Chapter 66: Collection of information.

"The information we have so far is: Kirou is protected by a band of mercenaries at the level of a Chunin or Jounin. We also know that he has extorted money from the villages between the waterfall country and the land country. Reports indicate that this man kidnaps young women and uses them as sex objects. After that, there is the money he has earned from the extortions."

Hearing these words from Yamato, Hinata and Ino felt uncomfortable knowing that the person they have to kill kidnaps and sexually abuses innocent girls. On the other hand, Toru's eyes sparkled dangerously, after all there was already more than one good reason to complete this mission successfully.

However, they knew nothing about the mansion, they also knew nothing about the ninjas protecting Kirou.

(It's been a few hours since we left Konoha...)

Squinting his eyes, Toru felt uneasy, he had just seen Itachi in the village, but it was strange, what is Itachi doing in the village? Is he looking for something? Or could it be... he's looking for Sasuke?

(No, definitely not, if so he would have been looking for him a long time ago. But I still don't get it, should I tell Sensei? I think if Itachi is in the village any of the other Jounin should have figured it out by now. Yeah... that's not my problem anymore, I have nothing to do with him).

Closing his eyes and sighing, while his hands went to the pockets of his clothes, Toru tried not to remember the past, after all he is not like Sasuke, Toru doesn't hold grudges or seek revenge, even so... when he saw Itachi in the eyes, he felt that feeling of anger increase, as if he wanted to attack with the intention to kill.

However, knowing that he can control his own feelings, Toru resigned himself and continued walking.

A long time ago, he thought he had to stay out of trouble and live a life based on his own luck, but now that he recovered his memories, Toru realized that by doing so he had become a coward, someone who is running away from his own destiny over and over again. At some point he will have to make a decision that will change his life and, for that, he must stop avoiding problems and face them with his strength and intelligence.

(I wonder if I've always been this way...)

Without realizing it, a part of her hair was covering her eyes, while a smile formed on her lips.

(I'm curious to know what really happened, that night when my entire clan was slaughtered, why did Itachi kill them all? What was the purpose behind it all? Or also... Who is behind all this? I'm definitely itching with curiosity. Ha~ if I don't find out I'm going to feel uneasy for a long time).

Touching his head and sighing, Toru felt strange. This whole mystery, he had never asked himself until now and, now that he saw Itachi again after a long time, he felt that he had to know, he felt that something was hidden among this whole thing.

"Are you listening, Toru?"

But still, a voice was heard near Toru's ear, it was Ino, who just like Yamato and Hinata, looked at him confused, after all Toru had been staring into the void without listening to anything Yamato was saying.

"Yeah, I think so..."

Shaking his head, Toru looked over, everyone looked uncomfortable in some way or another, well, it was easy to understand, since Toru had had a strange murderous look ever since the team left Konoha, so it wasn't so strange that everyone felt uneasy with the bloodlust that this boy was giving off.

On the other hand, Yamato sighed. Toru had been able to defeat Gaara, someone they called Jinchuriki of the arena, so this made him question whether he was educating his students as he should be, after all according to Naruto and Sakura's own words, Toru was like a fire star moving around the battlefield, someone who wore an excited smile on his face.

(It's hard to imagine...)

With a crooked smile, Yamato tried to imagine Toru smiling, but it was difficult, as this boy has never changed the expression on his face since he met him the day they assigned the rookie genin teams.

"Toru-kun isn't feeling well?"

Hinata, though she was a little uncomfortable from Toru's murderous look, felt worried. It had been a few days since Orochimaru attacked the village, he revealed his targets, Toru being one of them.

"It's nothing, I was just feeling a little dizzy."

Taking a leap, climbing into the branches of a tree, Toru looked at his teammates.

"The first thing we have to do is to collect information from the villages that were extorted and from the relatives of the missing women, so we should move fast. isn't that right, Sensei?"

Feeling a bit impressed since Toru knew what they would do without having heard it, Yamato couldn't refuse, they had to accomplish this mission as soon as possible.

"Well then what are we waiting for, let's go fast!"

Without looking Toru in the eyes, Ino started moved forward so she could be in front of everyone, at the same time, Hinata and Yamato raised an eyebrow at this confusing situation.

-In some random town-

"So, the guy is accompanied by four ninjas, each carrying a specific weapon?"

"That's right, one day they came with the intention of offering us protection in exchange for a large sum of money, but this village is small, we can't generate income to pay personnel to protect our village. In fact, I don't think we need protection, as there are very good ninja in this village who maintain order and security."

"How did they get extorted? There must have been a negotiation before What options did they give you? Did they threaten you with something specific?"

Squinting his eyes while holding a notebook and a pencil, at this moment Toru was collecting information and for this he has to interrogate the inhabitants of the villages that were extorted or attacked.

To make this easier, Yamato sent each of his students to different villages, all this in order to collect information that could be useful when raiding Kirou's mansion. That is why Toru is now in front of the village chief who answers to the name of Ichishi.

However, the way Toru was asking questions was a bit uncomfortable for the old man, but since his village was suffering because of Kirou's thugs, Ichishi had no choice but to trust this strange-eyed boy.

"Well... in order for us to agree to give the sum of money, they kidnapped some of the younger girls in the village, they threatened to hurt them if we didn't agree, so we had no choice. But... even though we gave the money, they never returned the girls they kidnapped. All the inhabitants of this small village have already lost hope of ever seeing their daughters and wives again, I can't deny that this affects me too much too."

With a melancholy expression, Ichishi sighed and dropped his arms over his own shoulders. This situation was not only affecting this man's people, but also the people in between the two countries.

