Stepping back on land, Kazuyama felt like he was coming back to life.
The same could be said for Yugito.
Although Turtle Island had a self-contained environment, it was still out at sea.
"Seirin, thanks."
"That's it? I'm telling you, I don't work for free. A basket of snakeberries!"
Hearing the word snakeberry, Kazuyama laughed heartily and patted his chest, vowing, "Don't worry, next time we go to Ryūchi Cave, I'll make sure you get enough."
Satisfied, Seirin disappeared into the sea in a wisp of white smoke.
"What are snakeberries?" Yugito asked. "Are they good?"
Right now, everything tasted better to her than grilled meat or fish. After spending so long on Turtle Island, she was ready to go vegetarian. If not for the physical toll of training, she would have sworn off meat entirely.
"They're not delicious, but snakes like them."
"Okay, let's go. This is the southern part of the Land of Fire."
"There should be a town nearby. Let's change up our diet."
The two hurried north, and just as Kazuyama had predicted, it wasn't long before they spotted a sizable town.
The moment they entered, they didn't hesitate to find a restaurant.
Curry rice, tempura, onigiri, udon—it was a feast.
Yet, without saying a word to each other, neither ordered any meat.
After eating their fill, Kazuyama took Yugito to a hot spring hotel, booked two rooms, and handed her a key.
"Go soak in the hot springs first. It'll help with fatigue."
"I'm going to gather some intel and see what's been happening while we were away."
"Oh, and this is for you."
He casually handed her a kunai with an inscription on it.
Looking at the words—お父さんが来た (Your father is here!)—Yugito nearly gagged.
"Can you not? This looks too…"
"Hey, you little brat, this is a kunai I made specially. No one else has one like it."
"Fine, go soak in the hot springs. I'll go scout for information."
Before she could argue, Kazuyama vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
Just in case, he left a sealing technique in his own room before heading into town.
Every town in the Land of Fire had its own intelligence points, though they were well-hidden. It wasn't until he joined ANBU that Kazuyama learned all their locations.
The intelligence point in this town was inside a casino.
Before entering, he used the Transformation Technique to alter his appearance. He was still underage, and he didn't want to risk getting thrown out.
Despite the ongoing war, this seaside town was unaffected. The casino was lively, filled with guests gambling freely.
Kazuyama walked straight to the counter.
"Huh? Guest, would you like to gamble?"
The casino manager greeted Kazuyama with a welcoming smile—until he noticed the Konoha forehead protector and mask. His expression immediately turned serious.
"So, it's you. Please, come in."
Kazuyama put away his belongings and followed the manager through the winding hallways to the back of the casino. Once inside a private room, the man turned to him.
"A Konoha ninja, still hanging around the coast at this time of year?"
"Why? Planning to escape to sea to avoid the war?"
Kazuyama's brow furrowed slightly.
That single remark carried a lot of weight. It seemed the situation had shifted again.
"I have a special mission. Just got back," he said. "Since you know who I am, tell me—what's the current situation?"
The manager eyed him for a moment before casually rubbing his thumb and index finger together.
Kazuyama cursed internally. Damn it, he wants money.
Then again, he relaxed. Intelligence organizations like this weren't under Konoha's direct command—they were part of the underworld, selling information just like the Land of Grass did.
With a sigh, he pulled out a stack of money and tossed it over.
The manager pocketed it with a satisfied nod and began his report.
"Iwagakure took down the Third Raikage. The war in the Land of Rice Fields has stabilized—Iwa won."
"In the battle for the Land of Grass, Iwa's two Jinchūriki worked together and wiped out Konoha's defensive forces. Now they've pushed back to the border of the Land of Fire."
"As for the Land of Rivers, Sunagakure has launched a fierce offensive. Word is, the situation has completely flipped."
Hearing back-to-back defeats surprised Kazuyama.
The loss of the Land of Grass wasn't shocking, but the Land of Rivers too?
Had the Third not sent reinforcements? That didn't make sense.
"You're surprised, huh?" The manager smirked. "Well, the money you gave me covered three pieces of intel. If you want more, you'll have to pay up."
Kazuyama didn't bother arguing and tossed over another wad of cash.
The next bit of information made him frown.
"Kirigakure has launched a full-scale invasion of the Land of Hot Water and is also attacking Konoha."
"They've sent a large force, and their assault is relentless."
That explained everything.
No wonder Konoha had lost in the Land of Grass and the Land of Rivers. With Kiri attacking as well, holding onto settlements outside the Land of Fire was impossible.
"Want more intel?"
"What else?"
"A missing person's notice. Actually, forget it—I'll throw this one in for free since it concerns Konoha."
Missing person's notice?
What the hell?
Had a high-ranking shinobi disappeared? Been kidnapped? Assassinated?
Kazuyama narrowed his eyes in confusion as the manager casually counted his money.
"Konohagakure Jōnin Kazuyama has been missing for over a month."
"If you provide valid information, the reward is 100,000 ryō—provided the intel is accurate and useful."
Kazuyama: …
What the hell?
There's a missing person's notice for ME?!
Hadn't he left a message saying he was heading to the Land of Lightning?
"What idiot put out that notice?"
"Oh, that's easy." The manager smirked. "It was posted by Orochimaru, one of the Sannin."
Hearing his sensei's name, Kazuyama immediately snapped to attention.
So, it was Orochimaru looking for him…
That wasn't surprising, but why was Orochimaru looking for him?
Did it have something to do with a new experiment?
If that was the case, Kazuyama had to get back to the village—just in case it was something good.
With the intel he needed, he left the casino and returned to the hotel.
Soaking in the comfort of the hot springs, he quietly planned his next steps.
Yugito definitely couldn't be brought back to Konoha, and with the Land of Fire embroiled in war, she couldn't stay there either.
It seemed he would have to send her back to Turtle Island.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake