Whoosh!
As evening fell, darkness cloaked the forest. The figures of Torune Aburame and the Root ninja with the painted face darted and leaped through the trees.
"We're just leaving like this? Will they actually carry out the mission?" asked the face-painted Root ninja, supported by Torune as they jumped.
"They will," Torune affirmed with a nod.
"How can you be so sure?" The Root ninja seemed surprised.
"Of the four in Anbu Team 11, Kakashi, Shisui, and Guy's loyalty is unquestionable. They wouldn't disobey the village's orders. As for that Akimichi Tatsuya, if he wants to continue living in Konoha, he won't make any unwise choices," Torune said calmly.
"You seem quite confident in them. Wasn't that Akimichi kid a dead-last before? How did his strength suddenly become so great?" The Root ninja, after a moment of silence, spoke with resentment.
Torune's voice paused briefly before he replied, "His situation is… special. Lord Danzo is still observing him."
"Special? Hmph! Ninjas who don't obey Lord Danzo's control should be eliminated!" The Root ninja's voice was filled with venom. It was clear that his earlier humiliation had made him hold a grudge against Tatsuya.
Torune remained silent.
Rather than Tatsuya, Torune was more concerned about Uchiha Shisui. The terrifying strength of this young genius of the Uchiha clan was simply too great!
To control the face-painted Root ninja with just a single glance – that kind of power was at the very peak of Konoha. And he was only fourteen years old!
For the Uchiha clan to produce such an individual was not a good thing for the village or for Lord Danzo.
Hopefully, this mission will lead to his demise! Perhaps that's one of Lord Danzo's objectives as well! It's just a shame about Kakashi and Guy!
His mind a whirlwind of thoughts, their figures gradually faded into the distance.
"Yes! This is amazing! Tatsuya-kun, this is what youth is all about!"
Back in the cave, the moment Tatsuya agreed to go along, Guy immediately rushed over, slapping him hard on the shoulder with a grin, flashing his pearly whites and giving a thumbs-up.
"Get lost!" Tatsuya, almost knocked off balance by the blow, retorted irritably.
Guy, unfazed by the scolding, remained cheerfully exuberant.
Nearby, Kakashi and Shisui didn't say anything, but their gazes towards Tatsuya held a newfound sense of approval.
"Alright! Let's discuss the mission assignment. Time is of the essence; we need to act quickly!" After a few playful exchanges between Tatsuya and Guy, Kakashi called the three of them together to discuss the plan.
Conflict between the Five Great Ninja Villages was never an isolated event.
Over nine months ago, when Kumogakure launched its surprise attack on Konoha, Iwagakure, upon receiving the news, immediately reacted. They amassed a large number of ninja forces on the southern border of the Land of Earth, posturing as if they might attack either Konoha or Kumogakure at any moment.
This was like a Damocles' sword, constantly hanging over the heads of both villages. Iwagakure's stance, in a way, lessened the scale of the war between Konoha and Kumogakure, forcing both Hidden Villages to constantly be on guard against a sneak attack from Iwagakure.
However, as the fighting continued, both Konoha and Kumogakure's strength had been significantly depleted. Now, Iwagakure was showing signs of making a move.
The Land of Fire, situated in a strategically vulnerable location, was closest to the Land of Earth. If Iwagakure decided to launch a surprise attack, their target would most likely be Konoha. Compared to the remote northwestern Land of Lightning, attacking the Land of Fire would clearly be more effective.
Because of this, the Third Hokage, having received intelligence, was eager to end the fight with Kumogakure. This surprise attack mission, though delivered by Root, had also been approved by the Hokage's office. Konoha, still reeling from the Nine-Tails' attack, couldn't withstand a two-front war against both Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
"I'll take the lead!" Guy was the first to step forward, his eyes blazing with fiery determination, his aura surging.
"No! This time, the enemy's numbers are far greater than ours. We can't go in guns blazing. We need to infiltrate first!" Kakashi immediately rejected Guy's proposal, turning his gaze to Shisui.
Kumogakure's food storage point was guarded by a large number of Kumogakure ninja. With only four of them, completing the mission required a strategic approach. The best method Kakashi could think of was to infiltrate and cause sabotage from within.
Among the four members of Anbu Team 11, using Shisui's genjutsu to control the guards along the way was undoubtedly the best way to perfectly infiltrate the storage point.
"I'll do it! Let me clear a path first, then you guys can follow," Shisui readily accepted the task, meeting Kakashi's gaze.
Tatsuya's eyes flickered, but he raised no objections. With Shisui's genjutsu mastery, having him act as the vanguard was undoubtedly the best option.
"Good! Shisui, you and I will infiltrate Kumogakure's supply camp together. Once inside, you'll use genjutsu to find out the location of the food supplies, and then we'll destroy them in one fell swoop," Kakashi decided decisively.
"Then, what about us?" Guy, after waiting several seconds without further instruction, asked with confusion.
Kakashi replied, "You and Tatsuya will guard the entrance to the camp, ready to provide support."
"Aren't you and Shisui a bit short-handed?" Tatsuya also had doubts about Kakashi's plan.
Kakashi shook his head. "The key to this mission is stealth. Shisui and I both have the Sharingan, making it easier for us to infiltrate. There are over a hundred Kumogakure ninja there. If we alert them, even if all four of us entered the camp, it would be useless. It's better for you two to guard the entrance, so you can provide support at a crucial moment. Besides, your summon, Seiryu, is huge and wouldn't have room to maneuver inside the valley camp. Leaving him outside will also make it easier for us to escape."
Tatsuya frowned, but didn't say anything further.
That night, after finalizing the mission details, the four of them rested early, preparing to set off for the eastern border of the Land of Hot Water the following morning.
In Konoha, inside the Hokage's office, bright lights illuminated the entire room.
Standing behind the glass window behind his desk, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, quietly gazed at the village outside. The bright moon in the sky cast down silver rays, and the lights in the village were gradually being extinguished. The whole of Konoha was peaceful.
Swish!
A figure flashed in the room, and an Anbu wearing a hawk mask appeared before the desk.
"Lord Hokage, intelligence has arrived from the front lines. The Root ninja dispatched by Elder Danzo have delivered the mission scroll to Team 11," the hawk-masked Anbu reported, kneeling on one knee.
Beneath his Hokage hat, Hiruzen Sarutobi, his face showing signs of age, revealed a trace of sadness in his eyes. He didn't answer, but instead waved his hand, his back to the hawk-masked Anbu.
With a slight bow, the Anbu vanished in a flash.
A moment later, a sigh echoed through the Hokage's office.
____
Join me on Patreon! A free subscription grants you immediate access to 15 chapters!: patreon.com/Shinobi_Scrolls