In the Land of Rice Fields, ten kilometers from the Hidden Flame Village, Kakashi’s squad had assembled.
“Captain, there are other shinobi five kilometers behind us,” Hyuga Shinji reported after activating his Byakugan and carefully observing the area.
“Two squads, all jonin.
Judging by their movements, they aren’t from the same village.”
“Erase our tracks,” Kakashi ordered with a frown.
“They’re probably reconnaissance teams sent by the other villages.
Our mission is only to gather intelligence.
There’s no need to make contact with them.”
He hadn’t expected the Hidden Flame Village to attract this much attention.
It seemed every major village wanted a piece of the pie.
Hyuga Shinji and Aburame Daichi quickly removed all traces of their passage before concealing themselves nearby.
“Captain Baki, we’re only a little over ten kilometers from the Hidden Flame Village.
Should we slow down and infiltrate the Uchiha’s village instead?”
Baki, who was leading Sunagakure’s squad, felt his subordinate had a point.
The Uchiha’s terrifying visual prowess was well known.
If they boldly marched into the Hidden Flame Village’s territory, they would probably be attacked before they ever saw the village itself.
Their mission had two objectives.
First, investigate the strength of this newly established village founded by the Uchiha Clan.
Second, determine whether an alliance with them was possible.
Among the Five Great Hidden Villages, excluding the Hidden Mist, which was still in turmoil, Sunagakure was currently the weakest.
They desperately needed an ally to counter Konoha.
It wasn’t as though the Hidden Sand hadn’t considered signing an alliance with Konoha.
However, during the Third Great Ninja War, countless Sand shinobi had died fighting Konoha.
The hatred within the village ran deep.
Now they were supposed to shamelessly crawl back and propose an alliance?
Just thinking about it left a bitter taste.
Fortunately, Danzō and Hiruzen Sarutobi had made the foolish decision to drive the Uchiha Clan into rebellion.
The Hidden Flame Village had become the ideal potential ally.
After all, the intelligence reports contained almost no detailed information about the Uchiha’s current military strength.
Every major village was still full of uncertainty regarding the Hidden Flame Village’s true capabilities.
“All right,” Baki decided.
“Reduce our speed.
We’ll infiltrate the village.”
Completely unaware…
Every move they made was being observed by Kakashi’s team.
“Captain, they’re Sand shinobi.
It looks like they’re planning to infiltrate the Hidden Flame Village.
What should we do?”
Hyuga Shinji relayed everything he saw through his Byakugan.
“Ignore them.”
“We’ll follow behind.”
Although this mission was only reconnaissance, Kakashi remained extremely cautious.
After all…
Konoha had personally witnessed the strength Seigen displayed on the night he killed Danzō.
It was far safer to let another village test the Hidden Flame Village first.
Meanwhile, roughly three kilometers behind Sunagakure’s squad, a three-man team from the Hidden Stone Village lay hidden.
Moments earlier, Kitsuchi had already discovered the Sand shinobi.
“So even Sunagakure wants a share…”
“Kitsuchi-sama, should we…”
One of his subordinates drew a finger across his throat, silently asking whether they should eliminate the Sand team.
“No.”
“Our mission is intelligence gathering.”
“And if possible…
abduct members of the Uchiha Clan.”
“There’s no need to waste time on them.”
Kitsuchi’s squad quietly tailed the Sand team.
Farther away…
Kakashi’s team also spotted their movements.
To avoid exposing themselves, Kakashi ordered his team to keep an even greater distance from both squads.
They would simply observe from afar.
Once the opportunity presented itself…
They would secretly infiltrate the Hidden Flame Village themselves.
“Captain Samui, we’ve reached the outskirts of the Hidden Flame Village.”
Omoi spoke quietly.
The Hidden Cloud Village’s mission was simple—
Capture members of the Uchiha Clan.
Even if they couldn’t take prisoners…
Corpses would suffice.
Yet during their entire journey, Samui’s team hadn’t encountered a single guard from the Hidden Flame Village.
Instead of reassuring him…
It made him uneasy.
“We infiltrate.”
“We grab our targets.”
“Then we leave.”
“Understood!” the other two answered simultaneously.
Not far away…
Itachi and fifty members of the Hidden Flame Village Guard Force had already been waiting for quite some time.
Itachi didn’t know the precise objectives of the invading teams.
But seeing shinobi from every one of the Five Great Hidden Villages gathered here…
He didn’t need to think very hard to know it couldn’t possibly be for anything good.
The Guard Force under his command consisted of the village’s elite.
Twenty possessed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
The rest had all awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
Dealing with these infiltrators would be more than enough.
Seeing the Hidden Cloud squad about to enter the village, Itachi realized he could no longer wait for the others approaching from behind.
Originally, he had planned to capture every intruder in one sweep.
Instead…
Each team had proven more cautious than the last.
Only the shinobi of the Hidden Cloud charged straight in.
Then again…
People from the Hidden Cloud tended to think with their muscles.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been the first to take the bait.
“Uchiha Ren, Uchiha Haru…
head to the rear…”
Itachi quietly gave the two their instructions.
Afterward…
He turned toward Kakashi’s position and smiled.
Meanwhile, Kakashi’s squad had been almost excessively cautious.
Thanks to the Byakugan, they had already obtained a complete picture of the battlefield.
“Captain!”
Hyuga Shinji exclaimed.
“There’s a twenty-man ambush waiting in front of the Hidden Cloud squad!”
Fortunately, they had advanced carefully.
Had they maintained their original pace…
They would have been the ones walking into the trap.
“Stay alert!”
Kakashi suddenly shouted.
“So…
we’ve been discovered.”
Itachi slowly stepped out from behind a tree.
“Kakashi-senpai really is sharp.”
Kakashi’s team immediately drew their weapons and assumed defensive stances.