"Hehehehe, kid, do you know how much chakra I burn just to keep myself going?"
"And besides, if you want to tap into my senjutsu ability, ordinary chakra won't do—you need something special. But I heard from the three Snake Princesses that you possess extraordinary talent."
"I suppose we can give it a try. But how do you plan to relay the message?"
Yamoryū chuckled softly, clearly approving of Gekko Chizan's proposal.
After all, as proud as she was, the Snake Princesses never erred. If they spoke highly of this brat and even adjusted his summoning ritual for him, it proved he truly had remarkable abilities.
"The rattlesnake's tail emits frequencies that should be sufficient."
"But to conceal the sound, could you transform those audio vibrations into some kind of signal?"
Chizan intended to use the rattlesnake's acoustic properties to transmit messages; the exact method was up to Yamoryū, since she would be the primary transmitter.
"Hehehehe, kid, you really understand snakes inside and out."
"All right, I won't keep you any longer. Here."
Yamoryū's body shuddered, and three scales instantly fell to the ground.
Chizan picked up the scales, her eyes flickering with curiosity, but Yamoryū quickly explained.
"These are my scales. They'll pick up the musical frequencies I emit. If those three kids carry these, they'll sense the messages I send—even across vast distances."
"At the same time, if you infuse chakra into the scales, I'll feel it."
"But you must continuously supply me with natural energy, or once my reserves run dry, I'll have to return to Ryūchi Cave."
Hearing Yamoryū's explanation, Chizan nodded in satisfaction.
"Kakashi, Obito, Rin."
"Kakashi, you go alone. Obito, take Rin with you—one of you heads north then west, the other goes south then east."
"The Daimyō's castle sits at the heart of the Land of Fire. Mist-hidden shinobi could appear from any direction—don't overlook a single quadrant."
"Remember, if you spot the enemy, send the signal immediately. I'll use Flying Thunder God to be there in an instant."
"Understood!"
Kakashi and Obito responded in unison, and Rin bobbed her head vigorously.
The three were determined, but Chizan still fretted and gave Rin one more warning.
"Rin, keep an eye on that rascal Obito. No gambling, no reckless moves."
"If anything happens, use the scales to call me right away. Got it?"
Obito burst out, glaring at his teacher with a mix of indignation and resignation.
"Chizan-sensei, must you doubt me?"
"Do I seem like the type to forsake a mission for a bet?"
Chizan only nodded, unsympathetically.
"Damn it! You're not coming along?"
"Enough dilly-dallying—move out now! And stay safe!"
At Chizan's command, Kakashi dashed off in classic ninja stance, hands clasped behind him.
Rin, seeing Kakashi depart, gave Obito a push to get him going.
Watching her students leave, Chizan allowed a faint smile to curl her lips. Yamoryū caught that smile and let out a soft hiss of amusement.
"You're a wicked one—could've done it yourself, yet you sent your students."
"With natural energy at your disposal, you could perceive over great distances. Even if you can't move, I've got you covered."
Yamoryū was right: natural energy excelled at sensing, and with her aid, Chizan could handle it herself.
But she still issued the orders.
"You don't understand—flowers in a greenhouse don't grow without wind and rain. This is for their own good."
"All right, Yamoryū, it's in your hands. See what you can sense. I wager those Mist-hidden shinobi can't be far."
With that, Chizan leapt onto Yamoryū's head and settled cross-legged, activating Transparent Release.
A surge of natural energy rushed into him in an instant.
"No wonder the three Snake Princesses favor you so—and with that tremendous natural energy... heh, kid, you're impressive."
Feeling the flow of natural energy, Yamoryū's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly steadied herself.
Her tail began to vibrate rapidly, sending out invisible soundwaves from her as a center.
By combining natural energy with acoustic properties, Yamoryū could transform it into a kind of sonic radar—wide-ranging and startlingly precise.
As the waves spread, Yamoryū soon spotted the three shinobi on the move—and the scattered groups around them.
"Chizan, I've located them: southeast, about fifteen foes, chakra rife with murderous intent."
"Due south, another party of ten, but their chakra feels less potent than those to the southeast."
"No other significant clusters detected."
Yamoryū relayed the information to Chizan, who was still drawing on natural energy. He slowly opened his eyes, a cold gleam flashing within them.
"Yamoryū, estimate how long before Obito and Rin encounter the enemy."
"Roughly half a day. Their pace isn't swift, and the enemy's stationary."
Half a day? Plenty of time to plan.
"What about Kakashi? West and north?"
"Nothing. No sign of foes there."
"Understood."
Chizan remained in Transparent Release, his hands weaving hand seals as chakra flowed through him.
"Shadow Clone Technique."
With two explosive pops, two clones appeared beside him.
"Yamoryū, you don't need to track them. I'll have these clones keep absorbing natural energy. I'm going myself—count on you."
Yamoryū glanced at him and nodded her massive serpentine head.
He could've sent clones—but he was going himself. How little he trusted his students! But little did he realize…
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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