On the silent streets, there were barely any pedestrians.
Two drunken Kumogakure ninjas staggered down the street. They had consumed quite a bit of alcohol at the tavern, and even though they were shinobi, the effects of the drinks were hard to handle. The lively atmosphere at the tavern had encouraged them to have a few extra cups.
As they made their way back, one of the larger, bulkier Kumo-nin voiced his concern.
"Is it really okay for us to head back like this?" He was worried. Returning reeking of alcohol—what if they got punished?
Now that the alcohol-induced haze was wearing off, he was starting to think more clearly.
"What's the big deal?" The other, slimmer Kumo-nin was completely unconcerned. He had done this plenty of times before.
This sort of thing was common within Kumogakure, at least within the Land of Lightning. The country's peace allowed the ninjas to relax a little. Minor mistakes often went unpunished, as long as they didn't cause any major problems.
After all, who would attack here? No other village would bother with the Land of Lightning.
However, outside the country, Kumo-nin were known to follow strict discipline with no room for error.
"But, senpai…" the bulkier one was still anxious. This was his first time doing something like this, and his heart was pounding with fear of being caught.
"Relax. Even Lord Raikage does this sometimes." The slimmer Kumo-nin thumped his chest confidently. There was nothing to worry about. After all, it was Raikage who first started this trend. As long as they weren't on a mission, it was fine.
"Besides, who knows when we'll get to drink like this again."
The larger Kumo-nin fell silent. He couldn't argue with that. With Kumogakure preparing to participate in the ongoing war, this might be one of the last chances to relax. Thanks to the development of Basic Inner Techniques, Kumogakure now had the strength to join the conflict.
The Third Raikage was eager to get involved in the battle for the title of the strongest village.
The chances of returning from the war alive were slim. Even the previous Raikage had died in the First Shinobi World War—though that was due to betrayal from their own ranks. The infamous Kinkaku and Ginkaku had ambushed and killed him. No Kumo-nin could speak of those two without cursing their names.
As the two ninjas staggered along, their ears suddenly twitched. They fell silent.
Without a word, they continued walking into a secluded alley, and as soon as they were out of sight, their drunken facade vanished. In an instant, they leaped over the nearest wall, splitting up and sprinting in different directions.
The larger Kumo-nin didn't get far. Gin's figure appeared in front of him, blocking his path. He rested his sheathed Kusanagi on his shoulder, tilting his head with a smirk.
"Since you noticed us, why not stay and have a fight?"
Gin and Sakumo had been deliberately allowing the Kumo-nin to sense them, expecting a confrontation. But instead of engaging, the two had chosen to flee immediately. This was unusual and broke Gin's expectations. How was he supposed to fish for information now?
The bulkier Kumo-nin didn't respond. He began forming hand seals, but before he could finish, a gleaming white blade pressed against his throat, stopping him in his tracks.
The sight of the glowing blade sent a chill down his spine. He recognized it instantly.
"Konoha's White Fang?!"
Though he had never seen White Fang in person, the tales of the glowing blade had spread through Kumogakure's ranks. And here he was, caught in what seemed like a nightmare. What were the odds of running into such a high-profile ninja on a casual night out?
With White Fang's blade at his throat and his companion unconscious over his shoulder, the bulkier ninja's face twisted in regret. Maybe his senior was wrong after all.
"Care to explain yourselves?" Gin asked, still curious about why they were fleeing.
The larger Kumo-nin clenched his teeth and, without hesitation, drew a kunai, preparing to end his own life. However, before he could follow through, a blast of dark chakra hit him, causing him to collapse, unconscious.
"Was it really worth staying so tight-lipped over something non-essential?" Gin muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
The Kumo-nin had been successfully captured.
Gin and Sakumo, with their unconscious captives, didn't return to the inn. Instead, they headed down the mountains toward a hidden cave, concealed by overgrown weeds.
Once inside, they dropped their captives onto the ground.
Gin placed his hands on their abdomens. "Basic Sealing Technique!"
Black liquid spread from his hands, covering the two Kumo-nin entirely. By modifying the Basic Inner Technique slightly, he had managed to create a seal that completely suppressed chakra.
"What now?" Sakumo asked, rubbing his chin.
"Interrogation is the next step," Gin replied, though he didn't seem too hopeful.
"You wouldn't happen to know any memory extraction techniques, would you? Kumo-nin are notoriously tough."
Sakumo knew just how resilient Kumo-nin could be, especially after witnessing how one of them had tried to end his life rather than surrender.
"Not right now. Give me a few days," Gin answered after checking the status of his ongoing research. His techniques were progressing quickly, but everything still took time to refine.
"Alright, we'll wait then," Sakumo said, swiftly forming hand seals. "Illusionary Technique: Chain of Dreams."
Two transparent insects crawled into the nostrils of the unconscious Kumo-nin. It was a simple genjutsu meant to delay their awakening.
"We'll need to act fast. If Kumogakure realizes their men are missing, they'll surely take action."
When they returned to the city, Gin and Sakumo stopped in their tracks as they approached their inn. The air was heavy with tension as they exchanged a look of understanding.
They slipped into the shadows, avoiding detection as they observed the building. Sure enough, several Kumo-nin were guarding the entrance. The response had come faster than expected.
"They already know?" Gin was surprised by how quickly Kumogakure had reacted.
There was no chance they could safely enter the inn now.
As the two quietly assessed the situation, a playful child hopping around nearby glanced at them. To him, Gin and Sakumo appeared to be chatting casually by the wall, not conducting a stakeout.
However, the child's curiosity grew. He had seen these two earlier and suddenly remembered.
These were the outsiders the Kumo-nin were looking for!
"Hey! They're over here!" the boy shouted, pointing directly at Gin and Sakumo.
Both ninjas turned to glare at the kid, causing him to take a step back in fear. Without a word, they turned and left, not bothering to deal with the child.
Behind them, the sound of footsteps rapidly approached as Kumo-nin rushed toward the scene.
(End of Chapter)
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