You Are the Spirit Beast (Seeking Follow-up Reads!)

Yamashiro Aoba held down his sunglasses, which were nearly blown away: "A summoning beast?"

"No, there's no clone signature on it."

"What's going on?"

Shizune chuckled: "It's not a summoning technique, it's a Transformation Technique!"

Yamashiro Aoba turned his head to look at Shizune, bewildered.

Transformation Technique?

Is this a Transformation Technique?

Whose Transformation Technique allows one to turn into a bird and fly?

Shizune was not at all surprised by Yamashiro Aoba's reaction; she had been just as shocked and incredulous when she first saw it.

"This is a Transformation Technique that Genma improved himself."

Shizune said with a hint of pride.

Hatake Sakumo said: "It seems this will save us a lot of worry. Since that's the case, we'll leave the intelligence gathering to Genma."

This was his first time seeing it too, but having heard Kakashi mention it before, he wasn't as shocked as Yamashiro Aoba, though he still found it impressive.

After all, the idea that turning into a hawk grants one the powerful vision of a hawk was incredibly stunning to hear for the first time.

"As long as it's in the mountains, or if they've left a trail, it's no problem."

Genma didn't hold back.

As for summoning beasts.

Does he need a summoning beast?

He is a summoning beast himself!

Leaving the search to his Shadow Clone, Genma and the others returned to the small town.

They didn't remain idle, however, splitting into two teams to gather intelligence from the townspeople.

After all, this town had been raided by Igata Kaito not long ago.

Evening.

Just after finishing dinner, Genma received the memories fed back from a Shadow Clone.

There was a lead!

Although they hadn't found the target yet, they had located a group of guys hiding in the mountains.

The location was already within the borders of the Land of Rain.

Hatake Sakumo made the decision to set off, and the four of them left the town and entered the mountains.

Then, the memories from a second Shadow Clone were fed back.

"Teacher, there's further information."

Genma shared the intelligence: "Those guys are indeed a group of bandits. Igata Kaito had stayed with their group, but he has already left."

"They said he joined a ninja organization and went to the Land of Rain."

Things seemed to be getting a bit troublesome.

Hatake Sakumo said: "Let's go meet up with your Shadow Clone first."

Genma nodded and continued to lead the way.

Half an hour later.

Inside a cave lit by torches, Genma dispelled his remaining Shadow Clone.

There were seven bandits in total, and they were all standing frozen in place, having been immobilized by the previous Shadow Clone.

The subsequent Shadow Clone had obtained more details, and Genma organized them before speaking: "These guys were actually gathered by Igata Kaito, and this place was originally just a temporary stronghold."

"But after Igata Kaito returned from the Land of Rain a while ago, he said he had joined a ninja organization called Jieyu and was going to become a ninja lord."

Yamashiro Aoba looked at the bandits: "So, these guys were abandoned?"

Genma shook his head: "To be precise, they went from being accomplices to slaves."

"This place became a fallback plan left behind by Igata Kaito."

Genma pointed to the deeper part of the cave: "There is a lot of wealth hoarded in here; it was something Igata Kaito ordered them to do."

"That guy would come back every so often."

Yamashiro Aoba wondered: "These guys are that obedient?"

"They could have just run away; could Igata Kaito really hunt them all down?"

Genma said: "Because they have a cursed seal placed on them."

Shizune was startled: "A cursed seal? That's not something an ordinary ninja can do, is it?"

Yamashiro Aoba stroked his chin, pondering, "It seems this Igata Kaito is not as simple as he appears."

Genma nodded, "This matter is indeed somewhat abnormal."

"These guys killed people when they first robbed the town at the foot of the mountain, but afterwards, they only threatened them to hand over wealth."

"This is likely why there was no intelligence on Igata Kaito later on; aside from the first time, the town did not report anything."

"This point happens to align with the intelligence we gathered this afternoon."

Hatake Sakumo walked toward the bandits, "Genma, where is the cursed seal located?"

Genma stepped forward, "On the right rear shoulder."

Tearing open a bandit's clothes, Hatake Sakumo indeed saw the incantation, "This is a cursed seal specifically used for tracking."

Genma asked, "Teacher, can it be used for counter-tracking?"

Hatake Sakumo nodded, "Yes, provided you possess sensory abilities."

"Furthermore, the distance might be quite far."

Genma smiled upon hearing this, "As it happens, I meet both criteria."

Yamashiro Aoba was surprised again, "Genma, you are also a sensory ninja?"

Genma nodded, "I know a little!"

That sounded like something that would make people want to hit him!

Yamashiro Aoba silently complained.

At this moment, Shizune raised a question, "Although these people can help him plunder wealth, wouldn't planting this kind of tracking cursed seal also expose himself?"

"Does he think that those pursuing him won't discover it?"

Genma nodded after hearing this, feeling that there were indeed many contradictions in the situation.

However, many things in the world lack logic, especially when it is impossible for people to be perfect.

As the team leader Jonin, Hatake Sakumo made a decision, "Set aside the doubts for now; we will know once we catch the target and ask him."

"We will rest here tonight and continue the tracking tomorrow."

Genma and the others nodded one after another.

The night passed quickly.

At eight o'clock in the morning, under the guidance of their teacher Hatake Sakumo, Genma injected his chakra into the cursed seal on the bandit's body, activating it.

Then, following the connection between the cursed seal and its master, Genma's perception rapidly spread out to track him.

"Found him!"

Genma whispered.

Hatake Sakumo immediately gave the order, "Depart immediately; I will leave a clone behind to deal with these people."

If it weren't for Genma and the others, he would have directly issued an execution order.

Genma did not ask how these bandits would be dealt with.

Their hands were stained with blood; even if they were killed, it would be deserved.

After leaving a Shadow Clone behind, Hatake Sakumo led Genma and the others toward the Land of Rain.

As for the Shadow Clone, he had the bandits carry the wealth back to the small town from before.

He intended to return the wealth to the town's residents, and these bandits would also be executed by the town's sheriff in the town.

Once the main body captured Igata Kaito, there would be no future troubles, and the town residents would not be retaliated against.

Crossing the mountains and forests into the Land of Rain, Genma and the others keenly felt that things were different here.

The weather was gloomy, as if it could rain at any moment.

It was still spring, yet the temperature felt lower than in the Land of Fire, and it was that kind of damp, cold feeling.

At the same time.

Inside a desolate town in the Land of Rain.

A middle-aged man with a ponytail, dressed in samurai attire with a katana at his waist, stood on a rooftop, gazing toward the direction of the Land of Fire, "Heh, have they finally chased after me?"

"They should be Konoha ninjas, right?"

"Heh heh, only Konoha ninjas would do this."

Igata Kaito sneered, "I hope the ones coming are strong enough; otherwise, they will be wiped out completely~"

He was not a sensory ninja, so he could only rely on the cursed seal to keep track of those guys.

And just now, the cursed seal was activated; because it contained his chakra, he could feel it from his end as well.