C 44

Kain heard the footsteps before seeing anyone—a man was at the door of the shop, trying to enter without permission.

"What's your business?" Kain asked, blocking the man's way. The man looked vaguely familiar; he'd been around earlier, lingering near the pharmacy with an odd curiosity. It was his unusually dark skin tone that made him stand out—rare in the village, and an immediate red flag to Kain, who recalled that most Cloud Shinobi had similar features.

"Boss, the children at home are fussing for sweets," the man replied, inching closer to Kain.

"Stop right there!" Kain commanded, eyes narrowing. The man's explanation sounded too convenient. Plus, he was getting far too close for comfort. Kain sensed something was wrong, his suspicions sharpening into certainty. This was no innocent villager. Cloud Shinobi were known for stealth, but this man's behavior was clumsy, raising all kinds of alarms. Just then, Kain noticed movement behind him—Kushina had peeked her head out, catching the man's attention.

A grin crept onto the man's face. "Both mission targets in one place... excellent."

Before he could continue, Kain whipped out two submachine guns from his space backpack, aiming and unloading a volley of bullets at the intruder. The close range made accuracy a non-issue; the shots tore through the man's supposed disguise. In a cloud of smoke, the man transformed into a log.

"Body Replacement Technique," Kain muttered, scanning the area. He soon found the Cloud Shinobi nearby, wounded from the bullet spray, blood dripping from his arms.

"Didn't expect you to have weapons like these," the spy sneered, "but the captain was right about you."

Kain wasn't interested in listening. With a fluid motion, he dropped the empty guns, grabbed a new weapon from his space backpack—a Thompson submachine gun—and opened fire once more. The spy's eyes widened as he struggled to form a hand seal, his injuries making it nearly impossible. Forced to brace himself, he raised his hands in a futile attempt to shield his body.

But it was too late. The bullets tore through his flesh, a shower of crimson staining the ground. Kain aimed for the chest, ensuring every critical organ was hit. Even as the spy collapsed, Kain pulled out an assault rifle and blasted a final hole through the man's chest, just to be certain. He was dead.

Satisfied, Kain cleaned up the weaponry, slipping them back into his space backpack. To attract attention, he tossed a few grenades outside; the explosion would draw the village's attention quickly enough.

"Get back!" he said, grabbing Kushina by the arm and leading her into a concealed basement at the rear of the shop. The explosions echoed in the village, followed by silence. Kushina was visibly shaken, and she managed a hushed, "Boss, was that... an enemy?"

"Yes, and he might not be alone," Kain replied in a low voice, tossing another grenade as a deterrent. "Stay quiet."

The explosion's impact soon became apparent. Members of the Konoha Guard, who were still patrolling nearby, quickly identified the source of the disturbance. They sprang into action, dashing across rooftops towards the flames. The Uchiha guards, in particular, were enraged—someone daring to cause such chaos within the village boundaries was an open insult to their authority. Activating their Sharingan, they prepared to take down whoever was responsible.

From their hideout, Kain monitored the street outside. His gambit had worked; the loud blasts had driven other potential attackers back, ensuring the shop was clear, at least for the moment.

"Boss, what now?" Kushina whispered.

"Stay close, and don't talk," he replied, continuing his surveillance. After several tense minutes, he spotted the Uchiha guards combing the area, along with other shinobi, their eyes on high alert. Knowing their basement hideout could be compromised if the Hyuga clan joined the search, Kain made a quick decision. He led Kushina out of the basement and into the open.

Once outside, he called out to the Uchiha guards, who immediately regarded them with suspicion. "I'm the owner of the dessert shop," Kain explained. "We were just attacked by a Cloud Shinobi. I request that you inform Tsunade Jōnin right away."

The guards relaxed slightly but remained cautious as they conducted a routine interrogation. Kain recounted the encounter with the Cloud Shinobi, adding some intentional embellishments to underline the threat. He explained how the intruder had openly admitted his intentions, emphasizing the audacity of Cloud Shinobi spies infiltrating so close to the village's core.

Just then, Namikaze Minato arrived, jumping down from the roof with a look of concern. He rushed over to Kushina, who was still visibly shaken. "Kushina, are you alright?" he asked, his voice full of relief.

Kushina managed a small smile, reassured by his presence. "I'm fine, Minato. Thanks for coming."

Minato explained, "I was on my way back from training when an Anbu intercepted me. He said there was trouble here, so I rushed over."

Kain listened carefully, a slight frown forming as he processed Minato's words. Something wasn't adding up. He stepped forward, interrupting the conversation. "Minato, just to clarify—you said an Anbu told you about Kushina's situation specifically?"

Minato nodded, his expression innocent but clearly caught off guard by the question. The surrounding Uchiha guards also noticed the discrepancy, exchanging suspicious glances. Why would an Anbu have prior knowledge of the attack and relay it to Minato of all people, unless this was somehow orchestrated?

The guards closed in, their attention now focused on uncovering the truth.

….

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