Chapter 790 NASM - 790

"From what I can tell, those tracks were left by about ten or more enemies. It looks like they’ve gone ahead to block our path. I honestly can’t figure out why they’d attack us — we haven’t done anything to provoke anyone. It’s really strange, and I just can’t understand what’s going on," Hiroshi said, slowing his pace and speaking to Harumiko with a faint smile.

Harumiko nodded with a frown. Her mind was racing; it had been quite a while since they were last in a fight, and she needed to steady her focus quickly.

"We just have to deal with them as fast as possible, no matter what. We’ve already lost enough time today. Let’s take them out quickly so we can get moving again," she replied softly, forcing a smile.

Hiroshi nodded in agreement. He knew their best choice now was to locate these enemies and neutralise them in the shortest time possible.

"Wait — I think there’s a large lake or pond up ahead. I see plants here that only grow near water. Those enemies could be hiding in the water or waiting in ambush all around it. We have to be extra careful when we get there, because we’ll have to cross that water to keep going," he said, stopping briefly.

Harumiko halted too and looked around at the vegetation. It was clear now — a large body of water lay ahead, and it was the perfect place for an ambush.

"Hiroshi, I just realised something. We didn’t cover or hide our headbands when we set out. They probably saw the symbol and knew immediately we’re shinobi from Konoha. That must be why they’re attacking us. We were really careless about that," she said softly, realising their mistake.

Hiroshi instinctively reached up and touched the metal plate on his forehead. He hadn’t hidden it at all. Out here, where many held a grudge against their village, wearing it openly was practically asking for trouble.

"That was so stupid of me! How could I forget something that important? Most people outside the village are hostile toward us. Walking around showing this symbol... it’s like inviting trouble right to us," he muttered, frowning at his headband.

They both quickly removed their headbands, tucked them safely inside their packs, and made a mental note — from now on, they must hide their identities and stay constantly alert.

"Still, it’s too late now; they already know who we are. We just have to defeat them quickly. And judging by what I saw earlier, there are quite a few of them. We’ll need to be very careful in just a moment," Hiroshi said, staring ahead with a serious expression.

Harumiko pushed aside some tall grass to get a clearer view of the path forward. Everything looked still and quiet — the enemies were hiding exceptionally well.

"I scanned ahead, but nothing seems out of place. Whoever they are, they’ve been trained properly to conceal themselves this well," she whispered to him.

Hiroshi wanted to use his Golden Eyes to see through the cover, but he knew the ability was still on cooldown. It would be a waste to use it just to spot them now; it was far more valuable during the actual fight.

"Alright, let’s keep moving normally. If we stop too long, they’ll realise we’ve spotted them," he said quietly, standing up and smiling at her.

Harumiko nodded, picked up her gear, and started walking forward.

"Now the hunt begins. Once we find and deal with them, nothing will stand in the way of our journey home," she said, fully focused and ready for action.

Hiroshi was pleased to see her in such good spirits. He nodded firmly, gathered his things, and walked beside her toward the danger ahead.

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