Hunger and Information

"You're not sick. You're just not full. When people go hungry, they lose weight, become confused, and have no extra strength. It's the same principle. Your body has never been full, so naturally it has no excess Chakra for you to use. To be precise, it's extremely hungry. The electricity you unconsciously release is because weakness has made it impossible for you to control it, much like how people tremble when they're hungry," Old Man Jishi explained by analogy.

Dada's expression turned grave. His physical constitution was so strong that he had never imagined the word "weakness" could have anything to do with him. Or rather, it wasn't a lack of ordinary nutrition, but a lack of Chakra...

Hadn't this completely backfired...

Previously, because they hadn't understood the cause of his condition and feared that excessive training would trigger changes in his body, the Yotsuki Clan, including Dada himself, had deliberately suppressed how often he refined Chakra. They had always felt it would be safer to wait until he was older.

Damn it, it was actually because he had too little Chakra!

Wasn't this like having an upset stomach and not daring to eat much for several days, only to see a doctor and be told there was nothing wrong with you—you just had a stomachache because you were starving...

He completely couldn't hold it together!

At that thought, Dada swallowed. Don't tell me I've gotten sick from starving...

"Of course, all of that is just my guess," Old Man Jishi added after a dramatic pause.

After talking for so long, you're saying it was just a guess! Dada nearly jumped up.

"Now, now, don't be anxious. This is how treating illnesses works. First, you make a guess, then slowly confirm it, and finally find a solution. It's especially so for ailments you've never seen before. Your brother's description of the symptoms wasn't accurate before, but it doesn't matter much. Still, I'm old, and I probably can't use any more ninjutsu today. If you're not in a hurry, stay for a few more days. There are several empty rooms behind the courtyard. I'll tidy them up for you."

Several maids hurriedly rose to do the work for him. How could they possibly let Old Man Jishi do chores? He'd probably still be standing there by dawn without having made up a single bed.

Yet the old man had never mentioned consultation fees from beginning to end, nor had he asked much about Dada's group's identities. Apparently, it had been the same with Yotsuki Ki's team back then. In the end, they had merely paid an appropriate fee. Perhaps this was what a true recluse was like.

"Thank you, Grandpa Jishi." Dada had always been polite to the elderly, especially since the man's age was probably more than three times the sum of Dada's two lifetimes.

Meanwhile, in the bustling capital of the Land of Soup.

A tired-looking young man seemed to have just gotten off work. Rubbing his lower back and sighing heavily, he headed toward his shabby home, wherever it might be.

A little boy bumped into him as he passed, hurriedly lowered his head in apology, then dashed away.

The boy slipped into an unknown, deserted alley and gleefully opened the money pouch in his hand. Before he could see the coins inside, a kunai was already pressed against his throat.

"Not bad skills, but terrible luck." It was the tired young man from before.

The well-traveled little boy recognized the kunai at once and immediately realized that the other party was likely a ninja. He silently cursed his bad luck.

For ordinary people, kunai were not particularly handy weapons. Without specialized training, a kunai was far less useful to an ordinary person than a machete, and far less imposing besides.

Those who used kunai were all ninja.

And ninja were all difficult to provoke—and ruthless.

"Sir, I didn't know you were a ninja. Please spare me. I'll give your money pouch back," the little boy immediately begged.

The half-opened pouch was closed again, then shakily offered beneath the tired young man's hand.

The tired young man took back the pouch, but he did not move the kunai away as the boy had imagined. Instead, he stared expressionlessly at him, as though contemplating something.

Seeing his expression, the little boy had a bad feeling, especially when he saw those lifeless-looking eyes.

The tired young man looked at him as if he were an object, as though he were no different from the stones on the ground or the bugs in a hole. A chill ran through his entire body, yet he could not move at all.

I'm going to die! I'm going to die! This ninja is going to kill me! A terrified voice screamed in his heart.

Just as the little boy was about to fall into despair, a figure rushed out like a gust of wind.

"Orochimaru! Lend me some money! This is so infuriating! I lost all day!" A blonde girl appeared from nowhere and threw her arms around Orochimaru's thigh, who was disguised with the Transformation Jutsu.

