Only those who were present in the secret chamber knew about Atsui's arrival. The ones on duty outside had yet to hear a thing.
That's why they didn't react with any suspicion upon seeing Keiji.
That was Samodo's directive.
As a result, what was supposed to be a quiet transfer of the younger brother to the Ninja Academy had now been interrupted by Keiji's discovery.
"...Alright. Follow me."
Samui placed the cleaning cloth on the table and started heading upstairs.
Keiji immediately stood and followed.
"Big sis?"
Atsui, who was about the same age as Keiji, scratched his head in confusion.
Where was she going?
He hadn't seen the face of the child walking ahead of his sister and just assumed it was a customer.
Shrugging off the thought, he picked up the rag Samui had left behind and stood on tiptoe to resume scrubbing the greasy mess on the tabletop.
...
When Samui pushed open the door on the second floor, her fingers trembled slightly—but she quickly composed herself and stepped aside to let Keiji go in first.
The second floor contained a small, sparse room reserved for staff breaks. In the corner near the window sat a low table and a few floor cushions.
Warm sunlight spilled through the window, casting a gentle, dreamlike glow across the room.
But the warmth of the light failed to dispel the chill that clung to Samui.
Keiji sat casually on a cushion, his long fingers tapping rhythmically on the table's surface. His gaze rested on Samui.
"Since we're already here, let's not waste time. Give me a sword technique that suits me—nothing flashy. If it doesn't work out, I'll be back next time."
Keiji wasn't shy about his demands.
If there were benefits to reap, he'd make sure to take all of them.
Lightning-style jutsu was powerful, but it required a lot of chakra and wasn't something he could use openly without raising suspicion about where he had learned it.
Swordsmanship, on the other hand, could be kept low-profile—its basics often indistinguishable from advanced forms.
"Fine."
Samui nodded.
This jutsu for Keiji would be covered by the organization's funds.
She asked him to wait and returned shortly with a scroll.
Aside from Lightning Release, Kumogakure was also known for its mastery of the blade.
In the ninja world, swords and ninjutsu were inseparable.
A sword was essentially a tool of ninjutsu.
Killer Bee's unique fighting style, using seven blades simultaneously, once nearly overwhelmed Sasuke—forcing him to rely on his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Keiji accepted the scroll, but instead of examining it, his eyes drifted straight to Samui's face.
They traced down her elegant features, pausing at her slender, pale neck, and then moved lower—to the curves of her chest.
Samui felt the heat of his stare. Her expression stayed cold, but her eyes turned frostier.
She knew that look all too well.
She'd seen it many times in her life as a spy.
That gaze…
Her short blonde hair swayed slightly as her chest subtly heaved.
Keiji's eyes lingered momentarily on her face, then shifted to the hem of her skirt.
His gaze slid over her long legs, a hint of interest now glimmering in his otherwise calm eyes.
What would someone as reserved and indifferent as Samui look like—if forced into something she didn't want to do?
"Miss Samui,"
Keiji suddenly smiled, his tone slow and deliberate.
"Your younger brother is still very young, with a bright future ahead. It would be such a shame if... anything unfortunate happened to him, don't you think?"
Samui's expression remained icy, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of unease.
Even someone as composed as her couldn't stay calm when it came to her only family.
"Relax. All I'm asking for is a bit more sincerity from you, Miss Samui."
The air thickened, stifling and tense. Sunlight danced across the table, unable to pierce the room's oppressive atmosphere.
Samui stood frozen for a moment, then slowly lowered her gaze. Her fingers tightened unconsciously around her skirt.
If she refused him now, Keiji might go straight to Samodo.
Worse, he could report their entire hideout.
There was no way they, as spies, could escape under the eyes of Konoha.
What could she do?
Even if she told Samodo, he likely wouldn't care.
This situation... she had brought it on herself.
The place where Keiji's gaze rested felt like a needle pricking Samui.
Her fingers curled and relaxed several times before she finally lifted the hem of her skirt ever so slightly.
She said nothing. Her cold expression concealed all emotion as her pale, elegant legs appeared in the sunlight, her face tinged with a faint chill.
Keiji's smile widened.
To him, Samui was aiding and abetting the enemy. That made her guilty.
His left eye, once dark, began to glow crimson as a single tomoe of the Sharingan swirled into existence.
A one-tomoe Sharingan!
And for the first time, his dormant right eye also showed signs of awakening—crimson hue creeping in, as if something within was about to stir.
A unique chakra surged in his brain, flowing toward his right eye.
He could feel it—he was just one barrier away from fully opening it.
Kumogakure wanted his body.
The Uchiha wanted his loyalty.
And between the two loomed the coming Ninja World War.
The frustration he'd bottled up after his encounter with Uchiha Hazuki today… was finally getting a release.
A forced melon isn't sweet—but it quenches thirst.
Even amidst grueling training, one needs moments of indulgence.
"Not bad. I'm quite pleased with this show of sincerity. I might just lean a little more toward returning to Kumogakure. But..."
Just as Samui lifted the skirt halfway, Keiji stood—shorter than her, yet stopping her movement completely.
The scene was absurd.
"That's enough for today. I hope Miss Samui chooses her words more carefully next time."
Keiji tucked the scroll casually into his shirt and walked out.
Taking things too far might backfire. Holding this over her head could become a lifelong leverage—but applying too much pressure now might ruin future gains.
After all, he still wanted more techniques from her later.
Fifteen—that's about how old Samui looked.
And Samodo? He looked over thirty and definitely not someone to mess with.
When it comes to picking fruit, always choose the softest.
The door shut softly. The slight creak of wood against frame rang loud in the quiet room.
Samui stood still, her shoulders trembling slightly.
After what felt like an eternity, her grip on her skirt loosened, and she slumped against the cabinet.
Her usually cool, elegant face now glowed with a suppressed blush.
"Anyway… it's not like he actually saw anything."
She let out a deep sigh, full of regret.
If only she hadn't said those words.
If only Keiji hadn't used them as leverage.
Maybe then, he would've set his sights on someone else… not her.
Roughly two minutes later
Footsteps approached from outside, followed by Atsui's voice:
"Big sis?"
Samui immediately lifted her head, suppressing all emotion, and turned toward her little brother's innocent face.
Atsui looked puzzled.
The customer had just left, and now his sister was acting strange.
Was she tired?
Samui knelt, smoothing his golden hair, and looked into his wide eyes with a gaze full of warmth—and a tinge of sorrow.
As long as she could protect his future, everything was worth it.
He was her only family… her beloved younger brother.
Let's set the protagonist's moral baseline a bit higher. Not all female characters will be forced into things—some will be won over instead.