Chapter 20: The Function of a Paper UmbrellaThe Journey Begins
Noon had arrived.
Along a forest path, five figures walked in single file through the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
Silence hung between them. The atmosphere carried a certain weight—the awareness that they had left the safety of Konoha's walls and entered genuine ninja territory.
Ryuzen held his red paper umbrella aloft, walking behind Kurenai and Tazuna. Hinata and Shino flanked the group—Hinata with the telltale bulging veins at her temples indicating her Byakugan was active, Shino with his hands in his pockets, sunglasses hiding his eyes while his kikaichū spread invisibly through the surrounding trees.
Tazuna glanced back at them occasionally. Hinata's obvious dōjutsu, Shino's mysterious presence, and the silver-haired boy who seemed to form the team's core—all contributed to an unexpected sense of security.
Kurenai noticed the bridge builder's subtle observations and smiled reassuringly. "They're the most outstanding genin from this year's graduating class. With them on guard, even if an enemy hides underground, they won't escape detection."
She had complete confidence in her team.
Hinata's taijutsu, backed by the Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist. Shino's insects, providing surveillance and support from every angle. Ryuzen's terrifying sword skills, capable of ending battles before they properly began.
And beyond their individual specialties, their perception was simply unmatched.
The Byakugan offered nearly 360-degree vision, seeing through solid objects up to a kilometer away.
Shino's insects spread through the environment like an extension of his senses, detecting anything that moved.
And Ryuzen—blindfolded or not—possessed perception that Kurenai still didn't fully understand, but had witnessed firsthand.
Together, they formed something close to a perfect team. Kurenai honestly couldn't find any flaws in their combination.
Tazuna nodded at her words, but inside, his anxiety grew.
The stronger their perception, the faster they would discover his deception.
What would happen when this jōnin realized he had lied about the mission's true rank? Would she terminate the contract and abandon him here, far from any village that could protect him?
His worries were about to be confirmed.
The First Sign
Both Kurenai and Ryuzen's expressions shifted almost imperceptibly.
Kurenai glanced at Tazuna, suspicion flickering in her red eyes.
Hinata closed her own eyes briefly, then leaned toward Ryuzen, whispering something against his ear.
Ryuzen gave a slight nod.
None of the four spoke. They continued walking as if nothing had happened.
But Tazuna noticed. His heart sank further. Sweat gathered beneath his conical hat, trickling down his forehead.
They knew something. They had to know something.
Yet they said nothing.
Minutes passed. The group approached a wide puddle in the middle of the path—strange, given that no rain had fallen for days. The water sat there, perfectly still, reflecting the sky above.
Ryuzen's group paid it no obvious attention.
But somewhere along the way, Ryuzen had shifted position. Without anyone quite noticing when, he now walked at the rear—one step behind Hinata and Shino.
The five continued past the puddle, their backs to the standing water.
The Attack
WHOOSH—
Water erupted behind them.
Two figures burst from the puddle, chains extending from their hands with sharp metallic rasps.
"First blood!"
A low voice, thick with killing intent, echoed across the forest path.
The two attackers appeared directly behind Ryuzen—or rather, where Ryuzen should have been. Their chains whipped through the air, aiming to bind him before he could react.
SHING—
A blade sang as it left its sheath.
The sound was beautiful—clean, sharp, like crystal breaking.
A dazzling arc of silver light flashed through the air. Ryuzen had turned, his sword drawn in a single motion that seemed to contain neither effort nor hesitation. The blade passed before both attackers like a shooting star, and then it was over.
Ryuzen completed his turn. His sword slid back into its sheath with a soft click.
The two figures stood frozen.
SPLASH—
Seconds passed.
Then blood erupted from their waists in great gushing torrents, arcing through the air like crimson rain.
Ryuzen had already raised his paper umbrella.
The blood splashed down across the red oilpaper, making its color even deeper, richer—almost beautiful in a terrible way. A few drops splattered against his trousers, but the moment they touched the fabric, they vanished as if wiped away by invisible hands.
When the blood rain ceased, Ryuzen lowered his umbrella.
The two attackers fell—or rather, they fell in two halves each, their bodies separated cleanly at the waist.
Aftermath
Kurenai and the others approached.
She didn't immediately examine the corpses. Instead, she studied Ryuzen's face, searching for any sign of distress.
"How does it feel? Your first time killing someone?"
Ryuzen shook his head calmly. "I don't feel much. Though I suppose I should have kept at least one alive for questioning."
Kurenai blinked.
Most genin reacted poorly to their first kill—vomiting, shaking, nightmares for weeks afterward. Ryuzen showed nothing. No change in expression, no tremor in his voice, no visible reaction at all.
She marveled at his psychological fortitude even as she processed his words.
He's more concerned about losing a source of information than about taking lives.
"Well." She forced herself back to the matter at hand. "As long as you're clear about who their real target was."
Her gaze shifted meaningfully to Tazuna.
The bridge builder's eyes darted away. He couldn't meet her stare.
Kurenai addressed him directly. "Tazuna-san. It seems you've been hiding quite a lot from us. Based on these bodies' characteristics, they were chūnin from Kirigakure—the Village Hidden in the Mist. According to ninja village mission classifications, any mission involving combat against enemy ninja automatically becomes B-rank at minimum. Why did you lie about the mission rank?"
Tazuna's face twisted. "How... how do you know they were targeting me? They attacked the silver-haired boy first!"
"If you won't tell us the truth, you put us in a difficult position." Kurenai's voice hardened. "We encountered chūnin-level attackers before even reaching the Land of Waves. Stronger enemies are almost certainly waiting ahead. If you continue hiding information, our only choice is to escort you to the Land of Waves border and consider the mission complete."
"Then... then just escort me to the Land of Waves! The mission isn't over yet, is it?" Tazuna gritted his teeth, desperation clear in his voice.
Kurenai felt a headache coming on. This stubborn old man—
"Kurenai-sensei."
Ryuzen's calm voice interrupted her thoughts.
She turned to face him. His crimson eyes—so similar to her own—held something she hadn't expected.
Excitement.
"I recommend we continue the mission."
Kurenai hesitated, reading his expression.
He knows. He must know who we'll face next. The top graduate understands the mission system perfectly—he had to realize this was no ordinary escort.
Images flashed through her mind: Ryuzen's sword energy carving through trees. His blindfolded assault that left her defenseless. And now, this clean instant kill against two chūnin who never even saw their deaths coming.
Her worry faded.
She nodded. "We continue the mission."
Then she faced Tazuna again, her voice carrying a clear warning. "Before we reach the Land of Waves, Tazuna-san, I hope you'll tell us the truth about this mission you've misrepresented. If we encounter threats beyond our ability to handle, our priority will be withdrawal—with or without you."
Tazuna said nothing. His expression shifted repeatedly—fear, guilt, desperation, hope—all warring across his weathered features.
But he remained silent.
For now.
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