'Communicating with insects? This kid…'
Kakashi couldn't hide his admiration, or his growing concern.
What Garou had just revealed wasn't some minor trick or passing insight. The Aburame clan's entire strength stemmed from their ability to form contracts with kikaichū and build ninjutsu around that bond.
The foundation of it all was communication.
And now Garou had touched upon that very foundation.
Of course, at this point, Garou wasn't a threat to the Aburame. If anything, he was cooperating with them quite closely. But Kakashi couldn't help but wonder, What about in the future?
Garou's continued experimentation with kikaichū… what if he eventually created a deeper connection with them? One strong enough to rival the Aburame's own? When that time came… would the Aburame remain loyal allies?
And that wasn't all.
Rumor had it that even the Hyuga clan had reached out to him before.
Kakashi sighed internally.
Garou was a civilian-born shinobi, no clan backing, no political shield. If something were to happen to him, or if someone from the shadows tried to manipulate him…
Yes. He was thinking of that old snake, Danzo.
Too much talent can attract misfortune.
Kakashi stayed quiet, his mind turning over the possibilities.
Garou had similar concerns. Though he didn't know it, his few words had already sparked the same thoughts in Kakashi's experienced mind.
But on the upside, after learning about Garou's new ability, Kakashi felt far less anxious about the Chūnin Exams. Unless some shameless jōnin decided to intervene personally, the Suna genin were the ones who should be worried. With Garou around, they'd be lucky to walk out with their gear intact.
—
After another day of travel, they finally arrived at the Hidden Sand Village.
Even someone as composed as Neji couldn't help but glance around in curiosity. Garou did the same, not only to blend in, but because he was genuinely observing.
'Will Gaara show up?'
Unfortunately, not a single notable Suna ninja made an appearance.
It was clear the Sand had planned it that way.
"Sensei, your reputation is too terrifying," Garou said with a hint of sarcasm. "The Sand shinobi are probably too scared to show themselves."
He was genuinely disappointed.
He'd hoped to get an early read on their potential opponents, but not a single Suna genin had come by to pick a fight.
'Boring.'
Kakashi squinted at him and chuckled darkly.
'Oh, The infamous Copy Ninja? One day, that nickname might belong to you.'
Because while Kakashi could copy techniques, he couldn't mimic kekkei genkai or secret clan jutsu. His versatility had limits.
Garou, on the other hand…
Even without nature transformation, Kakashi was convinced that if Rasa used Magnet Release in front of him a few times, Garou might figure out how it worked, and take it apart.
Kakashi shook his head and pulled out his familiar comfort.
Make-Out Violence: Special Edition.
That's when a voice rang out.
"The Kazekage was concerned that his people might disturb you or cause a misunderstanding, so he instructed us to keep our distance."
Kakashi turned toward the speaker, narrowing his eye.
It was the same chūnin who had been guiding them since yesterday.
"We'll do our part," Kakashi said coolly. "None of our genin will cause trouble in your village."
"Understood. I'll pass your goodwill on to the Kazekage." The chūnin bowed politely before turning to leave.
Garou's eyes followed him with subtle suspicion.
There was something… off.
At first glance, the man's chakra seemed unstable.
But as Garou focused, his concern deepened, the irregularity wasn't in the chakra itself, but in the man's mental state.
He had seen similar signs back in the Konoha Hospital.
Typically, such symptoms were only found in patients suffering from severe mental disorders.
Or…
People under the influence of genjutsu.
Either case was bad news.
Garou glanced away, scanning the area with a calmer expression while his mind raced.
The timing.
The symptoms.
Everything pointed to one possibility.
Orochimaru.
His experiments with the Eight-Headed Serpent Jutsu and other forbidden jutsu had long warped his mind.
It was entirely plausible that his presence alone could radiate this kind of disturbance.
'So bold… to get this close to Kakashi in disguise,' Garou thought, taking a deep breath.
'Then again, even if Kakashi found out, it's not like he could stop Orochimaru.'
Kakashi had the Sharingan, yes, but not the genjutsu expertise to hold Orochimaru.
And if Orochimaru was caught here, in the Land of Wind…
Would Konoha still fully trust the Sand Village?
Hardly.
This alone could spark deeper political fractures.
Whether his identity was discovered or not, Orochimaru lost nothing. Still, once they settled into their accommodations, Garou activated his highest-level sensory technique.
He scouted the area thoroughly. There were no eavesdroppers and surveillance.
Tenten and Kasumi were busy unpacking in their room. Kakashi, seated nearby, seemed about to bring up Garou's newfound abilities.
But paused when he saw him…
…talking to ants?
Leaning back and scratching his chin, Kakashi quirked an eyebrow. "You're acting even more paranoid than me."
"Did you notice that chūnin from earlier?" Garou asked seriously.
"The one who's been with us since the last checkpoint?" Kakashi replied, flipping a page in his book without surprise. "Yes. He's been tailing us closely."
"Exactly," Garou said. "You know I can detect certain things at close range, things that feel… wrong."
He lowered his voice slightly.
His gift for sensory perception had already been hinted at during his time with the medical division. But since then, the pattern he gained from the Telescope Technique had strengthened it even further.
Kakashi's expression shifted as he nodded grimly. "So something's off about him?"
"His chakra is inconsistent."
"More importantly, there's a kind of mental dissonance there, something you usually only see in unstable patients. Or people under high-level genjutsu."
Kakashi's eyes hardened.
He hadn't sensed anything himself, just assumed the chūnin's proximity was a tactic to gather intel.
But if what Garou said was true…
Then this wasn't just intelligence gathering.
It was infiltration.
Garou remained silent.
He didn't mention Orochimaru by name.
But it was clear he suspected someone powerful, someone with reason to use a puppet rather than reveal themselves.
Kakashi closed his book slowly and folded his arms, lost in thought.
No way he could keep reading now.
"Hmm… I do have the Sharingan. I can try breaking the genjutsu," he said eventually.
"Should we call Might Guy as backup?" Garou suggested.
"Oh, right. Let's do that," Kakashi said, smacking his forehead.
He was too focused. Almost forgot the basics.
If that chūnin was a lure, who knew what waited in the shadows?
If Kakashi left alone and Garou was targeted from another angle…
He sighed.
He was beginning to regret letting Garou join this year's exam.
Maybe he should've postponed it after all.
But there was no turning back now.
—
Garou didn't correct Kakashi's assumptions.
Instead, he activated a certain technique.
Telescope Technique.
Even if Kakashi ended up confronting Orochimaru directly, as long as he remained within the village, Garou could watch from a distance, and summon help. With Kakashi and Guy together, not even Orochimaru would risk a frontal engagement.
Might Guy arrived within minutes.
Garou had no doubt it was him. The man's chakra signature was unmistakable, impossible to fake.
But this time, Guy wore a rare look of seriousness.
"Garou, what's going on with Kakashi?"
"Come inside."
Inside, Guy's eyes widened. Garou's shadow clone was painting seals on the floor.
'Barrier formation?'
"What is this?" Guy asked.
"A soundproofing and anti-surveillance jutsu," Garou explained.
"Just in case."
Once Guy stepped inside, the clone completed the final hand seals.
On the table, a mirror sat upright. Garou formed a separate set of seals with his main body.
A moment later, an image appeared in the mirror.
Kakashi was knocking on a door.
After a pause, a Sand shinobi opened it from the inside.
'Isn't that the same chūnin who had been guiding them since yesterday? Why is Kakashi visiting a Suna shinobi directly?'
Guy stared, confused.
So did the shinobi in the image, Giyuki, the same chūnin, now wearing a puzzled expression as he faced Kakashi's arrival.
__________________________
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