The Mole Reveals Himself, Mist Ninja Attack

The new camp had been built not far from the sea. It was much smaller than the camp Zhen remembered from the war against the Stone Ninja.

After all, there were only a little over five hundred people in total. Excluding the teams out on missions, there were even fewer, and the mercenaries were not stationed in the camp.

When Zhen and the others escorted the supply convoy here, they sensed an atmosphere different from before. The ninjas here were clearly much more relaxed.

Shikaku came to receive them. Minato had once again taken a team out on a mission of his own accord.

"How are things now?" Hiashi asked Shikaku.

Shikaku immediately sighed. "The enemy has been hiding and evading us. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen have also caused our forces a great deal of trouble. I suspect the enemy's camp is out at sea, but that's the Mist Ninjas' home ground. We don't dare rush in carelessly."

Setting aside the fact that Konoha did not have much combat strength to spare, fighting a group skilled in Water Release out at sea was probably the stupidest thing they could do.

Hiashi and Hizashi followed Shikaku into the main tent, while Zhen and Kamado remained outside.

Seeing Zhen's gaze sweeping back and forth across the camp, Kamado asked with a faint smile, "What are you looking at?"

"Seeing if there's anyone I know," Zhen said.

Kamado had been about to say that he could simply use the Byakugan to look, but when he saw Zhen's pitch-black eyes, he realized how stupid that would sound.

"Let's take a look around," he said instead.

There were quite a few idle people in the camp. Some gathered in twos and threes to chat away their boredom, while others hurried about their work.

Unfortunately, Zhen did not see anyone he recognized. Anime and reality were vastly different. Aside from people with highly distinctive appearances and clothing, like Kakashi or Guy, even if others stood right in front of Zhen, he might not recognize who they were.

They would only be staying at the camp briefly. Once they completed their mission, they could return directly to the village.

As the two wandered around, a ninja suddenly raced back from outside the camp and charged straight for the main tent without stopping.

This drew the attention of many people.

A moment later, Shikaku, Hiashi, and the others all emerged from the main tent.

Kamado and Zhen went over to them.

Hiashi merely told them to stay here first, then left the camp with Shikaku and Inoichi.

"What happened, Lord Hizashi?" Kamado could not help asking.

Hizashi wore a contemplative expression. "That man said they caught someone suspicious."

As he spoke, he could not help glancing at Zhen beside him. Zhen's expression remained calm.

About half an hour later, Shikaku and the others returned with someone who had sealing jutsu placed all over his body and was tightly bound.

Kamado looked at him in surprise. "This person..."

He discovered that the man was actually wearing Konoha combat attire.

Hizashi answered concisely, "A mole."

The people nearby tried to move closer for a look, but Shikaku ordered them to disperse.

Inoichi said, "There's a Mental Defense Barrier Technique in this man's mind. Breaking through it won't be easy. It would be best to hand him over to the Hokage and let the Interrogation Division handle it."

He could certainly break through this kind of barrier technique himself, but it was obvious that someone stood behind this man. It would be best to let the Hokage deal with the matter.

Yet Shikaku felt extremely surprised. The ninja who had rushed back to report had said that he found this man alone by the shore, apparently about to do something. When questioned, he hemmed and hawed. After a careful search, they discovered a secret letter at the seaside containing detailed information about Konoha's camp!

When the man realized he had been exposed, he tried to flee, but was subdued on the spot.

There was no doubt that he was the mole!

But Shikaku instinctively felt that something was off. Strange! Too strange!

The mole who had previously left them completely without clues had now voluntarily exposed himself!

Inoichi said they could search the man's mind for information, but Shikaku stopped him, saying that they only needed to escort him back to the village and hand him over to the Hokage.

"Hiashi, I'll have to trouble you with this," Shikaku said to Hiashi. He wanted Hiashi, who was returning to the village, to escort the man back along the way.

"Don't worry. I'll personally hand him over to the Hokage."

With that, the group of more than ten people transporting supplies regrouped. Led by Hiashi, they headed back the way they had come, bringing the mole with them.

After they left, Inoichi said to Shikaku, "Does this mean we can finally get to the bottom of the mole situation?"

Shikaku only said, "Let's hope so."

Inoichi asked again, "Who do you think is behind this?"

Shikaku frowned and remained silent. A figure he had long suspected flashed through his mind.

"Hard to say."

Hiashi and the others had encountered no enemies on their way here.

The return journey was much the same. Without supply carts to transport and with only one prisoner in tow, it was much easier, and they moved through the forest far faster.

Yet this peaceful journey left Hiashi, who had initially harbored a special purpose, somewhat disappointed. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced back at Zhen, who followed at an unhurried pace in the middle of the group.

When they reached a river, Hiashi had everyone stop to rest and eat to replenish their strength.

Kamado stood guard along the perimeter. Zhen did not have the Byakugan, so he merely sat alone beneath a tree and ate.

"Should we give him something to eat? Don't let him starve to death," Hizashi asked Hiashi, referring to the mole.

"It hasn't been that long. He won't starve to death."

"Then give him some water." Hizashi removed his waterskin and walked toward the man whose entire body was bound and restrained.

The man lay motionless on the ground, as if he had passed out. His hands and feet were tied, sealing jutsu covered his body, and black tape wrapped over his eyes and mouth, leaving only his nose exposed for breathing.

Kamado suddenly rushed back at top speed. "Lord Hiashi, a Mist Ninja unit is heading this way. There are twenty-four of them."

The moment he spoke, everyone was startled.

Hiashi immediately activated his Byakugan to investigate, and his expression turned grave.

"Erase our tracks and withdraw immediately!"

No one dared rest any longer. They all got to their feet and began retreating, while Hizashi carried the mole on his back and followed behind the group.

Yet these Mist Ninjas seemed to have eyes in the sky. They kept closely on the Konoha group's trail, and the distance between them steadily shrank.

"They've locked onto us. They should have a sensory-type ninja," Kamado said to Hiashi.

Hiashi's gaze flickered as he considered their next move.

The enemy had twenty-four people. They had seventeen.

They still had a chance of winning if they fought, but they had a mission to fulfill...

As he considered this, mist suddenly rose through the forest. It was afternoon, making the sight far too unusual.

A tremendous roar came from the winding river beside them. A water dragon was racing across its surface at incredible speed.

Hiashi immediately struck back with an Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, firing it directly at the water dragon in the distance. The tremendous shockwave blasted it apart into splashing water.

"Get away from the river and prepare for battle!" Hiashi shouted, warning the group.

The mist grew denser and denser. Hizashi came to Zhen's side and said quietly, "Zhen."

"Do what you need to do. Don't worry about me," Zhen said calmly.

Shuriken flew in from behind, passing almost against Zhen's cheek, but his expression did not change. His eyes remained fixed straight ahead.

With the mole on his back, Hizashi's figure slowly vanished into the thick mist.