CH_156

Akame Iwao was a "ordinary" shinobi who had taken the spring Chūnin Exams alongside Tōji a year ago but hadn't been promoted.

Tōji couldn't quite imagine how Iwao—whose skills were decidedly average—had managed to pass the autumn Chūnin Exams last year…

Was it possible he'd been specially promoted and then assigned to spy on the Land of Water's border?

That was Tōji's guess, but he didn't plan to ask Iwao directly.

Now, the Konoha border patrol's arrangement was for the two of them to travel back to Konoha together.

Though his companion was a slightly shifty-looking one-eyed man, it was still better than returning alone—at least there was someone to watch his back.

Tōji firmly believed—anyone who could escape from the Land of Water, even just from its outermost edges, couldn't be completely useless. Even if he'd taken the exams multiple times before finally becoming a chūnin in one of the unusually lenient rounds…

But it was also quite possible he'd been specially promoted. Tōji remembered that during last year's Chūnin Exams, Akame Iwao had demonstrated some stealth-type jutsu… For spy work, that seemed like a perfect match.

After a night's rest, Tōji and Iwao set out for Konoha.

Both of them were probably survivors of a close call, and both had recently been in high-risk, high-pressure environments—so neither was in the mood to chat.

What should have been an ordinary trip back to the village—these two unconsciously fell into using hand signals to communicate…

And they weren't strolling back to Konoha leisurely, either. They moved like they were on a mission, leaping through the trees the entire way.

Maybe only those who'd been through it could truly understand that feeling—even after returning to the Land of Fire, you didn't feel safe until you were back in Konoha. Only then was it over. Only then could you relax.

Right now, this was most obvious in Iwao. He'd probably been through some kind of brutal fight—a truly terrifying one—because his brow hadn't relaxed the entire time, still faintly radiating that tense, wary caution.

Tōji followed diagonally behind Iwao, only able to shake his head.

The Land of Water at this stage really was a place where nine out of ten sent there died. The Konoha shinobi who escaped were mostly those stationed on the outermost edges.

Making it back alive from overseas—Tōji had reason to count himself lucky. But he didn't have time to dwell on that right now.

Because he had other things to worry about—the item he'd left with Tenchi. Though it was his final insurance policy, it could also become a deadly poison.

Orochimaru would probably defect officially this winter or next spring… And three years later, Orochimaru would leave the Land of Seas laboratory.

During those two and a half years in between, Orochimaru would likely visit the Land of Seas only once. And that would have to be after he'd already been to the Land of Water.

That narrowed the timeframe down by half.

Tōji had to make another trip to the Land of Seas within a year and a half.

Otherwise, one day… either Orochimaru would appear before Tōji, licking his lips with that long, pointed tongue, saying "Tōji-kun, how interesting"; or a young Kimimaro would show up expressionless, "inviting" Tōji to meet Orochimaru—and if he refused, it would be a fight on the spot.

Of course, there was another possibility—Yakushi Kabuto appearing behind Tōji at some unknown moment, asking in that sinister tone, "What exactly is it about Tōji-kun that interests Lord Orochimaru so much…"

None of those scenarios were ones Tōji wanted to see happen.

After more than two days of travel, Tōji and Iwao could finally see Konoha in the distance.

Both of them relaxed slightly.

"We should report to the Hokage first, right?" Tōji asked, knowing the answer.

Otherwise, the two of them might make the entire trip without saying a word.

"Let's go straight to the Hokage." Iwao's tone carried a hint of emotion.

Tōji wondered, 『Relief at having survived?』