Aoba, what exactly are you doing?

Aoba walked at an unhurried pace, but every step carried a strange rhythm, as though the entire forest were under his control.

"Keep up, Shinku."

Aoba's voice came from up ahead, low and firm. "Tonight, we're going to play a hunting game."

Shinku did not answer immediately. He simply followed in silence.

Questions filled his mind, but their years of unspoken understanding led him to trust Aoba's judgment.

Whatever else might be true, Aoba's strength was beyond question—the boy who had once gone unnoticed at the Ninja Academy had grown into someone who inspired fear and awe.

The night deepened, and the air in the forest seemed to grow heavier.

Aoba's cloak stirred gently in the breeze. His silhouette looked indistinct beneath the moonlight, as though he had blended into his surroundings.

His Observation Haki had already registered every trace of movement for miles around: the low call of a distant owl, the faint rustling among the leaves, even the cautious breathing of the Sunagakure ninja. All of it was perfectly clear.

"Four people. Three men and one woman."

Aoba stopped and spoke quietly. "The leader has the strongest chakra fluctuations. He should be a chunin, skilled in Wind Release and the Puppet Technique.

"The other three are genin with ordinary chakra reserves, but one of them seems to be carrying some kind of special weapon. Explosive Tags or poisoned needles, perhaps."

Shinku nodded slightly, silently marveling.

Aoba's perception had reached such a level that it could almost rival the sensory ninja of legend.

He could not help asking, "What do you plan to do? Attack them directly, or..."

"Observe first."

Aoba's tone remained calm. "I need to know their objective.

"If they're only passing through, we'll let them leave.

"If they have something else in mind..."

He paused, a