CH - 222 Suspicious Activity?

A few days later, following the conclusion of the Ninja World Tournament, a period of calm settled over the ninja world, just as Akihiko had predicted. Despite their defeat in the tournament, Konoha did not harbor hostility towards Grass Village.

In fact, in the aftermath of the tournament, the relationship between Konoha and Grass Village appeared to improve on the surface. When ninjas from both villages crossed paths, they exchanged smiles and warm greetings, seemingly unaffected by past events.

Similarly, Iwa and Kumo remained quiet, focusing on recuperation efforts. However, intelligence gathered by Grass Ninjas and White Zetsu revealed that Iwa was facing internal turmoil. Dissatisfaction with the policies of the Third Tsuchikage had led to escalating conflicts within the village.

The once-prominent Kamizuru clan in Iwa, having suffered consecutive defeats at the hands of the Aburame clan from Konoha, found themselves falling out of favor within the village. Their influence waned as they gradually faded into obscurity.

Initially, this might not have caused much concern. However, with Grass Village attempting to establish ties with them, Iwa began to view the Kamizuru clan with suspicion. Despite the clan's assurances to the contrary, Iwa remained vigilant.

Meanwhile, Kumo experienced a subtle decline in the export of beef and milk, likely due to Grass Village's aggressive marketing efforts. However, as the impact was relatively minor, Kumo seemed oblivious to the trend for the time being.

In the recent days of relative calm in the ninja world, Grass Village gradually returned to its routine of production and daily life. The village academy resumed regular classes, and the rewards promised to Obito for bringing glory to the village had been efficiently arranged through the academy. Obito, during interviews, harbored ambitious dreams for the future.

Meanwhile, the Land of Rain, benefiting from its isolationist policy and the strong defense exhibited during the war, thrived internally as it deterred other ninja villages from sending reconnaissance teams. However, there were concerns about Hanzo's nominal grandson, who appeared to be unwell due to working late nights to fulfill a high number of orders for Flame Dragon Armor. He seemed to have lost his sense of purpose and looked dazed.

Worried about his grandson's well-being, Hanzo arranged for him to take a few days of paid leave. Hanzo even visited him personally, urging him to rest. Touched by the concern, the grandson tearfully expressed 'gratitude'. Hanzo, moved by the dedication of his grandson, felt a mix of emotions, recognizing that while he was a diligent and talented individual, he needed to prioritize his health.

Akihiko, upon hearing about the situation, also couldn't help but admire, "He's truly a good kid!"

At the research institute, Akihiko arrived, yawning and looking puzzled as Elder Yoshinori greeted him. Despite intending to rest after spending the entire night replenishing his chakra, he was summoned early in the morning and informed about an important new invention.

"The Fourth Generation Telescopic Surveillance tool!" Without waiting for Akihiko's response, Elder Yoshinori, the director of the research institute, excitedly showcased a small device. "This is developed using the latest technology. Compared to the third generation, not only has the range been greatly increased, but the sensitivity has also been significantly enhanced."

As he spoke, he demonstrated the capabilities of the small device. "Its stealth and defense capabilities have also been improved. It can adapt to various illusions. Now, destroying even one of these tools would require an A-rank ninjutsu!"

"Moreover," he continued, "it can automatically identify suspicious individuals and save their information, including their chakra signature, for future reference. This greatly reduces the workload of perception and surveillance-type ninjas."

Upon hearing this, Akihiko immediately became enthusiastic. It should be noted that Grass Village had a limited number of perception and surveillance-type ninjas, mostly from the Chinoike Clan and the Uzumaki Clan. However, the members of these clans were few in number, making them insufficient for border surveillance. And border surveillance had always been a top priority for Grass and Rain.

Although Grass Village had introduced perception-type ninjutsu in recent years, such as the Rain Tiger at Will Technique and the Telescope Technique, these were challenging to master and didn't fully alleviate the pressure of border surveillance. Therefore, the Fourth Generation Telescopic Surveillance tool came as a much-needed solution.

With a curious tone, Akihiko inquired, "And automatic identification?"

"Yes!" Uzumaki Yoshinori nodded with a smile before sighing regretfully, "But this function is still not perfect, so its accuracy is not good. Oh well, I can't explain it clearly. Let me demonstrate it myself!"

With that said, he picked up the remote control and directed it toward the multiple screens. Suddenly, the previously dark screens displayed various scenes from different places in Grass Village. "These are specially arranged surveillance. Of course, some of them are quite far away, like this one near the Kannabi Bridge, which is not close to the academy."

Various environments were selected for testing, and Akihiko observed closely. The images indeed became much clearer. However, before Akihiko could voice his thoughts, a red frame appeared on the screen, enclosing a figure acting suspiciously and looking around, even bending over. Akihiko wondered, 'What is this person up to?' But before he could ask...

"This is the automatic identification of suspicious individuals!" Uzumaki Yoshinori pointed to the frame and explained, "But the accuracy of identification..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden interruption occurred. The figure on the screen plucked a few leaves from the tree, their expression shifting abruptly before darting into a nearby public toilet. Akihiko found himself rendered speechless by the suspicious behavior unfolding before him.

"That's the issue!" Yoshinori exclaimed, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "Occasionally, it makes mistakes. Rest assured, we're actively working on resolving it. I'm confident it will be rectified soon."

"It's already quite impressive," Akihiko acknowledged, casting his gaze over the 'Fourth Generation Telescopic Surveillance tool'. He mused silently, considering how far ninjutsu had progressed from the era of the Third Hokage. The evolution into scientific ninja tools, particularly reaching the fourth generation, was beyond what he had envisioned.

Akihiko issued instructions, "Let's get it replaced promptly. Given the current circumstances, there's likely a surge of ninjas attempting to enter the Land of Grass. However, entry will be restricted to registered individuals. This device will significantly streamline the process."

"I'll see to it immediately," Yoshinori affirmed, nodding in agreement with Akihiko's directive.

With that, Akihiko cast another glance at the new equipment before delegating the upcoming tasks to Elder Yoshinori. Just as he was preparing to return to his rest, something caught his attention, causing his eyes to narrow. He swiftly halted Elder Yoshinori, who was on the verge of shutting down the screen.

"Wait a moment, hold on," Akihiko interjected urgently, gesturing for Yoshinori to bring up a specific image.

Yoshinori was momentarily taken aback before complying with Akihiko's request, directing his gaze to the designated area on the screen. A red alert box also drew their attention, framing two mysterious figures draped in cloaks that obscured their identities. Yoshinori promptly enlarged the image, scrutinizing the two figures intently.

After a brief moment, he exclaimed with realization, "Isn't that Kabuto and Obito? No wonder they seemed familiar. But what are they doing at the Kannabi Bridge?"

Beside him, Akihiko also narrowed his eyes in contemplation. What were the intentions of these two guys, engaging in such suspicious behavior?

…

At the same time, on the Kannabi Bridge, a cold wind brushed by, lifting countless grains of sand, and accentuating the desolation of the ruins. Two figures draped in black cloaks stood on the crumbling remnants, facing each other.

The slightly taller figure gazed at the shorter one before him and calmly inquired, "Have you brought what I requested?"

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