The oppressive atmosphere inside Kusagakure was even more intense than on the outskirts. The narrow alleyways were lined with low-rise houses, their walls covered with mottled stains and cracks.
The air was thick with the smells of cheap tobacco, cheap food, and some indescribable musty odor.
Most of the villagers were in a hurry, their faces showing fatigue and numbness. The occasional glances they cast were filled with wariness and alienation, as if each of them lived on their own island, instinctively rejecting outsiders.
Shira walked alone through these winding alleyways. His pace was neither fast nor slow, and his gaze seemed to casually scan the surrounding environment, but in fact, he imprinted every detail into his mind: the location of the watchtower, the route and frequency of the patrols, the possible hiding places of the enemy, and their retreat routes.
His biggest disadvantage is that he cannot use Transformation Technique to change his appearance like his teammates.
But as I Fūgetsu said, the two rogue Jonin seen him before, which was his biggest advantage in this mission—a completely unfamiliar face would not arouse the target's direct vigilance, and he would only be regarded as an ordinary, foreign wanderer, provided that he was low-key enough.
The role he needs to play is that of a silent child who has wandered into this place by mistake.
His perception was heightened to its limit; the Seven Heavens Breathing Method allowed him to detect the most subtle Chakra fluctuations and sounds in the air.
He heard arguing coming from deep within the alley, saw several fierce-looking Grass Ninja roughly shoving aside villagers blocking their way, and sensed a tense order hidden beneath the village's surface chaos.
Time passed slowly, and he found no clues about the missing-nin Nighthawk and Fang.
As he passed through a relatively empty area that seemed to be the edge of a temporary market, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a figure.
It was a woman, thin and frail, dressed in a faded, patched, coarse cloth dress.
What's most striking is her short, dull red hair, which still retains its original vibrant color, beneath which lies a weary face.
With her head down and her steps unsteady, she was roughly dragged by the arm by a middle-aged man wearing Grass Ninja vest with an unfriendly expression, and was staggering Earth Flow a dilapidated tent made of dirty canvas in a corner of the market.
"Hurry up! What are you dawdling for! The others are waiting!" the Grass Ninja growled impatiently, shoving her hard.
The woman let out a barely audible groan, offering no resistance, but obediently and almost numbly being pushed into the tent.
The canvas curtain fell, separating the inside from the outside.
Shira's heart clenched suddenly, and she stopped in her tracks instantly.
Red hair... most likely Karin's mother!
She's right here, and she'll be serving as a mobile blood bank soon.
Shira took a deep breath, and the breathing rhythm of the Seven Heavens Breathing Method forcibly calmed the surging blood and qi.
He can't make a move here. The mission takes priority.
Once exposed, not only will they be unable to save anyone, but they will also implicate the entire team, leading to mission failure and potentially causing diplomatic disputes for Sunagakure.
He forced himself to look away, his steps unwavering, continuing to walk forward like an ordinary passerby, as if he hadn't seen anything at all.
He memorized the exact location of the tent, as well as the surrounding terrain features.
At the same time, he quickly scanned the area around the tent, including visible and hidden sentry posts, as well as possible evacuation routes. All the information was etched into his mind like a brand.
He continued to "wander" around the area, buying a few dry, hard biscuits to conceal his identity, while also memorizing the surrounding environment.
He didn't see the red-haired woman come out again. Occasionally, suppressed, extremely faint groans of pain would come from inside the tent, but they would quickly disappear.
This scene silently reveals the darkness and cruelty beneath the glamorous surface of Kusagakure.
Shira's heart sank; now was not the time.
Like a drop of water merging into the ocean, he left the area silently to continue his reconnaissance mission, searching for any clues the missing-nin might have left behind.