"So, we need a spy to infiltrate Amegakure," Orochimaru said, revealing the plan he had just come up with.
All three turned their eyes toward Hiruko.
Their meaning needed no explanation.
Hiruko's mild expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he had already started cursing.
These three had taken his command as soon as they arrived, and now they wanted him to be a spy.
Could you three act like human beings?
At the very least, a person shouldn't...
Hiruko pondered for a moment, then said, "Since this is only about gathering intelligence, someone too strong could easily put them on alert. Ideally, we need a shinobi capable of protecting himself, with powerful reconnaissance abilities to make stealing intelligence easier."
He deliberately steered their choice. Whoever wanted to be this spy could go. He certainly wasn't going.
Not too strong, capable of self-defense, and possessing powerful reconnaissance abilities.
Standing behind Hiruko, Hyuga Akira fell into thought.
Why did that description feel so familiar?
"Hyuga Akira, how is your Transformation Technique coming along?" Tsunade suddenly asked in a quiet voice.
Hyuga Akira glanced at his lv2 Transformation Technique and answered, "Average."
Wait!!?
What did they mean!!?
Hyuga Akira looked up at the four people present. All four had their eyes fixed on him.
"Huh!!?" Finally catching on, Hyuga Akira pointed at himself. "You're not thinking of sending me, are you?"
And Hiruko had only just become his instructor, yet he was sending him straight out as an undercover agent. What kind of instructor did that?
Hyuga Akira stared at Hiruko in disbelief.
Hiruko unconsciously turned his head away. He was somewhat in the wrong, but Tsunade had only entrusted Hyuga Akira to him temporarily. The two hadn't been close to begin with.
Better him than me.
In any case, he wasn't going.
Hyuga Akira really wanted to curse. He had set his sights on Amegakure, but not like this.
If he went undercover, could he still farm Amegakure's shinobi?
He was after item drops.
Not intelligence drops.
"Average should be fine, as long as you're a little careful," Tsunade said thoughtfully. "Amegakure doesn't have sensory shinobi. As long as you're careful, you won't be exposed that easily."
Sensory shinobi weren't that easy to train. Only the Five Great Shinobi Villages actively trained them; the other small Ninja Villages rarely did so.
Small Ninja Villages trained shinobi primarily to develop combat strength.
Hyuga Akira: Thanks a lot. Thanks to your whole family for telling me to be careful.
In the end, despite Hyuga Akira's silent protests, he was still chosen for this undercover mission.
These four really weren't acting human. They gave him no chance whatsoever to object.
Hyuga Akira followed behind Hiruko, grumbling.
"I'm just a shinobi fresh out of the academy. What have I done to deserve four adults arranging for a child like me to go undercover...?"
Listening to Hyuga Akira behind him, Hiruko rolled his eyes. This guy hadn't used a single swear word, but it still sounded pretty foul to them.
"It's not as though we're asking you to steal any core secrets. Some peripheral intelligence will do," Hiruko said to reassure Hyuga Akira.
"So, teacher, where are you taking me?" Hyuga Akira stopped complaining and looked at Hiruko in confusion.
They had now reached the southeastern corner of the camp. There were relatively few tents here, only four or five.
"Don't say I never looked after you." Hiruko pulled open a tent flap. "Take whatever you want inside?"
Hyuga Akira looked at the piles of shuriken, kunai, explosive tags, and plenty of other ninja tools and weapons inside the tent.
"Really?" Hyuga Akira's eyes lit up.
"That's right." Hiruko nodded. "You're leaving today, so there's no time to teach you any ninjutsu. All I can do is let you take some extra ninja tools."
Hyuga Akira looked at Hiruko suspiciously and asked, "How much of this can I take?"
Hiruko waved a hand indifferently. "As much as you like."
These were all supplies Hyuga Akira and the other two had transported here. Letting them take some wasn't a problem.
"Then, teacher, step outside for a moment. I'll pack quickly." Hyuga Akira put on an embarrassed expression.
Hiruko shook his head. "No. I still need to record how much you take."
This was to prevent Hyuga Akira from moving large quantities of supplies away.
Things like the Summoning Technique and Sealing Scrolls could be used to transfer large quantities.
"Tch." Hyuga Akira pursed his lips.
Hiruko's face darkened. This guy had definitely been thinking about doing that.
Good thing he hadn't trusted Hyuga Akira completely. If a large quantity went missing, he would end up taking the blame.
He was still nominally the highest-ranking officer here. He simply didn't have much authority.
Damn Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade.
Hiruko cursed inwardly.
Those three would be leaving soon, too. Once they did, authority here would return to his hands.
Hyuga Akira paid no attention to what Hiruko was thinking. He stepped forward and started taking things.
