The heavy oak doors of the Hokage tower closed behind them, as they descended the steps into the bustling streets of Konoha, the afternoon sun cast long shadows ahead of them.
Neji broke the silence, his eyes scanning the horizon. "We need to form the team. I have a few names in mind for the roster."
"They had better be exceptionally strong, In a mission of this caliber and more doesn't mean better." Kimimaro replied, his voice dropping to a low demanding undertone.
"Except Shikamaru," both said in perfect, eerie unison.
They stopped, exchanging a brief, fleeting glance. Kimimaro shrugged faintly. "Well... the lazy one is an exception. He possesses an intellectual capacity that offsets any physical shortcomings."
"Agreed," Neji said, turning down a quieter alleyway. "But for this specific hunt, tracking is our absolute neccesity. We need someone who can lock onto a scent or a trail. Let's see if our instincts align on this one too."
Neji took a breath. "Kiba."
"Shino," Kimimaro countered simultaneously.
Neji stopped walking, looking over at his pale partner with a raised eyebrow. "Kiba and Akamaru are faster. Their sensory range in open terrain is unparalleled."
"Shino is a complete, self-contained package," Kimimaro defended calmly with his analytical tone. "His kikaichu bugs can track over vast distances without alerting the target, they function as an early warning system, and he possesses a sharp, tactical mind. Furthermore, he doesn't engage in useless banter. He stays silent unlike Kiba."
Neji stared at Kimimaro for a quiet moment. The cold, ruthless boy who lived only to be a vessel... had evolved. He was thinking like a squad leader. He was thinking like a shinobi of the Leaf.
A small imperceptible smile touched Neji's face. "You have changed a great deal, Kimimaro."
Kimimaro simply looked ahead, the breeze catching his white hair. "Let's go find our brain and bug."
~~
Neji Hyuga leaned back against the framework of the Konoha Gate, his arms crossed over his chest. A massive scroll was securely strapped to his back, contrasting with a lethal tantō blade resting at his hip. His eyes remained shut as he used the quiet moment to flex.
A few paces away, Shikamaru Nara sat propped up on his bent knees. His head tilted back, dull gaze tracking the slow movement of the afternoon clouds drifting overhead.
"When is Kimimaro coming?" Shikamaru muttered, his voice carrying its usual exhaustion.
"He will arrive in ten minutes," Shino Aburame answered without looking up. He was entirely consumed by his own quiet world, minding his own business as he focused on the tip of his index finger. There, a single male kikaichū bug crawled in minuscule circles.
Exactly ten minutes passed.
The thud of sandals announced the final member of their vanguard has arrived. Kimimaro stepped towards the gate, wearing the loose clothing he used to wear in the past... the off-white tunic and thick purple rope belt he had worn long before circumstances brought him to Konoha. He carried no visible weapons, the only change to his current allegiance was his Konoha forehead protector, which he had tied securely around his left arm.
Shikamaru glanced sideways at Shino, wondering briefly how he knew when Kimimaro was coming. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "What a drag."
~~
With an unspoken signal, the team of four leaped forward, vanishing into the dense canopy of the surrounding woods.
As they settled into a synchronized, high-speed travel across the thick tree branches, Shikamaru spoke up to outline the mission details. "According to our latest intel, the kidnapper duo was spotted at an inn near Teuchi Bridge. For us to successfully intercept them, we either need to maintain a pace faster than their standard travel speed, or hope they've been making multiple stops along the way."
He shifted his weight, clearing a massive oak branch as he continued his analysis. "The data shows it took them a day to travel from Takigakure to Teuchi Bridge. That's a surprisingly slow pace for a pair with someone capable of flight. It's highly probable they are making deliberate stops for some unknown reason. Either that, or they have already reached their destination."
Neji and Shino offered crisp nods, acknowledging the sound logic of the strategy. Without another word, the unit dug their heels in, accelerating faster as the sun began to dip below the horizon.
~~
<12 Hours Later>
Twelve grueling hours of continuous travel brought them to the perimeter of Teuchi Bridge. The moment they reached, the team split up. Neji's veins bulged around his temples as he activated his Byakugan, scanning the horizon for chakra signatures, while Shino dispersed a cloud of microscopic insects into the surrounding brush to pick up physical trails.
Shikamaru went to work interrogating the locals, looking for anyone who might have seen a duo clad in high-contrast black cloaks adorned with red clouds... a distinct uniform that would easily stand out even from far.
While the trio managed the external perimeter, Kimimaro walked into a nearby roadside tavern to take rest while the trio di the work as there was not much he could offer.
The interior of the tarven was in shambles. He ordered a plate of dango, his eyes sweeping across the room.
"What happened here?" Kimimaro asked quietly, gesturing toward a cluster of splintered tables and overturned chairs.
The server looked around nervously, lowering their voice to a low whisper. "Are you new around here? Don't speak so loudly about them... those two are incredibly dangerous. One of them wore a mask, had terrifying green eyes, and walked right up to a customer after checking a piece of bounty paper. He just... gouged the man's heart right out and left. Didn't even pay for his meal! Can you believe that? Who wouldn't pay for their food? People these days have no manners."
Kimimaro pulled a stick of dango from the plate, taking a slow bite as he enjoyed the taste of the sweet texture. "When did this happen?"
"I... I don't think I know the exact hour..." the server muttered, suddenly turning defensive and hesitant.
Kimimaro reached into his vest, pulled out a thick stack of ryo, and placed it on the table.
The server's eyes widened. "It was about six hours ago! They headed straight toward the west. Both of them wore these strange, matching rings, and they were carrying a body with them. The other one wasn't a man... it was a woman with blue hair, orange eyes, and a paper flower pinned to her head." The server blurt out all the information he could think of.
Right then, the front door swung open. Shikamaru, Neji, and Shino stepped inside, their expressions grim.
"They were spotted in this village," Shikamaru confirmed from the information he gathered outside.
Kimimaro bit off the final piece of dango. He swallowed quietly and adjusted the band on his left arm. "Let's go."
~~
A/N: Shino being able to track Kimimaro is intentional.
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