A Stroke of Dumb Luck

To avoid the risk of exposing their movements by crossing the heart of the Land of Rivers, Orochimaru settled on the safest route.

The team abandoned the usual border roads and headed for the Land of Fire's southeastern border. Following a narrow belt of old-growth forest, they avoided potential watchers and slipped into the Land of Rivers unseen.

The mountains in the southwest of the Land of Rivers lay in perpetual gloom. The deeper they went, the colder and damper it grew. Towering ancient trees shut out the sun, the air carried the smell of rotting vegetation, and swarms of insects flitted through the woods.

Tsukimi remained relaxed. She seemed almost careless, but she had already sent the Shadowkhan ahead to scout the route.

Asuma had shed his initial impatience and put aside his complacency. He scanned their surroundings warily. Kurenai activated her sensory Ninjutsu from time to time, not daring to let down her guard for a moment.

The four pressed on for two days before finally reaching the heart of the southwestern mountains.

"According to the medical department, that particular poisonous herb grows only in these mountains. Their poison-making base must be somewhere in this area."

Orochimaru stopped. His snake-like eyes swept across the vast forest as he began assigning tasks in his raspy voice.

"Spread out and search. Keep within range of one another. Signal immediately if you find anything unusual. Do not go deeper alone or touch anything without permission."

"Understood!"

The three answered and spread out in a fan formation to search the area.

Fifteen minutes later, Kurenai was the first to sense something wrong. She fixed her attention on a valley ahead and raised a hand to signal the others.

"Something's off about this area."

The others quickly gathered around. After examining the surroundings, they soon spotted the signs and entered the valley together.

Mountains enclosed the valley on every side, forming a natural barrier. Its secluded position made it ideal for a base, and the terrain bore traces of human activity.

The soil here had been turned over. Compared with the hard ground outside, compacted over many years, it was damper and looser. Even the weeds and fallen leaves looked a little too neat.

Tsukimi crouched and pressed her right hand to the ground. "Looks like someone cleared this place. There are signs of large-scale Earth Release."

Asuma looked around the empty valley. It was deserted and utterly still, with no other traces left behind. At first glance, it looked no different from the surrounding area.

"They cleaned up this thoroughly?" Asuma frowned. "Looks like they made a complete withdrawal and erased every trace they could."

"Which means they didn't leave in a hurry." Tsukimi stood and gathered her thoughts. "They may have started pulling out as soon as Kawata Genji died from the poison and that unusual toxin was exposed."

"Keep searching the valley."

Orochimaru's expression did not change. He scanned the surrounding woods, gave the three their orders, then headed behind the valley.

"What's Orochimaru-sensei doing?" Asuma asked curiously.

Tsukimi glanced at Orochimaru's retreating back. For a snake, this place was practically paradise.

"Looking for the poisonous herb," she replied offhandedly. Then she turned to Kurenai and Asuma. "Don't get distracted. Let's keep looking for clues."

The three spread out again. Asuma stared at the disturbed ground, growing inexplicably annoyed. Before coming here, his teammates had warned him to be careful. He had set aside his arrogance and prepared himself, expecting a real fight. And after all that, this was what he got?

I'd already taken my damn pants off!

They had finally tracked the enemy to this area, only to find an empty plot of land that had been cleaned up. Asuma searched as he walked, irritation building in his chest. He lashed out and kicked a nearby patch of weeds.

The thick weeds parted under his kick. The turned soil was so loose that his foot tore up a large clump of grass and sent several chunks of earth flying.

"Hm?"

Asuma glanced at the weeds, then froze. A glint of cold metal showed through a gap in the soil.

He immediately crouched beside the weeds and carefully cleared away the grass and dirt. Once he had brushed off the loose soil, a battered piece of metal the size of an adult's palm came into view. Its edges were twisted and warped.

Asuma picked it up and examined it closely. The metal was hard, no ordinary iron. It seemed to have come from some kind of ninja tool. Its pitted surface looked as though it had been deliberately smashed.

"Hahaha! Tsukimi, Kurenai, come here! Take a look at this!"

Asuma held the metal fragment high in his right hand and waved it as he called to his teammates.

Tsukimi and Kurenai came over, their eyes going straight to the fragment in his hand. Asuma handed it to them, then grinned at his teammates with obvious pride.

"Heh, looks like my luck isn't half bad. I actually found a clue."

Who knew Asuma could get this lucky?

"Sure, sure. We'll make sure you get full credit when we get back."

Tsukimi brushed him off as she took the fragment and examined it. She ran her fingers over the markings left on its surface, thoughtful.

With a flick of her left hand, several Shadow Ninja emerged from the shadows and headed toward the back of the valley.

"Did they deliberately destroy it and leave it here, or was there a fight? What do you think, Tsukimi?" Asuma's smug look faded as he asked the question seriously.

"I think while standing."

Tsukimi answered without even looking up. Asuma's face stiffened, and Kurenai let out a quiet laugh.

After examining the fragment for a while, Tsukimi found nothing useful. She looked up at Asuma and Kurenai and shrugged.

"We don't even know where this fragment came from yet. What am I supposed to think? Where did you find it?"

"Right in those weeds." Asuma pointed behind him.

The three went over and searched the patch thoroughly, but found no other fragments.

"Widen the search. Look more carefully this time."

Using the patch of weeds as their starting point, the three searched outward. This time they were meticulous, using their kunai to sift through the soil and grass.

While they searched, Orochimaru had made a discovery behind the valley. The unusual poisonous herb grew there in clusters, and the plants bore clear signs of having been picked by hand. Orochimaru took specialized equipment from his Sealing Scroll and carefully collected several plants.

After safely sealing away the herbs, he saw several Shadow Ninja emerge from the valley and approach him.

"It seems my students have found something too."

Orochimaru smiled slyly and licked his lips. He rose and headed back toward the center of the valley, where he could already see his three students rummaging through the weeds.