The morning mist had not yet dissipated when Shinsei yawned, stretched, and crawled out of his sleeping bag.
Since Yahiko was not yet a formal ninja, he couldn't travel as fast as a formal ninja, so the three of them walked very slowly along the way.
Since it was a secret infiltration, they couldn't use the electromagnetic cannon to fire Kunai or Flying Thunder God as usual.
Shinsei couldn't help but think that he should learn the Light-Weight Rock Technique as soon as possible, as it would make traveling much easier.
Of course, even if Shinsei immediately learns this Ninjutsu, he can't possibly fly with both of them. Secretly infiltrating... that's such a hassle.
It rained lightly last night, and the roads are a bit slippery.
Jiraiya climbed out of his sleeping bag hanging from the tree and asked with a grin, "Is there anything to eat? Military Rations Pill are awful."
Shinsei took out several flatbreads from his storage scroll, along with some clean water, and handed them to the two of them.
Yahiko didn't care. His good days at the ranch hadn't lasted long, and he hadn't forgotten the hardships he endured in the Land of Rain.
Jiraiya looked worried; it had been a long time since he had seriously done this kind of task.
After breakfast, the three continued their journey.
As Yahiko walked, he kept tugging at his little skirt, the damp grass always getting the lace hem wet.
Jiraiya, disguised as a young woman, swayed her hips as she walked up to Yahiko, winking and saying, "My dear daughter, call me 'Mommy,' and I'll carry you on my back."
Yahiko rolled his eyes at Jiraiya. After spending a day together, his idealized image of that powerful ninja had completely shattered.
The woman in front of him looked beautiful, but she wasn't very proper. He had even seen Jiraiya walking behind him countless times, tucking his hands into his blouse, and then smelling them after taking them out.
Even he, a student who had just joined the Ninja Academy, knew that while the Transformation Technique could change one's appearance, it could not change one's body odor.
Shinsei's eyes were fixed straight ahead, completely oblivious to Jiraiya's actions. There are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names; the title " Pervy Sage " for Jiraiya was truly fitting.
The three of them continued along the main road. When they encountered pedestrians, Jiraiya would restrain himself and behave like a virtuous wife.
The sun gradually rose higher in the sky.
Yahiko dragged his heavy steps forward, his thigh muscles aching, but he gritted his teeth and refused to ask for a rest.
A tea stall appeared at the intersection ahead. Jiraiya, Jiraiya voice hoarse and hesitant, asked Shinsei, "Honey, shall we take a break?"
Shinsei nearly vomited upon hearing Jiraiya's words; the term "husband" sent chills down his spine. He glanced back at Yahiko's condition and nodded, saying, "Let's rest for a bit and see what the boss has to eat."
The tea stall was small, consisting of several rooms in the front and back. A awning was set up at the entrance, and a table was placed on it with teacups.
Jiraiya sat on a stool and called out in a gentle voice, "Is the boss in? We have a guest."
An old woman walked out of the house, her steps unsteady.
She carried a teapot and poured boiling tea into the bowls in front of the three people. "Sorry to keep you waiting. There aren't many people passing by here, so it took quite a while to see you. I won't charge you."
Yahiko picked up the bowl of tea, about to put it to his lips, but Jiraiya grabbed his arm. "My dear daughter, don't rush, the tea is too hot."
The old woman squinted and smiled, "You flatter me, sir. The tea should be a little hotter; these are all fresh tea leaves, and they need to be hot to have enough aroma."
Shinsei said with a stern face, "There aren't many pedestrians here, and the owner has to keep fresh tea on hand at all times. The cost must be quite high, right?"
The old woman's face stiffened for a moment, then she smiled and said, "I haven't been running this tea stall for very long, and I don't have many customers. I hope that after you drink my tea, you will find it delicious and help me spread the word."
Shinsei had run out of patience to play along with the old woman's act. How could a roadside tea stall expect to spread its reputation? And to offer it for free? Was she afraid he wouldn't drink it?
He pushed the bowl forward, in front of the old woman. "Can you drink this bowl of tea?"
The old woman retreated repeatedly, her face filled with terror. "This old woman kindly invited you to have tea, what do you want to do?"
Jiraiya stepped forward, grabbed the old woman's hand, and as his Chakra invaded her body, the old woman instantly transformed into a middle-aged man.
He tried to do something, but Jiraiya grabbed his hands behind his back.
"Tell me, who are you?"
A grotesque smile appeared on the man's face, followed by a pungent, acidic smell emanating from his mouth. He then collapsed to the ground, clutching his neck and struggling violently.
Jiraiya crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. "He actually committed suicide by poison? It seems we've been exposed. Should we continue?"
Shinsei stepped forward to examine the dead man; the man's face was unfamiliar, and he had never seen him before.
Given Konoha's current standing in the Shinobi World, no one dares to provoke them, much less use such simple methods to deal with Shinsei.
If it were the Akatsuki, they would more likely have deployed White Zetsu, but the man before them was clearly not White Zetsu in disguise.
The fact that they could track down their group's movements and do something like that can only mean there's a problem within Konoha.
As the Hokage's assistant, Shinsei, a member of the Anbu, had naturally seen the entire list. Since he didn't belong to the Anbu, there was only one possibility— Root!
Jiraiya deactivated his Transformation Technique and returned to his original form.
When Yahiko saw that Jiraiya had stopped pretending, he hurriedly took off his wig and then quickly took off his skirt.
One experience is enough; you must never let Konan Arin know.
Jiraiya open the man's mouth; his tongue was already pitted and scarred from the potent poison.
But this attempt to cover up the truth only serves to prove the man's origins.
"The quality of Root ninjas is really declining with each generation; they can't believe they're even using this kind of trash for missions."
Shinsei also thought of this problem. Perhaps it was because Danzo brainwashed them for so long that their minds had become abnormal.
Despite its obvious flaws, it was used against an experienced ninja.
However, it's understandable. After all, it was Danzo. Without such methods, he wouldn't have driven the Akatsuki to hate Konoha.
Shinsei and Jiraiya discovered a makeshift cellar at the back door of the house. They dragged out two corpses, a middle-aged man and woman, their faces filled with terror, their deaths gruesome.
Shinsei stomped a large hole in the ground, dragged the two people into it, and buried them there, erecting a simple grave. Their names were unknown, and there were no tombstones.
Shinsei took out some dry food and water and handed them to the two of them.
Jiraiya ate his flatbread, he asked Shinsei, "Are we still going to do this mission?"