Ebara and Jiraiya immediately scoured the area.
"Look! Kushina or her mom's hair!" Ebara spotted a bright red strand on the gate.
He recalled from the original story: Kushina left similar markers when kidnapped.
"Jiraiya!" Ebara shared his find.
"They left a trail?" Jiraiya said, surprised.
"Keep looking for more," Ebara urged.
They searched and found more red strands heading west.
Without hesitation, they pursued.
The strands were sparse, sometimes far apart, but they formed a clear path.
Half a day of chasing, and still no Kushina.
Their brows furrowed deeper.
"Yoen Village is that way, right?" Ebara said, sprinting.
Jiraiya nodded grimly. "Yeah, half a day at most."
Ebara's frown tightened.
Yoen Village, nestled in deep mountains, was notoriously insular.
Even Land of Mountains locals struggled to enter, facing strict checks.
Kushina and her mom were clearly being taken there.
"We need to speed up and catch them before they reach Yoen," Ebara said.
Jiraiya agreed.
Rushing, they finally spotted Kushina and her mom before sunset.
But they could only watch them enter Yoen Village.
They were already in Yoen's territory.
Attacking would spark a diplomatic crisis.
"Now what? Report to the Third?" Jiraiya asked.
Before Ebara could answer, two options appeared in his mind.
[Option 1: Agree with Jiraiya, report to the Third! Reward: 10 spirit points!]
[Option 2: Out in the field, orders can wait—don't report! Reward: Two Iwa ninja transformation scrolls!]
Ebara's mind raced.
Transformation scrolls? These could be useful.
"What do they do?" he asked the system.
[Iwa Ninja Transformation Scroll: For 48 hours, become an Iwa ninja. No ninjutsu or dojutsu can detect you, even in combat!]
Ebara's eyes lit up.
Yoen Village sat between Konoha and Iwa.
But Iwa's influence, under Onoki's leadership, outstripped Konoha's.
Not just proximity—Iwa's rising power dwarfed Konoha's waning influence.
As Iwa ninjas, they could at least get close to Kushina and her mom.
Ebara made his choice. "Option 2!"
[Choice Successful! Reward: Two Iwa ninja transformation scrolls!]
Turning to Jiraiya, Ebara said, "No rush to tell the Third."
"Not tell him? What's your plan?" Jiraiya asked, stunned.
Though Yoen was weak, its Flame Shadow was an elite jonin.
With the village's forces, they'd be suicidal to fight.
"I've got a trick," Ebara said, pulling out the scrolls.
"What're those?" Jiraiya asked.
"Little toys," Ebara said, handing one over.
He unrolled his. Dense text surrounded a bold "Iwa" character.
As he opened it fully, a yellowish glow enveloped him.
Moments later, he was an Iwa ninja.
"How'd you do that?" Jiraiya gaped.
Ebara stood before him, but Jiraiya sensed no familiarity—just an Iwa ninja.
"Little toy," Ebara smirked. "Use yours. It'll make you an Iwa ninja too. Undetectable."
Jiraiya eagerly unrolled his scroll.
Soon, he transformed.
"Amazing," he said, awestruck.
Then, eyes gleaming, he asked, "Got more? Especially ones for female ninjas?"
Ebara squinted. "What're you up to? You're not right!"
"For my new book's research!" Jiraiya said, eyes shining.
With these scrolls, he could waltz into the women's bathhouse.
Surrounded by beauties, he'd be thrilled.
Jiraiya had tried transforming into women before, but he always got kicked out.
With this scroll, he'd say, Mom, no more worries about getting caught!
Ebara glared. "Ever consider you get kicked out not for bad transformations, but for being a creep?"
Your leering eyes, sleazy grin—man or woman, it's obvious.
"Mind your business. Got more or not?" Jiraiya pressed.
"Quit daydreaming. We've got a mission," Ebara said, smacking him.
He strode toward Yoen Village.
Jiraiya jumped. "What're you doing?"
"Negotiating with Yoen," Ebara said.
"How?" Jiraiya asked, baffled.
"Demand they hand over Kushina and her mom."
Jiraiya stared like Ebara was insane. "Unless the Flame Shadow's brain-dead, you're the one who's nuts!"