"I wonder where that old man is hiding. He must have chosen to go into hiding because he knows a lot of secrets."
Torifu, for one, didn't believe that a Kage-level powerhouse would suddenly go crazy and disappear for no reason. All of this was probably just a façade he created.
After arriving on the street, Torifu activated his chakra suppression jutsu. After all, it was better not to be too high-profile in an unfamiliar place. Using the jutsu could prevent a lot of unnecessary trouble. However, there was nothing interesting to see on this street. It was filled with an aura of power and authority. Everyone was dressed in luxurious clothes, and they all walked with their heads held high, not paying attention to anyone else.
Torifu vaguely remembered the way Rain had taken him to the Daimyō's mansion and followed that path all the way to the outermost street. This area was much livelier than the Daimyō's mansion, but perhaps because the villagers were all taking their midday naps, there were very few peddlers. It was also possible that the laws of this place didn't allow it, but in any case, Torifu was just enjoying the scenery and didn't plan on buying anything. It was rare to have an opportunity to travel abroad like this, so Torifu planned to take a good tour. Today was a good day since nothing had happened yet.
He had heard from the First Prince that he would gather his brothers for a meeting in three days. Given the current relationship between the princes, the meeting was sure to be very lively. Torifu also wanted to see if he could get any clues from this meeting. After all, he wasn't here for a vacation; he was here to solve a problem. When the situation in the Land of Whirlpools was resolved and the country was at peace, he would be in a better mood to enjoy himself.
Torifu walked a circle around the outermost street. The architecture and food specialties all had a very local flavor. But why the Daimyō's residence was built to look like a Hidden Leaf building was something Torifu didn't understand.
"I think I've seen enough. I have a job to do back at the residence."
After walking around the street for nearly an hour, Torifu returned. He needed to contact Naori and the others to check in on his companions. He wasn't too worried about the others. Even Koharu, who wasn't very good at fighting, had Homura with her. Hiruzen, Kagami, and Danzō were all jinchūriki, and their strength was top-notch in the Hidden Leaf. The only person Torifu was worried about was Naori. But she was looking for the Seventh Prince, who was Kushina's father, so nothing should go wrong. But Torifu was still worried.
Just as he returned to the residence, Torifu communicated with the mark on his arm. "Naori, can you hear me?"
At this moment, Naori was in a small village outside Uzushiogakure, about four or five kilometers away. She was bored and was lying on her bed, counting the pearls embedded in the wall. Just then, she heard Torifu's voice and immediately replied, "I can hear you! I can hear you! How are things on your side?"
At this moment, the marks on their arms had successfully connected. No one else without a mark could hear them. Torifu's body suddenly began to distort and then spun into a ball of light and disappeared. In the next second, a streak of light flew out from Naori's arm mark. This startled Naori, but when she saw it was Torifu, she calmed down.
"Why didn't you tell me it had this function? You scared me!" Naori pretended to be angry, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at Torifu with her big, round eyes.
Torifu chuckled. "I originally wanted to surprise you if you were ever in danger, but I never expected to use it in a place like this."
Naori lightly hit Torifu. The matter was settled, and they didn't waste any more words on it. Naori was the first to speak. "So, have you met the First Prince? Did you get any information?"
After confirming that there were no eavesdroppers, Torifu spent about ten minutes telling Naori everything he had learned that day. Naori's expression went from a sudden realization to confusion and then to bewilderment. The turn of events was not what they had analyzed. Uzumaki Ashina went crazy on his own, and the Eighth Prince also committed suicide on his own. So what was there to investigate? The case was practically closed.
"This is too much to process," Naori said with a bitter look on her face.
"What about you? What information did you get?"
"Besides the part about Ashina, it's pretty much the same as yours. The Seventh Prince believes that the First and Second Princes teamed up to seize the position of Daimyō, which is why he left Uzushiogakure."
Torifu nodded and then looked around the unfamiliar room. The space was very large, and the walls were inlaid with all kinds of pearls and seashells, giving it a very oceanic feel. There was also a white coral-like object on Naori's nightstand. It could be said that the furnishings in the room were very luxurious.
"How's the Seventh Prince?"
When Torifu asked this, Naori had a lot to say. "I feel like he's the kind of prince who's just trying to muddy the waters. Everything he said was filled with disappointment toward the First Prince, but he clearly has no intention of rebelling. He just chose to leave."
"We can't be sure yet. After all, we just met him, so he's definitely putting on a facade. We'll have to observe him for a few more days."
Naori nodded. "Of course." She then said unhappily, "Don't underestimate me, okay? I'm an elite Jōnin from the Hidden Leaf Village. I'm capable of this."
Torifu smiled faintly. "Of course. I've never doubted your abilities. I'm just worried about your safety."
Naori snorted. She was still acting tough, but she was secretly happy.
"Oh, right. Won't you be discovered if you come to my place?"
Torifu waved his hand. "No. I left a puppet there."
After Naori mentioned this, Torifu suddenly remembered the Hidden Mist rogue ninja. "I encountered some of those ninja's companions while I was sleeping today. But my puppet killed them. You should be careful, too. We don't know if there are any remnants."
Naori nodded. Although they weren't formidable opponents, she still had to be careful. A ninja's biggest weakness was carelessness.
"They must have seen you in Uzushiogakure, which is why they chose you as a target. I snuck in, so I should be fine, right?"
Torifu shook his head. "It's hard to say. Who knows who hired the assassins? It could be the Seventh Prince or even the First Prince. You can never be too careful."
"I understand."
After that, they talked about many other things, from daily trivial matters to information about the Land of Whirlpools incident. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they lost track of time. When they finally came back to their senses, the sun was already about to set.