Red Nara

- Iyaku Fuin working? - I asked, tucking the stacks of seals into a paper bag and handing the purchase to the jonin.

- Almost a full supply," he nodded gratefully.

- I put two scrolls with the signs on the outside of them on the counter.

- Aaa?

- There's been some bad rumors coming from Kiri lately, so consider this a little precautionary measure to keep Kushi-chan from having to change her mentor," I explained at Sakumo's questioning look. "If you don't need it, you can just return it, but even you might have a hard time without suiton in that area.

- Anything in particular? - The shinobi asked, tucking the scrolls into the bag.

- They say that the clans have finally recovered from their losses in the Second Great War and are going to raid the borders of Kaze no Kuni, as opposed to the usual raids, and maybe even ours," I recounted the rare rumors I'd gathered from the clones in the hot spots of Konoha.

I didn't use them all the time because of the risk of exposure to the dojutsu wielders, but leaving them somewhere in the shadows to eavesdrop on such a spy was literally asking for it.

- I'll keep that in mind," the shinobi nodded and left the shop.

Hopefully Hatake wouldn't get caught up in the shinobi's squabbles and would return home safely, because fighting against the Kirinin on their own territory was very problematic, especially with clan shinobi.

  ***

Something felt wrong about the protective barrier around the house and I interrupted my exercises. I frowned and tried to focus on the sensation, but after a moment I didn't need to do that; a familiar dark figure appeared from the nearest shadow, followed by another, and I relaxed. Shit, I'd almost forgotten about the spies I'd left behind in Suna, and apparently their chakra was running low.

- Into my shadow," I ordered them, and headed for the house.

Ma might be in the shop now, with Keiko helping her, but it was better to be careful. I had to decide what to do with the miser that the spies had left, otherwise the memories of months of surveillance would be uncontrollably squeezed into my head, and I wouldn't be able to predict the outcome. Quickly washing the sweat off my body, I went down to the basement and raised my defenses.

- Well, let's get to the bottom of this," I turned to the pair of spies who had reappeared, "which one of you has been monitoring the situation in Suna?

The left clone took a step forward, and I nodded understandingly.

- I'll save you for later, then, and deal with Pakura's surveillance first.

Sealing it in a scroll, I summoned a regular kage bunshin and took a few minutes to apply stabilizing seals to it so that the excessive influx of in-chakra wouldn't upset the balance and deprive me of medical care in case of the worst case scenario.

- I'll monitor your condition, boss," the clone saluted.

- Then put me to sleep," I nodded to him and laid down on the floor.

It was necessary to check the impact of such a massive amount of information, but it was too risky to be conscious or even in meditation, as I usually did, so that left the last option, except for sealing - sleep.

-Boss! Get up! Boss!

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