Kakashi planned to confirm the number of Cloud Ninja, since only one guard was currently visible outside the cave, making it somewhat likely a trap.
Shindai frowned and asked, "So... how exactly do you plan to confirm? Don't tell me you're thinking of just charging straight in! If you really intend to do that, I'm leaving immediately—I have no intention of throwing my life away."
Kakashi replied, "Of course we wouldn't charge straight in. We're on a recon mission, and unless it's absolutely necessary, we won't engage in any combat. Approaching directly might alert them and scare them off."
"Therefore, we need to sneak inside and investigate. Otherwise, if we scare them off, they might evacuate this place and relocate elsewhere. That would waste the intelligence Jiraiya got, and we'd miss our chance to take out these Cloud Ninja here."
Obito asked seriously, "Kakashi, what's your plan?"
After thinking for a moment, Kakashi answered, "Rin will stay on standby. Obito, you and Shindai will quietly draw the guard away. Then I'll use the Transformation Jutsu to disguise myself as him and sneak inside to observe. Once I've confirmed the situation inside, I'll withdraw immediately, and then we retreat."
Shindai said incredulously, "I'm involved too?"
Kakashi, well aware of Shindai's abilities, said without hesitation, "Of course. I don't feel confident sending Obito alone, so Shindai, you'll go with him to distract that Cloud Ninja."
Shindai shook his head like a drum. "No way, no way! What if the distraction fails and a bunch of enemies come rushing out from inside? Besides, I might end up being a burden instead!"
Kakashi looked at Shindai seriously and said, "Shindai, Sensei Minato told us—we are now a single unit. Although you aren't officially a Konoha ninja yet, you are our teammate now, and you must believe in yourself and trust your teammates. We all believe you can do this."
"We're a team, and we'll carry out many missions together in the future. You can't keep hiding in the shadows forever, Shindai. It's time you started believing in yourself."
Obito nodded along with Kakashi, encouragingly saying, "Yeah, Kakashi's right. We're teammates now."
Rin Nohara also added, "I believe in you too, Shindai."
Shindai looked hesitantly between Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.
Other than Pakura, no one had ever said they believed in him before. It felt weird.
Shindai opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but finally just said, "Fine… fine."
Kakashi barely perceptibly exhaled in relief—Minato had been right.
Previously, Minato Namikaze had specifically instructed Kakashi—if Shindai hesitated or tried to back down during missions, he should try encouraging words.
Minato and Shindai had worked together for a while, so Minato understood Shindai quite well by now.
Minato Namikaze believed that Shindai was the kind of person who responded better to kindness than to force. If they tried to pressure him, he would surely refuse to cooperate — he might even try to find a way to escape.
After all, even after successfully infiltrating Konoha as a spy, Shindai still longed to return to his homeland.
Since he had been forced into this spying mission in the first place, his resistance was understandable.
Therefore, pressuring him directly wouldn't work at all. They needed to take a softer, more coaxing approach instead.
And now, it seemed like their gentle tactics were finally paying off.
Kakashi continued, "Then we'll prepare for the operation next."
"Wait!"
Shindai suddenly spoke up, making Kakashi's eyelid twitch violently. Oh no — what kind of trouble was he going to stir up now?
Shindai avoided eye contact and said sheepishly, "Well… I actually know one ninjutsu that can be used for relatively safe reconnaissance. But you know me — I don't have much talent for ninjutsu, so I won't be able to maintain it for long."
Kakashi immediately asked, "What ninjutsu is it?"
Shindai explained, "I can create an eye that enters the cave for reconnaissance. Visual images from that eye will transmit back to my own eye."
Obito, dissatisfied, punched Shindai's shoulder, "So you actually have such a technique all along? Then why didn't you say something sooner?"
Shindai chuckled dryly, "I said it already — I can't hold it for long. I was worried I might mess things up, so I didn't mention it."
A spark lit up Kakashi's eyes. With such a technique, reconnaissance would become much easier — they wouldn't need to take such big risks anymore.
As for those words about not being able to last long? Kakashi simply let them go in one ear and out the other. He didn't believe that for a second.
It seemed like Shindai would only reluctantly show some real skills when absolutely necessary.
Kakashi said to Shindai, "Alright then, Shindai — let's begin."
Shindai nodded slightly and started forming hand seals.
After finishing the seals, fine particles of [Iron Sand Body] gradually gathered, condensing into a Third Eye.
This Third Eye floated toward the cave entrance. At the same time, Shindai pressed his left hand over his left eye — the visual images captured by the Third Eye transmitted directly into his left eye.
Because the eyeball was extremely small, under Shindai's control, it easily passed through the blind spots of the Cloud Ninja guards stationed at the cave entrance and entered inside.
Through this Third Eye, Shindai observed the interior of the cave.
"There's a passageway inside… No one's there… I'll keep moving forward…"
Under Shindai's control, the Third Eye drifted deeper into the cave. The passage wasn't very long, and soon reached its farthest end.
From behind a rock, Shindai's Third Eye secretly observed what lay ahead.
"At the very end of the passage, there's something like a base. There are many Cloud Ninjas inside. Let me count… one, two… fifteen ninja total. There's a map on the table, marked with many symbols."
A while later, Shindai released the jutsu. That [Third Eye] turned into [Iron Sand Body] and scattered onto the ground.
Shindai removed his hand from his left eye and said to Kakashi, "That's all I saw. Looks like the mission's done. Can we head out?"
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin Nohara stared at Shindai's technique with expressions of astonishment.
Stealthy, hard to detect, and capable of direct reconnaissance.
With just this jutsu alone, Shindai could definitely qualify for the Reconnaissance Unit.
Seeing Kakashi, Obito, and Rin staring at him in shock, Shindai raised his eyebrow and began his act.
"Ah~Obito, help me support myself!"
Shindai suddenly went limp, grabbing Obito's shoulder with one hand.
Obito supported Shindai, asking in a concerned tone, "Hey, what's wrong with you, Shindai?"
Shindai spoke weakly, "I...I've drained my chakra. My whole body feels drained."
Still holding onto Shindai, Obito asked confusedly, "Huh? But weren't you fine just a moment ago?"
Shindai coughed dramatically twice, saying, "It's the aftereffect—the backlash. I didn't notice it before, but now I feel completely drained. I can't even walk anymore."
Kakashi and Rin twitched at the corner of their eyes. This act was way too fake—nobody would buy that!
"Oh, I see. Then let me carry you, Shindai. You must be really exhausted."
Thoughtfully, Obito carried the 'weakened' Shindai on his back.
Now both Kakashi and Rin were twitching from their eyebrows down to their mouths.
Well… He was an exception.
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