Natsuhiko had never forgotten about the people monitoring him.
As an ANBU operative, being watched meant only one thing—his performance had been sloppy.
Moreover, judging from the observers' behavior, they were very likely connected to this incident.
And if that were the case, Natsuhiko would absolutely not let them go.
Although they hadn't appeared in the original story, that might simply be because the "protagonist's halo" had eventually wiped them out.
Natsuhiko remembered that this mission had originally been taken on by Naruto.
And aside from Naruto's first thirteen miserable years, his luck afterward had been overwhelmingly good.
So when Naruto accepted the mission, aside from a bit of trouble inside the lizard's stomach, everything else had gone smoothly.
The only unfortunate part is… that guy actually tore up the scroll!
Thinking of what Naruto had done in the original story, Natsuhiko couldn't help sighing.
That move had been such a waste.
Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on Naruto's actions.
His main priority now was to retrieve the scroll—and to determine exactly who was watching him.
However, Natsuhiko had a hypothesis:
What if the ones monitoring them were actually the surviving descendants of Kubisaki Castle?
Kubisaki Kōza was dead.
Filled with resentment and the sorrow of losing his land, he would not have wanted anyone to find the scroll and allow the summoning beast to leave.
If that were true, then there were only two possible places to hide it.
One—his tomb.
In this world, disturbing the dead was considered far more offensive than killing someone.
Grave robbing wasn't unheard of, but it was rare.
Though Natsuhiko had no idea which idiot had decided that the dead were more important than the living, he was grateful for that custom right now.
The other option was even simpler—
Inside the castle itself.
But the castle was the summoning beast's body.
Entering it was equivalent to being eaten.
Who would realistically have the chance to retrieve the summoning scroll from there?
In the original story, Naruto had found the scroll inside the lizard's stomach.
But if the watchers were factored in—and assumed to be descendants of Kubisaki Castle—
Then perhaps these people had guarded the scroll while alive.
And when their time came, they placed the scroll inside the lizard's stomach, dying there as well.
Natsuhiko clearly remembered that inside the lizard's belly were skeletal remains still clad in armor.
If that was the case—
Then he had even more reason to confront the ones watching them.
"Kakashi, head back and rest," Natsuhiko said after sorting through his thoughts. "Tomorrow we begin the mission."
"Yes, Captain."
Kakashi stood up without hesitation.
But soon he asked, slightly puzzled, "What's the plan?"
"After confirming a few things, we'll head straight into the castle," Natsuhiko replied calmly. "If we're lucky, we might not even need to enter it."
"I understand."
Kakashi nodded without pressing further and turned to leave.
"I'll head back now, Captain."
With that, he stepped out and gently closed the door behind him.
Natsuhiko was quite satisfied with Kakashi's response.
Whether it was trust—or simply not prying unnecessarily—Kakashi's attitude aligned perfectly with what Natsuhiko needed.
Standing up, Natsuhiko put on his mask.
Then he opened the window—
And leapt out in one swift motion.
Yes. Now that he had made up his mind, he had no intention of wasting time.
As for whether the watchers matched his assumptions—
He didn't particularly care.
Whether or not things matched his assumptions, Natsuhiko had no intention of letting them off.
Monitoring ANBU was not a smart move.
Although he didn't know the exact location of Kubisaki Kōza's grave, he clearly remembered that there was a cemetery not far outside the city.
And that place—
Was one of the areas where the watchers' reactions had been the strongest.
He headed toward the graveyard at high speed.
In just over half an hour, he had already arrived.
And along the way, he once again clearly sensed those faint yet persistent gazes locking onto him.
As he drew closer to the cemetery, those stares grew heavier.
"As expected. This aligns with my predictions."
Natsuhiko thought silently.
"Looks like this graveyard really is hiding something interesting."
At first, he had suspected that some mysterious organization might be conducting research here.
But he had already swept the area thoroughly with his sensory ability.
He was certain there was no such operation present.
Moreover, he had detected the chakra of those watching him.
At most, one had jōnin-level chakra.
The rest were mostly at chūnin or even genin level.
With that kind of lineup, Natsuhiko was confident he could handle them.
It might be troublesome.
He might even need to activate Sage Mode.
But so what?
"If paying such a small price allows me to gain a summoning beast likely no weaker—at least in size—than the Sannin's summons, then there's no way I lose out."
Gradually slowing his pace, Natsuhiko stepped into the eerie graveyard.
Whether intentional or not, towering trees stood densely around the cemetery, blocking the moonlight from above.
The entire place was pitch-black.
Not a single glimmer of light could be seen.
Only the mournful cries of distant animals and the wind brushing through branches, producing a sound like faint sobbing.
The graveyard was thick with dust and an atmosphere of decay and gloom.
Even someone like Natsuhiko felt a slight discomfort walking through it.
He took a slow breath, ignoring the rotten smell lingering in the air.
He needed to steady himself.
He didn't believe in ghosts.
And he certainly wasn't afraid of them.
But the environment was undeniably unsettling.
Especially since he could sense the owners of those concealed gazes—
They were now approaching him without restraint.
"Playing tricks in the dark, huh? Finally willing to come out?"
Natsuhiko suddenly spoke.
This time, his voice no longer carried its usual warmth.
The cold tone echoed through the gloomy graveyard, blending with the wind's low wail through the treetops, deepening the oppressive chill of the surroundings.
Soon, a middle-aged man's voice rang out from within the cemetery.
His tone was equally low and indifferent.
"This is not a place you should come, sir."
"This is the resting place of the warriors of Kubisaki Castle. A ninja like you coming here would only defile them. Leave."
"And if I say no?" Natsuhiko countered. "Or better yet, what if you answer a few questions and then I leave?"
"Then," the voice replied, "one of us will not leave this place alive!"