Naruto evolution system

Chapter 140: Waiting Patiently

In the Land of Forests, Falling Leaves Town, Danzo observed the target, Jiujiu, who appeared to be living the life of an ordinary civilian.

"He's gone into hibernation…" Danzo murmured to himself.

Danzo knew his subordinates well.

Jiujiu's current state was a clear sign of a standard Root protocol—suspending all unnecessary activity and remaining dormant until reactivated.

"Should we apprehend him?"

Danzo weighed the options. Apprehending him now might yield some intelligence on Baishi, but it was far more likely they would learn nothing.

Danzo knew Baishi wouldn't entrust someone like Jiujiu—a clear expendable pawn—with his location or plans.

"No, we can't alert him prematurely."

This was the closest they'd come to catching Baishi in months, and Danzo wasn't about to jeopardize the opportunity due to recklessness.

Withdrawing to the outskirts of the town, he turned to Oil-User Ryoma.

"Ryoma, can you monitor Jiujiu 24/7 without alerting him?"

Ryoma thought carefully, recalling Jiujiu's dossier. After confirming there were no abilities that could directly counter his insects, he nodded.

"No problem."

"Good," Danzo said. "Keep a close eye on him. Record every interaction he has with others."

"Should we capture him?"

"No."

Danzo shook his head. "There's little point in capturing him now. We'll wait patiently and see if Baishi shows up."

"And if he doesn't?" Ryoma asked.

Danzo fell silent for a moment before replying.

"Then we'll have to gamble that he will."

It was a gamble. After months of fruitless searching, this was their only lead. All they could do now was wait and hope.

---

At the same time, Kakashi, who had been tailing Danzo, infiltrated Falling Leaves Town. It didn't take long for him to confirm Danzo's target.

Observing Jiujiu from a distance, Kakashi couldn't help but feel puzzled.

The man appeared to be an ordinary Jonin. Why would Danzo personally oversee his surveillance?

Unless…

"Could his identity be unusual?"

Focusing intently, Kakashi memorized Jiujiu's appearance.

If he could uncover this man's identity, he might be able to deduce Danzo's intentions.

Strangely, as Kakashi continued to observe, he began to feel a faint sense of familiarity about the man.

"Hm?"

Kakashi suddenly noticed several barely perceptible black insects in his vicinity.

At first, he didn't think much of it. However, when they began circling his feet, he immediately recognized them.

"Parasitic Destruction Bugs?"

Instantly, Kakashi concealed all traces of his presence, becoming as motionless as a stone.

The insects circled him a few times but didn't detect anything unusual. After a moment, they dispersed.

Though they had left, Kakashi didn't dare relax.

Once the insects were out of range, Kakashi swiftly used his sensory abilities to locate a distant Flying Thunder God mark he had prepared in advance and activated the jutsu.

That's right—Kakashi had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique.

After the Moonlit Isle incident, Kakashi had realized he couldn't keep up with Uchiha Obito's pace and decided to learn the technique from Minato.

Now, nearly three years later, he had succeeded in mastering it. Unfortunately, Obito was gone forever.

This loss weighed heavily on him, adding to his grief.

Shortly after Kakashi vanished, two figures arrived at the spot he had just occupied.

Ryoma surveyed the area carefully, eventually concluding, "No one's here. It must have been a false alarm from the insects."

Long-distance insect detection could indeed be unreliable, especially with limited numbers.

Danzo also scanned the surroundings and found nothing unusual. However, his gaze shifted to Jiujiu's small courtyard, and unease crept into his mind.

"This location offers an excellent vantage point for observation. Could this really be a coincidence?"

Despite his doubts, Danzo stayed in the area for a few more days to monitor the situation. Once convinced there was no imminent threat, he returned to Konoha, leaving Ryoma and a few others behind to continue the watch.

After all, waiting patiently for their quarry was a gamble that required time. As a high-ranking official of Konoha, Danzo couldn't afford to linger indefinitely.

---

Back in Konoha, in the Hokage's office, Kakashi handed Minato a report.

"This is the mission record."

Minato took it with a smile and quickly flipped through the pages. His eyes settled on an illustration of Jiujiu.

"You're saying Danzo is surveilling this man?" Minato asked.

Kakashi glanced at the image and nodded.

"Yes. Based on my observations, Danzo is taking great care not to alert the target, keeping surveillance discreet."

"I see…"

Minato pondered for a moment before asking, "Have we identified this individual's background?"

"No."

Kakashi shook his head. "There are too many possibilities to narrow it down for now."

Minato sighed softly in disappointment.

Kakashi's line of thought mirrored his own—if they could ascertain the man's identity, they might understand what Danzo was plotting.

"But…"

Kakashi hesitated, prompting Minato to perk up.

"But what?"

After a brief pause, Kakashi said, "My instincts tell me that man is the same type of person as me."

"The same as you?"

Minato raised an eyebrow, stroking his chin.

"You're saying he might also be an ANBU operative from another village?"

"No."

Kakashi shook his head. "I suspect he's one of Danzo's men."

"This…"

Minato was taken aback. If that were true, and considering Iwagakure's recent pressure on Konoha, Danzo's intentions became much clearer.

As Minato considered this, he looked up to meet Kakashi's gaze.

Though Kakashi's face was hidden behind a mask, his eyes betrayed his emotions—an unmistakable mixture of excitement and deeply buried hatred.

Minato understood.

After Obito's death, Kakashi had been secretly searching for Baishi. Like everyone else, his efforts had come up empty—until now.

To Kakashi, this was an opportunity. A chance to exact vengeance.

"Ah…" Minato sighed. "Kakashi, hatred will cloud your judgment. Don't let yourself be consumed by the past."

But Kakashi's eyes didn't waver, his silence speaking volumes.

Seeing this, Minato could only shake his head helplessly.

Placing the report aside, he said, "Alright. You're dismissed for now—go rest."

"Yes."

Kakashi turned to leave. As he reached for the door handle, Minato called out from behind him.

"Kakashi, don't act recklessly… I need to confirm his identity first."

Kakashi paused briefly before nodding and exiting the room.

"Ah…"

From within the office came another long sigh.

(End of Chapter)

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