In the middle of the night, Tenzo opened his eyes.
The fire had burned low, giving off a faint glow. Sitting beside it was Inkshadow, eyes closed, posture relaxed.
Tenzo froze.
Before he could think further, a quiet voice spoke beside him.
"It's not time to switch shifts yet, Captain."
Tenzo's eyes widened.
He had assumed Tōma was asleep. Instead, the boy had sensed him waking up instantly. Hyena and Fox were still breathing evenly nearby, completely unaware. Tenzo also remembered the subtle shift in the wind earlier.
At that moment, he understood something clearly.
They had underestimated Inkshadow.
With Tōma's level of awareness, he wouldn't be a burden in any squad. If anything, he would be an asset anywhere.Whether he was from a major clan or not no longer mattered. Talent like this stood on its own.
Tenzo quietly got up and sat beside Tōma, adding fresh wood to the fire.
"Inkshadow," he said softly, "you're impressive."
"If you don't show it, it doesn't count," Tōma replied, opening his eyes as he exited his Deep Focus State.That state let him rest and maintain peak sensory awareness at the same time.
Honestly, if he weren't worried the others wouldn't believe him, he could have handled the entire night watch alone.
Tenzo studied him for a moment, unsure what to say.No arrogance. No insecurity. Not even the subtle pride most geniuses carried.
"Hyena and Fox weren't trying to give you a hard time," Tenzo said after a pause. "Don't take it personally."
"I know," Tōma replied evenly. "If I were them, I'd feel the same."
He glanced at Tenzo."Actually, you felt that way too at first. You're just better at hiding it than Hyena."
Tenzo blinked, then laughed quietly.
"That's true. Our squad doesn't abandon teammates. That means every member has to be chosen carefully. And you…"
He trailed off.
"I was assigned directly by the Hokage," Tōma finished calmly. "Looked like favoritism."
Tenzo nodded.
"But I'll prove I belong here," Tōma continued, tossing another piece of wood onto the fire.
"You already have," Tenzo said gently. "Hyena and Fox are treating you differently now."
"…Not enough yet."
Tenzo didn't argue. After a moment, he asked, "At this pace, we'll reach the target tomorrow. You're okay handling it?"
Tōma paused briefly, then answered firmly."Yes. Leave it to me."
"Good."
They sat in silence for a while longer.
"Go rest," Tenzo finally said. "I'll take over."
Tōma nodded and headed back to the sleeping area.
Watching his back, Tenzo's lips curved upward slightly.
Maybe the Hokage really did give us a surprise.
Morning came quickly.
"Morning, Hyena," Tōma said as he woke.
Hyena looked surprised. "Up already?"
"Habit."
Hyena felt a quiet chill. The more time they spent together, the harder it became to underestimate this kid.Some people radiated danger without ever raising their voice.
They resumed their march. This time, there was no competition. The pace was efficient and steady.
By afternoon, they reached the mission site.
Tenzo gestured toward a hill ahead."Inkshadow, it's your turn. We'll observe from the shadows. If something goes wrong, we'll step in. But I hope we won't need to."
Tōma tightened his mask and stepped forward. Against non-shinobi targets, a direct approach was faster.
Watching him go, Hyena frowned."Captain… is this really okay? He's still young. And it's his first time. Shouldn't this kind of thing be eased in?"
Fox nodded. "My first assignment was just one irredeemable murderer. This feels… heavier."
After two days together, both of them had accepted Tōma as a teammate. Now they were worried for him.
Tenzo smiled beneath his mask.
"Trust him," he said. "He'll surprise you."
"You're saying… you're here to wipe us out?"
At the bandit camp gate, a massive man burst into laughter as he stared at the small figure before him.
More bandits gathered, drawn by the noise.
Tōma said nothing more. He calmly drew his blade.
"Ha! Kid, can you even hold that thing? Looks expensive. Hand it over!"
The man raised a huge iron club, nearly as tall as Tōma himself, and swung without hesitation.
Then Tōma vanished.
The man froze.
When Tōma reappeared, he was already in front of him.
Something spun through the air.
The bandit didn't understand what it was until pain exploded from his arm.
His hand was gone.
He screamed, collapsing to the ground, staring in horror as his severed arm landed nearby.
Only then did he realize the truth.
This wasn't a child.
Tōma exhaled slowly.
At the last instant, his blade had wavered. Just a little.
First time, he thought.
He walked forward, eyes steady, forcing down the turbulence in his chest.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "This will hurt again. But it will end."
"No—please—don't—"
The bandit saw a blank mask on a body barely taller than his waist.
And felt only terror.
The blade fell.
One clean strike.
Silence.
Tōma lifted his gaze toward the remaining bandits, who were still frozen in shock.
Then he moved.
Fast.