Gone?
The word hung in the cool night air, a sharp taste against the lingering sweetness of cotton candy in Yuji's mouth. It was a word that didn't belong. A word that shouldn't be here, amidst the warm lantern light of the inn and the echoes of laughter from the night market they had just left.
How could she be gone?
Yuji frowned, his analytical brain immediately kicking into gear, trying to process the nonsensical information. He was certain they had only been separated from Koji and Akane for a few hours at most. Two, maybe three hours tops. They should have been safe. They were in the Capital, a center of civilization that should have been safer than the wilderness they had just traversed. And surely Koji had stayed with his daughter, right?
Tsukasa-sensei's face, which moments ago was still adorned with a carefree smile, now became a mask of cold seriousness. All traces of his humor and relaxed demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by the sharp focus of a Jonin facing a crisis.
"Calm down, Koji-san," Tsukasa said, his now deep and steady voice having a slightly calming effect. He placed his hands on Koji's trembling shoulders. "Take a breath. And tell us from the beginning. Every detail. Leave nothing out."
Koji took a shaky breath, looking like a drowning man who had just found a piece of wood to cling to. "Right... alright," he said, his voice hoarse. "After you all left, Akane and I decided to take a short walk. Just around the main square. We thought... we thought it would be safe."
"We visited a few shops," Koji continued, his eyes staring blankly into the distance, as if replaying the events in his mind. "She bought some hairpins. She was smiling. Everything... everything was fine." He paused, swallowing with difficulty.
"And then?" Tsukasa urged gently.
"Then... she said she wanted to go to the public restroom near the park. I waited for her outside, on a bench. I waited." Koji's voice began to tremble. "I thought maybe the line was long. So I waited some more. The minutes passed. It felt like forever. I started... I started to worry."
"What did you do next?" Yuji asked, his voice calm, trying to keep the conversation on track.
"I... I couldn't go in there. It's the women's restroom," Koji said, frustration and helplessness evident on his face. "I asked a woman who was passing by. I begged her to check inside, to see if my daughter was there. I told her what Akane looked like."
"And?"
"The woman came back a few moments later," Koji whispered, his eyes now welling up. "She said... there was no one inside. It was empty. Just..." He paused, his breath catching. "Just one of the water faucets was left on, the water still running."
A faucet left running.
That small detail hit Yuji like a punch to the gut. It wasn't the sign of someone who left intentionally. It was the sign of an interruption. A sign of a struggle. A sign that someone had been taken away by force and in a hurry.
"Have you contacted the police?" Tsukasa pressed on, his mind already working on the next steps.
"OF COURSE I HAVE!" Koji nearly shouted, his desperation boiling over. "I ran straight to the nearest guard post! I told them everything!"
"And what did they say?"
"They..." Koji laughed, a dry, humorless laugh. "They calmed me down. They told me not to panic. They said they had to wait a few hours because Akane might have just gone for a walk on her own. 'She's an adult, after all,' is what he said!" Koji punched his own palm in frustration. "As if Akane would just leave without telling me! In a strange city like this! As if she would leave a faucet running!"
"They won't do anything until twenty-four hours have passed," Masami murmured beside Yuji, her voice barely audible. "Standard procedure for a missing adult."
"That's a stupid procedure!" Kiba snapped, now looking as angry as Koji. "Akane-san was kidnapped! They have to do something!"
"I also went to the Konoha mission administration office here," Koji added, his voice returning to a desperate whisper. "I've filed an emergency mission request. But they said... they said it takes time to process, for someone to accept it. It could be hours. And every hour that passes..." He couldn't finish his sentence.
He looked at Tsukasa, then at the three Genin behind him, his old, tired eyes filled with a heart-wrenching plea. "And that's why... my only hope... is you."
A heavy silence fell over them again. In the distance, the sounds of laughter and music from the night market were still audible, a cruel reminder of the normal world they had just left.
Tsukasa didn't answer immediately. He just stood there for a moment, his dark eyes staring into the night, processing all the information, weighing all the options. Yuji could almost see the gears turning in his head, forming a plan, analyzing possibilities, preparing for what was to come.
