Chapter 28: Chiriku
Ryuhon Street, Inn.
"Based on the intelligence, Asuma should follow this line, gradually making his way to the capital of the Land of Fire, where he will likely stay for a period of time."
Facing his subordinates' questions, Tonbo Tobitake was well-prepared. He pulled out a map of the Land of Fire and drew a curved line connecting Ryuhon Street to the capital.
Iruka and the other two watched with extreme focus. As expected of their Captain! They had only concluded that Senior Asuma had indeed been active here, but the Captain had already deduced Asuma's final destination.
Togetake Tetusen was sharper than her two teammates. "Captain, why did your analysis conclude that Senior Asuma would head specifically for the capital?"
Since everyone's raw intelligence was the same, if the Captain could derive a specific route from it, there was clearly much to be learned from his process.
Tonbo had been waiting for them to ask. He opened his mouth with a beaming smile. "First: no matter what kind of sentient being we are talking about, if they take action, there must be a purpose."
The three little ones nodded in agreement.
"Second: according to the intel from the Lord Third, Asuma is searching for the 'King' in his heart. Let me explain this to you—everyone's 'King' is different. For example, my 'King' consists of the village, my father, my fiancée, and my comrades. Asuma doesn't have a 'King' in his heart yet, which is why he's searching. You three are the same; don't just assume your 'King' is the village or your parents just because people say so. It's a feeling. Once you find it, you won't be lost regarding what it means. Right now, you probably don't have one."
The three nodded again, processing this.
"Third: based on human psychology and the known intel, plus the fact that his range is limited to the Land of Fire, he will inevitably follow the 'Crowd Effect.' When a person is lost and confused, they tend to move toward crowded areas. Furthermore, he will move away from the direction of Konoha. Lord Third mentioned Asuma is rebellious, which implies he had a fight with his father."
"So you mean that after an argument, when someone runs away from home, they subconsciously move as far away from the 'home' location as possible?" Tetusen asked.
"Correct. Tetusen is right," Tonbo said, satisfied. "Based on mathematical probability, there is an 85.6% chance that Asuma is taking this route."
"Ah? It's not 100%? And why specifically 85.6%?" Iruka cried out.
"It's just the most likely outcome, understand? When a target's location isn't confirmed, we must learn to use known intel to move in the most probable direction. Alright, simple analysis over. When you get back to your rooms, review this. Try to make sure next time it isn't me doing the analysis for you."
The three nodded incessantly. They felt they had truly learned something today—it turned out the math and psychology taught at school were actually this useful! They felt Tonbo's knowledge was truly bottomless.
Filled with excitement, the three returned to their rooms to constantly replay Tonbo's words. They wanted to be like him: able to extract a mountain of intel from a tiny scrap of information.
"The Captain is amazing!" Iruka lay on his bed, filled with reverence for Tonbo Tobitake. That sharp analytical ability and vast breadth of knowledge were things he deeply admired. He decided then and there: in the future, he had to become a man just like his Captain.
Ryuhon Street Main Gate.
Next stop: set out.
The four hit the road again. The journey was a mix of playful banter and constant learning. Because the route to Asuma was now clear, their purpose was defined. Every time they reached a new town, Tonbo would have the three go out to scout for info to verify his theory.
Every time they returned, Tonbo would teach them how to analyze the findings, spoon-feeding them the logic. As more and more reports came in, they proved Tonbo's analysis correct: Asuma was indeed traveling along that exact path. This only fueled the worship Iruka and the others felt for him.
Tonbo watched the three of them improve and smiled. Will these three all become Konoha Jonin in the future?
His primary goal was to temper their abilities. Whether it was intel analysis, Taijutsu, or chakra control, he wanted them to build a solid foundation during this mission. As for the task of finding Asuma, he wasn't the only team looking; he didn't believe for a second that the Third hadn't sent Anbu or spies as well.
Besides, knowing the future, he knew Asuma would eventually return safely and would even master the secret techniques of the Fire Temple. There was no rush. If he could turn these three into Jonin, they would be solid combat assets against the Akatsuki later on. The more powerful people there were, the safer he—and his family—would be.
Cough, cough!
"The 'King'... what exactly is my 'King'?"
In a tavern in Tongzi City, the youth with a sharp face, Asuma, was smoking a cigarette, occasionally choking on the smoke. His eyes were clouded with confusion.
"Yo, kid. Drinking alone? Want to have a few rounds with us big brothers?"
Several men in white suits with fierce expressions approached Asuma with ill intent.
"Beat it. Don't disturb me," Asuma growled, setting down his cigarette and glaring at them.
The men in white suits exchanged glances and pulled out watermelon knives, iron pipes, and chain-maces from behind their backs. "Kid, buy us a drink and we'll forgive your disrespect. Otherwise, we'll make things ugly for you," the leader sneered.
Trench knives appeared in Asuma's hands; he wasn't in the mood for talk.
At another table in the tavern, a young monk saw the situation, stood up, and walked over slowly. "Benefactors, for the sake of this poor monk's face, could you let this young man go?" The monk smiled at them.
The man in the white suit was about to swing his pipe, but the moment he saw the monk's attire, he froze. After a quick look around, the leader glared at Asuma. "Count yourself lucky you ran into a Lord from the Fire Temple."
The group vanished from the tavern. Seeing this, Asuma put away his weapons. "Thanks."
"No need. I imagine handling them would have been effortless for you," the young monk smiled. "My name is Chiriku. And yours?"
"Asuma."
"It seems the Benefactor has a lot on his mind?"
"Yeah. You're a monk, so let me ask you a question. What is the 'King'?" Asuma asked, his eyes lost.
"The 'King'? I do not know. But I do know that if you do nothing, you will certainly never find it," Chiriku laughed. "But my master said: if your heart is lost, go out and experience the world. Travel far, and one day, you will find it."
Asuma was stunned. When he left Konoha in a hurry, he had thought about wandering, but he mostly just drifted toward the crowds. Chiriku's words reminded him that the Fire Temple was the most important institution in the Land of Fire outside of Konoha. Perhaps they would know more.
"Any recommendations?" Asuma suddenly had an idea and asked Chiriku.
Chiriku smiled. "You're a ninja, right? I am currently heading to the capital to join the Guardian Shinobi Twelve to protect the Daimyo. Would you care to consider it?"
As for whether Asuma could be a spy—as long as he could pass the Land of Fire's investigation, it wouldn't be an issue.
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