Chapter 27: A Sudden Glimpse of the Outliner

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At the Konoha gate, Iruka and his team stood ready, their backpacks securely strapped on, waiting for their team captain, Kaitan, to arrive.

"Finally, our first official mission! I'll finish it in one day, you'll see," Iruka declared, brimming with confidence.

This mission seemed straightforward—find someone. After completing so many missions involving tracking cats and dogs, Iruka believed he had it in the bag.

The same enthusiasm was shared by his teammates, Mibu Shinobi and Thorny Iron Wire. Though they had grown weary of mundane D-rank missions, they were eager to tackle this B-rank task, which involved tracking a ninja and collecting intelligence.

"Where's the captain? We've been ready for ages!" Thorny grumbled.

"Sorry, sorry! Got held up saying goodbye to my fiancée," Kaitan suddenly appeared behind them, startling the group.

"Bang!"

The abrupt noise caused their hearts to skip a beat. Iruka sighed in relief upon hearing their captain's voice.

"Captain, you nearly scared us to death!" Iruka exclaimed, clutching his chest. "Also, when did your girlfriend become your fiancée?"

"We've set a wedding date! You're all invited to the celebration!" Kaitan boasted, his grin broad.

Kaitan enjoyed teasing his fellow shinobi. Many Konoha ninjas were perpetually single, and he relished being ahead of the pack.

"All right, enough chatter," Kaitan said, his tone shifting to serious. "As ninjas, you must stay aware of your surroundings. It's important to know when to relax and when to stay alert. You never know when enemies might appear."

"Yes, Captain," they replied, though they found it hard to imagine anyone staying vigilant all the time.

"Let's head to Rukongai, in the Land of Fire," Kaitan commanded.

Four figures leapt through the forest in a cone formation, their movements fluid and synchronized.

"According to Hokage-sama's intel, Asuma was spotted in Rukongai two days ago. We'll collect information upon arrival. Understood?" Kaitan instructed.

"Yes, Captain!"

The trio, inspired by Kaitan's serious demeanor, shifted from casual to focused.

Kaitan, who frequently glanced at his team, was pleased to see their progress in chakra control. Over the past month, they had refined their skills, mastering the basics of chakra attachment to their feet, tree climbing, and water walking.

By midday, the team landed in Rukongai, a bustling town filled with energy and chatter.

After checking into a hotel as their base of operations, the group split up to gather intelligence. Kaitan wandered the streets, observing everything with his sharp eyes and keen senses. His years of experience and analytical mind allowed him to process and catalog information with ease.

Various details flooded his mind: the townspeople's conversations, the bustling hot spring shops, the gamblers in the casinos, and even the vendors calling out their wares.

While scanning the area, Kaitan sensed two powerful chakra signatures nearby. One of them was enormous, and the other smaller but still notable.

"It can't be… such a coincidence," Kaitan muttered under his breath.

The massive chakra signature undoubtedly belonged to Tsunade, one of the Sannin, and a notorious gambler. However, Kaitan quickly dismissed it. He already had a fiancée and wasn't interested in Konoha's legendary beauty. Still, he noted the information—every detail could prove useful later.

He redirected his attention to his team. Iruka was gathering information at a hotel, Mibu Shinobi was questioning locals at a hot spring, and Thorny Iron Wire was more strategic, visiting a sausage shop and noodle shop—places aligned with Asuma's preferences.

By the time Kaitan returned to the hotel, his thoughts had drifted back to his Genjutsu research. Pulling out a notebook, he jotted down ideas for his three ultimate Genjutsu techniques:

Historical Rewrite: Implant false memories in an enemy to alter their perception of reality.

Kyōka Suigetsu: Manipulate the enemy's five senses to create perfect illusions.

The Finishing Touch: Harness Yin Release to create tangible illusions that deceive both the world and the user.

Each technique was groundbreaking but required years of study to master. Kaitan knew he needed to prioritize his research carefully.

As night fell, the three genin returned to the hotel, visibly tired.

"Come in," Kaitan called when he heard a knock.

The trio entered, their exhaustion evident.

"I didn't think finding people would be harder than tracking cats and dogs!" Iruka groaned.

"How did it go?" Kaitan asked.

Iruka slumped into a chair. "No leads. It's like Asuma never even passed through Rukongai."

Mibu Shinobi shook his head. "I didn't find anything either."

Thorny Iron Wire grinned. "Actually, I did. Senior Asuma was at a sausage shop two days ago. He ate a lot, but there's been no sign of him since."

Iruka and Mibu stared at him in surprise.

"Well done, Thorny," Kaitan praised. "You've shown good analytical skills. Iruka, Mibu, you can learn a thing or two from him."

"Damn it," Iruka muttered. "I'll do better next time!"

"What about you, Captain? Did you find anything?" Thorny asked.

Kaitan smirked, glancing at his notebook. "I found plenty, but we'll discuss that tomorrow. Rest up—tomorrow, we search again."

With that, the team settled in for the night, ready to tackle the challenges ahead.

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