Finally, he nodded once, a sharp, decisive movement.
He turned to his Genin, and in his eyes, there was no longer any trace of cheerfulness or a laid-back attitude. There was only the cold steel of a commander on the battlefield.
"Looks like we won't be sleeping tonight," he said, his voice calm yet echoing with undeniable authority. "Quick. Back to your rooms. Prepare your gear. The full set. We meet back in the lobby in five minutes."
Yuji nodded without hesitation, his brain already switching to mission mode. He needed to bring his storage scrolls with the medical kit, a few extra explosive tags, and all his weapons, as well as the mask.
Masami just gave a brief nod before turning and walking quickly towards her room.
Kiba, who had been angry, now looked focused. "Right, Sensei!" he said, before running after Masami.
Only Yuji remained standing there for a moment. He looked down at the cotton candy he was still holding in his hand. It now felt sticky and disgusting. The sugar that had felt like an explosion of happiness in his mouth moments ago, now tasted like ash. Its sweetness had vanished, replaced by the bitter taste of reality.
With a slow movement, he dropped the cotton candy into a trash can near the inn's door.
Their night of play was over.
…
Five minutes felt like an hour. Yuji returned to the now-silent lobby of the inn, the festive atmosphere from a few hours ago feeling like a memory from another life. His mission gear felt heavy and cold on his back, a tangible reminder of the reality that had just struck them. Kiba and Masami appeared a few moments later, their faces serious and focused, all traces of the night market fun erased.
Tsukasa-sensei was already there, waiting in the middle of the lobby. In his hand, he held a clean white cloth, a handkerchief, Yuji realized. It must have been Akane's, probably left behind in the cart. Tsukasa was always one step ahead.
"Kiba," Tsukasa said, his tone sharp and efficient. He held out the handkerchief. "Use this to track Akane-san. Your and Akamaru's sense of smell is our most valuable asset right now."
Kiba nodded seriously, all his childishness gone. He took the handkerchief carefully, as if it were a fragile artifact. He brought it to his nose, closed his eyes, and sniffed it deeply several times. Yuji could see the muscles in his jaw tense with concentration.
After a few seconds, Kiba opened his eyes. He held the handkerchief out to Akamaru, who was perched alertly on his shoulder. The puppy sniffed the cloth with the same focus, his small nose twitching rapidly. Then, Akamaru leaped down to the floor, barking once, sharply.
"We've locked onto the scent, Sensei," Kiba said, his voice steady and confident. "The scent is still fresh. She hasn't been gone long."
"Good," Tsukasa said. "Then, lead the way." He gestured with his chin towards the exit.
As Kiba and Akamaru were about to dash off, a hoarse, desperate voice stopped them.
"Wait!"
Koji rushed forward from the corner of the lobby where he had been waiting anxiously. "I'm coming with you!"
They all stopped. Masami was the first to turn, her thin eyebrows knitting into a fine line of displeasure.
"Coming with us?" she asked, her calm voice turning cold and piercing. "What for, Koji-san? It's dangerous out there. This is no longer a stroll in the market."
"She's my daughter!" Koji retorted, his voice rising with a mixture of fear and defiance. His red eyes looked at them one by one. "I'm not just going to sit here and wait while my daughter is out there in danger! I'll protect her, no matter what!"
Yuji felt an unexpected pang of sympathy. He saw his own father in Koji's desperation—a good man whose world had suddenly been turned upside down, whose only instinct was to protect his family. But that sympathy was quickly extinguished by the logic he had honed over the years.
"You'll only be a burden," Masami said without emotion. "You're not trained. You'll slow us down. And if a fight breaks out, we'll have to divide our focus between fighting the enemy and protecting you." She looked straight into Koji's eyes. "With all due respect, Koji-san, your presence there will endanger your daughter more than it will help her."
"I don't care!" Koji snapped, the stubbornness of a man with nothing left to lose now hardening on his face. "I'd rather die by her side than wait here doing nothing! You can't stop me!"