He grabbed over a dozen explosive tags and stuffed them into his Ninja Tool Pouch, though in reality, he put them straight into his inventory.
Explosive tags (23).
He had never fought with this many resources before.
"Don't take too many explosive tags. Not only can they easily explode, but they're also useless in most fights," Hiruko reminded him.
Explosive tags took a few seconds to detonate, making them easy for highly mobile shinobi to dodge.
Unless they were set up as traps with the timing calculated.
Hyuga Akira ignored him completely and stuffed in another dozen or so.
He looked at the Fūma Shuriken beside him. There was no doubt about it-it was the one he couldn't afford.
He hurriedly picked up three or four and packed them away, then took a dozen or so kunai. He needed some wire, too, and even more shuriken.
Hiruko watched the piled-up weapons visibly begin to dwindle.
He sensed something was wrong.
"Wait!!"
"What kind of Ninja Tool Pouch is that?! How can it hold so much?"
Hearing that, Hyuga Akira hurriedly grabbed a good number of extra shuriken and tossed them into his Ninja Tool Pouch. He hastily said, "Teacher, you said I could take as much as I liked."
He secretly took a few more explosive tags and another Fūma Shuriken.
"Stop right there!!"
Chapter 36: Entering the Land of Rain
[Inventory: kunai (45), explosive tags (53), shuriken (99), wire (15), Fūma Shuriken (5)...]
He had never fought with this many resources before.
If Hiruko hadn't stopped him, he could have taken even more.
"They just didn't have shields, spiked clubs, or three-section staffs..." Hyuga Akira said, somewhat dissatisfied.
"What else do you want? How about my position as commander? Want that?" Hiruko was beside himself with anger and could no longer keep up his usual persona.
Losing so many supplies would have a considerable impact on him.
"I wouldn't say no," Hyuga Akira muttered.
"Get lost!!" Hiruko cursed furiously.
He grabbed Hyuga Akira by the back of his collar and dragged him out of the military supply tent.
Putting this guy in there was like letting a mouse into a granary.
No wonder he hadn't wanted Hiruko watching.
Was that Ninja Tool Pouch of his some kind of ninja tool? How could it hold so much?
After hauling him to the camp entrance, Hiruko took out a scroll and tossed it to Hyuga Akira.
"This is Konoha's Summoning Technique scroll. If you get any intelligence, use the Summoning Technique to send it back."
"I'll be your sole contact."
Right now, he just wanted to throw him out as quickly as possible. He didn't want to see Hyuga Akira again!!
"Got it, got it," Hyuga Akira said perfunctorily, opening the Summoning Technique scroll in his hands.
The Summoning Technique was drawn on it. Hyuga Akira said quietly, "Teacher, I don't know the Summoning Technique yet."
They didn't teach this stuff at the Ninja Academy.
Hiruko frowned. "Tsunade never taught you?"
Tsunade had only taught him Medical Ninjutsu. She hadn't taught him anything else.
Hyuga Akira looked at Hiruko with a lingering gaze.
Hiruko rubbed his temples. "Fine. I'll teach you now."
The Summoning Technique wasn't particularly difficult.
"Boar, dog, bird, monkey, ram. Those five seals, then circulate your chakra..." Hiruko explained the entire method of using the Summoning Technique. "You can practice a few times. I am your teacher, after all. I won't mind whatever random things you send over."
Hyuga Akira nodded earnestly. As he understood it, the Summoning Technique really wasn't difficult. C-rank ninjutsu were all easy to master.
"But you absolutely must not use the Summoning Technique without a summoning formula. Otherwise, you might summon an uncontrollable ninja beast, or even be transported somewhere unknown," Hiruko said solemnly.
Hyuga Akira looked thoughtful. This meant summoning random monsters or entering a random dungeon.
It seemed like there was plenty of potential there.
Seeing Hyuga Akira's distracted expression, Hiruko somewhat regretted agreeing to Tsunade's request.
No.
He had already regretted it when Hyuga Akira started taking ninja tools!!
"Enough. Hurry up and go on your mission."
Hiruko chased Hyuga Akira out of the camp, practically throwing him out, looking somewhat disgusted.
Hyuga Akira flipped over and landed on the ground, looking toward the Land of Rain's border as he muttered.
"You still haven't told me how to get into Amegakure."
Before he could go back, Hiruko came out himself.
"Teacher, are you going undercover with me, too?" Hyuga Akira asked, looking delighted.
Couldn't you wish something good for me for once? Hiruko cursed inwardly.
It felt as though nothing good had happened since meeting Hyuga Akira.
"I'll help sort out your identity first."
He had been so angry that he'd lost his head. If he let Hyuga Akira enter the Land of Rain on his own, he wouldn't encounter any Amegakure shinobi at all.
Before you continue