silent, letting the wind brush against their faces. The sun was slowly setting, tinting the water with gold and purple hues.
At last, Elian spoke in a low voice, almost a whisper:
"If we refuse… Varek will keep going after Tomas. And one day, he might come after us. If we accept… we become killers."
Shikamaru let out a long, almost resigned sigh.
"We're already killers, Elian. We were on Crystal Island. The only difference is that this time, we'll be paid for it."
He slowly turned toward the boy, his half-lidded eyes reflecting the light of the setting sun.
"The question isn't whether we're going to kill. The question is whether we choose our enemies… or endure them. Varek is a manageable enemy. He has a name, an island, habits. That's easier to deal with than some unknown threat that might appear later."
Elian remained silent for a long moment. He could feel the weight of the pouch in his pocket, the weight of the shuriken at his belt, and that new warmth in his chest that seemed to be waiting for his decision.
Finally, he slowly nodded.
"We accept. But we'll do it our way. Not like assassins. Like shinobi."
A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on Shikamaru's face.
"Good. Then tomorrow, we'll go see Tomas. We'll take half the money now. And we'll leave for Blackrock."
Night fell gently over Mist-Low. The harbor lanterns lit up one by one, flickering in the breeze. Elian and Shikamaru returned to the inn in silence, each carrying the weight of an irreversible decision.
The next morning, they went back to see Tomas. The merchant was waiting for them, his face tense but filled with hope. He handed them half of the promised sum—400,000 Berries—without asking unnecessary questions.
Elian carefully stored the money. Shikamaru studied the maps one last time, tracing the route to Blackrock with his finger.
They left Mist-Low that very day on a small boat they had purchased with part of their first payment. The wind pushed them out to sea, carrying away the last traces of their innocence.
Before them stretched the East Blue, vast and unknown.
Behind them, the path they had chosen slowly closed.
The wind kept blowing, carrying their boat toward Blackrock, toward Varek, toward a new stage in what they were becoming.
***
The following days were marked by calm, steady sailing. The sea of the East Blue remained peaceful—almost too peaceful—as if granting them a brief respite before the trial ahead. Elian and Shikamaru spoke little. They took turns rowing, ate sparingly, and let the wind and current carry them.
One evening, as the boat drifted slowly beneath a pink-tinged sky, Shikamaru took out the pouch containing half of the 900,000 Berries they had earned. He placed it between them on the floor of the boat.
"We have 450,000 Berries," he said in a lazy tone. "That's enough to buy what we need before reaching Blackrock. No more. We don't spend everything."
Elian slowly nodded. He closed his eyes and opened the Shop in his mind. The lines appeared, clear and precise:
Price – Item Name
15,000 – Pack of 5 shuriken
30,000 – Kunai
30,000 – Set of explosive tags (x5)
70,000 – Small dose of chakra (increases base reserve)
2,800,000 – Dancing Leaves Style
5,500,000 – Spinning Punch
18,000,000 – Winds of Shadow
After a long silence, Elian spoke softly:
"I'll buy ten packs of shuriken… that's 150,000 Berries. Fifty more shuriken. And another set of explosive tags for 30,000. With the rest… a new small dose of chakra to increase my reserve even more."
Shikamaru nodded slightly.
"That's reasonable. More shuriken for training and ranged combat. More explosives to create openings. And more chakra so you don't run out too quickly."
Elian confirmed the purchases in his mind. The items slowly materialized at the bottom of the boat: ten new packs of perfectly balanced shuriken and a second set of five explosive tags. The small dose of chakra merged directly into him, without any visible form. A soft, deep warmth spread through his chest, expanding his inner reserve a little more.
He carefully stored the new shuriken and tags, then remained silent for a long moment, feeling that new, steady strength growing within him.
Shikamaru watched the sea for a moment, then murmured:
"I don't know much about Varek. Just what Tomas told us: a wealthy man who thinks he's important in this remote corner. He has a large house on the hill, a few guards hanging around, but nothing serious. No real security, no sophisticated traps. Just an arrogant rich man paying thugs to feel protected."
He paused, looking at the map with calculated indifference.