"We can, and we will," said Masami.
"You don't understand!" Koji pleaded, now looking at Tsukasa. "She's all I have! Please!"
Yuji could see Tsukasa's patience thinning. His smile had long since disappeared, replaced by an expression as hard as stone.
"Koji-san," Tsukasa said, his voice low and dangerous. "Every second we spend here arguing is a second the kidnappers get further away. Do you understand that?"
"But—"
And that's when Tsukasa moved.
His movement was so fast it was almost invisible. One moment he was standing a few feet from Koji, and the next, he was in front of the old man.
"Listen to me." Tsukasa's voice was no longer cheerful or friendly. It was the voice of someone used to giving orders that could not be disobeyed. His dark eyes stared at Koji with an intensity so strong it made Yuji shudder.
"If you keep blabbering like that, more time will be wasted," Tsukasa hissed, his face just inches from Koji's shocked one. "I am a Jonin from Konoha. I have been in situations like this more times than you can count in your lifetime. I have seen my comrades die. I have killed more people than you can imagine. I know exactly what to do in this situation. And what to do is not bring a panicked civilian into a combat zone."
Each word was spoken with absolute authority and undeniable fact.
"What do you think you can do out there?" Tsukasa continued. "These kids," he nodded towards Yuji, Kiba, and Masami, "have been training their whole lives for moments like this. They are faster than you, stronger than you, and they know how to kill. What will you do if we're ambushed? What will you do if one of them takes you hostage? You know what will happen? It will force us to hesitate. A split-second of hesitation in our world means death. Death for us, and death for your daughter!"
He stepped forward, making Koji back up slightly against the wall. "What can you possibly do amidst fighting ninja? Forge a sword for them? Don't be a fool!"
Their teacher stood tall, looking down at the broken old man with a cold, uncompromising gaze.
"Your job now is to wait here, it's safe here, there are guards," he said with full authority, his voice no longer shouting, but calm and final. "Trust us to do our job. We are your daughter's best chance. Now, get out of our way."
He turned, not giving Koji a chance to answer. "Kiba, lead the way."
Koji was silent. He just leaned against the wall, his teeth chattering from a mixture of anger, fear, and shame. Yuji could see his whole body trembling. The struggle within him was palpable. A father's instinct to protect against the cruel, undeniable truth that had just been thrown in his face.
Finally, with a groan that sounded like a torn soul, he gave up. He slid to the floor, his head bowed between his hands.
Yuji felt no victory. He only felt a deep sadness for a man who had just been forced to admit his own helplessness.
Without another word, Team Eleven turned. Kiba and Akamaru shot out the door, followed by Masami and Yuji. Tsukasa walked behind them, his posture straight and full of purpose.
…
After Tsukasa-sensei briefly informed the gate guards about the emergency and Koji's status, they finally set off. Yuji noticed how the guards' attitude immediately changed from relaxed to respectful as Tsukasa spoke. Even outside Konoha, a headband and the title of Jonin still carried real weight. It was a reminder of the invisible hierarchy that governed their world.
They didn't run at full speed. This wasn't a race. Kiba and Akamaru led the way, moving at a controlled running pace. Akamaru ran ahead, his nose to the ground, occasionally stopping to sniff a crossroads before choosing a direction. Kiba followed him closely, his sharp eyes scanning every detail, every possible track left behind.
They ran slowly, ensuring every trail was followed with certainty. Akane's scent trail led them away from the brightly lit main streets, through quieter districts where the lantern light became scarcer. The houses here became darker and more cramped, the shadows in the alleys seeming deeper and more threatening. The noise of the night market faded behind them, replaced by the strange silence of the city night.
Finally, in a dead-end street flanked by high warehouse walls, Kiba stopped. Akamaru sniffed the ground frantically before letting out a sharp, frustrated bark.
"The scent stops here, Sensei," Kiba said, his voice tense. "It just vanishes. As if she... flew."
