Yamei, Shikamaru, and the other three swiftly moved through the forest and soon reached the coastal beach.
The sea was calm, and there were no traces of anyone having passed over the beach. But without confirming the situation, they would not be deceived by appearances.
"You search along the shore. I'll investigate the sea," Yamei said, looking at Shikamaru and the others.
At present, aside from himself, even if the others had mastered the skill of walking on water, they would still be out of their depth in an unfamiliar body of water like the ocean.
Shikamaru nodded. "All right!"
Ino and Hinata looked over, their faces full of concern. "Yamei, be careful!"
"Don't worry. I'm not reckless," Yamei reassured them before shooting toward the sea like lightning.
"Let's move too. Look for any traces of human activity! It'd be even better if we find any objects!" Shikamaru waved a hand, and the four quickly scattered.
Standing on the sea's surface, Yamei activated his Byakugan. Everything within roughly ten kilometers, even beneath the sea, came clearly into view.
"This mission never appeared in the original plot. Could it be an adjustment to the Land of Waves mission?"
As he observed his surroundings, Yamei pondered... trying to find useful information within his memories.
What disappointed Yamei was that after so many years, although he remembered much of the plot, he had already forgotten many of the details and minor storylines.
"Forget it. It's not as though the Otsutsuki Clan could be arriving, right?" Yamei shook his head and stopped overthinking, sweeping his Byakugan over one place after another.
"Hmm!? What's that..." Yamei's gaze suddenly caught something beneath a coral reef.
Chakra coated his body, and Yamei dove down swiftly like a fish, soon arriving at the coral reef he had spotted.
As he drew closer, Yamei clearly saw the mysterious object. It was actually a long-handled spiked iron hammer!
He reached out, grabbed the hammer's handle, and pulled. The coral reef snapped apart, and the hammer fell into his hand.
He swept his gaze over the area once more but found no other traces.
When he returned to shore, Hinata, Ino, and the other three hurriedly gathered around him.
"Yamei, what did you find!?"
"This..." Yamei tossed out the hammer.
"The same thing we found..." Shikamaru frowned. Choji was holding an identical one in his hand.
"It seems this is their weapon, but..." Choji stroked the hammer, then sniffed it. "The craftsmanship doesn't seem to be from the Five Great Nations!"
"So this operation is a conflict between smaller countries?" Ino asked, half-understanding.
"Not necessarily. The Land of Rivers hasn't offended any other small countries so far." Shikamaru shook his head.
"Let's find Naruto and the others first and see what they found." The three picked up the hammers and returned to the temporary camp.
Before long, Naruto's noisy voice rang out from outside.
"Yamei! Yamei, come out and see what we found!"
Hearing him, the five rushed out in a single bound and immediately saw the tall "corpse" Naruto was dragging.
"This... isn't flesh and blood!!"
Hinata activated her Byakugan for a look, her expression somewhat surprised.
"It's covered entirely in armor! There seems to be stuffing inside... It isn't flesh and blood... and it isn't armor someone wears either! Could this thing move on its own!?"
Ino stepped forward and tapped the armored person's head. The dull sound indicated that it was solid.
"Maybe... it really can move?" Shikamaru's face grew grave as he came before the armored person and opened one of its heavy armor plates.
Inside was an unknown material, but the residual energy on it felt familiar to everyone.
"Chakra! But this Chakra seems ownerless... it has no human presence!" Sasuke observed with his two-tomoe Sharingan fully activated.
Yamei then walked up to the armored person carrying a hammer and placed it in its palm. It fit exceptionally well...
"Then it seems these things were the ones that attacked that village!"
"Record this. Kiba, Shino, put the armored person away. We need to hand it over when we submit the mission."
"No problem!"
Night fell, and the ten sat together, grilling the game they had caught. Everyone looked rather excited.
"I thought this was going to be some dangerous mission. This is it?? Looks like we'll finish the mission tomorrow!"
Naruto looked utterly disdainful, as though he felt his talents were being wasted.
"Don't let your guard down, Naruto! We've only confirmed that armored people were responsible. We still don't know anything about the organization behind them!" Sakura helplessly tugged Naruto's arm.
"Don't worry, Sakura. With me, Naruto, here, everything will be clear by tomorrow!"
"Idiot. If it weren't for Shino, we wouldn't even have found that armored person today..." Sasuke curled his lip, deeply dissatisfied with Naruto's boasting.
"Ah!! Damn it, Sasuke! You don't believe in me!?" Naruto roared in fury.
Hinata and Ino sat on either side of Yamei, massaging his legs. As he enjoyed their service, he happily watched Naruto and the others bicker. It was quite entertaining.
Suddenly, Yamei felt an inexplicable gaze on his back, making his entire body go cold. A figure abruptly surfaced in his mind.
"Ahem, well, you guys keep eating... I'll bring some food to Kakashi-sensei and Kurenai-sensei."
As he spoke, Yamei stood up and took away the barbecue he had just finished grilling.
With a flash, he appeared in a tree. Kakashi was seated against a branch, reading Icha Icha Paradise, while Yūhi Kurenai smiled as she watched him.
"Ahem, Kurenai, Kakashi-sensei, I brought you some food."
"Ah... thanks, Yamei..." Kakashi thanked him and accepted half of it.
He had long heard Naruto praise Yamei's grilling skills. Now, he finally had a chance to taste them.
After taking the barbecue, Yūhi Kurenai smiled and said, "You're living quite comfortably, aren't you? You even have people relieving your fatigue."
"It's their kindness..." Yamei gave an embarrassed laugh.
"Hmph! Bad boy!" Yūhi Kurenai viciously took a bite of the barbecue. "We're carrying out a mission in the field. Restrain yourself!"
"Yes!" Yamei immediately stood at attention.
"Go back." Yūhi Kurenai rolled her eyes at this unreliable fellow.
After returning to camp and finishing the barbecue with everyone, they all went back into their tents, leaving Yamei and Ino to keep watch.
After all, they were in the wilderness, and it was an unfamiliar environment. Keeping watch was essential.
The two leaned against each other and whispered softly. Every so often, Ino's little face would turn red as she shyly burrowed into Yamei's embrace.
It was not until the latter half of the night that Naruto and Sasuke came out to relieve them.
Early the next morning, just as dawn broke...
Bang!!
"Who is it!? Stop right there!!"
The huge commotion instantly alarmed everyone. Yamei and the others immediately sprang up! Outside the tents, they saw Naruto running into the distance.
"Naruto, don't chase after them!" Shikamaru shouted, but it was already too late.
"That idiot!!" Sakura was both angry and worried.
"Where's Sasuke?" Shino suddenly asked in confusion.
Before you continue