(Hm... so they used young women as collateral, that is, without a doubt, something that disgusts me. Although I can't say anything against it, I have killed people for the greater good, I saw to it that those people are criminals sentenced to death, but that doesn't make me good or bad, I simply acted based on the situation, this man did the same, you can't blame him for this).

Shaking his head slightly, Toru already had all the information he needed. Luckily this man had already been to the assassination target's mansion, so infiltrating and completing the assassination shouldn't be a problem, but here was the missing detail, the four men protecting Kirou, each wielding a different type of weapon. Two giant shuriken, a katana, bomb papers and a staff, these were the weapons the target's guards use.

"I understand, that's all I wanted to know. This information will be useful."

Rising from the pad, Toru adjusted his scarf and headed for the door of the room in Ichishi's house, however, this man stopped him before he left the room.

"You're a Konoha ninja, so you're on a mission right now. Even so, what is the purpose of this mission you were assigned?"

Tilting his head slightly, Toru closed his eyes and after a second he opened them again showing the Shigan, at the same time a smile formed on his mouth before answering.

"I shouldn't reveal that, but I guess you already know, after all I asked you for all that information."

Swallowing saliva, Ichishi felt as if death was touching his neck with his scythe.

(Those eyes... it's not Sharingan or Byakugan...)

Sighing nervously, Ichishi wiped the sweat from his forehead, after all that boy's target was obvious, he could tell just by looking into his eyes.

"You're right, I apologize for asking such an irrelevant question."

"Questions arise out of human curiosity. If you hadn't asked, I would have thought you were a very naive leader, but apparently you are not."

Feeling confused by what Toru said, Ichishi decided that he would not ask any more questions and let the ninja do his job.

-Somewhere else-

Looking at her feet as she walked with a neutral expression on her face, Ino didn't know how to act after hearing the testimonies of so many people desperate to know what happened to the girls who were kidnapped.

All those mothers who cried in fear of what happened to their daughters, all those men who felt useless and couldn't do anything about it.

"This is harder than I thought..."

Holding up the notebook that Yamato handed to all her students, Ino sighed. Written in the notebook was all the information she had managed to collect. However, this didn't make her feel calm, moreover, she was worried about what would happen the moment they decided to attack the mansion of the assassination target.

"Are you done yet?"

Hearing a sudden voice, Ino gave a small jump backwards due to being startled by the sudden interaction of the boy standing on a tree branch.

"I got scared. I thought you were some stalker, no, actually you already are, Toru."

"If I'm a stalker, then what are you?"

As if Toru's words had managed to revive a memory, Ino's face could red after remembering the day she had been spying on him.

"Forget about that, you fool..."

Looking away, Ino felt embarrassed. Although it was strange, whenever the two of them were alone, Ino felt it was easier to talk to Toru.

(I'm not going to forget about it.)

Smiling slightly, Toru took a leap landing gracefully on the ground. This made Ino look at the ground without saying a word.

"Let's put the small talk aside. Right now we should concentrate on the mission. We should go to the meeting point that Sensei assigned us, Hinata should already be there..."

Stopping talking, Toru noticed that Ino looked a bit annoyed. The moment she mentioned Yamato and Hinata, the expression on this girl's face changed, showing a pout that somehow made Toru's heart warm.

"Are you upset?"

Without any hint of embarrassment, Toru asked directly causing Ino's face to light up in a slight pale pink color, at the same time the girl narrowed her eyes as she folded her arms.

Ino didn't know how to answer Toru's question, so she just stared at the ground with her arms crossed.

(I don't want to deal with Toru and these feelings again, right now I need to focus on this mission so I can be of use to my team).

Shaking her head, Ino sighed as she tried to hide these strange feelings rising from deep within her heart. Although it was becoming increasingly difficult to disguise her personality, however, she wanted to stop being the pathetic cowardly ninja of the past and become a kunoichi worthy of her title.

"You seem to be upset, as I can see the change in the skin tone of your cheeks, that means you hate me so much that I make your blood hot with anger."

However, Toru's words made this difficult.

"That's not it, you idiot!"

Turning suddenly, Ino looked Toru in the eyes.

"Really? Then I must have been wrong, you possibly have a fever, so you'd better get some rest."

"No! Shut up for a moment, hearing your voice makes me angry!"

Ino wanted to stay calm on this mission, she wanted to think things through so she wouldn't become a burden, and then there was Toru, who showed a slight smile on his mouth as this girl scolded him.

(What a funny reaction)

Closing his eyes, Toru sighed, teasing this girl was kind of funny. The expressions on her face, the tone of her voice, the small tears that peeked out of the corners of her eyes as she was angry, no doubt he knew what Ino was feeling, at the same time, Toru could also confirm something that had him uneasy.

(My plan to complete this mission is already finished...)

Nodding his head, Toru's mind already managed to create the perfect plan for this mission, the only thing missing was the information that Yamato and Hinata have.

"Ha~ Ino, we have to go, it's almost time for the meeting."

Interrupting Ino, Toru started walking without looking back.

At the same time, Ino stood in the same place for a few seconds while looking at the back of the boy in front of her, and then a slight smile formed on her face.

So, walking a little fast to catch up with Toru, Ino was pleased with this interaction.

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Author's note: I have already figured out how to finish the first volume, now I just need to write the chapters. When I finish the first volume on my pat reon, I will take a one week break on both platforms to prepare the next volume, which will be focused on the story of Naruto: Shippuden, the volume that follows after that is still a secret that we will reveal later.