"Hokage-sama, something is indeed off. In the past, most villagers from the Land of Grass would flee to our Land of Fire."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke said.
As the Anbu captain, he had naturally studied the past state of the Land of Grass. No one from the Land of Grass didn't want to settle in the Land of Fire, but since the two countries were allies, the Land of Fire couldn't accept too many refugees from the Land of Grass.
Even so.
Every time a war broke out, many would attempt to cross the border.
However.
This year, there had been no such cases.
How strange.
After carefully reviewing the situation, Sarutobi Shinnosuke also felt that something was amiss.
"What are you suggesting?"
The Sandaime frowned.
The Land of Grass bordered the Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Rain. However, the villagers of the Land of Waterfalls were quite xenophobic, so people from the Land of Grass generally wouldn't go there. As for the Land of Rain…
The conditions there weren't great.
But.
The Land of Rain seemed to be the most likely destination.
They couldn't have gone to the Land of Earth, could they?
The Sandaime thought of Hanzo's "neutrality" and some past events, gradually understanding the situation.
"It seems that while Hanzo claims neutrality, he hasn't been idle. These villagers might have gone to the Land of Rain."
The Sandaime said.
"Why?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke was puzzled.
Hanzo had been relatively inactive in recent years, seemingly content to lie low. Why would he suddenly draw attention to himself like this?
The Sandaime didn't understand either.
But.
Kyōichi understood immediately.
No wonder there had been that strange reward earlier.
It was indeed the Land of Rain's doing.
Yahiko must have taken his words to heart. After returning to the Land of Rain, he likely allied with Hanzo, planning to gradually win him over before making further moves.
This wasn't a bad approach.
Hanzo was strong, and with his protection, even if Madara was displeased, he wouldn't immediately act against them.
"Perhaps Hanzo sees an opportunity and has regained his ambition. I'd like to investigate and see what's really going on."
Kyōichi said.
"That's fine. For now, Ōnoki hasn't launched a full-scale attack on the Land of Grass, so we still have plenty of time."
The Sandaime nodded, agreeing to Kyōichi's plan.
However.
He then added, "Having just your team isn't enough. Take the Owl Squad with you. You can make decisions on your own from now on; no need to keep reporting back to me."
"Yes!"
The Owl Squad was Gekkō Hayate's team.
The Sandaime's intention was clearly to delegate authority to Kyōichi, allowing him to handle things with Gekkō Hayate's squad as he saw fit.
Kyōichi thought for a moment and asked the Sandaime for a set of Anbu attire.
Clothes and masks included.
Then, he returned to Shisui and the others, handing them the clothes to change into.
The three of them were excited.
After changing, Asuma said excitedly, "Sensei, does this mean I've joined the Anbu?"
"No, you're just a temporary worker."
Kyōichi said indifferently. "You'll do the work when there's nothing going on, and take the blame when something happens."
"Huh?"
Asuma was stunned.
He knew Kyōichi was joking, but what was the logic behind the second part?
Kurenai, while adjusting her gear, thought for a moment and understood. She smiled and said, "The Anbu has its own rules, but temporary workers don't know them."
It was like the medical ninjas.
Something similar had happened at the Konoha Hospital before.
Asuma understood.
So, if something went wrong, they'd just say it was because the temporary workers didn't know the rules?
Cunning!
He cursed inwardly.
"Let's move out."
…
Gekkō Hayate and his team received their orders and headed to the Land of Grass first. However, by the time they reached the border, Kyōichi had already caught up with them.
Kohinata Mukai, upon seeing Kyōichi, immediately greeted him respectfully.
Since confirming his background, Kyōichi had been teaching and guiding him.
Over the past ten days, he had received the most guidance.
Kyōichi hadn't taught him ninjutsu or kenjutsu yet, but instead focused on the taijutsu techniques he knew, including the Soft Physique Modification Technique, which he also passed on.
In essence, Mukai had inherited Kyōichi's taijutsu.
In return.
Kyōichi had been receiving proficiency in taijutsu techniques and the Soft Body Physique Technique these past few days.
However, he hadn't yet received the "Mentor" reward.
Clearly.
Older, more experienced individuals with deep grievances weren't so easily swayed.
Kyōichi sighed inwardly.
But.
He didn't mind too much.
Teaching Mukai wasn't solely for the rewards.
The Land of Grass wasn't large.
After reaching the border, they soon saw villagers moving along the road.
"Kyōichi-sama, they're heading west. Are they going to the Land of Rain?"
"Yes."
Kyōichi nodded.
As he had suspected, the migrants were scattered, not many in number, but over time, a significant number might have already flowed into the Land of Rain.
He wondered if the Grass ninja village had noticed.
"What should we do?"
Gekkō Hayate was conflicted.
Killing people was one thing, but figuring out these matters wasn't his forte.
"Let's observe first. Once we understand the situation, we'll decide how to proceed."
Kyōichi used the Body Flicker Technique to catch up.
The two teams moved westward without speaking.
No one wanted to leave their homeland unless absolutely necessary. The migrants from the Land of Grass were still a small portion, mostly poor, so the Grass ninja village didn't seem to care.
