Late at night, as the world outside grew quiet, Hayashi changed into his Anbu attire, fitted the fox mask, and quietly slipped out of his room alone.
His destination was a forest on the northwest edge of the Daimyo's estate, where the Anbu team assigned to him by the Third Hokage was stationed.
Up until now, he had never actually served in the Anbu. He didn't even know that the Uchiha Clan had once considered recruiting him. Yet somehow, he had become part of the Anbu Black Ops, and remarkably, he had even been made a squad leader. It was a strange twist of fate, one he still struggled to fully understand.
Leaving the city behind, Hayashi traveled west along silent roads. After some time he left the main path, following a narrower trail that led into a dense forest. When he reached the meeting point, he perched on a large tree branch and looked up. On another tree, four Anbu operatives appeared, their bodies blending into the shadows as they watched him silently.
"Kun?" one voice called softly.
"Lian!" another replied.
After a brief exchange of identity confirmation, Hayashi took a scroll of appointment from his pouch and, with the precision of throwing a shuriken, sent it flying toward the closest figure. The Anbu reached out, caught the paper, scanned it quickly with sharp eyes, then nodded to his companions and relaxed his stance.
Hayashi was the first to speak.
"May I know your names? Your voices sound familiar."
The man laughed heartily. "Seems the old man forgot to inform you."
"Shin'nosuke‑nii?"
"It's me. It's been three years since we last met, Hayashi. I hope you have been well."
The man removed his mask, revealing a rugged face framed by a heavy beard.
At that moment, a breeze stirred the leaves and Hayashi lowered his mask as well, revealing a set of bright white teeth beneath.
…
In an underground room below the forest, Shin'nosuke gave Hayashi a quick tour of the Anbu squad's base. As they walked, Hayashi could not help but ask, "Shin'nosuke‑nii, why have you grown such a big beard now?"
"What, is it not good to look a bit more mature?" Shin'nosuke replied with a grin.
"But you look a bit too ripe, completely overripe," Hayashi teased.
Shin'nosuke snorted. "What do you know? This is what makes a man manly."
"The question is," Hayashi said with a lazy smile, "for whom is your manliness intended?"
Silence, then laughter from both of them.
After a while, Shin'nosuke's expression turned serious. "How has the old man been doing lately?"
"He's well," Hayashi replied thoughtfully. "Always busy."
"What, aren't you going back to see him?"
"I cannot get away right now."
"That's just an excuse. I heard you haven't been back for over a year."
Shin'nosuke sighed. "Go back and get scolded?"
"Uncle Hokage wouldn't mean it that way."
"I know, but I really don't want to go back yet. I'm still weak and can hardly help him, and I don't have a partner. I might as well continue training out here for another two years."
Hayashi considered this but knew deep down his friend wasn't truly weak. It was a matter of perspective. Ahead of him were legends like the Sannin and White Fang, standing as towering figures. Behind him were Himeji and younger students, and above all hovered expectations no one could ignore.
Shin'nosuke was talented and respected, which was why he had taken on long‑term missions away from the village. If he could not succeed, returning to inherit high rank and responsibility back home remained an option.
Finally, Shin'nosuke asked, "Enough about me. How did you end up becoming one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja?"
Hayashi spread his hands casually. "The Third Hokage insisted I go. I didn't want to at first."
Shin'nosuke sneered. "The Daimyo still does not trust us, otherwise he would not have formed something like the Guardian Ninja."
"That much is true," Hayashi agreed. "Tell me, how is the Hidden Mist Village now? I have heard rumors."
"All contact with their spies has been lost, and the ninja sent later have also disappeared," Shin'nosuke said gravely.
"Since when did this start?" Hayashi asked.
Shin'nosuke reflected for a moment. "It has been this way since the Third Mizukage left the village. He has returned now, but the situation remains unchanged."
"That is strange," Hayashi muttered. "From what I've encountered, the Third Mizukage spoke and acted with a gentle air, yet something about this doesn't add up. Another question is, can Anbu identify every spy infiltrating another village?"
Shin'nosuke shook his head firmly. "Impossible."
"Then how did the Hidden Mist Village handle such precision intelligence?" Hayashi murmured.
To achieve such exact infiltration, only one possibility came to mind, that of White Zetsu and other unseen forces manipulated behind the scenes.
"Could Madara have made a move?" Hayashi whispered.
He recalled stories of Zabuza Momochi from old missions, the fearsome shinobi of Kirigakure famed as the Demon of the Hidden Mist during its darker days. Kirigakure was infamous for its deadly traditions and ruthless training, earning it a reputation as the Village of the Bloody Mist long before the era of modern conflict.
But the Third Mizukage had orchestrated trade and stability with many nations — why would something hostile erupt in the shadows?
Hayashi pondered deeply, thinking through the timeline and implications.
"If something happened to the Third Mizukage, it would not have occurred within the village," he said softly. "And if Madara had acted to control the Hidden Mist Village, the battle would not have escaped notice. So that leaves one conclusion… it happened before he returned."
His expression hardened as he spoke again, voice calm but resolute, "Shin'nosuke‑nii, was there anything unusual before the Third Mizukage left the Land of Fire? Anything at all? Perhaps a disappearance or signs of battle?"
Shin'nosuke shook his head. "No, the Hidden Mist team left under full Anbu supervision the entire time."
"Then were there signs of battle at their last known location?" Hayashi pressed.
"Yes," Shin'nosuke answered quietly.
"Take me there."
…
Hayashi stood at the site, staring at a ground scarred so deeply that the terrain was barely recognizable. The remnants of Water‑style chakra signatures were etched into the earth like a silent message. He frowned as a cold aura washed over him.
It was May, yet by the sea the breeze remained cool, chilling even seasoned veteran shinobi to the bone.
Hayashi closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.
"Let us suspend this investigation for now," he said at last.
Shin'nosuke, sensing the solemn weight of the moment, nodded in agreement.
"I just hope… it wasn't aimed at me," Shin'nosuke said quietly.
Hayashi looked up into the dark night sky and could not help but sigh.
…