Kumogakure's night was much quieter than Chiya had imagined.
Chiya followed Shisui and rented an ordinary two-story cottage on a secluded street near the village outskirts.
The landlord was an elderly man who, after collecting the money, hurriedly left without asking a single unnecessary question.
"Sensei, this place is good."
Shisui pushed open the window. The night wind carried shouts from the distant training grounds.
"Open view, accessible from all sides. Suitable for operations and for withdrawal."
Chiya was making the bed. Hearing this, he smiled.
"You really know how to pick a place, kid."
Shisui was about to respond when a muffled sound suddenly came from next door.
Then came continuous striking sounds.
Clearly someone was training taijutsu, hitting a sandbag, and with considerable force.
The two exchanged glances.
Chiya walked to the wall, his palm lightly pressing against the surface.
Through the subtle vibrations of chakra, he could sense the situation next door.
A figure was moving rapidly, the wind from fists and feet clearly audible.
This force, and the chakra fluctuations.
Should be at Chunin level.
After a moment, Chiya withdrew and paid it no mind.
Just a small Chunin!
Not worth worrying about!
"Clean, efficient movements, no unnecessary flourishes. Kumogakure's style."
Having said that.
Chiya lay on the bed, hands pillowed behind his head.
"Sleep. Tomorrow we still need to familiarize ourselves with the environment."
"Yes, Sensei!"
Shisui left, going to his own room on the first floor.
The striking sounds continued until late into the night before stopping.
In a half-awake, half-asleep state, Chiya heard the sound of water being poured from a bucket next door, presumably washing up after training.
The next morning, when sunlight spilled through the gaps in the curtains, Shisui went out to buy Chiya breakfast.
Chiya stretched lazily. After dawdling for a long while, he finally crawled out of bed and pushed open the balcony door.
Kumogakure's morning was completely different from Konoha's.
No ninja squads doing morning training, no villagers selling vegetables early in the morning, only sporadic shouts from the distant training grounds.
Just as he was breathing this foreign air, the balcony door next door was also pushed open.
A blonde girl walked out, sunlight gilding the edges of her hair.
She was tall with slender limbs. Most eye-catching was her proud upper figure, stretching her ordinary home clothes into an astonishing curve.
Seeing Chiya, she was clearly startled for a moment, then politely nodded.
"Good morning."
Her voice was calm and restrained, carrying the crispness unique to Kumogakure ninja.
"New here?"
Chiya returned a smile.
"Yes, sorry for the intrusion.
Just arrived last night. I'm Chiya."
"Samui."
She nodded coolly at Chiya.
A brief self-introduction, then silence fell.
She wasn't good at chatting.
Just as the atmosphere became somewhat awkward, a familiar voice suddenly came from downstairs.
"Chiya!"
Both looked down simultaneously.
Nii Yugito stood in the middle of the street. Today she had changed into simple black clothes, the close-fitting fabric outlining the curves of a girl just coming of age, neither overly revealing nor lacking youthful vitality.
She looked up at Chiya, her eyes sparkling.
Samui's eyebrows nearly flew to her hairline.
She turned to look at Chiya, her eyes full of shock and curiosity.
Nii Yugito was famously a loner in the village. Because she was also a Jinchuriki, she hardly contacted outsiders, much less actively sought people out.
This handsome black-haired young man, who exactly was he?
"Have you eaten breakfast yet?"
Yugito asked, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.
Chiya shook his head.
"Shisui went to buy some. He should be back soon..."
"I haven't eaten either. Come on, I'll take you somewhere!"
Yugito interrupted him. Taking two steps at once, she rushed upstairs. Under Samui's dumbfounded gaze, she grabbed Chiya's wrist and pulled him out.
"Wait, wait..."
"Chiya, let's hurry over. That shop has the fewest people in the morning!"
Yugito said without looking back, her strength surprisingly great.
Samui stood on the balcony, watching the two's retreating backs, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
This new neighbor seemed quite extraordinary...
Yugito pulled Chiya through two streets, finally stopping in front of a pastry shop called Raiun-sai.
Only then did she release her grip, her cheeks flushed from running.
"Dorayaki, want some?"
She asked breathlessly, her eyes looking at Chiya expectantly.
Chiya moved his somewhat stiff wrist that had been pulled, smiling helplessly.
"Sure."
Yugito immediately showed a smile and pulled him into the shop.
The shop's interior was plainly decorated, wooden tables and chairs polished to a shine. Behind the counter stood a smiling elderly woman.
