"Yes! And I didn't detect anyone either," Kakashi explained.
At first, Hankuang had assumed that he couldn't detect the enemy because he lacked sensory abilities, so he had asked Kakashi to scout.
But now, even Kakashi hadn't detected anyone.
"So my initial judgment was correct. There aren't any enemies nearby at all."
After thinking it over, Hankuang looked at the Sealing Scroll again.
The answer was obvious.
"They used the Wind Style Ninjutsu in the Sealing Scroll together with Explosive Tags to create a destructive trap?" Hankuang muttered.
"That should be it. After all, there are plenty of Sand Ninja who understand puppet mechanisms," Kakashi said with a nod.
"This is troublesome." Morino Ibiki sighed.
The enemy hadn't shown themselves at all. They had simply used a trap prepared in advance to blow up the supply station again.
What was even more frustrating was that they had only just rebuilt it. They hadn't even finished nailing the walls together.
"The planks were all blown to pieces. How are we supposed to rebuild now?" Obito scratched his head and asked the most difficult question at hand.
"I took a look just now. None of those planks can be used anymore," Rin added.
In the middle of the scene,
Team 9 all turned to look at Hankuang.
This left Morino Ibiki even more confused.
When they encountered a difficult problem, shouldn't they ask the genius Kakashi? Why were they all staring at the dead-last Hankuang? Was he actually the smarter one?
Clang!
Hankuang stood up and began assigning tasks.
"Our top priority isn't rebuilding the supply station. It's finding that Sand Ninja squad!"
"Only after eliminating the threat will the supply station be safe. Otherwise, even if we rebuild it, it'll just be blown up again."
After hearing Hankuang's words, Team 9 nodded in unison.
Even Morino Ibiki thought they made perfect sense.
But the problem was—
How were they supposed to find them?
"There are only five of us. We definitely can't split up to search. Under these circumstances, finding that Sand Ninja squad is practically impossible!" Morino Ibiki said.
After offering his suggestion, he was ignored by everyone in Team 9.
Only Hankuang seemed to think of something. He put an arm around Morino Ibiki's shoulder and led him aside.
"Little Ibiki."
"Call me by my full name." Morino Ibiki reminded him again.
"I have a very important task for you!" Hankuang patted Little Ibiki's shoulder with a serious expression.
"What task?"
"Write slogans on the planks. Slogans cursing the Sand Ninja. The more vicious, the better."
"And then?"
"Hmm... Then nail those slogans to the nearby trees. Remember to put up plenty."
After hearing Hankuang's instructions, Morino Ibiki realized that this was meant to lure out the Sand Ninja squad.
But would it actually work?
After assigning Morino Ibiki his task, Hankuang went to find Kakashi.
"Kakashi, send a message to Supply Station No. 2 and have them bring over a cart of supplies."
"I'll go right now." Kakashi nodded and turned to leave.
He wasn't worried about Team 9's safety, because Hankuang was with them.
"What about me? What do I do?" Obito hurried over, afraid he had been forgotten.
"You? Help Little Ibiki think of words to insult the Sand Ninja."
Rin wanted a task as well.
In the end, Hankuang sent her off to write the slogans.
After all, Morino Ibiki was injured and might have trouble moving around.
The sky gradually darkened.
One charred plank after another, each carved with a slogan, was nailed to the trees.
Hankuang inspected them and decided that Obito's literary talent was fairly impressive. As expected of someone skilled at writing short essays.
[May every Sand Ninja's family die]
[Sand Ninja, your mommy is dead]
[Useless Sand Ninja, all you know is ambushing people]
[The Kazekage and Chiyo, that shameless couple]
[Sand Ninja, get on your knees and call me Daddy]
"How are they? How are they?"
Obito ran up to Hankuang, looking extremely proud.
When it came to viciousness, who could compare with him?
"Well, they're a little vulgar, but they're passable," Hankuang praised him.
Rustle—
Suddenly, Hankuang turned his head and looked toward the road.
A sound! The sound of people and an ox cart!
A moment later,
Kakashi returned, even bringing an entire cart of supplies. What surprised Hankuang was that the person transporting the supplies was Mitaraishi Anko.
"I ran into Green Bean not long after I set out," Kakashi explained.
"Hey! Kakashi, don't make me spit on you," Mitaraishi Anko said unhappily, planting her hands on her hips.
Then she saw all of Team 9 staring at her.
One against four?
She seemed to be at a disadvantage.
Forget it. She would endure it for now.
After talking for a while, Hankuang learned Anko's destination.
She had originally been heading to Supply Station No. 5 and had taken on the task of transporting supplies along the way.
"You didn't come under attack on the way?" Hankuang asked.
"Heh—your Team 9's teacher protected me for part of the journey, so it was perfectly safe," Mitaraishi Anko said casually.
"I see."
Hankuang understood.
Teacher Minato must have been in charge of the search mission and had escorted Anko for part of the way.
"We'll rest tonight and escort you together tomorrow." Hankuang's plan had already taken shape.
"That... doesn't seem quite right, does it?" Mitaraishi Anko asked in disbelief.
When had this dead-last Hankuang become so nice? Not only was he not mocking her, he was even having all of Team 9 help escort her supplies?
What surprised her even more was that Kakashi hadn't objected.
"Wait a second! I want to ask—who's the captain of your Team 9?" Mitaraishi Anko asked blankly.
"Does that matter?" Hankuang said indifferently.
Night fell.
Hankuang sat beside the campfire and reviewed the next day's plan with Kakashi.
"The Sand Ninja squad destroyed Supply Station No. 3 to stop the transportation of supplies."
"Since Supply Station No. 3 is the farthest from the village and the farthest from the front line, it's located right in the middle. From this, I conclude—"
"This Sand Ninja squad must be very small."
Hankuang spoke while Kakashi listened.
"Tomorrow, we'll escort the supplies together and lure this Sand Ninja squad out."
"Wait." Kakashi interrupted Hankuang.
Before you continue