Hunter of Hunters (4)

On a sunny day, the prosperous town of Koahi has once again begun its lively day. Though the nation has currently entered the warring period, the adults hid their worries and anxieties beneath their shadows, in order to provide their children with yet another lively day.

In this town with many secrets, there is one rule that everyone goes by: do not question the identity of any individual whom you come to inquire. If you are powerless, remain 'oblivious,' and continue your daily lives.

"Hello, what would you like to order?"

The tea shop owner, who greeted his cloaked customer with a forced smile, too complied with this law. He watched as the cloaked man took a seat on a nearby chair, ensuring that he has not done anything to accidentally provoke the stranger.

"What do you recommend?" Then, the words came out of the cloaked individual, who subsequently placed the hood off of his head. Revealed was an adolescent with black-coloured eyes and black hair, the common traits of those who were born in the land of fire.

"If I were to speak, our signature green tea is quite superb," However, even after the reveal of the youngster's face, the tea shop owner didn't dare to change his attitude. It has come from his experience that the ninjas are able to feign as any individual; his life was precious above all else.

"So be it then," The teen answered in a monotone, before... his eyes shifted to the right, as if he has perceived something.

"…How long will my order take?"

The shop owner, having sensed the change in the teen's atmosphere, answered with his head lowered, "10 minutes, I'd say."

"I will be back by then."

Then, with a swoosh, the teen was gone. The tea shop owner didn't question, but immediately got to work.

__________

Tap.

The exact teen who disappeared from the tea shop, was now standing on top of the roof, lazily. His black cloak fluttered as the gentle breeze grazed by.

On the opposing side where he was staring at, there sat two shinobis who were crackling laughter at him.

"Well, it seems that you are quite a sharp fellow, being able to sense us."

"And yet, a poorly performed Transformation technique it is, heh!"

The teen didn't speak, but raised his hand up. Then, he lightly moved his index finger, provoking two shinobis. In response, the two shinobis' amusement died down, and with intense blood lust lingering within their eyes, they simultaneously flipped out a couple of shurikens and threw them at the teen.

Swoosh! The teen tilted his head to the left, dodging the first shuriken. Then, he lightly jumped and performed the front flip in the air, dodging all of them with ease.

But this was within two shinobis' expectations.

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

The invisible yet potent burst of pressurized air has been flown to the airborne teen, generated by one of the two shinobis.

At the same time, the other one was dashing toward the teen, ready to deal the finishing blow immediately after the airwave impacts the teen.

However, upon the airwave crashing onto the abdomen of the teen,

Poof!

The teen has exploded into gray ashes—indicating that the supposed teen was a clone. Those sudden ashes, they entered the eyes of the nearby shinobi who was dashing at it, temporarily blinding him.

Meanwhile,

"…Who… are you…?" The shinobi who previously used gale palm, said as he sweated profusely in panic. In front of his neck lied a kunai, held by the exact teen who has appeared out of nowhere.

It was at this moment at the two of them realized—the supposed 'sloppy' Transformation technique was intended one, to lure the hyenas driven by money.

"I ask. You answer," The teen said lazily, uncaring of the question asked by the shinobi that he was pointing his kunai at.

"I-I understand. Please, j-just spare my life—Hata! Don't you dare move!!" The shinobi with kunai on his neck, desperately shouted as his teammate, who removed the ashes from his eyes, was trying to sneak away from the scene. His shout seemed to have petrified the teammate, however.

And now, for the question that the teen was seeking to gain an answer to for quite some time,

"Where is the bounty station?"

"A-at the north-west border of this town, there is a restaurant. From there, you need to order..."

"Order what?"

The shinobi with kunai on his neck stopped his words. Instead, he warily asked, "Are you going to spare me if I were to give you the full information—"

Puk!

One hesitation was enough for the teen to stab the kunai through the shinobi's neck, ending the latter's life effortlessly. Then, he turned his gaze to the teammate of the deceased, who was frozen still from the intense blood lust, emitted by the teen.

Creak—

As the teen took one step, the roof below creaked slightly. Then, one step was followed by another, then another, and, before the teammate of the deceased knew, the teen was now standing in front of him.

"I still have 7 minutes left," The teen spoke casually, "and if kunai on the throat is not enough, then I shall suffice to the torture."

Thud. The teammate of the decreased fell to his butt, trembling uncontrollably. Unable to contain his bowel, he urinated on his pants. He could only mutter,

"P-Please..."

To this man, the teen in front of him was beyond terrifying. The black—no, the cold dark-blue-coloured eyes were peering through his soul. The brownish-red hair, not black, seemed to be floating up wildly. The man has never seen a demon in his life, but he wondered if this is what the creature looked like.

"I... I will tell. So anything but death, I beg you."

The man could only beg and beg. He was no longer the bounty hunter, but a prey standing in front of his hunter.

"Speak."

__________

"Although I am not an expert when it comes to tea," The teen with black hair and black-coloured eyes, who was temporarily gone from the tea shop, commented as he took a leisurely sip, "I can tell that this is quite a nice one."

"Thank you for your praise," The tea shop owner bowed slightly.

Tap. Finishing the tea, the teen placed the cup down along with the pay next to it, and stood up from his seat.

"I don't need the change."

Without turning back, the teen exited the shop, leaving the tea shop owner, who was saluting the teen with a bow, all by himself.

Tea shop owner sighed lightly before going to the table where the teen left the money at. Upon reaching the table, he found his lips curling up, for the pay was double the price.

"What a nice day it is," said the tea shop owner, "Haha, I will be able to close earlier today!"

The teen, having heard this laugh from the outside, let out a small snort before continuing his way.

'Right in the middle of the town, at the mayor's house. Knock once, and say, "Hosho-kin, are you there?". Upon entry, immediately move to the right to avoid the spikes that shoot up from below and the wall on the left.'

Or the restaurant located in the north-west.

Two shinobis, both who lost their lives against the teen, spoke differently. At least one of them is lying. Their credibility cannot be determined, and both places have to be visited.

Nonetheless, one thing was confirmed.

'This town surely is a bizarre one,'

It was as if the lives of the civilians and ninjas, were connected yet separated at the same time. Living within the same place, but living apart from one another through the combination of ninjas' secrecy and civilians' obliviousness—they brought forth this strange sense of harmony.

'and I must be careful.'

The teen—no, Akashi, thought as he continued walking.