Chapter 27: A Glimpse of the Great Tsunade
Konoha Main Gate.
Iruka and the other two, backpacks on, were already waiting for Tonbo Tobitake.
"Finally, a formal mission! Watch me wrap this up in a single day, hmph!" Iruka was brimming with confidence.
Finding a person was just tracking, after all. Having spent so much time finding lost cats and dogs, Iruka felt his tracking methods were peak perfection. Mibu Shinobu and Togetake Tetusen felt the same. Although they had been successfully "bluffed" into doing D-rank missions with the Will of Fire, they still harbored deep expectations for high-level work.
This intelligence-gathering mission was ranked B because it involved a missing shinobi. Their motivation was through the roof.
"Why isn't the Captain here yet? we've been ready for so long."
"Apologies, apologies. Saying goodbye to my fiancé took a bit more time than expected." Tonbo Tobitake appeared behind them out of thin air.
Poof!
The sudden sound made the hearts of the three jump. Only when they heard their Captain's voice did they let out a sigh of relief.
Iruka patted his chest. "My dear Captain, you're going to scare us to death one of these days."
"Wait, Captain, since when did your girlfriend become your fiancée?"
"We've set the wedding date! Prepare yourselves to drink to my happiness, hehe!" Tonbo bragged. In the future of Konoha, so many people would end up single. Aside from the "forced pairings" of the Twelve Guardians' generation, Kakashi's peers only really had Kurenai and Asuma, and Hayate and Yugao. Since he was getting ahead of them, he'd be able to mock them later.
"Also," Tonbo added, taking on a teaching tone, "a ninja must always be aware of their surroundings. You need to know when it's time to rest and when it's time to be in 'active mode.' You can't stay tense forever—that will damage your spirit—but you can't drop your guard completely either, because an enemy could appear at any moment."
This was "dry goods"—pure survival wisdom condensed from the countless ninja memories he had read and his own experiences.
"Yes, Captain!"
They answered, but in their hearts, they weren't entirely convinced. How can someone be alert all the time? Even the greatest ninja couldn't do that!
"Alright, let's head out. Target: Ryuhon Street in the Land of Fire."
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Four figures moved through the forest in a wedge formation.
"According to the Hokage's intel, Asuma appeared on Ryuhon Street two days ago, but it was just a glimpse. Once we arrive at the destination, start gathering intelligence immediately. Understood?" Tonbo commanded. In Konoha, he was a teacher; outside, he was a Squad Captain. There was no room for slack.
"Yes, Captain!"
Tonbo's serious demeanor infected the three, and their expressions shifted from excitement to grim focus.
Swish! Swish!
Tonbo periodically cast his sensory perception over the group. Seeing that they were correctly applying the technique of attaching chakra to their feet, his lips curled into a slight smile.
Improved concentration was indeed vital for chakra control. In the past month, the three had not only mastered focusing at will but had also learned to analyze their environment and mold chakra for a counterattack in a split second. Techniques like tree-climbing and water-walking had been mastered in days and were now being used during their travel.
Half a day later, the four arrived at Ryuhon Street. It was actually a fair-sized town and quite bustling. After securing an inn as a meeting point, the four split up to gather information.
Tonbo walked the streets alone, observing everything. His powerful brain and vast knowledge allowed him to record everything he perceived into his memory. The advantage of a sensory ninja was clear: within a radius of several kilometers, very little could escape his sensory field. His experience with mind-reading and battlefields made processing this data as easy as picking up a bird's egg.
Asuma... according to the Third, he seems to have gone out to find the "King" in his heart. That's what he said, right?
And according to the original story, before returning to Konoha, Asuma served as one of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve for the Daimyo until he found that answer. Should I just wait for him at the capital of the Land of Fire?
Flashes of information from the town crossed his mind: the beauties at the hot springs, the underground bounty station, the big-chested woman at the casino...
Wait...
He focused his perception. A massive chakra signature entered his mind, with a smaller one beside it.
It couldn't be this coincidental, could it?
Tonbo marveled at how small the world was. Though he found it hard to believe, that was indeed the dream goddess of countless Naruto fans—Tsunade. The "Gambler" of Konoha's legendary Sannin.
But then again, what did she have to do with him? He already had his goddess. After sensing her for a moment, he moved his attention away, merely filing the intel in his mind. Every scrap of external information could be useful.
He checked on his three Genin. They were working hard, asking around for news of Asuma. Iruka was at the hotels, Mibu Shinobu was at the hot springs. Tetusen was the clever one—she was at the grilled sausage stands and noodle shops, matching Asuma's known preferences from the files.
As for Tonbo, he already knew Asuma was likely headed for the capital. With nothing to do, he returned to the inn, picked up a notebook, and leisurely began sketching and writing.
These were his ultimate ideas for his Genjutsu series:
History Rewrite: Inserting a segment of history into the enemy's memory, placing his own existence into their past to change their perception of him.
All Senses: Genjutsu that manipulates the enemy's form, touch, shape, and all five senses to achieve total deception.
Eye of the Creator (Advanced): Developing upon his Secret Technique using Yin Release's ability to "create form out of nothing," deceiving the world and oneself to reach a level where Genjutsu can control the very weather and environment.
While teaching Iruka and the others, he hadn't just studied barriers; Genjutsu remained his primary field of research. These three ultimate series were the culmination of his exploration over the past two years. However, the difficulty was immense—each could be a ten-year project—so he had to choose his priorities.
Time passed quickly during his research, and the sky soon darkened. Sensing the return of the three Genin, he put his notes away.
Knock, knock!
"Come in."
"Ah, I'm so tired! I didn't think finding a person would be so much harder than finding cats and dogs!" The three walked in, panting.
Tonbo asked, "And?"
Iruka said dejectedly, "No leads at all. It's like he never even showed up on Ryuhon Street."
Mibu Shinobu added, "I didn't collect any info on Senior Asuma either."
Togetake Tetusen, however, was smiling. "Senior Asuma definitely appeared here two days ago. He ate a mountain of grilled sausages at a stall, but there was no news of him after that."
The other two looked at her in surprise. There was actually intel!
Tonbo praised her, "Tetusen, well done. You two should learn from her intelligence analysis." He was truly impressed; that attention to detail regarding hobbies was often the dividing line between a Chunin and a Jonin.
Iruka looked defiant. "Dammit, you got the spotlight this time! Next time I won't lose."
"Then what about you, Captain?" they asked, looking at Tonbo simultaneously. "What intel did you gather?"
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