Hoshiyomi's suggestion was unanimously accepted. The group ventured deeper into the forest, searching for prey to serve as dinner.
Before long, Lobo—still perched on Hoshiyomi's shoulder—let out a sharp, urgent bark. Sensing something, the others slowed their pace.
Hoshiyomi scratched Lobo under the chin. "Did you smell something?"
Lobo barked again, nodding insistently. Though Hoshiyomi could only make out bits of meaning, the tone was enough to alert them.
Orochimaru dropped to the ground, listening closely. "Something large is approaching—fast."
Hoshiyomi and Sakumo drew their blades—White Fang and Mikazuki—while Jiraiya and Tsunade pulled kunai or molded chakra into hand seals.
Heavy footsteps thundered. Then, a massive figure burst from the trees: a fully grown wild boar charging toward them, its curved tusks gleaming ominously in the sunset.
"Scatter!" Hoshiyomi shouted.
They spread out just in time. Sakumo and Hoshiyomi surged forward, slashing at the boar's hind legs with brutal precision. Blood erupted as the boar howled in pain and collapsed.
Tsunade and Jiraiya rushed in, aiming for its exposed belly, but the boar kicked wildly. They leapt aside as it attempted to flee.
As it scrambled to its feet, Orochimaru activated Earth Release: Earth Spear—a thick earth spike erupted from beneath the boar, impaling it mid-stride. It squealed briefly before falling still.
Relief swept through the group. They high-fived in celebration of their first successful team effort.
Watching from a distance, Torifu smiled. "Nice work. Even without formal teamwork training, you came together well—better than back in the day."
Homura offered a curt nod. "It's only because that boar was weak."
Torifu jabbed back: "Okay, Mr. Serious. No wonder you're still single."
Homura's glare made Torifu bite his tongue. Then a distant bark echoed.
"Look," Torifu said, pointing. "Your first scroll—and it's probably the hardest to get."
"Yeah," Homura agreed, "our informant said they rigged this one with a trap."
Meanwhile, Hoshiyomi and the others were prepping the boar for dinner when Lobo barked again—this time trembling.
"Come on, Lobo," Jiraiya coaxed. "Don't be a scared little wolf. Look—the boar's dead." But Lobo backed away, fearful, until Hoshiyomi coaxed him close again.
Jiraiya, amused, said, "He's a ninja beast, but he's got more sense than us humans. Why are you stepping back? Is something behind me?"
Orochimaru trembled with cold sweat. "Uh… idiot, come here."
Jiraiya froze. "Don't tell me something's behind me?"
Hoshiyomi nodded. Jiraiya turned pale. "Don't look back—RUN!"
Hoshiyomi flung a chunk of meat behind Jiraiya. In that instant, a massive growl reverberated—and a giant brown bear lunged forward, snapping up the meat.
Panic seized Jiraiya. Dropping his plate, he darted to join the group. They huddled together before he dared glance back: a towering brown bear—over ten meters long, nearly six meters tall on all fours, dwarfing Lobo—stared at them hungrily, its neck adorned with a scroll marked with the number "3."
The scroll they'd been searching for.
Jiraiya swallowed hard. "That boar… was just a fee for our lives. We have to get that scroll."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "You really want to slug it out with that thing?"
Orochimaru smirked. "No. Look—the bear's stupid. Hoshiyomi lured it with that meat. We don't need brute force—we can use our heads."