**"Bullshit!"**
This woman was a liar through and through.
Hikari internally labeled Hikari as untrustworthy, and the tension in her chest slowly eased.
It had been nearly a week since she transmigrated into this world.
And in that time, she'd begun to notice the stark differences between this *real* shinobi world and the original *Naruto* manga—or rather, the hidden mechanics lurking beneath the story's surface.
Chakra wasn't stored in some "tenketsu" energy center like many assumed, nor was it simply drawn upon freely during battle. In this world, a shinobi's chakra originated from a **"Chakra Seed"** embedded in their heart.
Some called it the **"Chakra Core."**
Under the penetrating gaze of her Byakugan, Hikari could see the faintly glowing Chakra Seed pulsing in Kurumari's heart with every beat. Mental energy from the brain gathered at the forehead, while physical energy from the cells pooled in the lower abdomen. Both forces then flowed toward the heart, merging into the Chakra Seed.
*Thump.*
Like a second heartbeat, the Chakra Seed contracted, pumping out wisps of chakra that surged through countless meridians, spreading to every limb before cycling back to the heart in an endless loop.
This was the natural state of a shinobi.
What made them superior to ordinary humans was this additional energy circulatory system.
Chakra, mental energy, and physical energy existed in a trinity within the body. If one was depleted, the other two would replenish it. Together, they maintained a dynamic equilibrium.
That's why using *any* jutsu consumed chakra, accelerating the cycle. Physical and mental energy would rush to the heart, generating new chakra to restore balance.
And that's also why running out of chakra meant death.
The reason was simple.
Exhausting all chakra meant both mental and physical energy had been completely drained. No energy left? No life left.
Conversely, even a sliver of remaining chakra meant the person still had energy reserves—and a chance to survive.
Of course, there were exceptions—cases where chakra was burned through too fast in battle, leaving the body no time to convert energy.
That's when a shinobi would resort to **"Chakra Extraction Jutsu,"** forcibly converting physical and mental energy into chakra at an accelerated rate.
From the moment she'd met Kurumari, Hikari had been observing her with the Byakugan.
Kurumari's energy cycle showed *zero* fluctuations. Meaning, if she *had* truly sensed Hikari's chakra, she'd have to possess a sensory jutsu that required *no chakra at all.*
Yeah, right.
Even the Byakugan—a dojutsu inherited from *Ōtsutsuki Kaguya herself*—required chakra to function. And this Kirigakure jōnin had a *better* sensory ability?
If such a thing existed, *Ao* wouldn't have schemed so desperately to steal a Byakugan.
Her mother would never have been stranded in Kirigakure.
And Hikari… wouldn't even exist.
In short, a *zero-chakra* sensory jutsu *might* exist somewhere in the world—but the odds of Kurumari possessing it were laughably low.
**"A sensory-type shinobi? What's chakra? Big sis, what are you talking about?"**
Watching Kurumari's poorly faked murderous aura, Hikari played dumb while carefully regulating her own heartbeat and muscle tension.
Kurumari gripped Hikari's wrist, monitoring her pulse.
…No signs of lying?
Hikari's pulse was perfectly steady—not just indicating honesty, but also confirming she was genuinely blind.
A sighted person, faced with Kurumari's bloodthirsty act, would panic instinctively whether lying or not. But Hikari's pulse didn't waver. Proof she wasn't just truthful, but *truly* blind.
**"Chakra is a special power only shinobi possess. To bypass ANBU security, they'd have sensory specialists scanning for it."**
**"Oh! Then let's go get tested!"**
Hikari nodded eagerly, utterly unafraid of Kurumari's so-called chakra detection—even urging her onward.
She *genuinely* didn't seem worried.
Kurumari studied Hikari's calm, blindfolded face, frustration mounting. No eyes meant no tells.
*Damn it. Today's encounters—one masked, one blindfolded. Impossible to read.*
After multiple probes, she'd found *zero* cracks in Hikari's act. The girl's youthful face held only innocence.
…Was it *really* just a coincidence?
Was *she* the one overthinking this?
**"How long have you been waiting here, Hikari-chan?"**
**"Since the lockdown started… about three days!"**
Kurumari nodded.
Her visit here had been impulsive. She hadn't hidden her movements. If this *was* a setup, the conspirators would've intercepted her *after* she left home—not planted a girl here *three days in advance.*
More importantly, Hikari's claim was verifiable. A blind girl with such distinct features wouldn't go unnoticed for three days. Truth or lie, a quick investigation would reveal all.
Even without checking, Kurumari's suspicions were already melting away.
By now, the streets were empty.
Rain poured in sheets, isolating the world to just the two of them. The gates of Kirigakure loomed ahead, ANBU guards nowhere in sight.
Under the eaves, Kurumari held her umbrella as they waited out the storm.
Staring at the eerily beautiful blind girl, Kurumari's thoughts churned.
*Should I help her?*
She knew of Tanzaku Quarters.
The most notorious pleasure district in the Land of Fire, a den of gambling halls, brothels, and vice—the kind of place ninja academies warned about when teaching the **"Three Forbidden Acts."**
If Hikari's father was a merchant, living in such a place made sense.
Getting there from Kirigakure meant sailing from Mizu no Kuni's coastal port to Hi no Kuni—a round trip of at least two months.
*If something happens in the village while I'm gone…*
No.
Her brother's whereabouts were unknown. Kirigakure's political climate was unstable. Staying alone might accomplish nothing.
Worse—if rogue ANBU *had* betrayed her brother, her presence could make her a liability.
*Leaving is the right move.*
Find her brother. Warn him.
Even if she failed, at least she wouldn't be a hostage.
With his strength, no one in Kirigakure could stop him—and as long as he lived, no one would dare kill *her* and risk his wrath.
Her safety now was proof he was still alive. The best way to help him was to *stay out of danger.*
Logic crystallized in Kurumari's mind.
Decision made.
She looked down at the blind girl and spoke solemnly:
**"Hikari. I'll help you get home. But if you come with me… you might face unimaginable danger. Are you willing?"**
*Not going with you would be* more *dangerous.*
Hikari stifled the thought and nodded without hesitation.
Kurumari's face softened into a radiant smile. **"Then we leave tomorrow. For the Land of Fire."**
For the first time in what felt like forever, Hikari grinned back—*truly.*
Outside, the rain roared.
But within the darkened clouds, a sliver of light broke through.
---
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