Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh…
Deep within a dense forest, four figures moved swiftly like arrows released from a bow, weaving effortlessly between towering trees. Their bodies flickered from branch to branch with practiced precision, barely disturbing the leaves beneath their feet.
The wind whistled past them, carrying the faint scent of earth and greenery.
"Haaah—"
Aoki Yoru leaped from one branch to another. Just as his body gained momentum mid-air, he let out a long, uncontrollable yawn. A hint of moisture gathered at the corners of his eyes, giving him a slightly dazed appearance.
Despite that, his speed didn't decrease in the slightest.
His movements remained smooth, efficient, and sharp.
Up ahead, Kakashi slowed down slightly, landing beside him with a soft thud. He glanced sideways at Aoki Yoru, his gaze lingering on the obvious dark circles under his eyes and his unusually lethargic demeanor.
His expression turned suspicious.
"You don't seem to be at the age where you can read Icha Icha Paradise yet, right?" he asked casually.
Aoki Yoru blinked.
The question was so unexpected that he nearly stumbled mid-step.
Kakashi, however, continued observing him thoughtfully.
The heavy dark circles, the drained expression, the sluggish energy—it all looked eerily familiar. It reminded him of his own state when he had first encountered Icha Icha Paradise at the age of fourteen.
That day had been… life-changing.
He had opened the door to an entirely new world.
And afterward, he had spent an entire week immersed in "research," exploring its depths with unwavering dedication.
'Are students these days becoming this precocious?' Kakashi wondered inwardly. 'Or is this kid just… gifted in that area?'
If Aoki Yoru knew what Kakashi was thinking, he would have rolled his eyes so hard they might fall out.
In his previous life, he had already been "educated" by countless online experiences. Compared to that, Icha Icha Paradise was practically mild.
He cleared his throat.
"A few days ago, I received two Sealing Techniques from the Third Hokage," he explained. "I've been studying them every night."
He yawned again, stretching lazily.
"But honestly… Sealing Techniques are incredibly difficult. They require a wide range of complex knowledge. I've been spending most of my time in the library trying to understand the basics."
Kakashi nodded slowly.
That explanation made much more sense.
Fuinjutsu was indeed one of the most complex branches of ninjutsu. Even among elite shinobi, very few truly mastered it.
His thoughts drifted briefly to his own teacher and his teacher's wife—both of whom were exceptional experts in sealing techniques.
After a short silence, Kakashi suddenly accelerated, leaping ahead and resuming the lead.
The team continued moving forward at high speed.
After several hours of travel, the scenery gradually began to change.
The dense forest thinned, giving way to open skies.
Above them stretched a vast expanse of blue—so clear and pure that it almost seemed transparent. White clouds drifted lazily across the horizon, blending seamlessly into the distant ocean.
The smell of salt filled the air.
The rhythmic sound of waves echoed softly.
Seagulls soared overhead, their wings slicing through the wind as they cried out sharply—
"Caw—! Caw—!"
A few days later—
Aoki Yoru stood at the bow of a ship, leaning casually against the railing as the sea breeze brushed against his face.
His black hair fluttered lightly in the wind.
After several days of rest, the exhaustion from earlier had mostly faded, and his energy had returned.
Behind him, Kakashi stood quietly, reading his book as usual.
"Kakashi-sensei," Aoki Yoru called out, turning slightly. "Can you finally tell us the details of this mission?"
He had asked before, but Kakashi had insisted it was confidential.
Now that they were already at sea, there was no reason to keep it hidden.
Kakashi closed his book with a soft snap.
"Call Kenta and Yui as well," he said. "It's easier to explain everything at once."
A moment later, the four of them gathered at the bow.
Kakashi's expression grew serious.
"According to intelligence sent by an Anbu operative, traces of the Three-Tails have been discovered in the Land of Water."
"The Three-Tails?" Kenta and Yui repeated simultaneously, their faces filled with confusion.
It was the first time they had heard such a term.
Aoki Yoru also showed a curious expression at the appropriate moment. Given his identity, he shouldn't possess knowledge about Tailed Beasts either.
Kakashi nodded.
"Tailed Beasts are massive aggregates of chakra. There are nine of them in total—from the One-Tail to the Nine-Tails. Each possesses destructive power beyond imagination… enough to devastate entire regions."
As he explained further, the expressions on Kenta and Yui's faces gradually shifted—
From confusion…
To curiosity…
To pure shock.
Their understanding of the ninja world was being overturned.
They had never imagined that such terrifying existences existed.
