Chapter 144: Gathering Intelligence
In front of a bustling barbecue restaurant in the small town:
"I'm hungry, honey. Let's go eat," came a cheerful, feminine voice. The speaker was none other than Nawaki, transformed into a curvaceous, glamorous woman. This was his punishment for losing a game of rock-paper-scissors.
"Baby, then let's have some barbecue," Minato replied, playing his role as a middle-aged, pot-bellied man. Nawaki, in his transformed state, posed as Minato's mistress. Minato shamelessly patted Nawaki on the rear, laughing obnoxiously.
"Sir, the meat is ready," said a lackey-like figure, who was actually Fugaku in disguise. He watched their act with a mixture of awe and embarrassment. Their dedication to their roles at such a young age was astonishing. How did they even come up with such convincing personas?
"Okay, please come in," the restaurant owner said, glancing at Nawaki. He thought to himself how impossible it would be for him to ever attract a woman like "her".
In response, Nawaki glared at him with a demon-like expression. Keep dreaming! With my looks and figure, you're only fooling yourself!
Minato led Nawaki inside, selecting a table in a busy area surrounded by customers. The trio's goal was clear: to scout for any signs of Iwa Ninja in town. While maintaining their personas as the boss, his mistress, and their lackey, they eavesdropped on nearby conversations.
When the barbecue arrived, the three began eating heartily, having gone days without a proper meal.
Amid the chatter, they overheard a customer mention a Ninja who had won a significant amount of money at the gambling house. This detail immediately caught their attention.
The customer elaborated, saying the Ninja planned to return later, and suggested following the Ninja's bets to potentially win more money. Whether the Ninja cheated or not, the customer didn't seem to care.
The three exchanged glances, silently agreeing on their next course of action. For now, they stopped listening and focused on their food.