Back inside the small house he shared with his uncle, Koga went to his room and shut the door behind him. He leaned against it for several seconds, listening to the muffled voices outside as the village slowly settled down for the night.
The house was quiet, but Koga’s mind was anything but. He looked toward the two wolf cubs sitting near his bed. Fenfyr sat perfectly still, its gray ears raised while Ignilion was curled beside it, occasionally opening one eye whenever Koga moved.
Koga sighed.
"You two are going to cause me a lot of trouble."
Ignilion lifted its head.
"Rrr?"
"Yes, you."
Koga walked over and crouched in front of them.
"I need somewhere to level you up."
Fenfyr tilted its head.
"Obviously, I can’t keep fighting the clan’s wolf cubs forever."
He rubbed his chin.
"That would look strange."
He looked at Ignilion.
"And if you start using fire abilities, it’s even worse."
The little beast gave a quiet whine.
"I know."
Koga sat on the edge of the bed.
"I need a place where nobody knows me, somewhere with enough monsters or beasts for you two to gain experience, but not somewhere so dangerous that I get killed before you can protect me."
He frowned.
"That last part is important."
Koga’s thoughts immediately returned to the battle against Kuma Rai. The battle had gone well only because Earth Eruption happened to counter Rai’s underground technique. If Rai had stayed above ground, Koga did not know what would have happened. That thought alone made him uncomfortable.
Then he remembered something even worse. The entire village may not know his name but the System had announced his age. His clan. His status. His ranking. Even his lack of chakra.
That was practically a treasure map.
Koga stood and walked toward the window.
He pushed it open. Cool night air entered the room. Above the village, the enormous Sky Screen was still visible.
Koga stared at it.
"Everyone knows I’m sixteen."
His expression became bitter.
"For a normal person, that’s nothing."
But for Ninja?
It was enough. A sixteen year old boy without chakra was not exactly difficult to narrow down if someone knew which clan he belonged to. And Koga knew what Ninja could do. Tracking. Scouting. Interrogation. Infiltration. Disguise.
His identity might be impossible to discover immediately, but the four great clans had entire organizations dedicated to finding people.
Koga scratched his head.
"Should I leave?"
He looked toward the sleeping village.
"Maybe tonight?"
He quickly shook his head.
"No."
Leaving suddenly would make him suspicious. And where would he even go? He did not have money. He did not have a map. He did not have a reliable understanding of the surrounding countries. He barely understood how the Ninja world worked.
Running away blindly could be worse than staying. Then the Sky Screen flickered.
Koga immediately looked up.
"What now?"
The previous messages disappeared.
A new title appeared.
FINAL ULTIMATE MISSION.
Koga’s expression became tired. But mentally prepared himself as the mission was displayed.
ULTIMATE MISSION ONE.
MISSION OBJECTIVE: DISCOVER THE NAME OF KOGA’S NEW PET.
Koga froze.
His face slowly turned blank.
"...My pet?"
The Villager Chat exploded.
Villager Mina: KOGA HAS A NEW PET?!
Villager Toma: WHAT KIND OF PET?!
Villager Haku: IS IT ANOTHER LEGENDARY BEAST?!
The Ninja Chat immediately followed.
Genin Raku: We need to find Koga!
Chunin Sora: He’s a villager, sixteen years old... that’s gonna be easy. No chakra.
Jonin Taro: Because the System clearly considers him important.
The Top Overlord Chat became active.
Yukiju Ken: Another reward connected to Koga.
Karasu Moira: This is becoming more suspicious.
Inuzuza Kiza: I’ll find him before someone else does.
Koga’s expression became ugly.
"Why would you announce that?"
The Sky Screen continued.
THE FINAL ULTIMATE MISSION WILL PROVIDE A GREATER REWARD THAN THE PREVIOUS MISSIONS.
The village became even louder.
"Greater than the other missions?"
"What could the reward be?"
"Another legendary beast?"
"Maybe a bloodline!"
"Maybe a forbidden Ninja technique!"
Koga rubbed his forehead.
"Wonderful."
The Sky Screen finally displayed its last message.
THE FIVE ULTIMATE MISSIONS HAVE NOW BEEN REVEALED. ALL PARTICIPANTS HAVE ONE MONTH TO COMPLETE THEM. THE OVERLORD RANKING WILL REMAIN ACTIVE.
DURING THIS PERIOD, RANDOM FEATS OF KOYAGAKURE NINJA WILL ALSO BE DISPLAYED.
Then the Sky Screen began fading.
REST WELL, PEOPLE OF KOYAGAKURE.
THE MISSIONS BEGIN NOW.
The enormous display disappeared. For the first time since it had appeared, the night sky looked normal.
Koga stared at the empty heavens.
"Finally."
He closed the window. Then he immediately frowned.
"No."
He shook his head.
"That doesn’t mean I’m safe."
He looked toward Fenfyr.
"You understand that too, right?"
Fenfyr wagged its tail.
