Kakashi intended to confirm the number of Cloud Ninjas. Since only one Cloud Ninja was seen guarding outside the cave, Kakashi thought there was a chance it could be a Booby Trap.
Kamishiro frowned and asked, "So... how do you guys plan to confirm it? Don't tell me you guys are just gonna charge in! If you really do that, I'll leave without a word. I don't want to go and get myself killed."
Kakashi replied, "Of course, we're not gonna charge in directly. This is just an investigation mission. We won't engage in The Battle unless necessary. If we try to confirm if they're stationed here by luring them out, we'll tip them off."
"So we still have to sneak in to confirm the situation. Otherwise, if we tip them off, they might leave this place after being discovered and set up camp elsewhere. That would be a hassle. It would mean the intel Lord Jiraiya got is wasted, and we'll lose the chance to eliminate the Cloud Ninjas here."
Obito asked seriously, "Kakashi, what do you plan to do?"
After pondering for a moment, Kakashi said, "Rin, stay put here. Obito, you and Kamishiro quietly lure him away. Then I'll use the Transformation Technique to turn into him and sneak in to check it out. After confirming the situation inside, I'll withdraw immediately, and then we'll retreat."
Kamishiro said in disbelief, "So it involves me too?"
Knowing Kamishiro's capabilities, Kakashi matter-of-factly said, "Of course. I'm not too confident about Obito going alone, so you go with him to lure the Cloud Ninja away."
Kamishiro shook his head like a bobble-head. "No no no. What if luring them fails and a bunch of them come pouring out? Besides, I might end up slowing you guys down."
Kakashi looked at Kamishiro seriously and said, "Kamishiro, Minato Namikaze said we're a team now. Even though you're not a Konoha ninjas yet, we're comrades in the same team now. You have to believe in yourself and your comrades. The three of us believe you can do it."
"We're a team, and we'll have to do a lot more missions together. You can't keep chickening out, Kamishiro. So you should be more confident."
Obito echoed Kakashi and encouraged Kamishiro, "Yeah, Kakashi's right. We're comrades now."
Rin Nohara also said, "I believe in you too, Kamishiro."
Kamishiro looked at Kakashi, Obito, and Rin Nohara with a troubled expression.
Apart from Pakura, it was the first time someone told him they believed in him. It felt strange.
Kamishiro opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but finally said, "Okay, all right."
Kakashi let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief. Minato Namikaze was right.
Before, Minato Namikaze specifically told Kakashi that if Kamishiro wanted to back off during a mission, he could try the method of encouragement.
Minato Namikaze had spent some time with Kamishiro and knew him a bit.
Minato Namikaze thought that Kamishiro was the kind of person who would respond better to gentle persuasion than to force. If they tried to be tough on him, Kamishiro definitely wouldn't listen and might even try every means to slip away.
After all, since Kamishiro became an undercover agent and 'successfully' infiltrated Konoha, he's been thinking about going back all the time.
Because Kamishiro was forced into being an undercover agent, he was extremely reluctant.
So being tough on Kamishiro would definitely be useless. They had to be gentle, meaning they had to coax him.
And now, they were seeing the results.
Kakashi continued, "Then let's get ready to move out."
"Wait a minute!"
Kamishiro suddenly spoke up, making Kakashi's eyelids twitch. Could he be causing more trouble again?
Kamishiro looked up guiltily and said, "I... I know a ninjutsu that can be used for relatively safe scouting. But you know, I don't have much talent for ninjutsu, and I can't maintain it for long."
Kakashi immediately asked, "What kind of ninjutsu?"
Kamishiro explained, "I can create a Third Eye to scout inside the cave, and the visual image will be sent to my own eye."
Obito punched Kamishiro on the shoulder discontentedly and said, "Kamishiro, you've got such a ninjutsu! You should've said so earlier!"
Kamishiro forced a laugh and said, "I said I can't maintain it for long. I was afraid of screwing things up, so I didn't mention it."
Kakashi's eyes lit up slightly. If Kamishiro had such a technique, reconnaissance would be much easier, and they wouldn't have to take such a big risk.
As for Kamishiro's claim that he couldn't maintain it for long, Kakashi just ignored it. He didn't believe a word of it.
It seemed that Kamishiro would only reluctantly show a bit of his true skills when he had to get involved.
Kakashi said to Kamishiro, "Then, Kamishiro, start."
Kamishiro nodded and began to form hand seals.
After forming the seals, the fine Iron Sand gradually gathered and condensed into the Third Eye.
This Third Eye floated towards the cave, and Kamishiro pressed his left hand on his left eye. The visual image of the Third Eye was transmitted to the left eye that Kamishiro was pressing.
Because the eyeball was very small, under Kamishiro's control, it easily passed through the blind spot of the Cloud Ninjas standing guard at the entrance and entered the cave.
Through this Third Eye, Kamishiro saw the internal situation inside the cave.
"There's a passage inside. It's empty. I'll go deeper..."
Kamishiro controlled the Third Eye to go deeper into the cave. The passage wasn't long, and soon they reached the end of the passage.
Kamishiro's Third Eye secretly observed the inside from behind a rock.
"At the end of the passage is something like a base. There are a lot of Cloud Ninjas inside. Let me count. One, two... There are fifteen Cloud Ninjas in total. There's a map on the table with lots of markings."
A moment later, Kamishiro released the technique. The Third Eye transformed into Iron Sand and scattered on the ground.
Kamishiro removed his hand from his left eye and said to Kakashi, "That's all I saw. The [mission] should be considered completed now. Can we leave?"
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin Nohara stared at Kamishiro's technique in astonishment.
It was concealed and hard to detect, and it could directly be used for reconnaissance.
Just with this technique, Kamishiro could definitely join the reconnaissance team.
Seeing the three of them looking at him in surprise, Kamishiro raised his eyebrows and started his act.
"Ah~ Obito, quickly support me!"
Kamishiro went limp and grabbed Obito's shoulder with one hand.
Obito supported Kamishiro and asked worriedly, "Hey, Kamishiro, what's wrong with you?"
Kamishiro replied weakly, "I... I've overdrawn my [chakra]. I'm so weak all over."
Obito, who was supporting Kamishiro, was confused. "Huh? But you were fine just now, weren't you?"
Kamishiro pretended to cough twice. "It's the after - effects. I didn't feel it just now, but now I'm so weak that I can't even walk."
Kakashi and Rin Nohara rolled their eyes. This act was so fake! Who would believe it!
"I see. Then I'll carry you on my back, Kamishiro. You've really had a hard time."
Obito kindly carried the 'weak' Kamishiro on his back.
Kakashi and Rin Nohara were now twitching at the corners of their mouths.
Well... Obito was a fool. He was an exception.