The morning sunlight carried a gentle warmth, falling evenly over Konoha's bustling shopping street.
Shops lined both sides of the road, with the aroma of food mingling with the clamor of bargaining to create a lively everyday scene.
Kakashi and Hanare walked side by side through the crowds at an unhurried pace.
Kakashi wore his usual, unmistakably laid-back air, though he was not reading because he was on a mission.
Hanare was much quieter. With her head slightly lowered, she swept a seemingly casual gaze over the shops and pedestrians on either side, occasionally pausing briefly before a ninja tools shop or a scroll stall.
Just as they passed a stall selling Three-Color Dango, Hanare's steps faltered almost imperceptibly.
She did not turn around. Instead, she tilted her face slightly with perfect naturalness, casting a precise glance from the corner of her eye toward a street corner not far behind them.
Her voice was soft, carrying just the right touch of curiosity:
"Are those friends of yours?"
In the shadows of the street corner she was looking toward, several figures abruptly ducked back like startled rabbits.
Though she had only caught a fleeting glimpse, Hanare's keen powers of observation had instantly picked out Team Guy following her and Kakashi.
After all, Hanare was a spy. To a professional like her, their supposedly discreet tailing was riddled with flaws.
Kakashi nodded.
"Yes. A friend of mine and his three students."
His tone was as natural as if he were commenting on the pleasant weather, without a trace of surprise or any attempt to explain.
Hanare withdrew her gaze and looked at Kakashi's profile again, her lips curling into a faint, slightly amused smile.
"They're quite interesting."
Her remark carried an implication.
To her, these four ninja's surveillance techniques were far too