Tatsuo remained on the rooftop after Keiko left, watching her disappear into the streets below. The sound of her footsteps had long faded away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
If Tensei truly knew everything, then there was nothing stopping him from revealing their identities. Tatsuo had already made a mistake once, and now he could only wait and see what happened next.
A hand suddenly tapped his shoulder.
He immediately turned around, his hand instinctively moving towards his kunai, only to freeze when he saw the person standing behind him.
Tensei.
For a moment, Tatsuo couldn't understand how he had appeared there.
'Did he follow Keiko?' His eyes quickly moved around the rooftop, searching for any sign that Tensei had followed her.
Tensei noticed his reaction and smiled with satisfaction.
"How are ya doin—pipsqueak!" Tensei said in a friendly tone, lightly punching Tatsuo in the shoulder.
The punch, was by no definition light. Tatsuo almost fell down from the force, stumbling back to gain balance.
Tensei closed his eyes in satisfaction, no even caring that Tatsuo swung his kunai to attack. The kunai hit Tensei and broke, not even creating a scratch.
"What do you want?" Tatsuo asked warily, his fear rose with his chakra levels.
Tensei tilted his head, looking at him with curiosity. "I wanted to asked a question. It's alright if you aren't capable of answering." Tensei said, placing his hand back on Tatsuo's shoulder.
He was domineering over Tatsuo, both in size and power. His palm squeezed the injured shoulder, the screams were music to Tensei's ears.
"What are you planning to do now?" Tensei asked mockingly, but Tatsuo remained silent after his screams died down.
"You know I know who you are. You know I know where you come from. So what now?"
Tensei looked around the empty rooftop, the alleyway and the building around him. Hoping that Keiko wasn't nearby.
"Scared, are you? Now that you aren't with your buddy. There's no one here that going to help you. "
The way he said it made Tatsuo's body tense again, 'He's talking about Satoru?'
Tensei was waiting to see what Tatsuo would do. Attack? Run? Maybe even panic! What would Tensei wouldn't give to have the boy in front him grovel and beg.
But Tatsuo did nothing.
Tensei stared at him for a few seconds before his expression changed, the smile disappeared.
"That's it?" Tensei asked, anger bubbling within him. Tatsuo didn't do anything, except stare.
"You came all the way here by yourself, thinking you could investigate me. You followed me, tried to gather information, act like you knew what you were doing while you were just a failure." His angered surfaced, his grip tightened till he heard a pop from Tatsuo's shoulder.
"Was it because of your promotion, huh? Did becoming a chunin make you think you were ready?" He spat out, making Tatsuo flinch.
"A little bit of recognition and suddenly thought you could come to a completely different village, handle everything by yourself? Pretty desperate to make your daddy proud?"
Tatsuo looked away, trying to ignore the words. That reaction made Tensei's expression darken further.
"I'm an orphan, by the way." Tatsuo said, 'He doesn't know about Keiko or Hiten...' Tatsuo looked back at him.
Tensei eyes narrowed. The next moment, Tensei disappeared.
Tatsuo barely had time to react before a fist struck his face and sent him crashing onto the rooftop floor, creating several cracks in the floor and his ribs alike.
Tatsuo tried to stand, but Tensei was already above him. The attacks came one after another.
Tatsuo tried to defend himself, but it didnt work. Tensei held Tatsuo's arms down lodging them into the floor. He sat on Tatsuo's chest, making breathing difficult.
*Thud* *thud* *thud*
Tensei rained down punches on the helpless boy. It was as if he saw Tatsuo as an object to vent his anger into.
"You are worthless. That Hiruzen wasted resources on a failure like you."
Another strike.
"You think you can walk beside your buddy Satoru? Nah, they'll replace you after you die. They won't even fucking remember you!"
Another blow sent Tatsuo sliding across the ground. Tatsuo's body was barely responding anymore. His ribs hurt with every breath, his vision blurred, and his attempts to move only resulted in more pain.
Tensei stood over him, looking down.
The anger on his face had slowly disappeared, replaced by disappointment. "You should have stayed in the village you came from."
