Jiraiya assigned Shindai, Kakashi, and Rin Nohara a mission to monitor the Cloud Ninja base they had previously investigated.
Shindai was suddenly acting completely out of character. "Yes! I, Shindai, will firmly execute the mission ordered by Lord Jiraiya! Even if it costs me my life, I will complete this mission!"
Jiraiya and the others looked at Shindai in astonishment.
Wasn't the usual routine 'whine, throw a fit, then play the victim'? Or maybe 'stubbornly refuse, stir up trouble, and fake helplessness'?
Yet right now, Shindai's gaze was firm as if determined to pierce through all obstacles.
Is this fake Shindai?
Seeing the disbelieving looks on Jiraiya and the others' faces, Shindai sneered inwardly.
How could these stupid Konoha ninja ever understand Lord Shindai's thinking!
Monitoring that Cloud Ninja encampment seemed perfectly safe in Shindai's eyes.
After all, it just involved hiding and watching—nothing else was needed. As long as they observed any movement from the Cloud Ninjas and reported back, there would be no need for combat.
So, turning down this mission would be foolish.
The suddenly serious Shindai left Jiraiya and Kakashi et al slightly bewildered.
Jiraiya chuckled awkwardly. "It's good that you've come around, Shindai. Then I'll entrust this mission to you. Head out right away."
Shindai's face turned solemn as he declared seriously, "Yes! I guarantee success in completing the mission, fulfilling both Lord Jiraiya's trust and Konoha's expectations!"
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin Nohara suddenly shivered, chills running down their spines, goosebumps prickling their skin.
Obito frowned and said, "Shindai, can you act like yourself again?"
Shindai rolled his eyes at Obito and huffed, "You're the abnormal one. For Konoha, even if I fall to the enemy, I won't regret it. I'll protect Konoha with my life without hesitation, because… I love Konoha deeply."
Shindai's words—"I love Konoha deeply"—left Jiraiya and the trio completely speechless.
Jiraiya laughed uncomfortably. "Uh, Shindai, it's just a surveillance mission, nothing that serious."
Shindai replied with a straight face, "Ah, respectfully disagreed. As a member of Konoha, I must always be ready to sacrifice myself for Konoha. Kakashi, Obito, Rin! Follow me! I'm already eager to give my life for Konoha!"
Without delay, Shindai took the lead and marched out of the tent.
Jiraiya and the three exchanged blank looks.
Jiraiya asked in confusion, "What got into him all of a sudden?"
Kakashi shrugged. "Who knows. But since we don't have to deal with his antics this time, at least things are simpler. Well then, Lord Jiraiya, we're off."
Jiraiya nodded. "Yes, be careful. As soon as you observe their movements, return and report to us immediately. This means they're about to act against us, so we will prepare here as well. Orochimaru wants to catch them all at once."
Kakashi immediately grew serious.
If that's the case, then this mission carries immense responsibility.
After discovering the Cloud Ninja's movement, they must return to Konoha's base camp as soon as possible to report. If they delay even slightly, allowing the Cloud Ninja to strike first, they'll lose their advantage.
At the same time, they absolutely couldn't let the Cloud Ninja detect them. If discovered, all preparations made by their comrades back at Konoha's base camp might go to waste.
"I understand, Lord Jiraiya! Then we'll head out now. Come on, Obito, Rin."
Kakashi led Obito and Rin Nohara out of the tent and found Shindai nearby, heading again toward the Cloud Ninja encampment in the southwest direction.
To prevent being detected by the Cloud Ninja, Kakashi chose a location far away from their encampment—just close enough to barely see its position for surveillance purposes.
Kakashi held a telescope, constantly observing the Cloud Ninja encampment's movements. When he grew tired, either Obito or Rin would take over the watch shift.
As for Shindai?
Shindai found a comfortable spot and leaned back to rest.
Kakashi considered it a blessing whenever Shindai didn't cause any trouble. After all, this mission was extremely important, and he had little confidence in leaving it to him. As long as Shindai stayed quiet and still, Kakashi decided not to interfere with what he was doing.
Day by day passed.
This was already their third day of observation.
"Ahhh~ How boring."
Shindai had a dog's tail grass stick between his lips, lying lazily on a tree branch with drooping eyelids, looking completely listless.
Because they couldn't start a fire and hadn't brought any rations, they'd been surviving on Military Rations Pills.
But the taste of these pills was something only those who had tried them could truly understand.
It was far worse than the dried flatbread Shindai used to eat in Sunagakure—it was the kind of food even dogs would refuse.
Ever since being 'captured' by Minato Namikaze and the others, Shindai had been eating soft, refined meals every day. Now, he missed those days dearly.
Kakashi and Obito ignored Shindai.
They'd already listened to Shindai's complaints for three full days.
With a helpless sigh, Rin said to Shindai, "Shindai, this is just how surveillance missions are—they're dull. It's only been three days. We once spent an entire month on surveillance duty."
Shindai exclaimed in shock, "A whole month? You mean you ate such disgusting stuff as these Military Rations Pills for an entire month?"
Obito replied, "Yeah, what else could we eat? Hey, Shindai, haven't you eaten in almost a day? Want a Military Rations Pill?"
Shindai quickly waved his hands, saying, "No, no, I'm not hungry yet. You can have this crap."
You have to admit, the Military Rations Pill really does stave off hunger. Eat one, and you won't need to eat again for a whole day.
Otherwise, Shindai wouldn't have taken one if his stomach hadn't been growling from hunger.
Kakashi, who was observing the Cloud Ninja encampment, said in a low voice, "There's movement!"
Obito, Rin Nohara, and Shindai hurried over to Kakashi's side.
Without taking his eyes off the target, Kakashi explained, "Two Cloud Ninja arrived. They've just entered the cave."
Shindai asked skeptically, "Wait… this is what counts as 'movement'? I thought they were actually going to make a move or something."
Kakashi said seriously, "Looks like they are! Everyone inside the cave has come out! One… two… three… sixteen… seventeen… eighteen. The count's correct. Two newly arrived Cloud Ninja plus the original sixteen makes exactly eighteen!"
Kakashi handed his binoculars to Obito, who looked through them and then passed them to Rin Nohara. Eventually, the binoculars made their way to Shindai.
Looking through the binoculars, Shindai saw that, as Kakashi had described, the eighteen Cloud Ninja were lined up in formation outside the cave.
But suddenly, Shindai narrowed his eyes. "Huh, looks like someone's staring straight this way—and pointing directly at us too."
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