High-End Hunters Often Appear as Prey

It was said that the target had just departed from the camp.

The mission he was heading out to carry out was a trap Nara Higashihiko had set up in advance.

"They finally took the bait." The corner of his mouth curled slightly, his eyes brimming with pride.

So what if he was the Evil-faced Rakshasa? So what if he was Uchiha's future rising star? He would still have to drink my foot-washing water.

Thanks to his personal arrangements, the mission had been disguised flawlessly. No one would be able to spot the hidden trick within.

Who would have thought that strategic supplies capable of sustaining a small-scale war would become the bait used to lure the Rakshasa into the trap?

"As long as the temptation is great enough, there's no prey that won't bite." Nara Higashihiko was extremely confident.

However, he might never have heard a certain saying.

High-end hunters often appeared in the guise of prey.

Even if he could not locate the Three Clans' spies, Kyosuke could guess with his toes that the Southern Legion could not possibly be without scouts.

For the Yamanaka Clan, controlling a ninja was practically effortless.

If they truly conducted a large-scale purge, it would only undermine the Southern Legion's will to fight.

Since they could not find the spies' tracks, they might as well deliberately reveal the mission they were carrying out.

Kyosuke believed the information would eventually reach the target's hands.

His view of temptation and prey was astonishingly aligned with Nara Higashihiko's.

Weren't you looking for me? Fine. Today, I'll come to you myself.

Whether you can swallow me down will depend on your own methods.

In truth, how could Nara Higashihiko not understand the enormous risks involved in intercepting the Evil-faced Rakshasa?

If anyone slipped up and was captured, the secret base they had painstakingly established would immediately be exposed to Uchiha's eyes.

When that happened, there truly would be no place for them in the southern borderlands.

But the question was, did Nara Higashihiko have any better options? Yes, Senju Butsuma had promised that he would protect the Three Clans with all his strength in the future.

Hiding behind the Senju Clan would indeed earn them a peaceful land where they could recover and thrive. At the same time, it meant they would completely lose their autonomy.

Nominally, the two sides would form an alliance. In reality, the Three Clans would become Senju's vassals entirely.

A proud man like Nara Higashihiko would never willingly become someone else's dog.

"If we capture him, we'll have room to maneuver." His fingers lightly tapped the tabletop. After struggling with his thoughts for a long while, he still decided to keep the original plan unchanged.

Clap! He lightly clapped twice, and seven people soon entered from outside.

Three Jonin and four Elite Chunin—these were the pieces he had prepared to capture the Evil-faced Rakshasa.

Too many people would make it easy for the other side to notice something was wrong. If they scared off the target, the losses would outweigh the gains.

Too few people, on the other hand, would not guarantee that they could capture him. A seven-man squad was just right.

"Rumiko, Teppei, Kanbei." Calling out the three names in turn, Nara Higashihiko said in a deep voice, "The future of Ino–Shika–Cho rests entirely in your hands."

"Complete this mission, and we'll have a chance to rise again!"

Yamanaka Rumiko was a beautiful woman with long golden hair, proficient in the Mind-Body Switch Technique.

Nara Teppei was the squad's strategist and backbone, proficient in Shadow Techniques from every school.

Akimichi Kanbei was the strongest fighter in the group, possessing combat strength close to that of an Elite Jonin.

According to the intelligence, the target squad contained a Three-Tomoe-level Jonin.

He would be troublesome to deal with, but he should not pose a threat to the three of them.

"Ugh, what a pain." The younger Nara Teppei paid no heed to the clan head's rousing speech.

Wouldn't joining the Senju Clan be fine? Why make such a fuss?

If something really went wrong, they might even have to flee the Land of Fire.

His attitude made it clear that not everyone in the clan shared the same heart. Some favored fighting to the end, while others were unwilling to spill too much blood.

Even so, Nara Teppei would still carry out this mission.

No matter what, hating Uchiha was the shared consensus of every member of the Three Clans.

As long as it made the other side suffer, it was worth doing.

"Leave it to us." With that, Nara Teppei led his companions away.

To remain hidden, he had to quickly switch places with the transport squad serving as bait.

Before acting, the Evil-faced Rakshasa would certainly conduct reconnaissance.

This was a dangerous confrontation. One careless mistake could cause them to lose everything.

Higure Town, southern Land of Fire.

Draped in a gray cloak, Kyosuke entered this famous livestock town with a travel pack on his back, looking like an ordinary merchant traveler.

The blazing sun beat down overhead. The ground was covered in mud left behind by the rain, mixed with the pungent stench of livestock.

"Being born an Uchiha really is wonderful." Kyosuke could not help shaking his head. He had never expected the basic sanitary conditions in towns outside to be this poor.

Feeling the thick mud beneath his feet, he walked into town, intending to find somewhere to settle his lunch.

He could also gather some intelligence while he was at it.

Most of the merchants coming and going were dressed similarly to him, so Kyosuke would not expose his whereabouts too quickly.

He wore a mask every time he went out, making it difficult for enemies to learn his exact appearance.

After all, code phrases could only convey words. High-precision sketched portraits were simply too difficult for intelligence agents.

"Boss, one sushi set and a bottle of fresh milk." Kyosuke entered a restaurant and found a seat by the window.

He was still growing, so he could not be like Uchiha Madara, constantly thinking about sneaking drinks.

Milk was what suited children best. Drinking more of it could not hurt.

As a livestock town, it lacked everything except milk.

Before long, a large cup of fresh milk was brought over. The rich flavor fascinated young Kyosuke.

Watching the boy by the window gulp down milk, no one would ever associate him with a title like the Evil-faced Rakshasa.

After withdrawing his gaze from the boy, the restaurant waiter continued observing other targets.

Little did he know that every movement he made had already been noticed by the boy.

This man has a problem.

After considering it briefly, Kyosuke dismissed the idea of probing him.

Higure Town was a mixed bag, and all kinds of people could appear here.

The waiter's unusual behavior might not necessarily be connected to the Three Clans. Perhaps he was simply watching for a fat sheep he could rob.

With a clatter, Kyosuke set down his cup, picked up a piece of sushi, and put it into his mouth. At the same time, his gaze casually swept toward the street diagonally opposite him.

There stood an abandoned shop.

According to the intelligence records, a transport squad from the Three Clans was currently stationed there.

Kyosuke needed to carefully investigate the activity over there and ensure that no large force of enemy troops was present.

Otherwise, he could only temporarily abandon the bait plan.

If I approach the shop, I'll immediately alert the enemy.

I have to be careful. At the very least, I can't let anyone see that I'm doing it deliberately.

As he thought, he turned his gaze back to the waiter in the restaurant.

Perhaps this fellow could be used.