Tatsuo could barely hear him.
"You weren't ready for this."
Tensei turned around and began walking away, only to stop after a few steps. "Oh, and one more thing."
"Don't bother coming back tomorrow. You're fired."
Tatsuo watched him leave, unable to move.
---
The loud music, the smell of alcohol and the voices of drunk men filled the small bar.
Keiko stood near the entrance for a moment, observing the regulars.
Tatsuo had done his part. He found out which of these pompous rich freaks were a part of Kaiyo Harvest.
Information was rarely found inside official meetings after all, because, It was found when people were relaxed, drunk and had their guard down.
Her eyes moved across the room until she found him.
Kudo, One of the higher-ups.
He sat in the corner, laughing loudly with another man while holding a bottle in his hand.
Keiko adjusted her expression before walking over.
she sat comfortably on Kudo's lap, the lecherous smile on his face made it clear that he didn't dislike it.
She took the bottle from his hand before he could react and poured the alcohol directly into his mouth, her other hand unbuttoned his shirt.
Kudo immediately started coughing, his face twisting from the sudden action, making the man sitting across from him burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Kudo, what happened? Can't even handle a little drink now?" Kudo's friend teased, taking a sip of alcohol from his own glass.
Keiko laughed along as she wiped the alcohol from Kudo's face with the edge of her skirt. "You should drink slower. You're embarrassing yourself."
Kudo looked at her with surprise for a second before laughing. "You're a naughty one!"
The man across from them, Jiro, leaned closer while staring at Keiko. "Where did you find a beauty like this?" His voice filled with jealousy.
Kudo smirked, placing his hand on Keiko's waist. "She found me."
Keiko noticed the way his expression changed.
Pride.
She leaned closer to him.
"I started working here recently. I just wanted to earn a lot of money." She smiled, "Then I found Kudo. He has been very generous with his tips."
Kudo's smile widened, enjoying having his ego stroked.
Jiro frowned. "Is that all it takes?" He leaned back, pulling out his wallet. "I can give you more than him."
Keiko looked at him, pretending to consider it, only to shake her head in rejection.
"Sorry, but I saw how little you tipped that other girl earlier." Her word made Jiro frowns.
Keiko hugged Kudo closer as she said, "He treats people well."
Kudo looked at Jiro with a smug expression, Jiro placed his glass on the counter with a little more force than necessary.
"Then I'll buy you from him." The rejection bothered him more than the money. The words came out naturally, like he was used to getting whatever he wanted.
Kudo laughed as he asked "Buy her?" Looking at Keiko as if she was an object, something that could be bought...or sold.
"Well, what should your price be?" Kudo asked, the grip on her waist tightened.
Keiko puffed her cheeks and looked away. "I don't want to go anywhere."
She tightened her arms around him. "I like staying here." Her words made Kudo burst out in laughter.
The look he gave Jiro was enough, Kudo had won this battle of ego. Jiro looked away in irritation, grabbing another drink.
Keiko quietly watched the reaction, it was exactly as she expected.
Kudo clapped twice. A man immediately appeared behind him, a bodyguard maybe? He was muscular but looked flexible enought to be a fighter.
"Go to my office."
Kudo reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, Keiko took those keys and handed them off the the man.
"Give these to the secretary. Tell her to finish closing everything and go home." Kudo said, it was routine for him. He would leave and have his secretary close up after him.
The bodyguard took the keys and nodded, his eyes lingered on the calloused hands before leaving.
Keiko smiled at Kudo. "You're really busy, aren't you?" Making him laugh. "Of course. A man like me has responsibilities."
Do you mind if I go to the washroom for a few minutes?" Keiko said, getting off from Kudo's lap.
"Get me another bottle while you come back." Kudo said, before turning to talk with other people nearby.
Keiko left for the washroom, entered a stall and created a shadow clone, sending it to be with Kudo while she exited through the ventilation shaft and followed the bodyguard.
"I won't let this mission be over, not yet. It's not over till these guys are gone." She muttered.
---