Koga sighed.
"They’re going to search for me."
And they did.
Across the village, Yukiju Ken stood inside the main hall of the Yukiju Clan with several trusted Ninja surrounding him.
The Clan Head folded his arms.
"We have one month."
A subordinate nodded.
"Yes, Clan Head."
"We don’t know Koga’s exact location, but we know several things."
Ken pointed toward a map.
"He is sixteen. He belongs to the Inuzuza Clan. He is currently registered as a villager, although the System has recognized him as an Overlord."
Another Ninja asked, "Should we search every household?"
"No."
Ken shook his head.
"That will waste time."
He tapped the map.
"The System showed him caring for wolves. That means he has some connection to the clan’s Ninken."
A subordinate’s eyes widened.
"So we should investigate the feeding areas?"
"Exactly."
Ken looked around.
"Quietly."
He continued.
"Do not announce that we are searching for him. Ask ordinary questions. Which villagers work around the wolves? Who delivers food? Who assists with training? Who has recently started bringing unfamiliar wolf cubs into the clan?"
"Yes, Clan Head."
"And don’t approach anyone who looks suspicious."
"Why?"
"Because if Koga truly possesses some unknown power, forcing him into hiding will make finding him harder."
The Yukiju Ninja immediately understood. Ken wanted information, not confrontation.
Meanwhile, inside the Karasu Clan, Moira stood before her own group.
"Use the birds."
Several Ninja nodded.
"Our vultures can search areas that ordinary scouts cannot reach."
She pointed toward the village.
"Do not search only for Koga himself. Search for unusual activity around the Inuzuza Clan."
A subordinate asked, "What kind?"
"Food deliveries. Wolf training. Unregistered animals. New residents. Anyone suddenly changing their routine."
Moira’s eyes narrowed.
"Koga may not know that we’re looking for him. If he’s hiding, he’ll probably try to behave normally."
Another Ninja nodded.
"We can observe the people around him."
"Exactly."
She paused.
"And don’t underestimate the boy because the System says he has no chakra."
One of her subordinates hesitated.
"But if he really is just a villager..."
Moira looked at him.
"Then why is he number one?"
The Ninja immediately fell silent.
"Find out."
Elsewhere, Inuzuza Kiza summoned the clan’s senior members.
The atmosphere was far more tense.
"He is one of ours."
Nobody spoke.
Kiza looked around the room.
"Yet none of you knew his name."
One subordinate lowered his head.
"We searched every record."
"You’ll search again."
"Yes, Matriarch."
"Birth records."
"Yes."
"Family records."
"Yes."
"Training records."
"Yes."
"Adoption records."
"Yes."
"Clan housing records."
"Yes."
"Feeding assignments."
"Yes."
Kiza’s eyes sharpened.
"Everything."
A senior Ninja asked, "Should we question the villagers?"
"Not aggressively."
"Why?"
"Because if Koga truly is hiding something, frightening him will only make him disappear."
She looked toward the window.
"He may already be watching us."
The Ninja exchanged uneasy glances.
Kiza continued.
"Search quietly. Find every sixteen year old associated with the Inuzuza Clan. Find every villager who recently acquired Ninken or with strange beasts. Find every person who spends time around our wolves."
"Yes, Matriarch."
"And one more thing."
Everyone waited.
"If you find him, do not approach him immediately."
The room became silent.
"Observe first."
Kiza’s voice became firm.
"I want to know why the System placed him at number one."
Finally, at the Kuma Clan, Rai slammed his fist onto the table.
"Search the village."
His subordinates immediately straightened.
"Use every tracker we have."
"Yes, Clan Head."
"Ask about unusual wolf cubs."
"Yes."
"Ask about anyone who spends time near the Inuzuza feeding grounds."
"Yes."
Rai narrowed his eyes.
"I don’t care if the boy is a villager."
One subordinate asked, "Do you believe the System?"
Rai fell silent.
After several seconds, he answered.
"I believe what I experienced."
He remembered the heat. He remembered the sudden defeat.
"I don’t understand that boy."
Then his expression hardened.
"And that’s exactly why I want to find him."
Back inside the house, Koga sat quietly on his bed.
He had no idea that four powerful groups were already searching for him. He only knew that something had to change. He could not stay in Koyagakure forever. But leaving without preparation was foolish. He needed money. He needed information. He needed stronger beasts.
Most importantly, he needed a way to disappear without actually disappearing.
Koga slowly looked toward Fenfyr.
The gray wolf cub stared back at him.
A thought entered his mind.
Koga’s eyes widened. Then a small smile appeared.
"Wait..."
He stood.
"Fenfyr."
The wolf cub’s ears rose.
Koga stared at its Transform ability.
"If you can become anyone or make Ignilion look like a normal wolf then..."
His smile grew.
"...then maybe I can change myself?"
He looked toward the window.
For the first time that night, Koga felt a path opening before him. His eyes remained fixed on Fenfyr. "I think I finally have an idea."