Dawn Before 2/2

Getting along with others was really a matter of knowing where to draw the line.

Some things were bedroom banter between husband and wife, but sexual harassment when said by a superior to a subordinate.

Some things were jokes between friends, but a reason to fight if said by strangers.

Hatake Kaito, Kamizuki Izumo, and Hagane Kotetsu were childhood friends who had entrusted their lives to one another on the battlefield, and close buddies who did not mind any amount of sharp-tongued teasing in daily life.

Hayato envied that kind of bond.

Perhaps years from now, Hayato, Hyuga Neji, Aburame Shishin, and the others would be like them too.

Provided everyone could stay alive.

In this cruel world wrapped in dreams and bonds.

After parting ways with Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu, the three headed north.

Around noon, they arrived by the lake.

After comparing it with the map, Hayato said, "This is Lake Notori. Inari Village is in the mountains across the lake. We have not gone the wrong way. If we hurry at full speed, we can get there before dark."

Hatake Kaito considered it, then said, "Rest first. Eat lunch."

Moonlight Sharoro took out a scroll, released its seal, and retrieved a bag of rations.

After eating a piece with hot water, Hayato frowned. "There are fish in the lake. I'll catch some and make soup."

"Wait." Hatake Kaito stopped him.

"It'll be quick. It won't delay us."

"It's not a matter of time."

Hayato froze for a moment, then quickly understood.

The conditions for ninja missions were usually harsh. Sometimes, to avoid exposing their tracks, they could not even light a fire. Eating wild fruit and drinking water without making a sound were commonplace. To replenish their strength and nutrition, eating raw meat and drinking blood was nothing unusual.

Hatake Kaito meant that Hayato needed to learn to adapt.

Seeing Moonlight Sharoro silently gnawing on her rations, Hayato knew he had been acting spoiled and hurriedly apologized. "Sorry."

Hatake Kaito was pleased that Hayato had come to his senses. "It's fine. Finding food and preparing it are also essential ninja skills."

Moonlight Sharoro said, "If it feels too hard, soak it in water."

Hayato tried it and found that it really did taste much better.

Moonlight Sharoro continued, "Rations are fine. Soldier pills taste even worse."

Soldier pills could not only fill one's stomach, but also replenish chakra. They were far more expensive than rations, but their flavor was strange. If he had a choice, Hayato did not think he would ever choose soldier pills.

Eating a pearl-sized soldier pill was like eating more than ten pounds of durian. Those who liked them savored the taste, but for those who did not—the smell was truly indescribable.

After they finished their rations, Moonlight Sharoro took watch while Hayato and Hatake Kaito rested.

The two leaned against the base of a tree.

Hayato asked, "Captain, when you spoke with Tuan Hachiro, did anything seem off?"

Hatake Kaito said, "What? You suspect Tuan Hachiro's identity?"

"The calluses on Tuan Hachiro's hands and feet came from long-term labor. Unless he used a Transformation Technique, that could not be faked. Tuan Hachiro really is a farmer. But the question is, how could a farmer escape from ninjas and evade their pursuit?"

"Very good, Hayato." Hatake Kaito looked at him approvingly. "I did not expect you to think of that too. In fact, Lord Hokage noticed it long ago. That is why Tuan Hachiro remained in Konoha: first, to detain him in disguise; second, because bringing him along would have slowed us down. Therefore, our mission is to investigate first, then decide what to do next. Lord Hokage assigned this mission to our team because of Hayato's Byakugan reconnaissance ability."

After resting for half an hour, the three set off again.

Around evening, they reached the outskirts of Inari Village.

Ordinarily, at this hour, dim lights should have been glowing and cooking smoke drifting through the air. Yet Inari Village did not have a trace of light. It was eerily silent.

Hatake Kaito said, "Goshawk, scout the area."

Even without Hatake Kaito's reminder, Hayato had intended to use his Byakugan.

Byakugan!

The dense trees and the steadily darkening sky did not affect Hayato.

At the center of the village stood a relatively large building. The villagers were imprisoned there, and Hayato also saw six ninjas. Judging by their chakra levels, there was one jonin, two chunin, and three genin.

After Hayato reported the situation, Hatake Kaito said, "Inari Village has worshipped the Inari deity for generations. There is an Inari Shrine in the center of the village, large enough to hold all the villagers. That matches what Tuan Hachiro said. But why are there only six ninjas? Goshawk! Check the surroundings."

Hatake Kaito was worried that some ninja might be patrolling outside, or even lying in ambush around them.

Hayato carefully scanned the area. There were no enemies, so he shook his head.

Hatake Kaito said, "We need to prepare for the possibility that we have already been exposed. Be careful. Rest first and recover to peak condition. We will infiltrate at the Hour of the Tiger. If infiltration fails, we will attempt a direct fight. Bowstring and I will set some traps around the area. They may come in handy during sentry duty or a retreat. Goshawk, rest first. You will stand watch during the latter half of the night. Any objections?"

Hayato had no objections. Darkness had little effect on the Byakugan, making him well suited to guard the latter half of the night.

Moonlight Sharoro had even less reason to object.

Without further nonsense, Hayato took out some rations and slowly ate them with cold water.

Afterward, he sat on the ground with his back against the trunk and quickly fell asleep. They had traveled all day, and he was somewhat tired. Before long, Hayato was asleep, though being in the wilderness meant the quality of his sleep was poor.

In the middle of the night, Hatake Kaito reached out to wake Hayato.

Hayato abruptly opened his eyes. Threads of light seemed to drift through his white pupils, making him look somewhat unsettling in the darkness.

In truth, Hatake Kaito was startled. His hand froze in midair, and his heart seemed to skip two beats.

Awkwardly withdrawing his hand, Hatake Kaito gave a sheepish laugh. "You're awake."

"Yeah, I just woke up."

He had been sleeping hazily, but retained a slight awareness of movement around him. Thus, he had awakened when Hatake Kaito approached.

"Senior, go get some sleep."

Hatake Kaito did not stand on ceremony. He nodded, lay down on the ground, and soon began breathing evenly.

Moonlight Sharoro was also lying on the ground. She had curled herself up, her face covered by a mask, yet she made soft smacking noises. She was probably dreaming about delicious food.

Hayato jumped onto a nearby tree. It gave him a better view, and also helped keep him from getting sleepy.

The moon shone bright amid sparse stars.

Direct descendants of Hamura Otsutsuki lived on the moon. Their bloodline was purer than that of the Hyuga Clan, and in the future, they even artificially created the Tenseigan.

The Tenseigan was a dojutsu that could rival the Rinnegan. Once one possessed it, they would immediately reach the pinnacle of life.

Did Hayato want the Tenseigan?

He dreamed about it.

But if the price of the Tenseigan was slaughtering an entire clan, then he would rather not have it.

After sighing to himself, Hayato shifted his gaze toward Inari Village.

Many people in Inari Village could not sleep. They tossed and turned. When their lives were in someone else's hands, it was difficult to sleep peacefully.

The enemy ninjas also had people keeping watch—two of them, one chunin and one genin.

Tonight, someone would die!