Feeling the constant stream of data carried back by the wind, Hatani's previously absent-minded expression sharpened into one of intense anticipation.
Since arriving in this world and obtaining the System, his largest single influx of gold hadn't come from the strongest Suna Jonin, Parashia, nor from the Iwa Jonin, Fumikawa. It had come from Shikuro Aburame.
Shikuro's personal gold bounty was similar to the others, but the man was a bug user. He carried nearly a hundred specially bred poisonous insects, which had directly translated into over a thousand gold coins for Hatani. Shikuro had effectively been the single greatest "sponsor" on Hatani's path to unlocking heroes and purchasing equipment.
Unfortunately, he hadn't encountered a similar enemy since. No one even used summoning jutsu anymore. It had left Hatani feeling quite disappointed in the shinobi world at large.
If you don't even have a single summon, do you even deserve to be called a ninja?
But now, finally, he had found another major "sponsor"—no, eight of them. Even if their bug-handling skills were inferior to Shikuro's and each could only provide fifty gold-bearing insects, that was still four hundred targets. Even if the bounty per kill was slashed in half to only 5 gold coins, that would still total 2,000 gold.
With 2,000 gold, he would have enough to unlock Juggernaut. And if his training with Sakumo Hatake went smoothly, he might even be able to buy a Blink Dagger. He could let Minato get used to the sensation of instantaneous movement, making it easier for his brother to learn the Flying Raijin.
After all, only once Minato mastered the Flying Raijin would Hatani have a valid excuse to reveal the Blink Dagger's "Flash" effect.
The "Heavenly Thief" had been deeply unfair to him, giving him talent that was nowhere near Minato's level—but the rest of the world didn't need to know that. He could use his System's hero abilities and items to "COPY" Minato's style across the board.
Not only would this maintain his "genius" persona, but it would also deflect any suspicion.
Perfect!
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Just as Hatani was lost in his daydream of the future, a low humming snapped him back to reality. He instantly went on high alert.
The wind told him the enemies were still a kilometer away, which meant this bee was likely their scout.
Neither Sakumo nor Minato seemed to suspect that a random bee in the tall grass was an enemy sensor. Hatani didn't want to expose his sensory range, nor did he feel like explaining it, so he prepared to use a subtle Wind Blade to snip the insect in half within the grass.
Suddenly, however, his eyes fell on Nonou Yakushi, who was walking half a step ahead of him, looking around with a vigilant expression. A wicked idea popped into his head, and a devious smile spread across his face.
Whoosh!
With a discreet flick of his lowered hand, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the patch of grass where the bee was hovering. The grass bent nearly ninety degrees, striking both him and Nonou. The gust blew the bee out of its hiding spot, sending it tumbling directly onto Nonou.
"Ah! Eeek!"
The sudden "accident" terrified Nonou. Aside from a few hardened tomboys, most women had a natural aversion to bugs. Nonou was no exception. Even if she wasn't usually afraid, having a bee—an insect everyone knows will sting—suddenly fly into your face is enough to rattle anyone.
Realizing the enemy might be nearby, Nonou managed to cut off her scream by clenching her hand over her mouth. With tears welling in her eyes, she began to shake her body and clothes frantically in a panic.
Unfortunately, at this time, Nonou was only twelve or thirteen years old...
Slash!
While Hatani, the "menace," was enjoying the show and planning to use another bug to scare her later—hoping to catch a glimpse of her tongue to see if the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal was there while her mouth was wide open—Sakumo acted. The White Fang flashed behind his back, instantly cleaving the bee in two.
It was a good thing Nonou already had her hand over her mouth. Otherwise, seeing that brilliant blade flash right before her eyes, seemingly inches from her throat, she probably would have hit a high-pitched "dolphin note."
"T-thank... thank you, Lord S-Sakumo," Nonou stammered, her face pale as she watched the severed bee fall harmlessly from her chest to the ground.
On the other side, Hatani—who had intended to blow the bee back into the grass and kill it himself to see if it yielded gold—gave Sakumo a look of deep resentment. Then, his body surged forward like a gale.
Actually, the wind was literally beneath his feet. At this moment, he was the wind.
If that bee really had been an enemy scout, Sakumo's flashy strike had surely alerted them. And that... was technically Hatani's fault.
To avoid being the one who blew the mission, and more importantly, to ensure he didn't lose his "sponsors," he had to fix it himself.
Seeing his brother "riding the wind," Minato didn't hesitate for a second and followed at top speed. Knowing Hatani's special abilities, he immediately deduced that Hatani had sensed the enemy through the wind.
Sakumo and Nonou were left momentarily stunned. They stared at the brothers' retreating backs for a second before finally snapping out of it and giving chase.
Their thoughts, however, were worlds apart.
Sakumo was marveling at the brothers' seemingly equal talent, while simultaneously worrying that they were rushing into danger.
Nonou, meanwhile, was shocked by Hatani's sudden "transformation." Usually "ordinary" and unremarkable, Hatani had suddenly revealed an incredible speed that seemed to involve treading upon the wind itself. It looked... familiar. She felt as though she had read a description of such a technique in a certain file before.
Furthermore, the question that had been weighing on her—the one that had left her feeling anxious and conflicted—vanished instantly.
Lord Danzo had a very good reason for wanting me to monitor him!
Danger.
When the Kamizuru ninja, hidden by the Hiding with Camouflage Technique near the rocks, saw a white-haired figure with a ponytail, a short blade, and the Hokage Half-Sleeve, a giant red character for "DANGER" seemed to manifest above their heads.
Even though the Kamizuru clan had been suppressed for years and couldn't gather intel as effectively as other clans, the lethal reputation of Sakumo Hatake was like thunder in their ears.
They had hoped to catch a small fish for some soup; instead, they had reeled in a Great White Shark. The eight Kamizuru felt like weeping.
They began to pray desperately in their hearts.
You can't see me, you can't see me, you can't see me... anyway, you definitely can't see me!