Compared to Tanshō Street, Hinoko Town was much smaller in scale, with fewer outsiders due to the ongoing war.
Hizashi fabricated an identity for their group, posing as a wealthy merchant from the Land of Fire traveling with his family.
This mission was vastly different from their previous assassination. They didn't even have a confirmed target yet. Their first objective was investigation, screening potential suspects. This meant the mission would take significantly longer.
Hizashi rented a small courtyard for a month at the cost of 10,000 Ryō and took Yami and the others out to purchase supplies while familiarizing themselves with the town.
Over the next few days, everyone except Yami, who was too young to move freely went out early and returned late, working separately to identify suspicious individuals.
The intel had come from Konoha's spy in Kirigakure, indicating that reports were being sent from Wildfire Town every week. The earliest letter dated back three months ago.
Thus, Hizashi's primary focus was investigating people who had suddenly appeared in town during that timeframe, or locals whose behavior had recently changed.
Not all spies were strong ninjas with noticeable chakra levels, making this investigation especially difficult.
But after a few days, Yami and the others began noticing something off.
"I feel like something's not right with Sensei Hizashi..."
Sitting around the living room table, Kurenai propped her chin on one hand, murmuring thoughtfully.
"Every night when he comes back, he smells like alcohol."
"That's normal," Yugao replied calmly.
"The tavern is the best place for gathering information. It's expected that he'd drink while socializing."
"But he always comes back smiling, even when there's no progress," Kurenai argued.
"And that smile is very..."
She paused, struggling to find the right word.
Finally, Yami filled in the blank.
"Rippling."
"That's it!"
Kurenai clapped her hands and gave Yami a thumbs up.
"Not bad, Yami. Your vocabulary is pretty impressive."
Now even Yugao fell silent.
She also felt that Hizashi had been acting strange lately.
"Why overthink it?"
Yami rubbed his smooth chin.
"We'll know for sure if we follow him tomorrow."
"Following our sensei… isn't that a bit much?"
Kurenai hesitated.
"Besides, Yami, you're the best at stealth, so you should do it."
Yami shot her a disdainful look.
"You're just passing the job onto me."
But in the end, he agreed.
---
The next day, after Yugao, Kurenai, and Hizashi left as usual, Yami blended into the shadows.
He moved seamlessly between different figures in the town, finally merging with Hizashi's shadow.
During the day, Hizashi's actions were completely normal.
In the morning, he visited a local gathering spot where elderly men played shogi, smoothly integrating himself. While playing chess, he subtly extracted information from conversations.
In the afternoon, he hid and observed suspected targets.
But once night fell, Hizashi's demeanor changed completely.
Standing at the entrance of a shop with a flashing neon sign, Hizashi's face lit up with excitement.
He rubbed his hands together, grinning as he stepped inside.
A middle-aged woman, caked in heavy makeup, immediately greeted him with a warm smile.
She playfully scolded him as she walked alongside him.
"Mr. Hizashi, you're late today.
Ayame has been waiting for you~!"
"Something held me up," Hizashi replied smoothly, stuffing a few bills into her hands before eagerly entering a private room.
Yami: "..."
Alright, alright. I really didn't expect you to be this kind of person, Hyūga Hizashi.
The way he moved and the woman's familiarity made it painfully obvious.
In just a few days, he had already become a regular customer.
Meanwhile, I'm stuck practicing ninjutsu alone every night...
But you? You're off enjoying the nightlife?!
You even have two girls with you?! Playing drinking games?!
Inside the room, cheerful voices rang out.
"Hahaha! Meiko, you lost! Your turn to drink!"
"Hey, Ayame~ exchanging drinks is fun, but let's raise the stakes!"
If Yami had mastered Flying Thunder God, he would have teleported straight to Konoha, dragged Hyūga Hiashi over, and made him witness his little brother's shameful behavior firsthand.
Unfortunately, his spatial ninjutsu talent was still incomplete, so he had no way to teleport back.
Wait a Minute…
Just as Yami was contemplating how to expose Hizashi, something caught his eye.
He took a closer look at Ayame's face and immediately sensed that something was off.
In an instant, Yami leapt from the shadows, startling Hizashi, who was midway through a drinking game with two women.
"Yami?! WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"
[Bond with Hyūga Hizashi has reached the second stage. Reward received: Yang Attribute Chakra (Excellent).]
Good grief.
He was so shocked that he triggered a bond reward on the spot.
"Hizashi-Sensei, you're really something else."
Yami's smile was eerily cold.
Before Hizashi could react, Yami knocked out Meiko with a swift blow and tied up Ayame.
Hizashi was completely confused.
"Yami, what are you doing?!"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Yami crossed his arms and sneered.
"This girl is the Kirigakure spy we've been looking for."
"That's impossible!"
Hizashi's face paled in shock.
Yami scoffed.
"I overheard your conversation just now.
She's been probing your background, asking business-related questions to confirm if you were really a merchant."
A brief flicker of panic crossed Ayame's eyes.
Hizashi didn't notice it, but Yami did.
The alcohol-fueled haze in Hizashi's mind suddenly cleared.
"Is that all? But I already investigated her. Ayame has been in this town for half a year!"
"Sure. But there's one crucial flaw in your reasoning..."
Yami dramatically adjusted his non-existent glasses, then pointed at Ayame, who was still pretending to cry pitifully.
"Look at her.
A girl of this caliber would be top-tier even in the best custom houses in Konoha or Tanshō Street.
Are you telling me she'd willingly stay in a small, backwater town like this?"
Not a chance.
Yami had seen enough in his previous life to judge a place's quality based on its hostesses alone.
Hizashi's mouth fell open as realization hit him like a brick.
He slumped to the ground in defeat.
(To be continued.)
***
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