"Have you not seen any members of Akatsuki these past few days?"
After listening to Hyuga Yukyō finish, Chiba frowned and remained silent for a long while before speaking.
"No. There hasn't been any trace of them. I kept watch during this period, but after their last appearance, they never showed themselves again."
In response, Hyuga Yukyō, seated across from him, thought it over carefully once more before replying with certainty.
"I see..."
Hearing Hyuga Yukyō's definite answer, Chiba nodded. After pondering for a while longer, he asked, "When you first encountered this organization, there was one member. Then, when they appeared for the last time, there were two members together. Is that right?"
"That's right."
Hearing the question, Hyuga Yukyō nodded and answered with certainty.
He was asking so thoroughly. It seemed this kid really had his eye on Akatsuki.
But Akatsuki did not seem to be a major organization. It appeared to have some reputation in the Land of Rain, but in the end, it was not particularly powerful or noteworthy. What made this kid take it so seriously?
Could it be...
This organization was only what it seemed for now...
As they spoke, Hyuga Yukyō pondered these matters inwardly.
During this time, he had not merely been gathering information for Chiba. His purpose in leaving the village had not been solely for Chiba's sake either; he had plans of his own. Over the past half year, he had also thoroughly investigated some of the intelligence concerning the two small nations, the Land of Grass and the Land of Rain.
After all, the Land of Grass and the Land of Rain were both small countries, and their respective ninja villages were not especially large either. Born in Konoha, perhaps gifted in intelligence work, and possessing a Byakugan, Hyuga