"It should be fairly simple. We approach from the hill behind the house during the night. I'll take care of the two guards patrolling the back—one strike to the plexus, a sweep, nothing complicated. They're slow and half-asleep. Once the guards are down, you climb onto the roof of the west terrace. Varek goes out every evening after dinner to smoke alone for about ten minutes. You aim at him with a shuriken. One well-placed throw. That's all. We leave the same way before anyone notices anything."
Elian listened in silence, his hands resting on his knees. The simplicity of the plan still surprised him a little.
Shikamaru continued, almost nonchalant:
"He's not a great warrior. Just a man with money who thinks it protects him. In the East Blue, that kind of person is common. Easy to reach if you don't make any noise."
He rolled up the map and put it away.
"Tomorrow night, we act. Tonight, we rest. We observe the patrols one more time to be sure. And we leave nothing to chance… even if chance is on our side."
Elian slowly nodded. He felt the steady warmth in his chest, the light weight of the shuriken at his belt, and that calm determination growing within him.
Night fully fell. The two companions remained seated in the boat, silent, listening to the wind and the sea. The air was filled with a new tension, but also with a strange serenity.
A few days later, they finally landed on Blackrock Island through a narrow, hidden cove. The wood of the boat scraped softly against the pebbles. They pulled the vessel out of the water and concealed it beneath low branches and rocks. Then, without a word, they settled into a small, shallow cave along the hillside, from where they could observe Varek's residence without being seen.
The night of the attack arrived, clear and calm. The moon hung low, casting a pale light over the black rocks of Blackrock. Elian and Shikamaru left their cave without a sound. They moved slowly through the vegetation, avoiding the paths, until they reached the hill behind Varek's large house.
They stopped at the edge of the trees. The residence stood there, imposing but poorly guarded: a large building of stone and wood, surrounded by a low wall. Only two guards were visible, sitting near a brazier, talking quietly and drinking wine. They weren't even really patrolling.
Shikamaru observed the scene for a long moment, then murmured:
"It's even simpler than I thought. They're drunk and distracted. I'll take care of the two guards. You climb onto the roof of the west terrace. Varek is already out smoking. He's alone. One throw."
Elian nodded. His heart beat calmly. He felt the steady warmth in his chest and the weight of the shuriken in his hand.
Shikamaru moved first, silent as a shadow. He approached the two guards from behind. With a fluid, economical motion, he struck the first in the solar plexus with the heel of his hand. The man folded over without a sound. The second turned his head, startled, but Shikamaru delivered a precise blow to his temple. Both guards collapsed limply to the ground, unconscious.
Elian climbed silently onto the roof of the west terrace, using the rough edges of the wall. He lay flat on his stomach and looked down below.
Varek was there, alone, just as expected. A corpulent man in his fifties, dressed in a luxurious robe, smoking a cigar as he gazed at the sea. He seemed relaxed, almost arrogant, convinced that no one would dare attack him on his island.
Elian took out a shuriken. His hand was steady. He calmly aimed at the throat. The warmth in his chest helped him keep his breathing even.
He threw.
The shuriken cut through the night air with a faint whistle and sank deep into Varek's throat. The man let out a muffled gurgle, clutched his neck, and collapsed heavily onto the terrace floor. He didn't scream. He barely struggled. Within seconds, it was over.
Shikamaru joined Elian in silence. They remained still for a moment, observing the motionless body.
"It's done," Shikamaru murmured in a neutral tone. "Simple, just as planned."
They climbed down with the same discretion, retrieved the two unconscious guards, and dragged them into a bush to buy time. Then they left by the same path, without rushing, without running.
They returned to their cave before the alarm was raised. There, they sat in silence, listening to the distant sounds of the house beginning to stir.
Elian looked at his hands. They weren't trembling. He felt strangely calm.
Shikamaru let out a long sigh.
"That was almost too easy," he said. "A rich man who thought he was untouchable… and wasn't."
The wind continued to blow softly between the rocks. In the distance, shouts began to rise from Varek's house.
For Elian and Shikamaru, the night was over.
But their path had only just begun.