Rumors and Gossip

"Hey, did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"The forbidden technique left behind by the Second Hokage seems to have been stolen a while ago."

Inside the barbecue restaurant, at a window seat, Qian was wolfing down grilled meat. When he heard that, his movements immediately paused.

Then he blocked out the conversations of everyone else, pricked up his ears, and listened carefully to the two men talking.

It was only because his Spiritual Power was so strong, and because the increase in his Physical Constitution attribute had enhanced every aspect of his body, that he was able to do this.

Otherwise, from such a distance and in such a noisy environment, he really might not have been able to hear what they were saying clearly.

And just as he focused his attention, he heard the Konoha ninja who had been asked speak in a slightly surprised tone. "A forbidden technique left behind by the Second Hokage? Who did it?"

"I heard it was a Kumogakure spy. Seems they've already caught the person," the other man replied.

However, after hearing his words, the man whose interest had been piqued shook his head.

Seeing this, the other man immediately asked, "What's wrong? Do you have other information?"

"I don't have any information."

The man who had shaken his head replied, "But I do know that the forbidden techniques researched by the Second Hokage must have been under strict protection. How could a mere Kumogakure spy possibly get access to them so easily, let alone steal them? I feel like there's something behind this..."

"Tsk, tsk~"

He did not finish his last words, but the meaning behind them was already very clear.

Clearly, he did not believe this had been done by a Kumogakure spy, or rather, not entirely by him. He believed someone