The Yellow Earth Road stretched ahead, and the little puddle in the middle of it drew closer and closer.
Naruto was still up front, pestering Tazuna with questions about anything and everything.
Kakashi suddenly slowed his pace until he was walking beside Hayashi.
"Did you notice?"
His voice was so low that only the two of them could hear it.
Something stirred in Hayashi's mind, and he instinctively activated the Mind's Eye of the Kagura.
The world before him instantly changed-
The wind and voices faded into the distance, leaving only scattered points of chakra in his perception.
That little puddle immediately changed within his senses.
It was no puddle at all.
There were clearly two ninja crouched low in it, their chakra signatures dull and gray. Neither even wore a forehead protector.
They looked like nothing more than ordinary small fry.
This was his first time using the Mind's Eye of the Kagura for this, and it worked pretty well.
Oh, right. That blue coating on the chain's barbs is probably poison.
Hayashi withdrew his attention and gave an almost imperceptible nod, lowering his voice as well.
"Two ninja, probably around chunin level. Should I go kill them now?"
Kakashi's eye curved into a smile.
"Don't make a move," he said unhurriedly. "In a moment, I'll leave a clone behind to play the sacrificial lamb. Just pretend you're scared."
"Pretend I'm scared?" Hayashi asked in confusion. "Won't they see through that, Kakashi-sensei?"
"Fair point." Kakashi thought for a moment. "Then just keep one of them occupied. As for the other-"
He lifted his chin toward the three figures ahead, who still looked as though they were on vacation.
"Let them face him. It'll give them a taste of the dangers outside the village."
"Wouldn't it be easier to finish