Tsukasa walked closer, his sharp eyes scanning the area. "She didn't fly," he said softly. "She was taken down."
He pointed to the middle of the dead-end street. There, almost blending in with the dark cobblestones, was a large iron cover, with a hidden semi-circular handle. Kiba had stopped right there.
It was an entrance to the sewers.
Yuji's heart sank to the pit of his stomach. A feeling of coincidence that was too strange, too perfect, washed over him. Of course. The sewers. They had just been talking about this place this afternoon, about how it was the city's filthy underbelly, where criminals and desperate people gathered. And now, they were about to face that reality head-on. The coincidences in this world were sometimes too ridiculous, too annoying. As if there was a mad writer somewhere laughing at them.
"Step back a few paces," Tsukasa nodded, his expression calm and controlled. He knelt in front of the iron cover. He didn't try to open it immediately. Instead, he placed his palm flat on the cold metal surface.
Yuji, who was standing nearby, could feel a faint flow of chakra from Tsukasa's palm into the iron. A small wave of energy that spread out, mapping what was behind it.
After a few seconds, Tsukasa pulled his hand back. "It's clear, for now at least," he said, looking at them. "No explosive seals or direct chakra traps at the entrance. But," he added, his eyes narrowing, "a safe entrance usually hides more tricks inside. I'll go down first. You follow. Stay alert."
Without waiting for an answer, Tsukasa slipped his fingers under the handle and pulled. With a loud, reluctant creak, the heavy iron cover lifted, releasing a foul smell—a mixture of stagnant water, decay, and something else sour and unpleasant.
Yuji instinctively put on his mask, the ridiculous crying face feeling like a familiar shield. He could see Kiba grimace at the smell, while Masami just wrinkled her nose slightly.
Tsukasa didn't hesitate. He jumped down into the darkness, landing with a soft thud below. "Clear!" his voice echoed from below.
Yuji followed, carefully descending the slippery, rusty metal ladder.
It was cold down here. The air felt heavy and damp, clinging to the skin like a wet shroud. The foul smell was a hundred times stronger here, so pungent it made Yuji's eyes water slightly. The only source of light came from dim orange lanterns hanging on the mossy brick walls, creating long, frightening shadows that danced with their every move. The constant sound of dripping water from somewhere in the distance was the only sound besides their echoing footsteps in the arched tunnel.
As his feet touched the wet floor, Yuji immediately channeled a constant, small amount of chakra to his mask. His sensory mist spread silently into the darkness. He felt no human presence nearby. However, he felt something else.
A few meters in front of them, stretching from wall to wall at ankle height, was a thread. A very thin ninja wire. In this dim darkness, the wire was completely invisible to the naked eye.
"There's a trap," Yuji whispered, at the same moment Tsukasa also stopped.
Their teacher took out two shuriken from his pouch. "I see it," he muttered. Without further explanation, he threw both shuriken with incredible precision. The shuriken didn't cut the wire. Instead, they shot above and below it, with a chakra thread attached to both. Then, when the shuriken had passed the trap by a few meters, he pulled the thread sharply. The taut chakra thread snapped the ninja wire, triggering it.
TWANG!
A net made of the same sharp wire shot down from the ceiling, right where they would have been walking.
"Be careful," Tsukasa said flatly. "Yuji, you stand beside me. We'll walk together. Tell me if you 'feel' anything else."
Yuji knew Tsukasa was doing this to train him. As a Jonin, Tsukasa would have no trouble detecting basic traps like this. He was giving Yuji a chance to use his skills in a real situation.
They started running, Kiba and Akamaru still leading with their sense of smell, but now with Yuji beside Tsukasa acting as a detector. They turned into many dark side tunnels, each intersection a guess. After a few minutes of running in this smelly labyrinth, they found a few more traps—a hidden pitfall, some senbon that would shoot from the walls. Each time, Yuji's sensory mist detected it a few seconds before they reached it.
Then, after they turned into a wider tunnel, Yuji detected it. Movement. Ahead. Several of them.
