, stepping toward the casino doors.
This was going to be tricky.
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