Begin the Operation

"Teacher, please tell me what happened. I'm really worried."

Through Sakumo's few words, Katsuki quickly realized that Uchiha Fugaku might have been withholding some information. He could even guess the purpose of doing so: to force them to be fully prepared by taking advantage of the mission's danger.

Strictly speaking, there was no malicious intent; in fact, it was well-intentioned.

However, Katsuki didn't particularly appreciate this kind of kindness.

"Here's what happened..."

Sakumo didn't mince words with Katsuki; he quickly explained the reason for the sudden order to the three of them.

At the same meeting that afternoon, the leaders made several decisions. First, the Sannin would lead the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to support Black Tail Mountain. Second, the front-line camp would return to launch an attack on the Sand Village. Third, skilled personnel would be dispatched to search for the Sand Village's food and supplies storage locations.

The three decisions are interconnected, forming a strategy to deal with the actions of the Sand Village ninja.

The purpose of supporting Black Tail Mountain goes without saying, and the front-line camp's attack on the Sand Ninja was also very simple: to tie down the Sand Ninja's forces, to weaken their rear defenses as much as possible, and to create opportunities for troops to infiltrate the Sand Ninja's territory.

The overall strength of the Sand Village is inferior to that of the Konoha. Whether it is the quality of their top fighters or the quantity of their overall forces, they are both inferior to the Konoha.

Now that the Sand Village has emptied a significant portion of its forces to plot against Black Tail Mountain, their rear is inevitably vulnerable, giving Konoha an opportunity. And Sakumo and other high-ranking leaders clearly do not intend to waste such a good opportunity.

"The Sand Village's rear is empty? In that case, there's a good chance they'll come back alive."

Katsuki stroked her chin, letting out a long sigh of relief. This news was just too adorable.

Nawaki breathed heavily, patted his chest, and tried to look relieved. Even Otome's displeasure lessened somewhat.

While a dragon's den or a tiger's lair is certainly dangerous, once the old dragon and the fierce tiger inside have left their lair, the danger is naturally greatly reduced. If the Sand Ninja really withdraws the manpower guarding the rear, their chances of survival will increase considerably.

Sakumo led the Katsuki and his companions, away, giving them a final boost of knowledge and guidance on the details and techniques to be aware of during operations behind enemy lines.

This is what they call having someone behind you. Otome and Nawaki also got a taste of the extra help. Don't underestimate these things; they are insights that Sakumo himself honed through life-and-death experiences. A single sentence like this can often be worth a long time of aimless groping on your own.

"Northeast, 1.7 kilometers away, two small teams... probably patrol teams."

Katsuki squatted in the mountain hollow, with a huge rock jutting out above him, blocking out all the rain. A dozen or so people were squatting around him, taking shelter from the rain and resting. They all looked at him with admiration.

Reconnaissance-type ninjas easily earn the respect of others.

Especially in missions such as infiltrating enemy territory to gather intelligence, sabotage, and assassinate, ninjas with reconnaissance skills are highly sought after because they can lead their companions to avoid many unnecessary battles and prevent them from crashing into the enemy's lair and dying.

Having a reconnaissance ninja on the field not only increases the chances of mission success but also reduces casualties. Therefore, a reconnaissance ninja is undoubtedly the core of the team when undertaking such missions.

They had five elite squads here, and Katsuki wasn't the only reconnaissance ninja. However, during their journey, it was easy to see who was better. Katsuki, with her super-wide-range and high-precision sensory abilities, easily suppressed them.

"Two patrol teams... To the northeast there should be a valley, with a main road leading to the Sunagakure Village camp, and there might be a supply depot nearby."

The young ninja held the map and pointed at it.

The map was something we seized from the Rain Ninja earlier. It wasn't very detailed, but the terrain generally matched up.

"It's a supply depot for the Sand Village."

The sound came from the rain. Uchiha Fugaku rushed under the high rock and shook off his raincoat.

"I don't know the exact number of Sand Ninja, but I circled the area twice and found three granaries and two supply warehouses. They look full, and the supplies should be transported to the Sand Ninja's front-line camp soon."

"Captain, should we make the move?"

One of the Chunin couldn't help but ask, his face filled with intense fighting spirit.

Among the five teams participating in this operation, some, like the three members of the Katsuki, were filled with anxiety, while others were hot-blooded radicals. Ninjas are an extremely large group, and with a large forest, there are naturally all kinds of birds. There aren't many madmen obsessed with fighting, but there are definitely quite a few.

"Katsuki, can you find out the exact number of Sand Village ninja?"

Uchiha Fugaku did not immediately agree, but instead turned to look at Katsuki.

As a qualified captain and a future candidate for Uchiha Clan Head, he effectively curbed the arrogance of the Uchiha Clan, especially after recognizing Katsuki's domineering reconnaissance abilities.

The Uchiha Clan's arrogance stems from their own strength. When others possess power comparable to theirs, they naturally gain the respect of those others. Moreover, the relationship between Katsuki and the Uchiha Clan is not bad.

"Hmm, there are a total of six squads within my perception range. I can't tell if there are any Jonin," Katsuki reported the number.

"Six squads, eighteen people?" A glint flashed in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes. This number was within his tolerance. They had two more people than the Sand Ninja, but he was confident that his side could suppress them.

"Prepare for action. Target: Sand Village supply depot. Any questions? Speak up now!"

Uchiha Fugaku glanced around to make sure everyone was alright before continuing, "Remember, leave no survivors, and it's best not to leave too many traces. Although the rain will help us conceal our movements, we can't guarantee that the Sand Village ninjas don't have any strange tricks up their sleeves... In short, don't be careless and lose your life."

"Understood, Captain."

Everyone responded, gathered their belongings, tightened their leg guards and belts, swallowed the dry rations in their mouths, and wiped away their footprints on the ground. In ten seconds, they were all ready.

"Out!"

With a short, forceful command, dark figures plunged into the rain, their silhouettes blending into the fine drizzle, becoming hazy.

"Take care of the patrol squads first. Katsuki, Otome, Kamiya, Hoshio, each of you take charge of one. Take them out quickly, don't give them a chance to resist or report. Be swift and efficient, understand?" Rain soaked Fugaku's hair. Nobody wore raincoats at this time; although they were waterproof, they would still hinder movement.

"Clear."