Ah, the feeling of useless story arcs, how amusing.
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A few minutes after Sumire had darted off with her newfound resolve, Arsene found himself back in Konoha Village, a simple sandwich in his hand. The meat inside was freshly cooked boar, which he had hunted earlier that day.
The sandwich, like everything in Arsene's life, was straightforward and practical—just something to keep his body fueled so he could move on to the next task. He took a bite, chewing slowly as his mind drifted, focused more on the hum of the village around him than on the food itself.
The marketplace was lively as usual. Merchants shouted their offers, children ran through the streets laughing, and the familiar buzz of everyday life swirled around him. But as Arsene walked through the busy streets, his eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed something was off. One of the shops—his shop—was closed.
Arsene's steps slowed, his eyes narrowing on the small store where he usually bought his masks. The shop's windows were boarded up, and the door was shut tight, a stark contrast to the usual open and welcoming façade.
That's annoying, Arsene thought. He had planned to pick up another mask, but with the shop closed, his plans would have to wait. His gaze flicked around, searching for any sign of the owner, and his eyes landed on a familiar figure—Old Man Shuji, the shopkeeper, and a skilled tailor from his younger days.
Shuji was standing outside, hammering wooden boards over the last of his windows, his movements slow but deliberate. Despite his age, there was still a sharpness to his eyes, though today they seemed tired. Arsene approached, his expression unreadable as usual, though his curiosity was piqued.
"Hey, Grandpa," Arsene called out, his tone casual but with an edge of impatience. "What happened?"
The old man looked up, pausing in his work. "Ah, it's you, boy," Shuji responded, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. His voice was rough, the result of years of smoking and shouting in his younger days. "Well, looks like I had a bit of a visit from the Byakuya Gang," he said, his tone darkening with bitterness.
Arsene raised an eyebrow, folding his arms as he leaned casually against the wall. "The Byakuya Gang?" he repeated, his interest sparking. He'd heard of them—a group of thieves who fancied themselves as noble criminals, stealing from the rich and redistributing the wealth to poorer villages. Still, it wasn't their cause that interested him. It was a challenge.
"Yeah, them," Shuji continued with a heavy sigh, his voice filled with frustration as he resumed hammering the boards. "They somehow snuck in under my nose. Took a lot of my inventory—good stuff too. I know you've bought a few things here, especially those masks. Sorry about that, boy. Shop'll be closed for a while."
Arsene listened in silence, digesting the information. Byakuya Gang. His eyes scanned the boarded-up windows, taking in the scene with cold calculation. The theft had happened recently, no more than a few days ago—he had just bought a mask here earlier in the week, which meant the thieves couldn't have gotten too far.
"I see," Arsene said, pushing himself off the wall and tossing the rest of his sandwich into a nearby bin. "Well, hopefully, they'll be back soon." The words were delivered with the same detached tone, but there was a spark of something more behind his eyes—a hunger for action.
As he turned to leave, a thought crossed his mind. Catching criminals means money. He wasn't one to involve himself in things unless there was something in it for him. But a gang of thieves, hiding out somewhere nearby, was practically an open invitation for him to intervene. If there was a reward—or even just the thrill of the hunt—it would be worth his time.
...
Far from the bustling streets of Konoha, deep in the wilderness outside the village, lay a secluded cave, hidden amongst thick trees and jagged rocks. It was the perfect hideout for criminals—isolated, hard to find, and even harder to breach. Inside, the Byakuya Gang had gathered, their stolen loot spread out across the floor as they counted the spoils of their most recent heist.
"...All clear, Boss," Oko, one of the gang's members, reported as he stood guard near the entrance of the cave. His voice echoed slightly against the cave walls as he signaled that the area was secure.
Gekko, the leader of the Byakuya Gang, sat at the back of the cave, his sharp eyes watching his men as they worked. "Alright, men. Time to check the spoils," Gekko said with a grin, his voice full of satisfaction. He leaned back against the cold stone wall, the flickering light from the torches casting long shadows across his face.
The gang quickly gathered around a large sack, dumping its contents onto the ground. Coins and bills spilled out in a glittering pile, catching the dim light. The clink of metal and the rustle of paper filled the air as Ryogi, one of Gekko's most trusted men, knelt to count the loot.
"It's roughly 1,300,000 Ryo, Boss," Ryogi reported, his fingers sliding over the bills as he counted with precision.
"Perfect," Gekko murmured, a wide grin spreading across his face. His thoughts briefly drifted to the villages he intended to help—distributing the stolen money to those who needed it most—but beneath that surface-level altruism was a deeper, more selfish motivation. Only a bit more... and I'll be rich. The thought brought a flash of greed to his eyes as he leaned back in his makeshift seat.
The gang cheered in response, their voices echoing through the cave. To them, this was another victory—another successful mission to add to their growing list of triumphs. They didn't care about the risks, nor did they fear the shinobi who might come after them. They believed in their cause and, more importantly, in Gekko's leadership.
Gekko allowed himself a moment of satisfaction, his eyes scanning the piles of money before him. Everything's going according to plan. He didn't see any reason to worry. Konoha's shinobi hadn't even come close to catching them, and they had the perfect hideout—a place no one would think to search.
Perched high in the branches of a tall tree just outside the cave, Arsene's sharp eyes scanned the area below. From this vantage point, he could see the entrance to the cave clearly, though it was well-hidden from any casual observer. The gang had chosen their hideout wisely—it was close enough to the village to be accessible, but remote enough to remain undetected.
For most people, finding such a place would be nearly impossible. But Arsene wasn't like most people. He had followed the faintest of trails—clues left behind by the gang that would have been missed by anyone without his level of focus and skill. He hung silently from the tree branch, his body perfectly balanced as he observed the scene below.
For a bunch of criminals, they chose a decent place to hide, Arsene thought, his expression unchanged as he watched the gang members mill about outside the cave entrance. Hard to find, easy to escape from. He admired the strategic choice, but it was a shame their precautions hadn't been enough to avoid him. A shame I found you.
He watched for a moment longer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he assessed the situation. There were guards posted, but they weren't particularly skilled—likely low-level members of the gang who had been assigned to keep watch. Amateurs. They wouldn't pose much of a threat. The real problem would be the leader, Gekko.
Arsene's mind was already working through the possibilities. Take out the leader, the rest will fall apart. It was a simple plan, but simple worked. There was no need for anything more elaborate. He would make quick work of them, collect whatever bounty or reward came his way, and move on.
As he crouched silently in the tree, the wind rustled the leaves around him, carrying with it the faint sound of the gang's laughter. They were relaxed, unaware of the predator that watched them from the shadows.
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[Auther: Yo, I prefer building up my new stories even if, I'm not exactly interested in this one as much. Here's a note for me to remember, what the side characters can do.
Ryogi: Ice
Gekko: Genjutsu
Oko: Fire ]