Hayashi, who had been crouching low as if hiding from something, slowly stood up.
Mikoto tilted her head, puzzled by his behavior. "What are you doing, Hayashi?"
Instead of answering, Hayashi pointed at the ground. "Mikoto, look carefully. Do you notice anything unusual?"
Mikoto activated her Sharingan, the red glow reflecting off the forest floor as she began scanning the area. While her eyes weren't as effective as the Byakugan for reconnaissance, the Sharingan's perception was still far sharper than normal vision.
"Before," she said after a few moments, "there were small trails here. But they've been covered by weeds and fallen leaves."
"Exactly," Hayashi replied. "This used to be a path. It's been abandoned for years, maybe decades." He crouched again, brushing aside the foliage. "But what's strange is that this road isn't marked on the map Orochimaru-sensei gave us."
Mikoto's eyes widened slightly as she caught on. "So… the enemy might be using this old road?"
"That's right." Hayashi gave a faint nod. "Our current task is to identify every hidden path not listed on the map."
He bit his thumb lightly, pressing his hand against the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
A puff of smoke spread out, and within seconds, several snakes slithered from the summoning seal, hissing softly as they dispersed into the forest.
Though not particularly strong, these snakes were excellent scouts — silent, numerous, and agile. As Orochimaru's contracted creatures, they shared a faint mental link with Hayashi. Once they discovered anything unusual, they could instantly alert him.
That was precisely why Orochimaru hadn't assigned a sensory-type ninja to Hayashi's team — the snakes were more than enough for wide-area detection.
Still, their intelligence was limited. Asking them to identify hidden or disguised roads was already pushing their capability. But it was an efficient solution nonetheless.
Hayashi smirked slightly. "Minato might have his toads, but they can't compete with this. Toads can't scout this kind of terrain."
Mikoto raised a brow. "Aren't we supposed to be focusing on surveillance?"
"The Land of Fire's forests are dense," Hayashi replied, resting a hand on the trunk of a towering tree. "These trees have stood here for centuries. They make for excellent natural defenses… but also the perfect labyrinth."
He looked up at the immense canopy above them, half-hidden by mist. "If you enter here without a guide, getting lost — starving, or even dying — wouldn't be strange at all."
"No one can walk out of this place without following a specific route."
"So if the transport team from the Land of Rain wants to move their cargo safely," Mikoto finished his thought, "they'd need to use fixed routes."
Hayashi nodded approvingly. "Exactly. Our mission is to find those possible routes. Without that, we can't track or intercept anything. With so few of us, it's impossible to monitor everything otherwise."
Mikoto smiled faintly. "Makes sense."
When the last of the snakes slithered off, Hayashi clapped his hands together. "Alright, while they're doing their job, we'll handle ours. Let's go find a water source. The camp will need it."
He scanned the forest, sniffing lightly. Mikoto noticed and blinked. "Are you… smelling the air?"
"There's blood in this direction," Hayashi murmured, voice quiet but focused. "Animal blood — not human."
Mikoto followed his gaze, her Sharingan flickering again. "So that means…?"
"Animals live near water," Hayashi said, stepping forward. "If there's a carcass nearby, the water source can't be far."
They traveled through the underbrush for about twenty minutes before the distant sound of running water reached them. Moments later, a clear stream shimmered before their eyes, reflecting streaks of sunlight through the leaves.
"Found it," Mikoto said softly, smiling in satisfaction.
She unrolled a small sealing scroll, unsealing several empty water containers that popped out in a puff of chakra smoke.
"If we fill these, we'll have enough drinking water for a while," Hayashi said, kneeling by the stream.
Mikoto nodded. "And maybe enough for one or two baths."
"…"
There was a noticeable difference in what the two considered "essential."
After filling the containers, Mikoto resealed them and tucked the scroll back into her pouch. Just as they stood to leave, one of Hayashi's snakes slithered up to him and hissed softly — a message relay from Nawaki's direction.
"They've finished setting up the tents," Hayashi translated aloud. "And they're asking if we need help."
He smiled faintly. "Efficient, for once."
The place Nawaki and Kushina had chosen was deeper in the forest, more humid but well-hidden — a good balance of safety and cover.
When Hayashi and Mikoto returned, Kushina waved from the campfire. "You're back!"
"Yeah," Mikoto replied, showing her sealing scroll. "Got us some fresh water. We can even take a bath later."
Kushina's face lit up. "Seriously?! That's awesome!"
Hayashi smiled slightly at her enthusiasm, then looked around. "Where's Nawaki?"
"He said he went hunting for dinner," Kushina said, puffing her chest proudly as if she'd contributed to the idea.
Hayashi nodded. Nawaki's tracking and hunting skills had improved lately — thanks to Tsunade's survival training — so there was little to worry about.
A small white snake suddenly climbed up Hayashi's leg and coiled around his arm, hissing a report into his ear.
Hayashi listened silently before standing. "The snakes found something. A route that doesn't appear on the map. I'll confirm it personally and set up a few traps."
He turned to Kushina. "Want to come along?"
Kushina's eyes brightened instantly. "Really? Of course!"
Hayashi gave a small, approving nod. It was likely one of the last missions she'd take under his watch. Letting her see real fieldwork was a good chance for experience — as long as it was safe.
"Mikoto, stay here," he said, turning to her. "Guard the camp. If Nawaki comes back, prepare dinner."
He smirked slightly. "And whatever you do, don't let him cook. Unless you want to spend the night regretting it."
Mikoto chuckled. "Understood."
After securing his gear, Hayashi led Kushina into the forest. She followed close beside him, her usual energy making her almost bounce as she walked.
"Hayashi," she asked suddenly, "is our position really that important?"
Hayashi paused. Judging by the team layout, their assignment on the outermost perimeter was clearly the least critical. But when he looked at her eager expression, he couldn't bring himself to say that.
He smiled instead. "Of course. We're the final trump card."
"Trump card?" Kushina repeated, tilting her head.
"Think of it like a card game. We're the royal flush. No one gets past us."
Kushina blinked, then grinned widely. "But Tsunade-nee told me something different! She said if you hold onto your royal flush too long, it loses its impact. You've gotta play it early and blow everyone away right from the start!"
Hayashi stopped mid-step, staring at her with an incredulous look.
"…"
Sometimes, Kushina's logic was both chaotic and strangely convincing.
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Only you would say something like that."
Kushina just laughed, clearly proud of herself.
____
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