One day later...
Ōnoki stood atop a snowbank, staring blankly at the enormous transport cart below him.
"Lord Tsuchikage, there are only a little over two thousand ninja tools left here!" A tall, thin ninja suddenly climbed up from the snowbank beside him.
Coming back to his senses, Ōnoki considered the situation carefully.
"Here's what we'll do! Take the remaining ninja tools back to the village first and store them securely!"
"I'll deal with them once I get back."
"Then give this letter to the staff at the Intelligence Gathering Department." Ōnoki tossed the envelope in his hand to the man beside him, then slowly rose into the air and flew toward the distant sky.
"I still have something to take care of. Head back on your own." With those final words, Ōnoki vanished from the tall, thin ninja's sight.
"Huh?" Catching the envelope, the tall, thin ninja suddenly realized how difficult this mission would be.
"I have to haul all these ninja tools myself?" He pointed at himself, feeling rather helpless.
Then he shook his head. It was an order from the Tsuchikage, after all. He couldn't disobey it no matter what.
With that thought, he could only resign himself to his fate...
Elsewhere...
"Hurry up, Yui Hyuga! Can't you walk any faster?" Orochimaru stood behind Yui, urging her on impatiently.
Throughout the day, this woman had used every excuse imaginable to stall...
Because of her, it had taken them a full day and night to reach the Land of Fire's border.
First her hand hurt, then her foot hurt. Of course, Orochimaru knew she was blatantly stalling.
"Orochimaru, why are you so slow?" Just then, Jiraiya and Dan Katō returned from the distance.
Jiraiya immediately turned a reproachful gaze on Yui.
"Yui, can't you walk a little faster...?"