Published at 17th of September 2024 5:11 pm

Chapter 79 The Last Shadow: 2 A Growing Threat

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The next morning, Kojiro awoke to a quiet village, the sun's early rays just beginning to filter through the wooden shutters of his small apartment above the tea shop. The encounter with Katsuro the day before still weighed heavily on his mind. His dreams had been plagued by memories of his clan’s destruction, and the phantom pain of old wounds seemed more real than ever. Despite his determination to ignore Katsuro’s warnings, something gnawed at the back of his mind. He knew, deep down, that the young shinobi’s words weren’t just idle threats. His past, long buried, was starting to surface.

Kojiro went about his morning routine—boiling water for tea, preparing the shop for the day’s customers—but his hands moved mechanically. His thoughts were elsewhere. Katsuro’s mention of the enemies who had destroyed the Shizuka Clan sent chills through him. He had always known that there were loose ends from his past, but he had convinced himself that they would never find him here, hidden in plain sight in Konoha.

Now, it seemed, that illusion of safety was crumbling.

Kojiro pushed the thoughts aside as he opened the shop. The familiar smells of tea leaves and freshly baked goods greeted him, momentarily soothing his frayed nerves. The first customers trickled in—a pair of elderly villagers who came every morning for their usual jasmine tea. Kojiro greeted them with a smile, the kind of smile that came easily when you had spent years perfecting the art of blending in.

The hours passed in a blur, but even as Kojiro busied himself with the tasks of running the shop, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. His eyes flicked toward the door every time a new customer entered, and his hand instinctively hovered near the pouch of kunai at his side, hidden beneath his apron.

Around midday, just as the lunch rush began, Kojiro felt it again—that unmistakable sensation of being watched. His heart rate quickened, but he kept his expression neutral as he scanned the crowd. The tea shop was busy, filled with the usual assortment of villagers, shinobi, and travelers. Nothing seemed out of place, but Kojiro’s instincts screamed otherwise.

Then, he saw him.

Standing in the far corner of the shop, partially obscured by a group of chatting customers, was a man Kojiro hadn’t noticed when he first walked in. He was tall, with dark hair and a nondescript face—nothing about him stood out. But that, in itself, was a red flag. The man’s presence felt… wrong. He wasn’t a regular, and something about the way he carried himself, the way he stood so still in the midst of the crowd, made Kojiro’s skin crawl.

Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Kojiro saw the faintest flicker of recognition in the man’s gaze. It was only for a second, but it was enough. This man wasn’t here by accident.

Kojiro’s pulse quickened. He couldn’t confront the man here, not in front of so many people. It would draw too much attention. But he couldn’t just let him leave, either. If Katsuro’s warning was true, then this man might be one of the enemies who had come for him.

With practiced calm, Kojiro moved toward the back of the shop, pretending to tend to something behind the counter. His mind raced as he formulated a plan. He needed to get the man outside, away from the crowds. A confrontation was inevitable, but it needed to be on his terms.

Minutes passed, and Kojiro kept one eye on the man, waiting for an opportunity. Finally, the moment came. The man, seemingly finished with whatever he had been observing, turned and began making his way toward the door.

Kojiro acted quickly. He signaled to his assistant—a young woman named Hina, who helped run the shop on busy days—that he was stepping out for a moment. She nodded, too busy serving a group of shinobi to ask any questions.

Slipping through the back door, Kojiro circled around the building and made his way to the alley that ran alongside the shop. It was a narrow, shadowed space, perfect for an ambush. He positioned himself behind a stack of crates, his kunai ready in hand. The man would have to pass through this alley if he was leaving the village, and Kojiro planned to make sure he didn’t get far without answers.

Sure enough, within moments, the sound of footsteps echoed down the alley. Kojiro tensed, his body coiled like a spring, ready to strike.

The man walked past the crates, oblivious to Kojiro’s presence.

With a fluid motion, Kojiro stepped out from the shadows, his kunai pressed against the man’s throat in an instant. “Don’t move,” he hissed, his voice low and dangerous.

The man froze, his eyes widening in surprise. “I don’t want any trouble,” he said quickly, his voice calm but strained. “I was just—”

“You were watching me,” Kojiro interrupted, his grip tightening on the kunai. “Why?”

The man swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing against the blade of the kunai. “I’m just a messenger,” he said, his voice trembling slightly. “I was sent to observe you. That’s all.”

“By who?” Kojiro demanded.

The man hesitated, his eyes darting to the side as if calculating his chances of escape. Kojiro pressed the kunai harder against his throat, drawing a thin line of blood. “Talk.”

“The name Katsuro… ring any bells?” the man muttered, wincing in pain.

Kojiro’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the name. So, Katsuro had sent this man after all. But why? Was this some kind of test, or was there something more going on?

“Why did Katsuro send you?” Kojiro asked, his voice cold.

The man’s breathing grew more ragged as the pressure of the kunai increased. “He wanted to know if you would make a move… if you would run.”

Kojiro’s eyes narrowed. “Run from what?”

The man hesitated again, but the cold steel at his throat left him little choice. “From them… from the ones who destroyed your clan.”

Kojiro’s blood ran cold. So it was true. Katsuro had been right. The enemies of the Shizuka Clan were still out there, and now they were coming for him.

Before Kojiro could ask another question, a sudden burst of chakra erupted from the man’s body, knocking Kojiro back with a force he hadn’t anticipated. The man leapt into the air, landing gracefully on the rooftop above. He turned, locking eyes with Kojiro one last time.

“This isn’t over,” the man said, his voice carrying on the wind. Then, in a flash, he was gone.

Kojiro stood in the alley, his mind racing. His heart pounded in his chest as the weight of the situation settled over him. His past had finally caught up to him, and there was no escaping it now.

Katsuro was right about one thing: Kojiro couldn’t run forever. But he also wasn’t ready to fight. Not yet. He needed more information, and he needed to find out who exactly was coming for him—and why.

As he made his way back to the shop, Kojiro’s thoughts turned to Katsuro. The young shinobi knew more than he was letting on, and if Kojiro was going to survive what was coming, he would need answers. Whether he liked it or not, his quiet life in Konoha was over.

He would have to confront his past once again.

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