Kaizen stirred as sunlight filtered through the wooden slats of the old inn. He blinked a few times before sitting up slowly, feeling oddly refreshed. His muscles didn't ache, and the soreness from battle was gone. Still, something tugged at his mind.
"Grrrr..."
His stomach answered before his thoughts did.
Kaizen got up, changed into a clean set of black shinobi clothes, and washed his face in the cracked basin near the window. His reflection was sharper now—alert eyes behind a calm face. He stepped out into the streets of Konoha, blending in with the morning crowd.
The smell of roasted meat reached him before the sign did—Akamichi Meat Shop, one of the busiest stalls on this side of town. His stomach growled again as he approached.
Munch. Munch. Munch.
Plates piled up beside him as Kaizen devoured skewer after skewer, his chakra-suppressed body finally getting the nourishment it needed.
"Did you hear? The Konoha ninja are still searching for the one who caused the massacre... two days ago!" a woman whispered loudly at the next table, not caring who overheard.
"You're behind," another woman scoffed. "The Hokage already put a bounty on the culprit's head."
Two days ago?
Kaizen froze, mid-bite. I've been asleep for two days...? he thought, expression unreadable as he continued eating.
After paying and stepping out of the stall, a Leaf ninja appeared beside him in a sudden blur of speed.
"Kaizen," the shinobi said formally. "Lord Hokage and Lord Danzo request your presence at the Hokage building."
Without another word, the ninja flickered away, leaving Kaizen to follow silently.
A few minutes later...
Kaizen stood before the grand desk of the Third Hokage. Smoke curled from the old man's pipe as he eyed the boy with curiosity. Danzo stood to the side, arms crossed behind his back, ever the shadow to Hiruzen's light.
"Kaizen, good to see you awake," Hiruzen said calmly. "Danzo will now explain your graduation mission."
Danzo stepped forward, his lone visible eye staring sharply at Kaizen. "You've heard about the Uchiha Massacre?"
"Yes," Kaizen replied with a nod.
"Your mission is to investigate the incident. Find a clue—anything at all—about who orchestrated the killing. Do not engage. Observe. Report."
A familiar chime echoed in Kaizen's mind.
Ding!
New Mission: Investigate the Uchiha Massacre
Objective: Uncover clues or identify the culprit
Reward: Based on mission completion
"Once you have information, report to me directly," Danzo added.
Kaizen bowed slightly, then turned to leave.
[You are now recognized as Danzo's Apprentice.]
Outside the Hokage building, Kaizen walked slowly through the streets of the village. He tugged his cloak tighter around him, thoughts racing.
Danzo's apprentice, huh... Is that power or a leash?
He ran toward the central district where the remains of the Uchiha compound lay. Charred buildings. Bloodstained earth. A quiet heaviness lingered like a ghost.
Several Uchiha survivors dressed in black roamed the area, likely mourning their fallen. Kaizen scanned their faces, but none looked familiar—no canon characters. Likely, the elders had removed key survivors or kept them hidden.
More troubling were the numbers—dozens of ninja from all over the village combing the area, clearly hired by the Hokage's bounty.
Kaizen frowned.
There are too many eyes here...
He exited the mourning ground. His thoughts began to spiral.
Maybe... I can point suspicion to another village. Frame the trail. Scatter the truth.
As he headed toward the village gates, one of the Leaf guards raised a brow.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm under direct orders from Lord Danzo. Investigating the Uchiha killings."
The guard paused, eyeing the badge Kaizen carried. Finally, he nodded.
"Fine. Go."
Kaizen smirked.
Power really does open doors.
Swoosh. Swoosh.
Trees blurred past him as he raced through the forest surrounding Konoha. He moved for hours—slowing, observing, climbing. No signs. No clues. Just the wind and leaves.
Suddenly—
Shink!
A kunai pressed sharply to his throat. A presence behind him. Light. But lethal.
"Who are you? And why are you here?" a girl's voice asked, youthful yet full of suspicion.
Kaizen froze. He couldn't see her, but her grip was precise.
"I'm from Konoha! Please, don't kill me!" he said quickly, playing the helpless card.
The kunai didn't waver. She reached around and snatched his small bag, rummaging through it.
"Hmm... you are from Konoha," she muttered, finding the Danzo emblem.
"But... where's your forehead protector?" she asked.
"I haven't officially graduated," Kaizen replied carefully. "This mission is my final test."
She hesitated, then slowly pulled the blade away.
"Ah! Sorry, I forgot I had that there," she said with a sheepish laugh.
Kaizen turned to see her at last—a girl no older than thirty, with bright red hair braided over her shoulder and eyes the color of embers. A symbol gleamed on her forehead protector: Uzushiogakure.
Kaizen narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
She giggled, spinning the kunai playfully in her fingers. "Seriously? Can't you tell by the hair, the style, the charm? Uzushiogakure, obviously."
She extended a hand, grinning. "I'm Ayame Uzumaki. Team leader in my group. We're also hunting the Uchiha killer."
Kaizen didn't take the hand immediately.
Ayame tilted her head. "You know... since you're alone, why not team up with us? We'll even share some of the reward money."
Kaizen blinked.
"Wait, just like that?"
"Yup! It's not like this is a secret mission. Everyone and their sensei is chasing the bounty," she shrugged. "Besides, you look like you could use backup."
He studied her for a moment. Something about her was disarming—but that could be dangerous, too.
Finally, he nodded. "Fine. Lead the way."
Ayame beamed. "Great! Let's go meet my team—I'll introduce you. Oh! And don't try to run. Our sensor is very annoying when it comes to tracking people."
Kaizen followed, hiding his smile.