"Yugito's here?"
The old woman greeted familiarly.
"The usual?"
"Yes, two servings!"
Yugito held up two fingers.
Looking at Chiya, she turned her head to explain to him in a low voice.
"The red bean filling here is delicious."
She pulled Chiya to sit by the window, her movements practiced like a regular customer.
Chiya looked around. The shop indeed, as she said, only had a few scattered customers.
"You come often?"
Chiya asked.
Yugito nodded, her finger unconsciously drawing circles on the table.
"When I was little... Father often brought me here."
Her voice lowered.
"Later he died in battle, so I came by myself."
Chiya was silent for a moment, then said softly.
"Sorry, I brought up something painful."
"It's nothing."
Yugito raised her head, forcing a smile.
"Father said that eating dorayaki when you're sad makes you feel better."
The old woman brought two servings of dorayaki, the golden crusts giving off an enticing aroma.
Yugito couldn't wait to pick one up and take a bite, her eyes squinting happily.
Chiya also tried some. It was indeed crispy outside and tender inside, the red bean filling sweet but not cloying.
"How is it?"
Yugito asked expectantly.
"Very delicious."
Chiya praised sincerely.
"No wonder you like it."
Yugito's face reddened again. She lowered her head, eating the dorayaki in small bites, her long eyelashes casting shadows on her face.
Chiya noticed her nails were trimmed very neatly, but her knuckles had calluses from long-term training.
"Yesterday..."
Yugito suddenly spoke, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
"I still have to thank you."
Chiya was startled.
"What?"
Yugito raised her head, her eyes shimmering with complex light.
"Since I was little, no one has ever protected me like that... spoken up for me like that."
In Kumogakure, although Jinchuriki weren't completely rejected like in other villages, they were still viewed as "weapons" rather than comrades.
Otherwise, the previous generation Eight-Tails Jinchuriki wouldn't have been in constant internal struggle.
Yugito was the Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
Since childhood, she had probably endured plenty of strange looks.
"I only spoke the truth."
Chiya said gently.
"Jinchuriki protect the village. They deserve respect."
Yugito's hands trembled slightly. She quickly put down the dorayaki, pretending to fix her hair to hide her emotions.
"You... don't you think we're monsters?"
"Monsters?"
Chiya smiled.
"Real monsters wouldn't treat people to dorayaki."
Yugito burst out laughing.
Then, feeling it was improper, she quickly covered her mouth.
This action made her look like an ordinary girl, rather than a fearsome Jinchuriki.
Chiya looked at her, slowly extending his hand.
Nii Yugito sensed Chiya's movement, her body tensing.
Her fingers trembled slightly, yet she made no movement to block.
Until Chiya wiped away a bit of red bean filling from the corner of her mouth.
"You've gotten it everywhere."
This intimate gesture made Nii Yugito's face heat up again.
Her face turned as red as a ripe apple.
"I, I'll go get two more cups of tea!"
Yugito practically jumped up and rushed toward the counter.
Chiya watched her flustered back, sighing slightly in his heart.
What a good girl.
Why did he feel a sense of guilt?
After a few minutes.
When Yugito returned with the tea, she had regained her composure, though her ear tips were still red.
"Do you... have time today?"
Yugito couldn't help but speak first, suddenly asking.
"I can take you around town."
Chiya thought about how Shisui had probably already returned, but looking at Yugito's expectant eyes, he still nodded.
"It would be my honor."
'Shisui, you must understand Sensei.'
'Gathering intelligence can't be rushed!'
'It must be done slowly, gradually, steadily, with rhythm!'
'Going on a da...'
'Can't say it like that!'
'After all, chatting and strolling around town...'
'This is also a type of intelligence gathering!'
Yugito immediately smiled radiantly.
In the sunlight, her entire being seemed to glow.
Chiya looked at her.
At this moment he felt.
This girl viewed by the entire village as a weapon had experiences very similar to Kushina's.
She was just an ordinary girl longing to be accepted.
Such a good girl...
To leave her to fend for herself in Kumogakure when departing, how cruel that would be!
Chiya sighed inwardly.
His hesitant thoughts immediately became firm.
If she was willing, he would just take her away with him!
Chiya had no desire to be that kind of scumbag who abandoned people after toying with them.
After all.
Chiya was a pure-hearted person.
"Yugito!"
"Hmm? What is it, Chiya!"
"I have a friend. She had experiences similar to yours. Would you like to hear her story?"
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