Opportunities always came when you least expected them.
"Disappeared?"
Shisui asked in surprise.
"Yes, meow." Rikimaru licked the dried fish that had reached his mouth and said, "Everyone knows that people disappear from the city without anyone noticing."
By "everyone," he meant Konoha's Ninja Cats.
"How is that possible?" Shisui said. "According to the Regulations on Humanitarian Aid for Homeless People, homeless people can go to an Aid Station and apply for social assistance."
"I don't understand any of that, meow." Rikimaru said, "But that's what everyone says. People disappear, so it's best not to go near there."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Shisui didn't believe him.
"Then have you ever seen a beggar in the city?"
Who would pay attention to something like that? Shisui tried hard to remember.
He had seen homeless people with nowhere to go when he was young, but after growing up, he had never seen them again.
"I'll investigate."
Changing direction immediately, Shisui began keeping watch on the Aid Station that very day.
It wasn't as lively as he had imagined. Instead of the scene of homeless people filling the hall, the Aid Station seemed deserted. The few staff members idled around all day, and some even left work early during office hours.
On the surface, there was nothing unusual about the situation.
One dark and windy night, Shisui took the risk of sneaking in. As a professional ninja, he entered the archives room easily and smoothly and examined the paper records from past years.
Although Konoha had a more convenient online data archive center, it still retained its traditional paper records.
That was a tremendous help.
Shisui examined the records. Because of the huge workload, he infiltrated the place at night for several weeks, leaving just before dawn.
Unfortunately, he found no