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Chapter 26 - The Death of Yamashiro Aoki

Mizuki had many he despised.

Geniuses, bearers of bloodline limits, children of great clans.

Everything he lacked, he envied.

After gaining Ghoul Bloodline, those feelings were magnified to a savage extreme.

Yet the one he cared about most had always been Iruka.

They had been "friends" since childhood.

Iruka treated Mizuki as a friend. Mizuki only pretended to treat Iruka as one.

Mizuki was ordinary, so he needed someone even more ordinary than himself to serve as a foil.

To make himself look better.

But when they both became trainee teachers at the Academy, everything changed.

Iruka won the students' favor.

Even the full instructors rated Iruka more highly.

Mizuki had lost.

For the first time he had lost to Iruka.

Someone he had believed could never surpass him in any way.

Yet in teaching, Iruka did better, and Mizuki's jealousy drove him mad.

The teacher's post was exactly what Mizuki wanted.

For a civilian ninja, it was an excellent job.

No danger.

Stable work.

"Iruka."

When Mizuki said the name, his voice carried a chill.

"You are early, Mizuki."

Iruka came from the entrance.

"Morning."

Mizuki smoothed his expression.

"Let us go to the office. Aoki-senpai said he had something to tell us."

"All right."

They entered the teachers' office.

Before long, Yamashiro Aoki came in.

"Both here?"

"Yes."

Aoki nodded, took a seat, and said, "Time flies. In a blink the term is ending. You have been at the Academy a while now."

"I have seen your hard work and seriousness."

"Especially you, Iruka."

Aoki looked at him.

"You remind me of myself when I was young, full of passion and patience for every student. In truth, better than I was. The Academy needs people like you."

Iruka smiled, embarrassed.

"You flatter me, Aoki-senpai. I am only doing what I should."

"Mizuki has done well too."

"Quite a few students improved thanks to him."

Mizuki's face stayed calm, but a thick flash of displeasure slid through his eyes.

Displeasure at Aoki.

And at Iruka.

"Hmph."

"Putting on an act."

"Your full appointment is already settled, is it not, Iruka."

"I do not need you pretending to praise me."

"Who knows what you do behind my back."

His hatred had almost taken solid form. Whatever Iruka did, Mizuki twisted it toward malice instead of simple goodwill.

The more Iruka spoke, the deeper Mizuki's spite ran.

Aoki chuckled.

"Mizuki is doing all right."

Iruka froze.

Mizuki's eyes narrowed.

The office's air shifted.

He looked at Aoki.

A chill prickled down Aoki's back.

RAP RAP RAP!

Knuckles on the door.

Hyuga Hikaru stood outside.

"Sensei, it is time for class."

"So soon."

Aoki glanced at Iruka and Mizuki. "Head to your classrooms."

"Yes."

Iruka looked at Mizuki, hesitated, then said, "Do not take it to heart. I know how much you have done. Others may not see it, but I do. You are better than me."

In Mizuki's ears, those words were nothing but veiled mockery.

"Let us teach."

The school day ended.

Uchiha Itama noticed that Mizuki seemed different again today.

He had grown heavier, deeper.

"Mizuki's strength is rising fast."

"Which means Ghoul Bloodline is potent."

"If I followed the same path, I could rise this fast too."

Though the book was visible only to Mizuki, once he touched it, the contents appeared in Itama's mind as well.

He could use those methods.

He could grow the way Mizuki was growing.

After thinking it through, he still refused.

He would not become a man-eating monster.

Unless the clan truly stood on the brink of life and death.

For now, an open break with the elders was not that near.

And with Mizuki changing, Itama felt that moment would only be pushed back.

Night fell.

Yamashiro Aoki drank a little and staggered home.

His wife did not come out to greet him.

Odd, he thought.

But he did not dwell on it.

He pushed the gate and stepped into the yard.

He entered the room.

The reek of blood hit him full in the face.

His eyes flew wide.

His wife and child lay in pools of blood. Their bodies bore the unmistakable marks of having been gnawed, as if some large beast had done it.

A cold wind rose along his spine.

For no clear reason, he thought of Mizuki.

In that instant a figure slammed into him.

SPLAT!

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