After leaving the bookstore, Shira couldn't calm his thoughts.
The clues Kakashi had provided-"training grounds near Konoha," "running laps on his hands," and "squatting while holding a giant tree"-gradually fit together like puzzle pieces in his mind, outlining the area where Might Guy might be found.
However, the shadow of the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre meant that the alert level in Konoha and the surrounding area had surely risen to unprecedented heights.
A child from Sunagakure appearing there alone would be like a firefly in the night, putting him in extreme danger.
He needed to make a careful plan.
The first step was to create a plausible opportunity to be alone.
The next day, with the caravan's purchases nearly complete and its departure for Sunagakure drawing near, Shira went to his parents.
With a hint of childish longing and curiosity on his face, he said, "Dad, Mom, I heard at the market yesterday that there's a special spice at a small market near the Land of Fire's border. It only grows in damp valleys, and they say it makes flatbread smell wonderful. Could we take a little detour and have a look before we go back? I want to bring something truly rare back for the shop."
The excuse perfectly combined "helping the family business" with "a child's curiosity," and sounded entirely reasonable.
His parents exchanged a glance. Thinking of how sensible their son had been on this trip and how bravely he had protected the caravan before, they couldn't bring themselves to refuse such a small request.
Besides, the border market really was close to their planned route, and the detour would only cost them an extra half day.
After assessing the risks along the route, Rani and Fūi agreed to the plan as well. After all, the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire was fairly peaceful for the time being.
The second step was to choose the right place and time.
Shira chose not to approach Konoha's gates or main outposts directly. Based on Kakashi's hints and his own hazy memories of his previous life, he set his sights on the area near the Valley of the End.
The terrain there was rugged, the forest dense, and the area far from main roads and villages, making it an excellent place for wild training. It also happened to lie on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers, where patrols were relatively sparse.
He planned to slip away from the caravan once it reached the border market, when his parents were busiest with their purchases, using the excuse that he was going to look nearby for wild plants of that spice.
The third step! A disguise and a contingency plan!
He changed into darker, less conspicuous coarse-cloth clothes and removed all his Sunagakure-style accessories.
He carried no ninja tools apart from a few of the most ordinary Shuriken for self-defense, so he wouldn't be mistaken for someone hostile.
He prepared a story: if Konoha Ninja questioned him, he would claim to be a wandering child from the Land of Rivers who had gotten lost while searching for edible wild fruit.
Everything was ready.
The caravan slowly made its way to the last market near the Land of Fire's border.
It was much smaller than the previous market, and the crowd was more mixed. His parents soon became engrossed in conversations with the local merchants.
Shira seized the opportunity and said to his mother, "Mom, I'm going to look in that valley over there. Maybe I can find a trace of that spice."
His mother cautioned him, "Don't go too far. Be careful and come back early!"
"Okay." Shira nodded, and his figure quickly disappeared into the woods at the edge of the market.
As soon as he entered the forest, Shira became alert. Like an agile cheetah, he used the trees and rocks to conceal himself, moving as quietly as possible. At the same time, he reduced the breathing rhythm of the Seven Heavens Breathing Method to a minimum, using it only to heighten his perception and suppress his presence, so that any sensory ninja nearby wouldn't detect strong fluctuations in his Chakra.
He moved swiftly and silently in the general direction of the Valley of the End, listening for every sound around him-the wind, birdsong, and any unusual movement.
Time ticked by. The forest was silent apart from the sounds of nature.
Just as Shira began to doubt his judgment and considered turning back the way he had come.
"Ha!!!"