At six o'clock in the evening, the weather had begun to cool down, and the number of pedestrians on the road was dwindling, though the town remained lively. While the nightlife in the world of Naruto wasn't as vibrant as in the modern world, the people always found ways to enjoy the long nights, whether through gatherings or celebrations.
The mission was clear: gather intelligence on a group of Sand Ninja operating in the area. Uenome and Keita Hyuga had already infiltrated the town, while Chao Yanqianna and Hoshinohara stayed behind, ready to provide backup.
After Uenome left, Yanqianna moved closer to the forest and began setting traps. He pulled out steel wire, explosive tags, shuriken, and kunai from his ninja pouch. It was a calculated move—standard procedure for a shinobi operating in hostile territory.
"What are you doing?" Hoshinohara asked as she landed beside him.
"Setting traps," Yanqianna replied without looking up.
"Didn't Uenome-sensei say we're just gathering intel? Why bother with traps if we're not supposed to engage the enemy?" Hoshinohara questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Better safe than sorry," Yanqianna answered tersely, continuing his work.
Hoshinohara scoffed. "Suit yourself. I'm taking a break."
This mission was purely reconnaissance. Konoha wasn't looking to engage the Sand Ninja yet; they only needed to determine why they were lingering in the town. If combat became necessary, Konoha would send ANBU elites or jonin like Kakashi or Guy, not a small genin squad like theirs. But Yanqianna didn't share Hoshinohara's relaxed attitude. He was cautious by nature—death on a mission was always a risk, even for the most skilled ninja.
Waiting was torturous. Hidden in a tree, Yanqianna could almost understand why the Akatsuki's Sasori hated waiting. It took patience and discipline, something instilled in him at the Ninja Academy. While waiting, he practiced forming hand seals at top speed, staying alert for any disturbances.
Around eleven o'clock, he sensed movement. "Someone's coming," Yanqianna whispered to Hoshinohara, his voice barely audible.
Hoshinohara tensed, immediately alert. Though she hadn't noticed anything yet, her years of experience kicked in, and she prepared for the worst.
Moments later, two figures appeared on the horizon. It was Uenome and Keita, but something felt off. The night was dark, and the distance made it hard to tell if these were really their comrades or enemy ninjas using the Transformation Jutsu.
"It's Uenome-sensei and Keita," Hoshinohara whispered.
Despite her words, she didn't reveal herself, staying hidden in the shadows. Yanqianna appreciated that—at least his teammate wasn't as reckless as Naruto, who would likely have charged in without a second thought.
"Someone's chasing them," Hoshinohara murmured as the figures closed in. "It looks like they've been discovered. Seven enemies."
Yanqianna's grip on his kunai tightened. "That's our target," he said.
"What do we do?" Hoshinohara asked, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness.
"We wait. Uenome-sensei's coming toward my traps. If we can take out one or two with them, we might have a chance. You'll trigger the traps when I give the signal." With that, Yanqianna silently descended from the tree and used the Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique to sink into the ground.
Seven enemies. The odds were grim, especially considering they had no idea how strong the Sand Ninja were. This wasn't a fight they could win easily.
As Uenome and Keita approached, Yanqianna watched carefully from his hidden position. When he was certain they could see his gestures, Uenome subtly signaled retreat with his right hand. Clearly, he wasn't planning to engage in battle.
That made sense. After all, there were still Sand Ninja unaccounted for in the town, and it wasn't wise to engage without more intel.
Hoshinohara began retreating as ordered, but Yanqianna hesitated. The Sand Ninja were closing in on Uenome and Keita. If left unchecked, they might overwhelm the pair before they could escape.
Retreat was the sensible option. Uenome had given the order, and no one would blame Yanqianna for following it. But abandoning comrades in the field was a disgrace in the ninja world. Konoha taught its shinobi the value of teamwork, and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would never forgive a ninja who abandoned their friends.
If Yanqianna managed to save Uenome and Keita, he might even earn a favor from Uenome—a rare opportunity to learn new techniques.
He steeled himself. If the situation got worse, he'd retreat, but not before trying to save his comrades.
The Sand Ninja were getting closer.
Earth Release: Head Hunter Jutsu!
Yanqianna struck from below, targeting the youngest of the Sand Ninja, a boy of about twelve or thirteen. The element of surprise was on his side—young shinobi were often caught off guard by ambushes.
With a quick slash of his kunai, he silenced the boy, pulling him underground.
"There's an ambush!" one of the remaining Sand Ninja shouted, alarmed by their comrade's sudden disappearance.
Yanqianna emerged from the ground and immediately hurled six kunai toward the nearest enemy. Though the ninja dodged, they didn't notice the thin wire attached to one of the kunai.
The wire snapped.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Kunai and shuriken flew from hidden positions in the trees, some trailing explosive tags. The ground shook as the explosive tags detonated, filling the air with smoke and debris.