At that moment, Aoki Yoru spoke calmly.
"But sensei… a mission of this importance shouldn't be assigned to newly promoted Chunin like us, right?"
Kakashi glanced at him briefly before replying,
"Don't worry. Our role is only to act as merchant travelers and attract attention. The actual investigation is being handled by Anbu operatives."
Hearing this, Aoki Yoru silently let out a breath of relief.
Tailed Beasts were essentially the ninja world's equivalent of nuclear weapons.
Too many powerful forces had their eyes on them.
From what he knew, figures like Obito Uchiha and Black Zetsu were definitely lurking in the shadows.
If he got involved too deeply…
He might not survive.
After three days at sea, the ship finally reached land.
The moment their feet touched solid ground, everyone instinctively relaxed.
The difference between land and sea was unmistakable.
It felt… stable.
The Land of Water presented a completely different environment compared to the Land of Fire.
Mist filled the air everywhere.
A vast white haze stretched across the landscape, obscuring distant forests and blurring outlines. The atmosphere was damp and cold, sending a chill through the body.
The group quickly changed into ordinary clothing, removing their forehead protectors and disguising themselves as merchants.
Their destination—
Mizu City.
The largest border city in the Land of Water.
Three days later—
Aoki Yoru strolled casually through the streets, a popsicle in his hand.
He licked it lazily while observing the surroundings with quiet curiosity.
The architecture, clothing styles, and overall atmosphere here were vastly different from Konoha. Everything felt colder, more reserved—likely influenced by the climate.
For the past few days, Kakashi had assigned them to gather information separately.
Especially for Aoki Yoru, he was tasked with using his perception abilities to detect anything unusual.
But in truth—
Aoki Yoru wasn't particularly invested in the investigation.
From his perspective, even if the Three-Tails was found, it would ultimately be handled by higher-level forces.
Getting too involved would only increase his risk.
It was better to treat this mission as a cautious reconnaissance… or even a temporary vacation.
"Eh—?"
Suddenly, his gaze paused.
Two familiar figures appeared in the distance.
Itachi Uchiha.
And beside him—
Kisame Hoshigaki.
Aoki Yoru's pupils contracted slightly.
Those two… were members of the Akatsuki.
It seemed that ever since the Fourth Mizukage broke free from Genjutsu control, the organization's influence in the Land of Water had weakened. Otherwise, they wouldn't need to investigate personally.
Without hesitation, Aoki Yoru immediately looked away.
Drawing attention from individuals like them was extremely dangerous.
He casually shrugged and continued walking as if nothing had happened.
As long as he didn't interact with them directly—
He would be fine.
Meanwhile—
Itachi frowned slightly.
"What's wrong, Itachi-san?" Kisame asked.
"…Someone was watching us just now."
His gaze swept briefly across the crowd.
"Perhaps I'm just being overly cautious."
After a moment, he shook his head.
"Let's go. The leader's mission is still unfinished. Hopefully, the Three-Tails is truly here."
That evening—
The team regrouped at their hotel.
Kakashi, Kenta, and Yui had also returned.
They exchanged information.
Yui and Kenta reported similar findings.
About half a month ago, a dense fog had suddenly appeared outside the city. Many witnesses claimed they had seen a massive shadow moving within it, accompanied by deep, echoing roars.
Kakashi listened quietly before speaking.
"Based on intelligence from the village, it is highly likely that the Three-Tails is located in Nanto Lake, just outside the city."
He looked at them seriously.
"The village has ordered us to assist the Anbu in sealing it."
The room fell silent.
Kenta and Yui's expressions stiffened instantly.
This was no ordinary mission.
This was equivalent to asking beginners to fight a boss far beyond their level.
At that moment, Aoki Yoru spoke calmly.
"I saw Itachi Uchiha today… along with Kisame Hoshigaki. They were both wearing black cloaks with red clouds. It looks like they've joined the same organization."
Kakashi's expression immediately turned serious.
"Tell me everything in detail."
After hearing the full report, Kakashi fell into deep thought.
After a while, he spoke decisively.
"When the operation begins—Yui and Kenta, you will return to the coastline and prepare a boat."
He then looked at Aoki Yoru.
"Aoki, you'll go with them. First, use your perception abilities to confirm whether the Three-Tails is indeed in Nanto Lake. After that, you'll be responsible for guarding the perimeter."
Aoki Yoru finally relaxed.
As long as he wasn't directly involved in the main battlefield—
He still had room to retreat if things went wrong.
And in a mission like this—
Survival…
Was the most important thing.