Terumi Mei and Ao stared at the suspicious girl in front of them.
She wore no forehead protector, which meant she wasn't a ninja. But in an impoverished village like this, how could a commoner afford such fine clothes?
Almost everyone in Kirigakure knew Terumi Mei. Yet, she was certain she had never seen this girl before.
Terumi Mei shot a subtle glance at Ao.
Understanding her cue, Ao activated his Byakugan beneath his eyepatch.
After scanning the girl, he frowned. There was nothing unusual—she had no chakra at all.
Ao gave a slight nod to Terumi Mei, signaling that the girl seemed harmless.
Terumi Mei relaxed slightly.
Just then—
"Hehehe~ You just used the powerful energy hidden in your left eye, didn't you? I felt it! That immense power!"
The girl suddenly took on a serious expression, pressing one hand against her own blindfold while dramatically pointing at Ao with the other.
"Should I take this as a challenge to my Eye of Death?!"
Terumi Mei and Ao exchanged puzzled glances.
She leaned in slightly, whispering to Ao, "Are you sure she's fine?"
"Positive. She doesn't even have chakra in her eyes," Ao murmured back.
Suddenly—
Bang!
The girl slammed her hand on the stall's table, making the shopkeeper flinch.
Terumi Mei and Ao turned their full attention back to her.
"How dare you ignore me!" the girl declared. "Do you want to witness the true power of the Eye of Death?!"
Terumi Mei found herself amused. This strange girl was actually kind of cute.
With a teasing smile, she pointed to the girl's blindfold.
"So… this 'Eye of Death'—is that what's under there?"
Hearing that, the girl beamed with pride.
"Hmph! That's right! This blindfold seals away my Eye of Death! It's crucial, because its power is too great. Without the seal, its energy could spill out and threaten the entire world!"
She crossed her arms, her expression growing serious.
"You must understand! The Eye of Death is a terrifying, magical eye that could bring an end to everything!"
"Wow~" Terumi Mei gasped playfully. "That sounds incredible."
Then she smirked.
"Hey, little sister, I think you've got something on your blindfold."
The girl blinked.
"Huh? Really?"
Terumi Mei nodded and, before the girl could react, reached out and smoothly pulled the blindfold away.
The girl stood frozen for a moment. Then—
"Ah! My seal!"
She lunged forward, trying to snatch it back.
But Terumi Mei, enjoying the moment, playfully held it out of reach.
She wasn't about to return it so easily—not when this girl was proving to be such fun to tease.
---
She held the blindfold just out of reach, using her height advantage to keep it away from Sakiya.
Smiling, Terumi Mei glanced at Sakiya's plain black eyes.
"Didn't you say that if the seal on your 'Eye of Death' was removed, its immense power would be unleashed?"
Sakiya stood on her tiptoes, trying to grab it, but Terumi Mei took a step back, making her miss again.
Clutching her left eye dramatically, Sakiya huffed.
"The seal can only hold for ten more seconds! Give it back now, or the world will be destroyed!"
Terumi Mei smirked, holding the blindfold higher.
"Why don't you just use your 'Eye of Death' to take it back?"
Sakiya's frustration grew as she lunged again, reaching for the blindfold.
But Terumi Mei dodged effortlessly.
Ao, standing silently to the side, watched the scene unfold.
For some reason…
He couldn't help but feel like Terumi Mei was just bullying this poor girl.
And honestly…
It was both cruel and hilarious to watch.
In the end, Sakiya, realizing she couldn't reach it, grew impatient and lunged forward.
But Terumi Mei simply jumped out of the way.
Thud!
Sakiya crashed onto the ground, sprawled out and unmoving.
Terumi Mei chuckled. "It's been more than ten seconds, hasn't it?"
But something felt off. She leaned in to check and saw Sakiya's face twisted in distress, on the verge of tears.
"W-Wah~ Give me back my seal! Otherwise… otherwise, the world will be in big trouble!"
Terumi Mei's amusement faded. Guilt set in. Was she really bullying a kid?
Without another word, she handed back the blindfold.
Sakiya snatched it, quickly putting it back on, and just like that—her confidence returned.
"Hmph! I just let my guard down. Otherwise, you wouldn't stand a chance."
Terumi Mei couldn't help but laugh again. "Of course, of course. The 'Eye of Death' is truly incredible~"
Just then, the vendor called out.
"Your takoyaki is ready!"
Sakiya's face lit up as the aroma filled the air.
The vendor chuckled. "It's been a long time since I've seen a girl smile like that."
Sakiya eagerly took the food, handed over her money, and grinned. "Hehe, thanks!"
"Enjoy," the vendor replied warmly.
Terumi Mei and Ao took their portions too, but they didn't eat.
Instead, they watched.
Sakiya bit into the takoyaki, her eyes sparkling as the rich flavor hit her tongue.
"Delicious!"
Terumi Mei and Ao exchanged glances.
At last, they understood what was so different about this girl.
No matter the bleakness of Kirigakure, no matter the bloodstained streets—Sakiya's joy never wavered.
She was like a child untouched by the darkness, a rare light in the mist.
Terumi Mei murmured, almost to herself, "It's been so long since I've seen a smile like that…"
Ao nodded. "No wonder you were drawn to her."
Then, his expression grew serious. "But she's still suspicious. After all—"
Terumi Mei cut him off.
"I know. There's no way someone like her could've grown up here."
She glanced back at Sakiya, still happily stuffing her face with takoyaki, her cheeks puffed like a chipmunk.
A smile tugged at Terumi Mei's lips.
"Send people to watch her. But tell them… no harm is to come to that girl."
Ao sighed but nodded. "Understood."
As Terumi Mei walked away, she cast one last look at Sakiya.
And for some reason, she couldn't help but think—
"What an idiot."
_________
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