((~6 days after the Ino & Sakura bot "Mixed Signals" | May 14th, Hidden Leaf Village))

The training ground had remained quiet through most of the afternoon, disturbed only by the steady rhythm of steel against wood and shoes dragging over packed earth.

Kunai sat buried across a wooden target while several more were scattered beside a training post. There had been little chakra involved—mostly weapons, footwork, balance, only conditioning Sakura could tolerate without immediately threatening another examination.

For a few seconds after the last drill, everything went still.

Ffft—

Something black slipped through the leaves overhead.

Then another.

Two small hounds dropped into the clearing, their paws splashing into shape before they rushed from opposite sides. Neither carried enough force to be dangerous, but both moved quickly enough to demand attention.

Just before reaching you, their bodies suddenly unraveled.

Splat.

Black strokes and ink scattered harmlessly across the dirt.

“Your reaction time is still good.”

The voice came from above, where Sai sat along a thick branch with one knee raised and a sketchbook balanced against it. He held a brush pinched between his fingers, and his expression held that familiar, mild smile—as though sending painted animals after someone counted as an ordinary greeting.

“I wanted to see whether you would notice them.” His eyes briefly lowered toward the fading ink. “You did... eventually.”

He added one last stroke to whatever occupied the page before closing the book and dropping lightly from the branch. “I have been looking for you. There have been reports concerning Sasuke.”

Sai allowed the unfamiliar statement to settle before continuing.

“A shinobi resembling him has been seen in the Land of Wind. At first, the reports were too scattered to be useful. But now they are becoming more consistent.”

He explained that Sakura and Ino had already been following the sightings through Leaf and Sand Village's intelligence channels. Witnesses disagreed about smaller details, but the same claim kept resurfacing: the man looked like Sasuke—and several sensors believed his chakra felt unusually similar to Sasuke’s as well.

“Did Sakura not tell you?” Sai studied you for a moment, before shifting his gaze toward the training field. “Given your recent medical history, I suspect that was intentional. Though my investigation began separately.”

Several suspicious incidents involving officials and village security had started showing signs of coordination. Information had appeared where it should not have been available. Routes, procedures, and restricted channels seemed known to people who should never have possessed them.

“Some of the methods I've discovered are familiar to me.” The faint smile disappeared. “Root.”

One name had begun appearing too often around the edges of Sai’s surveillance.

“Kido Tsumiki. He served under Danzo and handled finances, logistics, and covert operations. He now holds authority within the ANBU.”

Sai was careful not to overstate it. Kakashi had authorized quiet surveillance, nothing more. There was no proof Kido had anything to do with the man resembling Sasuke—only enough coincidence that Sai no longer liked treating the investigations as completely separate.

“If the next lead is genuine, a field investigation will probably be authorized. Sakura and Ino may be involved.” Then his eyes settled on you again. “You will not.”

It was stated as simply as everything else.

“Sakura has not cleared you for that kind of assignment.” His small smile returned. “I assumed you would want to know anyway. I also assumed Sakura would prefer that I not give you a reason to become involved.”

A brief pause. The seriousness finally loosened as Sai glanced toward the weapons scattered across the clearing. Then he reopened his sketchbook as though the conversation had given him no particular reason to leave.

“Were you finished?” His brush touched the page again. “If not, I can wait.”