Chapter 33: A Sudden Target

Obito took the scroll and studied it carefully.

The man named Inosuke had a refined appearance but a strong, robust physique. His temper was violent, and he was skilled with a pair of twin blades. While his taijutsu was on par with a Jonin, his ninjutsu was mediocre, and his genjutsu skills were notably weak.

After memorizing key details, Obito passed the scroll to Rin, who then handed it to Kakashi. Once Kakashi finished reading, he performed a Fireball Jutsu, incinerating the scroll.

Rin and Obito exchanged puzzled glances.

Kakashi explained calmly, "Destroying the scroll after memorizing mission details is basic ninja protocol."

Though Kakashi said this with seriousness, Obito's mind wandered.

He suddenly imagined Guy in a similar situation.

Without the mission scroll, would Guy even be able to carry out the task?

Guy: Who am I supposed to assassinate again?

Uchiha Kisame? Hoshigaki Madara?

…Wait, what was my mission again?

The thought was so ridiculous that Obito couldn't help but chuckle internally.

The four of them kept moving, leaping through the forest with their hands behind their backs. When they were hungry, they each ate a military ration pill; when thirsty, they simply endured it—better than needing a bathroom break later.

After running for what felt like an eternity, they finally approached the black market.

When Minato announced their arrival, the three younger ninjas let out a collective sigh of relief.

Obito glanced around, squinting at the so-called black market. No matter how he looked, it seemed like an ordinary village.

"It just looks like a deserted settlement," he muttered. Without prior knowledge of its hidden nature, no one would associate this quiet village with an illegal marketplace.

"Remove your headbands. Once inside, make sure to conceal your identities," Minato instructed.

The three nodded, tucking their headbands carefully into their clothes.

"Transformation Jutsu!"

With a flash, Minato transformed into a burly, menacing man with a scarred face.

Following his lead, Obito, Rin, and Kakashi used the Transformation Jutsu to disguise themselves.

It's worth noting that for successful disguises, it's best to base your transformation on something familiar or close to your actual traits. Otherwise, a sharp observer might easily see through the act.

Unless, of course, you have protagonist-level plot armor. Then none of this matters—right, Naruto?

The group entered the black market boldly. The guards at the entrance, dressed as ordinary villagers, gave them a glance but didn't stop them.

These four looked too dangerous to be random intruders.

Once inside, Minato spoke in a low voice, "You three, split up and gather information. I'll meet with the black market's leader."

Since the black market prohibited fighting, and his students were competent enough, he wasn't worried about their safety.

The three nodded in agreement.

"Understood, Minato-sensei."

They knew that this mission was more about gaining experience. Minato wasn't relying on them to uncover any vital intel—the critical parts of the mission would ultimately fall on him.

After Minato left, the trio aimlessly wandered the streets of the black market.

"What should we do next?" Obito asked.

Kakashi thought for a moment before answering, "Let's try striking up conversations with people. See if we can gather any useful information—but be subtle. The black market is a web of hidden dangers, we don't want to alert anyone."

Rin nodded enthusiastically. "Kakashi-kun, you're so knowledgeable."

Obito rolled his eyes so hard they nearly popped out. "(￣～￣) Hmph!"

Spotting a burly man lounging nearby, the trio decided to approach him.

"You look like a formidable warrior," Obito said with a friendly smile. "Which ninja village do you represent?"

The middle-aged man didn't answer directly. Instead, he smiled slyly and asked, "And where are you three from?"

The trio exchanged quick glances.

"We're from Iwagakure," Obito said with convincing earnestness. "And you, my friend?"

The man nodded in understanding before grinning mischievously. "Ah, I'm from Konohagakure."

The trio: "…"

Really? Are you trying to pull a fast one on us?

"Need some explosive tags?" the man offered, pulling back his cloak to reveal an assortment of tags plastered inside. "Top-notch Konoha quality! I'll give you a good deal since you seem like decent folks."

Without a word, the three turned and walked away.

"Hey, don't go! At least haggle a bit!" the man called after them.

After circling the relatively small black market, they'd found nothing of value.

"Gathering intelligence is so hard!" Obito complained.

"If only my Sharingan were fully developed to three tomoe," he muttered wistfully. "I could just scan the area and figure out everything at once."

Rin nodded in agreement, then turned expectantly to Kakashi. "Kakashi, do you have any ideas?"

Kakashi shook his head, clearly as stumped as the others.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, his gaze locked onto someone in the distance.

After observing for a moment, he whispered, "Look over there. Doesn't that guy resemble our target?"

Obito and Rin discreetly glanced in the direction he indicated but saw nothing unusual.

"His appearance and physique don't match the description," Obito said doubtfully. "What makes you think he's the target, Kakashi?"

"It's the twin blades," Kakashi explained with confidence. "They're almost identical to the ones described in the scroll. I'm 80% sure it's him."

Obito squinted at the blades, still failing to see the connection. They're just regular swords, right?

Just then, a translucent screen appeared in front of Obito's eyes.

[Option 1: Report the information to Minato immediately. Reward: 0.03 Chakra Points.]

[Option 2: Take the initiative and find a way to subdue Inosuke. Reward: Clone Great Explosion.]

Obito's heart raced. A system choice? So it really is Inosuke!

"What should we do? Should we inform Minato-sensei?" Rin asked nervously, clutching her hands together.

"No time for that," Kakashi replied, his voice steady. "By the time we find Minato-sensei, the target might already be gone."

Obito nodded. "We need to act now."

In his mind, he repeatedly selected the second option. 222222!

Kakashi frowned in thought, quickly analyzing different plans, only to dismiss them one by one.

"We can't fight openly here. The black market strictly prohibits violence. We'd need to take him out in a secluded area with a single decisive strike—no small feat against someone skilled in taijutsu."

Obito chewed on his thumbnail, deep in thought. After a moment, his eyes lit up.

"I have an idea. We could do this… and then that…"

Rin listened with wide eyes. "Isn't that a bit risky, Obito?"

Kakashi glanced at the target, who appeared ready to leave. With a decisive nod, he said,

"We don't have time. Let's go with Obito's plan."

"Rin, you find Minato-sensei. Obito and I will handle this."

Rin hesitated briefly before agreeing. "Alright, but you two must be careful!"

Obito grinned cheekily. "Don't worry, Rin. We've got this!"

With that, the team split up. Obito and Kakashi circled around from different directions, closing in on the target.

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