"Let's go! To Flower Street." Akaseki said after looking over the case files.
"Huh? Weren't we supposed to meet at four?" Ranwu glanced at the clock. It was only noon, and she thought they would eat first.
"Do you think we'll catch a thief if we go out with the catcher?" Akaseki asked as if it were obvious.
Ranwu suddenly understood. Seeing that, Akaseki immediately grew smug—your grandpa isn't the "Mighty Wise General"? Is that all you've got?
He didn't laugh out loud, but... Fire Style range +1.
Ranwu: ...
Seeing Akaseki puff himself up, Ranwu was about to say something when Minato spoke first. "That's right. And it's almost noon, so Flower Street is the perfect place to get lunch!"
After Minato changed the subject, Ranwu finally fell silent, looking dejected.
Once they arrived on Flower Street, Ranwu carefully studied the people around them, her sharp gaze sweeping over the passersby...
Akaseki, Minato: ...
"There really is something suspicious going on. After observing carefully, I've noticed everyone on the street is guarding their money pouches!" Ranwu said with great conviction.
"Could it be that they're doing that because you're watching them?" Akaseki quipped.
"Huh? Then you do it!" Ranwu said indignantly.
"Of course I'll do it. It's what the Uchiha Clan specializes in!" Akaseki said, pulling out a pair of sunglasses and putting them on. Then...
Sharingan, activate!
With his Sharingan activated, Akaseki could spot not only the act of pickpocketing but also a "shifty-eyed look" or a "tense, stiff expression" at a glance.
After watching for a few seconds, Akaseki deactivated his Sharingan.
"Everyone around us looks fine, except for the people who got nervous when Ranwu stared at them," Akaseki said.
"That fast?" Ranwu asked doubtfully, frowning.
"These eyes are meant to observe ninja attacks. Using them to watch ordinary people's movements and expressions is over in an instant!" Akaseki said matter-of-factly.
"Are you sure it's not because you can only keep them active for a short time?" Ranwu cut straight to the point.
"Me? Only for a short time? Give me a break, I..." Akaseki immediately started to protest.
Seeing this, Minato could only change the subject again. "Oh! That restaurant has a street-facing spot on the second floor. Let's eat there. Then we can keep an eye on things while we eat!"
Akaseki and Ranwu were hungry too, so Minato's suggestion quickly distracted them.
The three went to the restaurant by the street and specifically chose a spot on the second-floor balcony overlooking it.
Although they were just kids, Akaseki slapped his money pouch on the table and ordered plenty of food, so the owner didn't hesitate. They were at an age when they had big appetites, and ninjas needed to eat even more than ordinary people to build up their chakra!
From his seat on the second floor, Akaseki occasionally activated his Sharingan to watch the people below.
But by the time they'd finished eating, Akaseki hadn't spotted anything unusual...
Then, just as they finished their meal, they suddenly heard a commotion in the distance!
The three exchanged glances...
Akaseki tossed down a handful of silver notes, then vaulted over the railing with Minato and Ranwu and hurried toward the disturbance.
"Ah! There's a pervert!"
"You bastard! How dare you sneak a look into my bathhouse..."
"Careful... that guy looks like he might be a ninja!"
The commotion was coming from a bathhouse. When Akaseki and the others arrived, they immediately surrounded the "culprit."
But...
Jiraiya: ...
Akaseki, Minato, Ranwu: !!!
The pervert surrounded by the crowd was dressed strangely, without tear-shaped war paint on his face, but he had white hair, wore wooden sandals, and his features looked familiar.
Seeing this familiar "culprit," the three stared in stunned silence.
"Um... could there be some kind of misunderstanding? Jiraiya..." Ranwu said, still unable to believe it.
But Akaseki had a sudden idea and hurriedly cut her off. "Damn pervert! So you're a ninja from Sunagakure... Tell us! What are you after?"
Ranwu: ???
Fortunately, Jiraiya wasn't wearing a Konoha uniform or a Forehead Protector.
Jiraiya immediately understood what Akaseki meant and shouted along with him, "Though each grain of sand is tiny, together they form a wall; born in a sea of sand, we are unyielding!"
Ranwu: ???
Hearing Jiraiya recite Sunagakure's famous Sand Wall Manifesto, the crowd grew even more indignant.
"So he's a ninja from Sunagakure! No wonder he's so shameless..."
"Why are people from the Land of Wind so bad!"
"Everyone, be careful. That guy's a ninja... Let our Konoha ninjas handle him!"
After hearing that he was a ninja, the onlookers gradually backed away, still indignant.
Akaseki and Minato charged at Jiraiya, while Ranwu stood by in confusion, "covering" them. Then...
The "Sunagakure ninja" also fought well below his usual standard, getting chased and beaten by the two until he soon disappeared from sight!
"Phew... Akaseki! Nicely done. I knew I could count on you!"
After shaking off the others, Jiraiya slapped Akaseki on the shoulder with unrestrained enthusiasm and praised him.
The great ninja villages were constantly clashing, and relations between the great nations were clouded by tension. For Konoha, the main targets of conflict were Sunagakure and Amegakure...
Amegakure wasn't one of the Five Great Ninja Villages. Ten years ago, it hadn't even been as strong as Takigakure.
But it had started to rise in recent years, and had clashed with Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure.
As for Sunagakure...
That was a genuine point of contention!
Of the Five Great Nations, the Land of Wind was the most barren and coveted the Land of Fire's territory the most. Naturally, Sunagakure had become Konoha's sworn enemy.
Akaseki and Jiraiya felt no guilt whatsoever about pinning the blame on Sunagakure.
"Jiraiya-sensei, what were you doing just now?" Ranwu asked skeptically.
"I was gathering material." Jiraiya gazed toward the bathhouse, his eyes deep and distant.
Ranwu: ...
The three finally understood what Jiraiya had been doing when he showed up late on the day of the bell test!
"All right, while I was working hard to gather material, how did your mission go?" Jiraiya immediately turned the tables on them.
At the mention of the mission, Akaseki and the others became awkward.
"Well... we haven't found anything yet. The thief probably knows we're coming, so... huh?" Akaseki said, then suddenly paused and fell into thought. "Minato, do you remember when the reports started to decrease in the case files we read?"
"Seven days ago," Minato answered without hesitation.
"Seven days ago... I remember the mission deadline was April 4, which means it was posted on March 4... So the thief heard about it six days after it went up in Konoha... It takes two days to get from Konoha to here..." Akaseki seemed to be calculating something.
"No, if they weren't a ninja, they'd definitely take longer. Even by carriage, it'd take six or seven days," Minato corrected him.
"Ah, so the thief heard about it when Naiku, the security officer, went to Konoha and had just returned to Flower Capital!" Akaseki had finally pieced it together.
"Hm? You mean... the security officer and the thief are working together?" Ranwu still didn't quite understand.
"Of course not! If the security officer were behind it, the ninjas would have to go to him first when they started the mission. There'd be no need to warn the thief in advance to stop. The message must have been passed to the thief by someone who only learned about it after the security officer returned!" Akaseki retorted matter-of-factly.
Teaching Ranwu feels so good. Fire Style range +1.
"If that's the case... I have an idea!" Minato suddenly said, as if something had occurred to him.
Jiraiya smiled slightly at this. "Oh? Then I'll keep my eyes peeled and wait to see what you've come up with."
"Is that why you're keeping your eyes peeled?" Ranwu quipped from the side.
Jiraiya acted as if he hadn't heard a thing.
Before you continue