He didn't stop running. He didn't want to alert the enemy that they had been discovered. Instead, he raised his left hand and made a signal with three raised fingers, the standard hand signal for 'enemy ahead, three or more'.
They continued at the same pace, but now, every member of the team knew. The tension between them heightened. Their hands were ready at their weapon pouches.
And then, the clash happened.
Three figures shot out from the shadows at the tunnel intersection ahead, slashing their kunai in a deadly arc. They were aiming directly for where Kiba and Tsukasa were.
But they slashed at empty air.
Just before the attack landed, Masami had formed a hand seal. Her subtle genjutsu had worked. The illusion made their team appear a few meters closer than their actual position. It wasn't a strong genjutsu; it wouldn't fool an experienced shinobi for long. But it was useful. It gave them the split-second advantage they needed.
By the time the attackers realized their mistake, it was too late.
"Now!" Tsukasa shouted.
Kiba shot forward like a bullet, his claws already extended. Yuji followed behind him, taking a different enemy on the right. Meanwhile, Tsukasa and Masami worked together, facing the third attacker, who seemed to be their leader.
Yuji's enemy was a man dressed in a standard all-black suit, his face covered by a cloth mask. Yuji took out his kunai and slashed vertically. The man moved quickly to the side, dodging the attack with ease. Then, steel met steel as the man parried Yuji's next attack. Yuji gritted his teeth from the force of the impact. This man is strong! Far stronger than a regular Genin.
He took a step back, creating distance, then lunged again. The clashes happened again and again in this grim silence, only the sound of clanging metal echoing in the tunnel. But every time they clashed, Yuji was clearly physically outmatched. The man pushed him back with raw strength, making Yuji's arm feel sore.
Through his sensory mist, Yuji could feel the other fights. Tsukasa and Masami were working perfectly; they had almost defeated their opponent. Kiba, on the other hand, was clearly struggling against his agile opponent.
Yuji decided he couldn't beat this man with sheer physical strength. He had to use his brain.
In the next clash, instead of trying to resist, Yuji let his opponent's force push him back. He used the momentum, leaping onto the curved tunnel wall above. His feet stuck for a moment, then he bounced off it, lunging from above with speed.
The man was surprised by the acrobatic move and was forced to take a step back from the momentum. That's when Yuji acted. As he fell, he took out a small piece of paper from his pouch, a Fuinjutsu seal he had prepared. He stuck it on the wet stone floor just as he landed.
The man, seeing Yuji now crouching, thought it was an opening and moved in to attack. But as Yuji moved back, the man's foot stepped on the spot where the paper was, and he suddenly froze.
He couldn't move his feet.
It was a simple restraining Fuinjutsu, dense with chakra, designed to seal an enemy's feet to the ground. It was weak, and could only last for three to five seconds depending on the enemy's physical strength. But that was more than enough time for Yuji.
As the man struggled to free his feet, Yuji was already forming seals.
It wasn't a wide spray of water. From the 'mouth' of his mask, a very thin, fast, and sharp jet of water shot out, spinning like a drill.
The man tried to block it with his kunai, but it was futile. The high-pressure water pistol hit his kunai, breaking it, and continued on, piercing a few centimeters into his chest.
A stifled cry of pain escaped from behind the man's mask. It didn't defeat him instantly, but the sudden, piercing pain was certainly overwhelming.
At the same time, the effect of the Fuinjutsu wore off. But it was too late for him.
The man's defense had been completely diverted by the burning pain in his chest. That's when Yuji lunged.
He stabbed his remaining kunai into the man, under his collarbone. Hot blood splattered onto his mask and his hand. The man staggered back, his eyes wide with shock.
But Yuji didn't stop. Tsukasa's lesson was still fresh in his mind. No mercy.
He pulled his kunai out and stabbed again. And again. And again.
The man finally fell to the floor with a wet thud, his life ebbing away like a puddle of water in the dark tunnel. Yuji stood over him, panting, his chest rising and falling, his kunai dripping blood onto the filthy ground.