By the third day of his tenure as a squad leader, Shisui's dayti routine remained largely unchanged.
He spent his hours tilling the soil and tending to his vegetables, keeping the two small plots in his courtyard ticulously organized.
By night, however, he was a different man. He spent his ti in the subterranean laboratory, expanding his underground kingdom or researching new surveillance insects.
Occasionally, he would venture into the surrounding fields and forests to catch local insects.
He needed native genetic material to crossbreed with his own colonies; this was the only way to ensure that any scouts he released would look perfectly natural to the village's trained eyes.
During these nocturnal excursions, Shisui often stumbled upon spies exchanging intelligence.
They were a diverse lot—so were professional shinobi, others were seemingly ordinary villagers.
Most originated from the Five Great Nations, though Konoha's presence was split: one faction served the Hokage, while the other belonged to Root.
Sotis Shisui wondered if the entire world was populated solely by agents of the Great Nations.
He felt a wave of relief that he hadn't deployed his specialized surveillance bugs the mont he arrived; if a Konoha spy were to spot an Abura-style insect here, they would trace it back to his doorstep in a heartbeat.
These encounters only stiffened his resolve to perfect his new "local" reconnaissance strain. For now, he had no intention of interfering with these spies.
It was safer to let them operate while he silently siphoned the information they worked so hard to gather.
Just the night before, he had eavesdropped on two masked shinobi discussing the location of the Seven-Tails, Choi. Hidden behind a massive tree with his Invisible Scorpion, Shisui listened as one spy grumbled, "Takigakure is guarded more strictly than we anticipated.
Only the elders and a few elite shinobi know the exact location of the seal. Our moles haven't been able to penetrate the core."
The other replied with cold desperation: "It doesn't matter how many people we sacrifice. Konoha, the Stone, and the Sand have backed us into a corner. We must secure a Tailed Beast to turn the tide."
"But the other nations are moving, too," the first spy warned. "Leaf and Stone scouts are everywhere, and Root's people are like a plague.
If the news leaks, the Seven-Tails might be moved, or the Taki elders might simply destroy the seal and take the beast down with them."
"We can't wait. Activate the 'Sleeping Seeds' we planted years ago."
"It's been so long... many of them have likely assimilated into village life."
"Then threaten what they hold dear. I'm sure they'll rember where they ca from soon enough."
From their conversation, Shisui deduced they were likely from Agakure (the Village Hidden in Rain).
The Great Nations were currently using the Land of Rain as a bloody playground, claiming to be "peacekeepers" while systematically dismantling A's rising power.
To survive on the front lines, A was clearly desperate enough to hunt for Tailed Beasts.
Shisui wasn't particularly worried about the "Sleeping Seeds." Every major village planted long-term moles. So lived double lives for decades, raising families until they forgot their original purpose—until a handler arrived to remind them of their debts.
"Takigawa boy!" a loud, gravelly voice called from the gate.
Shisui turned to see his neighbor, Old Man Shi, carrying a bamboo basket.
"Uncle Shi," Shisui greeted him with a warm smile.
"I picked up so good seedlings at the market yesterday," Shi said, handing over the basket. Inside were neat rows of eggplant, pepper, and tomato starts. "Consider this a thanks for helping clear the silt out of the irrigation ditch last week."
"You're too kind." Shisui accepted the basket, his eyes lingering on the vibrant green leaves.
"How's the water flow now?"
"Much better! The neighbors say the irrigation is smoother than it's been in years," Shi chuckled. "It's rare to find a ninja your age willing to do chores for us old folks."
Shisui rely smiled. After a bit of small talk, the old man departed. Shisui knelt by his garden and began the delicate process of transplanting.
He moved with practiced ease, ensuring every root was protected; these plants would be his future self-sufficiency.
He glanced toward Shi's house. He had his suspicions about the old man. Shi's features—broad build, flat nose—resembled soone from the Land of Earth more than the Land of Waterfall.
Furthermore, he lived alone with no living relatives. Yet, the man had no chakra and no signs of physical training.
Shisui patted the dirt from his hands and looked around the quiet neighborhood.
"What a truly peaceful and harmonious village," he murmured.
At dusk, as he was preparing dinner, there was another knock. It was Natsuhi.
Several days had passed since their last encounter, and her face now bore a look of quiet longing and lancholy. Shisui t her gaze, wondering if she was finally dropping her guard—or if her situation was becoming more complicated.
"Why didn't you choose to join my squad?" she asked. She held her head high, trying to sound accusatory, but her voice betrayed a fragile curiosity.
Shisui maintained his gentle, neutral smile. "Mainly because Naoto and I are old friends. Besides... it seed like your teammates didn't exactly take a liking to ."
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