Night had fallen deep. Tsunade and the others stayed in the rooms the Shrine Maiden had prepared for them. Though they lay beneath their blankets, none of them except Kana felt remotely sleepy. Kazemori Masaki still had not returned. It was hard to believe that an expert like him would take so long just to investigate, and they began to worry that something might have gone wrong.
Whether Kana was simply easygoing or had absolute faith in Kazemori Masaki, she showed no concern that he might run into trouble. She told the others that he would certainly return, and all they needed to do was get some proper rest.
Of course, Tsunade and the others trusted their teacher. They believed that even among the Second's students, he was the strongest. Rather than worrying about Kazemori Masaki's safety, they had vaguely sensed that this enemy was no ordinary opponent, and the thought set their young blood stirring.
Even ninja who had undergone rigorous training and been taught to approach everything cautiously could not escape the hot blood of youth. This was especially true on their first mission away from home, when their curiosity about the enemy was at its strongest.
After Kana fell asleep, Tsunade slipped out of the room, ran to her teammates' door, and knocked softly. She knew the two inside would recognize her. Soon, the door slid open just far enough to let her through. The petite Tsunade slipped inside with ease, ready to begin their secret meeting as fellow students.
"Who do you think those people at the Ninshu Ruins are?" Tsunade asked quietly. "They've kept Kazemori away for so long."
"I don't know, but I think they're probably ninja," Hatake Sakumo said. He glanced at Heizo Hattori and asked, "What do you think, Heizō?"
"They're probably