"Yamada Ichirō, fifty years old, joined Konoha's registry twenty years ago. He has lived alone, making a living by chopping firewood, with no parents or children."
Jiraiya unfurled the scroll and relayed the target's information.
The three of them were hiding in a tree, observing the dilapidated mud house where the target lived. At this hour, the target hadn't returned home yet. Earlier, they had already searched his house but found nothing useful.
"Wouldn't it be easier to just have a Hyūga check him out?" Kushina, lying on a branch, stared at the house in confusion.
The Hyūga clan's Byakugan could see the flow of chakra in a person's body. If they detected chakra, wouldn't that confirm he was a spy? Why bother with reconnaissance?
So tedious.
Kushina, the future Hokage, craved direct, fist-to-face combat!!
"He could just claim he was a wandering ninja. What then?" Kin rebutted.
Konoha allowed wandering ninjas to join, and they weren't even listed separately. The village had its own policies. During Hashirama Senju's time, anyone could join freely. Later, the Second Hokage revised the entry process.
First, a guarantor was required to enter Konoha. Then, annual payments were mandatory for the first three years while background checks were conducted, followed by three years of surveillance, and finally three years of lax oversight. Only after nine years could one become an ordinary villager—with no access to ninja affairs.
Children born in the village during this period had a chance to enroll in the ninja academy. This system eliminated most spy infiltration attempts, as no village would willingly pay such an exorbitant "fool's tax"—except for the four major hidden villages or those whose villages no longer existed.
Of course, spies had other methods, but this was the least suspicious. As for how Yamada Ichirō was exposed, Kin had no idea.
Kushina had no counterargument and snorted, turning away.
You know everything, don't you?
"So, Kin, any bright ideas?" Jiraiya asked. This mission was difficult, but it was also a test for them.
Kin rubbed his chin.
"Capture him, beat him until he confesses. Whether he is or isn't, he will be."
The plan was pure coercion. Kin had no intention of wasting time here.
Jiraiya: "..."
Minato: "..."
Kushina roared, "Have some decency!!"
What kind of evidence was that?!
Kin rolled his eyes. "We're ninjas, not bureaucrats. Since when do we care about evidence?"
If they were after hard proof, they'd have to be brain-dead.
Kushina was furious but couldn't refute him. Worse, his logic made sense, which only infuriated her further. She lashed out with a kick.
"Go die!!"
Kin dodged effortlessly.
"Enough, stop fooling around," Jiraiya quickly intervened.
They were in no position to risk exposure. Soon, everyone fell silent.
The target had appeared.
In the distance, an elderly man with graying hair was walking back, carrying firewood. This was Yamada Ichirō.
As they observed him, Jiraiya assigned tasks.
"Minato, Kushina, gather intel from the surroundings. Kin, you're with me—we'll keep eyes on him."
"Understood!" Minato and Kushina vanished instantly.
Kin and Jiraiya remained hidden in the tree. Yamada Ichirō entered his house.
The two dropped from the tree and leaped onto the roof. Jiraiya nodded at Kin.
Kin raised a finger toward the roof.
Shave (Soru).
Whoosh.
A tiny, inconspicuous hole appeared. Kin peered through it.
Inside, the target was cooking. After eating, he tossed the dishes aside and lay down to rest. Nothing unusual.
They watched until late at night, when Minato and Kushina returned.
The team regrouped in a hidden spot near the house.
"Locals describe Yamada Ichirō as a kind old man who often helps others. He was even scammed out of money recently," Minato reported.
Despite his good reputation, he had no close friends—which was suspicious in itself.
"Maybe it's a misunderstanding. He doesn't seem like a spy, just a lonely old man," Kushina said, her sympathy showing.
Jiraiya's expression hardened.
"Kushina, have you forgotten one of the ninja codes? Never let emotions cloud judgment."
Kushina lowered her head.
"Cut her some slack," Kin unexpectedly defended her. "We've been competing for last place in written exams. How would she know?" He picked his ear, indifferent.
(Not that Kin had ever tried on exams—he always took last place.)
"I'LL KILL YOU!!" Kushina's red hair flared like a demon's as she lunged.
Kin had always wondered: Was that a ninjutsu or just her temper?
"Kushina, stop!" Minato intercepted her just in time.
Kin watched the two with disdain. "Tch."
"But that guy is a spy."
Jiraiya perked up.
"How so?"
Minato and Kushina also leaned in, curious.
Kin snatched the mission scroll from Jiraiya's waist and pointed at the description.
"With a profile like this, if he isn't a spy, I'll eat my sandals."
It matched every spy template from his past-life spy films.
"Don't jump to conclusions!" Jiraiya smacked Kin's head in frustration.
The next moment—
"Agh!!"
Jiraiya clutched his fist, rolling on the ground in pain. Kin calmly plucked tiny nails from his hair.
"Learned my lesson last time."
He wasn't about to take a hit twice.
Jiraiya stood up, staring at the bloody marks on his hand, speechless.
He'd been outplayed by his own student.
Kin smirked.
Payback's a bitch.
Thud!
Kin clutched his head, squatting in pain.
"Ow."
Jiraiya smirked. "No more tricks, huh?"
Kin glared. "Next time, I'll use poisoned ones."
"Ghk—!!" x3.
This Uchiha is terrifying.
"Shh!" Jiraiya suddenly tensed. Everyone turned to the house just as a shadowy figure darted out and fled into the distance.
The speed of his movement confirmed it—he was a ninja.
Definitely a spy.
"He's making his move already?"
The trio was stunned. This was blatant.
"I'll leave this to you," Jiraiya said. "I'll notify the others."
Could your excuse be any faker?
Kin stared blankly. With Jiraiya's skills, the target wouldn't stand a chance.
Minato sighed.
But Kushina bought it.
"Leave it to us!"
Kin snapped back to reality. "He's getting away!"
The three vanished with Shave (Soru), streaking after Yamada Ichirō.
Jiraiya watched them go before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Shave (Soru) was ideal for short bursts, but even over long distances, it outpaced normal ninja movement.
Yet the trio maintained a steady distance, tailing their target through the forest. Trees blurred past them.
Soon, Yamada Ichirō stopped.
The three immediately scattered, hiding in separate trees.
The target stood still, scanning his surroundings.
Then—
His head tilted back unnaturally, as if his neck had no bones, until it rested against his back.
His lips split into a grin.
"I see you."
BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!
Three explosions erupted where they had been hiding—but Kin's team had already surrounded him in a triangular formation.
"When did we get exposed?" Kushina whispered to Minato.
(At this distance, everyone could hear.)
Yamada Ichirō's eye twitched.
"Could you at least pretend to be subtle?! Even a civilian would've noticed you lot!"
He'd spotted them the moment he neared his house. He'd played dumb, gone about his day—only for them to keep making noise at night.
What kind of ninjas were these?!
Kushina flinched guiltily.
...Okay, maybe they had been a bit loud.
Wait—why was she feeling guilty? He was the enemy!
"Prepare yourself!!" She raised a kunai, her expression fierce.
If he died, no one would know about her slip-up.
Spies deserved no mercy!
"Your thoughts are literally written on your face!!" Yamada Ichirō couldn't believe Konoha's standards.
Kushina touched her cheek. No way.
"Kushina! Minato!" Kin suddenly called.
They turned to him—just as he flashed a hand signal. Their expressions hardened, readying themselves.
"RUN!!" Kin shouted.
The three vanished instantly.
Yamada Ichirō grinned.
"Too late."
Figures erupted from the ground, chasing after them at even greater speed.
"It's a trap?!"
They were after Kushina!!
(End of Chapter)