Rasa narrowed his eyes, quietly admiring the view before him.
Standing in front of him was a tall beauty, around 170cm in height, hands folded demurely over her flat stomach. Kozuki stood straight as an arrow, dressed only in modest white underclothes after removing her black overcoat and the bandages that had tightly wrapped her arms.
Her slender yet curvaceous figure was fully on display now, every inch of her porcelain-like skin glowing under the setting sun filtering in through the window.
Kozuki's skin was so pristine, so luminous, not even a single pore could be seen.
Her delicate face, revealed after removing her rabbit mask, was adorned with mysterious tattoo-like facial markings—intricate patterns that somehow enhanced rather than diminished her otherworldly beauty. Combined with her waist-length silky black hair and the soft side bangs that now fell over one eye, she looked like a blend of mystery and allure.
Despite her conservative clothing, even the modest white undershirt she wore did little to hide the fullness of her chest—Rasa guessed she was at least a 36E.
He swallowed, trying not to let it show.
He'd already known Kozuki was beautiful, but now—with the coats, gloves, and wrappings removed—she looked completely different. Just her standing there in underclothes was enough to knock the wind out of him.
Rasa had always had a weakness for this type—long hair to the waist, mysterious aura, and that damn eye-covering fringe.
Kozuki offered him a shy smile and slightly turned her head, only to catch herself. Forcing herself to remain composed, she straightened up again and met his gaze directly—even though her fingers fidgeted unconsciously, her index and middle fingers tapping lightly together.
She could feel it—the changes inside her.
In the past, even if fully dressed and tightly wrapped in protective layers, she couldn't stand anyone—especially men—stepping within three meters of her.
Two meters? She'd feel an uncontrollable wave of nausea and rage. She'd lash out violently, even if the person was a comrade.
But now? Here she was. Practically exposed in her own mind—wearing just her underlayer—face to face with a man.
Kozuki felt… fine. No disgust, no fury. Only excitement, anticipation… even happiness.
She sneaked a glance at Rasa, then quickly looked away again.
Just what is this man doing to me…?
Forcing herself to be brave, she met Rasa's eyes once more. A faint blush bloomed across her pale, patterned cheeks, and her long lashes trembled ever so slightly.
Rasa, meanwhile, stared in silence.
Kozuki thought she should probably say something to break the awkwardness. She opened her mouth—but what came out made her heart nearly stop:
"I… I've never revealed my body like this to anyone before. Not even close. Normally, if someone so much as steps within a meter of me, I completely lose control…"
As soon as she said it, she wanted to bury her head in the floor.
What the hell did I just say? That was barely so embarrassing!
Fortunately, Rasa chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head. "Ah, yeah… don't worry about it. You really didn't have to take off your outerwear. Just the coat and mask would've been fine."
Only now did he realize how long he'd been admiring her figure in silence.
God, I'm an idiot.
Kozuki relaxed visibly, her racing heart finally settling. She had mentally prepared herself for Rasa to scold her, to find her behavior improper.
But he hadn't.
He'd simply accepted it with grace.
A warm smile touched her lips, her thick lashes fluttering slightly. She sat down calmly on the chair, showing no trace of shame despite still being dressed in nothing but her underclothes.
They spoke for a while—ten, maybe fifteen short exchanges. Easy and casual.
Then suddenly, Kozuki gasped. "Ah—!"
She jumped up and hurried over to the chair where her black coat lay draped. Rifling through the folds, she pulled out a folded piece of paper and click-clacked across the floor in her high heels, rushing back to Rasa.
He took the paper from her outstretched hands, but before he could ask, she smiled and explained:
"This is a list of all current Shadow Guard members and their profiles."
Rasa's brow furrowed.
He didn't even finish unfolding the page before promptly folding it back up and handing it back.
"I can't accept this," he said seriously. "The Shadow Guard is a direct extension of the Kazekage. I'm not in that position yet. This would be overstepping."
He knew full well that in a few months, once the time was right, he could assume full control over the Shadow Guard without controversy.
There was no need to rush.