Yahiko… he grasps things swiftly!
Kyōichi thought to himself.
The poor were the least valued.
But for the sparsely populated Amegakure, these people were a source of strength. Even if only half of them could be turned into ninjas, it would be a huge gain.
Moreover.
A slow, subtle approach was less likely to be noticed.
"Sensei, ten squads!"
Kurenai's voice was tense.
Aside from Kyōichi andk Mukai's Byakugan, Kurenai had the strongest sensing abilities. She had already detected the ninjas from the Land of Rain.
Ten squads.
Even if their sensei was strong, facing ten squads would still be incredibly difficult.
"Hmm."
Kyōichi not only knew about the ten squads but also that Konan was among them.
Not only that, but the forest ahead was filled with paper butterflies. Once they entered the area, Konan would sense their presence.
After allying with Hanzo, Konan's techniques had become even stronger.
Mukai quietly activated his Byakugan and saw a large number of chakra-infused paper butterflies. He was startled but didn't show it.
He hesitated whether to mention it but then saw Kyōichi raise his hand, signaling everyone to stop.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course.
How could Kyōichi-sama not have noticed?
"Let's go."
Kyōichi signaled everyone to retreat.
After retreating, a piece of paper transformed into a butterfly and silently flew into the forest, blending in with a group of real butterflies.
Not far away.
Konan's expression turned strange.
This…
Where did this paper butterfly come from?
She focused her chakra, causing the butterfly to return to her.
It was a piece of white paper.
But.
It was infused with chakra.
She rubbed it with her fingers, deep in thought.
Kanda Kyōichi.
He's here!
And.
When did he learn her Paper Ninjutsu?
She felt both irritation and admiration—Kyōichi's talent was extraordinary. The fact that he had taken the time to study her technique proved that her Paper Ninjutsu had unique value.
What impressed her was.
He had actually succeeded.
"Let's pause after this wave to avoid drawing too much attention."
"Yes."
"Alright, I'll go find Yahiko."
Konan said, then used the Body Flicker Technique to leave.
After some travel, she found Yahiko at a settlement where villagers were being housed. He was directing and comforting them. She quietly informed him about Kyōichi.
…
That night, atop a hill.
After handling all the matters, Yahiko and Konan waited in hiding at the border of the Land of Grass. Yahiko wasn't sure if Kyōichi would come, but he decided to give it a try.
After a while, a figure emerged from the rocks.
"It's been a while, you two."
A familiar face.
Though wearing a mask, the hair and chakra signature made it clear that this was Kyōichi's shadow clone.
Yahiko bowed deeply upon seeing Kyōichi.
"Thank you very much for your guidance. Without your advice, the future of Akatsuki would be hard to predict."
"It seems you've gained a lot from Hanzo."
"Yes."
Yahiko nodded and briefly explained his recent situation. Konan stood nearby, controlling paper butterflies to prevent anyone from eavesdropping.
After parting ways with Kyōichi, Yahiko had managed to meet Hanzo.
Following a long conversation, Hanzo acknowledged Yahiko's ideas and abilities. Although he didn't take Yahiko as a disciple, he taught them many of his techniques.
After recounting his experiences, Yahiko briefly outlined his plans.
Konan seemed hesitant.
She wanted to say that Kyōichi might not be trustworthy, but then she thought—
If Kyōichi had wanted to betray them, he wouldn't have given Yahiko advice in the first place.
"That's the situation."
"Your plan is good, but once you start acting, you'll be exposed to the major villages, and they might see you as an enemy."
Kyōichi warned.
"I understand. If necessary, we can ally with Sunagakure…"
Yahiko nodded.
He knew this, but without taking the first step, success was impossible.
"Your mission areas overlap. Sunagakure won't cooperate with you."
Kyōichi shook his head. "Moreover, they're not afraid of Hanzo."
Hanzo's ability to fight three opponents at once was largely due to his unique poison, which Chiyo of Sunagakure had perfectly countered.
Yahiko was stunned for a moment before saying, "Hanzo-sama didn't mention this."
"Of course he wouldn't bring up such unpleasant matters. Besides, sometimes learning through experience is more impactful. But I have my own needs, and I don't want Amegakure to suffer such a lesson."
Kyōichi was straightforward.
"Do you want us to help Konoha?"
Konan asked.
"No, you've pledged neutrality. How could you help us? But we'd appreciate it if you could share your intelligence on the Land of Earth."
Kyōichi stated his purpose.
Konan breathed a sigh of relief.
She had been worried that Kyōichi would demand more, as Yahiko might have agreed if he had asked.
Yahiko nodded and said, "That's no problem. I expected this. Here's the latest intelligence on the Land of Earth."
He handed over a scroll.
Kyōichi carefully read through it, paying special attention to a few names—Gari of the Explosion Corps, Ōnoki's son Kurotsuchi, and the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Rōshi.
These individuals were still in the Land of Earth and hadn't gone to the front lines in the Land of Grass.
After reading, he returned the scroll to Yahiko.
Then, Yahiko asked, "If allying with Sunagakure isn't feasible, what other options do we have?"