Being able to communicate with insects…
This kid really is something else.
The shock—and the quiet worry—running through Kakashi's mind was something Souma couldn't imagine.
For the Aburame clan, their ability to contract with their kikaichū and develop an entire combat system around them came from one crucial foundation—
communication.
That was the core that made Aburame fearsome.
And now, Souma's abilities… were beginning to brush against that same domain.
Of course, at the moment Souma posed no threat to them. In fact, he was cooperating closely with the clan.
But in the future?
If Souma's insect-evolution experiment succeeded…
If those kikaichū began forming deeper bonds with him…
What would happen then?
Would the Aburame still be able to hold their original stance?
And then there was the Hyūga…
They had approached Souma as well, according to what Kakashi had heard.
Kakashi was genuinely concerned.
Souma was just a civilian boy—no clan, no political backing, no deep-rooted network to protect him.
If something happened…
Or someone deliberately manipulated events from the shadows…
Yes.
Kakashi was thinking of that old schemer—Danzō.
A genius who shines too brightly invites disaster.
Kakashi fell silent.
Souma had considered similar dangers, but he didn't know that with only a few hints, his teacher had already followed the thought to its darker ends.
Still…
After knowing Souma could communicate with insects, Kakashi wasn't nearly as worried about the Chūnin Exams anymore.
Unless a jōnin shamelessly stepped in personally, Suna's genin should thank the heavens if Souma didn't strip them down to their underwear.
They spent a day traveling from the border and finally reached Sunagakure.
Even someone like Neji couldn't stop himself from looking around curiously the moment the village came into view.
Souma was the same—
partly to avoid standing out, partly because he was observing.
Will Gaara show up?
Unfortunately, all the way to their assigned lodging, Souma didn't see so much as a single Suna shinobi.
It seemed the village had… made arrangements.
"Sensei, your reputation is too terrifying. Not a single Suna ninja dares show themselves on the streets," Souma sighed.
He had hoped to observe things early.
Instead—nothing.
No provocation, no test, no ambush.
Truly disappointing.
Kakashi half-squinted, giving a lazy, mocking chuckle.
Copy Ninja Kakashi?
Give it some time.
One day that title won't belong to me anymore.
He exhaled and flipped open the newest volume of Make-Out Violence.
A voice suddenly sounded from behind them.
"The Kazekage-sama was worried his shinobi might disturb you and cause unnecessary misunderstandings, so he ordered them to avoid this area."
Kakashi turned, narrowing his eyes.
It was the same chūnin who'd guided them from the border.
"We will restrain our own people as well," Kakashi replied calmly. "We won't cause trouble for your village."
"Of course. I'll deliver your goodwill to the Kazekage."
The man—"Yoshiyuki"—bowed and turned away.
Souma frowned slightly.
Something about that man's chakra felt off.
Really off.
At a glance, it seemed like simple chakra instability, but when he focused…
His expression shifted.
The irregularity wasn't from the chakra itself—
it came from the man's mind.
Souma had seen similar cases in Konoha Hospital.
Patients with serious mental disorders—
or people who were being controlled by genjutsu.
Whichever it was, it wasn't good.
He looked away, quietly sweeping his perception outward.
At this time.
With these symptoms.
And this degree of infiltration…
There was one very, very likely possibility—
Orochimaru.
The man who researched the Eight Branches Technique—
whose mind had long since twisted into something not quite human—
often radiated exactly this kind of disturbance.
Bold, Souma thought.
He actually disguised himself and approached Kakashi directly?
If Kakashi noticed…
Well, even if he did, Orochimaru wouldn't lose anything.
With only a three-tomoe Sharingan and no genjutsu specialty, Kakashi couldn't possibly restrain Orochimaru.
And Konoha?
If Orochimaru appeared in Wind Country, would Konoha still trust Suna completely?
One nudge, and the crack between the two villages could widen significantly.
Spotted or not—
Orochimaru had nothing to lose.
Once they reached their lodging, Souma activated his perception to maximum strength, confirming no one was in the vicinity.
Tenten and Kasa were in their room unpacking.
Kakashi sat down, ready to ask Souma about his new ability—
when he noticed the boy's strange behavior.
Souma wasn't just scanning the room.
He even bent down and… chatted with a few ants crawling by.
Kakashi stared blankly.
"What are you doing? You're more cautious than I am."
"Sensei, didn't you notice that chūnin from earlier?" Souma whispered.
"He's been following us since the previous town."
Kakashi shut his book.
He hadn't felt anything unusual—
but he had noticed the man's repeated approach, and assumed it was simple intelligence gathering.
Every village did it.
But Souma continued:
"You know I can sense… certain abnormalities at close range."
Kakashi nodded slowly.
"Then? What's wrong with him?"
"His chakra flow isn't the issue—it's his mind.
And that usually means one thing…"
Souma leaned in.
"…genjutsu control."
Kakashi's expression hardened.
So it wasn't just intelligence gathering.
That man—
—was being used.
Which meant someone else was watching.
Kakashi closed his book and set it aside, his posture tense.
He couldn't read anymore.
"A suspicious man… I see."
He stood.
"My Sharingan can break genjutsu. I'll check on him."
Souma grabbed his arm.
"Wait—shouldn't you bring Guy-sensei with you?"
"Oh. Right. I'll call him."
Kakashi rubbed his temple.
He was rattled—
concern could cloud even a jōnin's thinking.
If he went alone and was lured away, another team could strike Souma.
He should never have agreed to let Souma participate in this year's exam so early.
He regretted it more with every passing second.
"Fine," Souma said softly.
He didn't correct Kakashi's assumptions—
because Souma had remembered something important.
The Telescope Technique.
As long as Kakashi didn't leave the village, even if the suspicious man truly was Orochimaru, Kakashi could stall long enough for Guy to arrive.
Guy + Kakashi…
even Orochimaru would rather retreat than engage.
Guy arrived shortly after Kakashi left.
Souma didn't need to confirm—it was impossible to mistake Guy's ridiculously vivid chakra presence.
But this time Guy looked unusually serious.
"Souma, what's wrong with Kakashi? What happened?"
"Come in."
Guy entered—
and immediately noticed a shadow clone drawing a sealing formation on the floor.
A suppression barrier?
"This is a sound-proofing and detection-blocking seal," Souma explained. "So no one outside can overhear."
Once Guy stepped fully inside, Souma's clone finished the last hand seal.
Souma placed a mirror on the table, formed a new seal, and—
The mirror rippled.
Kakashi's figure appeared within it.
He was at a door, knocking.
A moment later, the door opened, and the Suna chūnin from before stepped out.
Guy blinked, heavily confused.
That man? Why is Kakashi looking for him?
And inside the mirror—
even the Suna chūnin named Yoshiyuki looked puzzled.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/pikachu614