Then, as if she had only just noticed the little boy, she fiercely waved him away. "Where did this filthy little thief come from? Get lost already, or I'll beat you up!"

The little boy glanced at the tired young man. Seeing that he did not stop him, he tripped over his own feet and fled the alley in a sorry state.

Orochimaru helplessly released the Transformation Jutsu and looked at Tsunade, who was acting cute and clingy.

"If I remember correctly, you brought quite a bit of money with you?"

"Oh, it wasn't that much. If my luck hadn't been so terrible today, I wouldn't have lost it all!" Tsunade said awkwardly.

As the princess of the Senju Clan, Tsunade was a textbook rich woman. Orochimaru had no doubt that the amount Tsunade lost in a single day could make his heart stop.

Orochimaru had originally been an orphan. Later, as a disciple of the Hokage, he did not have many chances to go on missions either. Saving up money had truly not been easy.

Lending her money was impossible.

"Why don't you borrow from Jiraiya?"

A look of disgust appeared on Tsunade's face. Waving her hand, she said, "I saw that guy get thrown out of Kabukicho yesterday because he couldn't pay for his drinks. He's a complete pauper. No way, no way!"

"We're still in the middle of a mission. At least show some restraint. You're being so negligent that I won't help you hide it when our teacher asks," Orochimaru said.

Tsunade was completely unconcerned. She really wasn't afraid of the Third Hokage. Smiling, she said, "Hehe, don't worry. Casinos are full of all sorts of people, and information travels fast there. I wasn't just gambling. I've already asked around. A week ago, a group of Cloud Ninja escorted a large family here and rested for two days while passing through. Three elderly people, six adults, and two children. Their movements matched the Red Eye family's trail from the previous intelligence. They left for the Land of Lightning four days ago. Judging from the scale, it was an entire clan relocation," Tsunade said confidently.

At that moment, a tall figure appeared on the roof at some point, forming a silhouette against the setting sun. It was Jiraiya. If one ignored the lipstick marks on his face and his bruised eye socket, he looked fairly handsome.

"I also found important information. Even earlier, around a month ago, another group suspected to be a Kekkei Genkai Family arrived in the capital of the Land of Soup together with Cloud Ninja. It seems Kumogakure deliberately arranged the route through here, perhaps so those relocating clans could experience the prosperity of the Land of Lightning and the Land of Soup and ease their concerns? According to information from Miss Aiko of Kabukicho, that clan likely possessed the Steel Release Kekkei Genkai."

Orochimaru said disdainfully, "Since when did women from Kabukicho understand Kekkei Genkai? Is that information reliable?"

Jiraiya said confidently, "Don't worry. Miss Aiko said one of their clan members spent a long time having fun in Kabukicho. That person had the ability to harden every part of his body. Mm, very hard, very hard. Not the kind of hard normal people have. It matches the village's description of Steel Release."

Tsunade gave him a disdainful look, as though she were looking at a stinkbug that had crawled out of a pile of shit.

Jiraiya remained oblivious and merely looked pleased with himself.

Tsunade stopped paying attention to Jiraiya and turned back to Orochimaru. "Hey, Orochimaru, lend me some money. Just lend me another hundred thousand! No, five hundred thousand, and I'll win it back with interest. I can already feel it—I have incredible luck today. I'll definitely sweep the tables!"

Orochimaru felt utterly helpless. How had he ended up with these two teammates? One only knew how to gamble and squander money every day.

The other had been thrown out by someone in less than half a day.

Still, considering that Jiraiya was usually poor anyway, it wasn't strange.

What was strange was how he had managed to keep it up for so long...

Orochimaru pulled his thoughts back to the mission.

The Shinobi World was currently still in an atmosphere of "probing each other under the guise of peace." Things beneath the surface were best kept beneath the surface, especially for Konohagakure, which was often targeted by every nation.

Based on the intelligence they had gathered so far, this mission could actually be wrapped up in a perfunctory manner. But as a test for the Hokage's disciples, that was clearly inappropriate.