"What… what's going on…" Kazehaya Hayate stared at Jiraiya, who had appeared moments before, and then the pieces clicked into place. Jiraiya had handled countless jobs like this—so his arrival wasn't surprising.
Still, when Hayate remembered one of Jiraiya's other nicknames—the Lustful Sage—he instinctively stepped in front of Hinata, putting himself between her and any potential threat. Old habits and instincts didn't care for titles.
"Oh—so it is you. Didn't expect to run into you here." Hong's voice carried a note of recognition. She'd seen Jiraiya before.
Jiraiya nodded back, then cast a quick, cautious glance at Vulture standing nearby. He turned his attention to Hayate and the others and said in a serious tone, "Even with me here, don't have those three linger. The leader of the Blood Sect is not someone to underestimate."
Hearing that from Jiraiya, Hong took it seriously. "In that case," she said to Hayate and the others, "you three should go wait at the teahouse we saw earlier. I'll stay here and help Lord Jiraiya."
"Yes—let's go now!" Relief and eagerness flashed across Kazehaya Hayate's face; any move that kept Hinata safe was welcome. He started to shepherd her away.
"Hold on a second." Jiraiya clamped a hand on Hayate's collar, squinting at him. "You look like you're dying to run. Afraid of dying, are you?"
"Mr. Hong told us to leave. Naturally, we obey. Besides, we're useless here," Hayate replied smoothly—though inside a knot of nerves had tightened.
Zilai scratched his head, resigned. "Fine. Let's go." He released Hayate and gave Hong a nod. "By the way, I found someone from the Blood Sect out by the door. Brought him in. Do you know him?" Zilai said, then dropped the man in black he'd been carrying to the floor.
Hong leaned forward to look closely and then froze. "What—no way. It's him… Ryosuke Naraku?!"
"Ryosuke Naraku? Who?!" Hayate stumbled, nearly tripping as he stepped back. The name hit him like a punch—he hadn't forgotten that one of his system tasks involved Ryosuke Naraku. That task had been worth three hundred almighty points. His stomach flipped at the thought.
Jiraiya's expression grew curious. "You know him?" he asked.
Hayate's heart thudded. Did you… kill him? he wondered wildly. If Naraku were dead, those three hundred points—and the hundred versatility points—would have been awarded and accounted for. But nothing in his system had pinged. There had been no notification. No deduction or reward.
"No, I only knocked him out," Zilai added, glancing at Hayate with mild suspicion. The way Zilai looked at him suggested he thought Hayate was strangely invested in the matter—too attached to the name Ryosuke Naraku for it to be casual.
Relief washed through Hayate when he heard Zilai say Naraku was still alive—but the problem remained: how on earth could he kill Naraku and claim the reward? And earlier, his awkwardness when the blood-mist story came up had probably made Jiraiya suspicious. Hayate didn't want to give the sage any reason to pry.
Hinata tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Brother Hayate, are you all right?"
"Yeah—nothing." He forced his face back into composure, though his mind was racing. He had to think fast and cover it so Jiraiya wouldn't grow curious.
As they paused in the aisle, Hayate cleared his throat. "Lord Jiraiya… may I have a word?" he asked.
Jiraiya fixed him with a long look, then gave a slow nod. "Speak."
"Hinata, wait here for me. I'll be right back." Hayate turned to Hinata and left her where she was.
When they were alone, Jiraiya smiled and asked, "What's up, kid? Is there something you want to talk about? Life problems? Love problems? The toad sage's clinic accepts all sorts."
Hayate's voice dropped to something sincere and urgent. "Lord Jiraiya—Ryosuke Naraku murdered my relatives. I… I want him handed over to me. Of course, before you hand him over, you can interrogate him however you need to. Torture him if you must. But please—give him to me when you're done."
Jiraiya's brow creased in surprise and a touch of amusement. "Oh? That's a heavy request. But Naraku is Konoha's criminal. According to protocol, he should be turned in to the Hokage."
Hayate's mind raced. He knew Jiraiya respected rules, the kind of man who followed lines even if he occasionally colored outside them. He'd pictured that look on Jiraiya's face—the look of someone who was skeptical of vigilante justice. Hayate swallowed and tried a different tack.
"If you hand him over to me," Hayate said, forcing an earnest tone, "I can tell you information about the Xiao organization."
Jiraiya's features shifted—what had been playful now turned serious. He stepped forward, eyes sharpening. "You… know about the Xiao organization? Tell me. How do you know?"
Hayate hesitated for a fraction of a second, then launched into a practiced lie. "I have... recurring dreams. They're like premonitions sometimes. I saw things about the Xiao organization in those dreams." He added a few plausible details—things about staying up late at internet cafés during his school days that made the story feel oddly grounded and believable.
Jiraiya cocked his head. The old sage had seen enough oddities to know when someone was making things up, but Hayate's explanation didn't ring impossible. If anything, it explained why a Genin would have knowledge beyond his station. And who else would be privy to rumors about secretive groups like the Xiao organization?
"All right," Jiraiya said slowly. "Tell me what you dreamed about the Xiao organization."
Hayate took a breath. He started to speak—spin the tale he needed to—in the hope that his gamble would pay off.
"And about Naraku Ryosuke…" Jiraiya added after a pause, his tone grave.
"If your information about the organization checks out," Jiraiya finished, "then you can take Naraku Ryosuke yourself."
Hayate's chest tightened. The offer hung in the air—dangerous, exhilarating, and dangerously close to what he'd been scheming for.