Chapter 7: Ambush
Under the roaring blaze of the Fire Release, the Iwagakure chunin was completely reduced to ashes.
Uchiha Kei and his team quickly set off again, now with a much clearer goal in mind. But as Kei glanced at his two companions, he couldn't help but feel a little conflicted. These two were too smart for their own good—smart to the point of being a headache.
Unfortunately, he really did need their help. There were things he simply couldn't do alone.
Although Kei speculated that the enemy forces guarding the captured shinobi were likely genin, who was to say a jonin hadn't been left behind to protect the rear? Or perhaps even reinforcements had circled back?
Knowing what the future held, Kei saw no harm in making some calculated investments—as long as it didn't compromise his own plans.
As for saving those captured Konoha shinobi? That was just a bonus—something that would help him complete his mission more efficiently.
He didn't need to ask to know what they'd been through. Those prisoners surely harbored deep hatred toward the Iwagakure shinobi—perhaps even paralyzing fear. But the fact that they were still alive meant one thing: they hadn't cracked yet.
Don't assume for a second that confessing earns mercy. In fact, the moment a prisoner loses value, they're often the first to be eliminated.
With a war on two fronts, logistics, supply lines, and prisoner processing all take time. Iwagakure wouldn't waste resources on so-called "traitors" who had nothing left to offer.
Of course, Kei couldn't be 100% certain, but with things like genjutsu in play, there was little need for prolonged secrecy. The ones still breathing were simply those with enough willpower to resist torture and illusions.
Kei's objective was simple: rescue them, then weaponize their hatred for Iwa to stir up chaos behind enemy lines.
It was a shameless move, no doubt—but hatred can cloud judgment. Even if those prisoners were weak, their very presence in enemy territory could throw everything into disarray.
Whether any of them survived? That wasn't Kei's concern.
All he needed to do was get them out, hint at their objective, and chances were they'd throw themselves into the fight—willingly, even.
And if they refused to help?
Then Kei could always "accidentally" let an enemy escape—one that would conveniently leak information and draw Iwagakure's attention to the rear.
In short: a perfect distraction to let Minato's squad complete their real mission.
Of course, none of this could be said out loud. Even hinting at it was dangerous.
But both Ayaka Hyūga and Kenta Imai caught on fast. Kei had to admit—they were sharp, and perhaps even a little ruthless in their determination to survive.
Still, it puzzled him.
How could two people this clever not even be mentioned in the original story?
The more he thought about it, the more he suspected this mission might be why. Maybe they didn't make it out. Or maybe they turned rogue to survive.
Missions like this had low survival odds. Whether Minato's team succeeded or not, these decoys—the distractions—were guaranteed to be cannon fodder.
If the mission failed, they'd have to finish it themselves—a grim "unspoken rule."
If the mission succeeded? Even worse—they'd face Iwagakure's full wrath.
A guaranteed death sentence either way.
Unless, of course... they became rogue ninja.
That would be the simpler path. A single slash across their forehead protectors, severing all ties. They'd vanish from the battlefield and find a quiet corner of the world to hide.
No more ambition. No more wars. Just... survival.
And honestly? Kei wouldn't blame them. If it came to that, he might just do the same.
Better alive and forgotten than dead and remembered.
After two days of careful, cautious movement, the three of them finally caught sight of a group of captured Konoha shinobi being escorted deep into Iwagakure's territory.
By now, they were fully behind enemy lines. They'd already begun encountering regular patrols—close calls that, if not for Ayaka's Byakugan, might've ended in disaster.
"If we move quickly, we can get them out safely," she added, her white eyes narrowing.
"Where's the nearest enemy support post?" Kei asked, still analyzing the situation.
"Roughly three to four kilometers away, and they're moving in the opposite direction," Ayaka reported after scanning the area. "So if we act fast, we should be fine."
Kenta Imai grinned. "Captain, we could try circling around and setting some traps. Paper bombs or something. Might just work like a charm."
Setting traps was standard procedure for any shinobi squad, especially against slow-moving groups like these. If they could predict the enemy's route, laying ambushes was easy.
And Kenta's idea aligned perfectly with Kei's own. Paper bombs might make noise, but that might not be a bad thing right now. Even Ayaka hadn't bothered suggesting a "silent approach."
"…Too conspicuous," Kei said after a moment's thought. "Our mission is to rescue, not draw the whole enemy army down on us."
He paused, then continued: "Set the traps anyway. Once they're triggered, you two will strike from the flanks. I'll hit them head-on with Fire Release. Got it?"
"Understood, Captain."
Working with smart people made things so much easier. The two nodded and got to work.
Though paper bombs were tempting, sometimes more conventional methods had better results—and drew less suspicion.
It didn't take long for them to finish setting a basic ambush.
Then, in silence, the three disappeared into the forest, each taking up position around the path.
Now all that remained… was to wait for the prey to walk straight into their trap.