Operation

Regardless of whether it was based on an emotional impulse or a rational judgment, Yuzhen could not stand by and watch his clansmen perish after falling into trouble.

This was not only related to his personal thoughts, likes, dislikes, and will. It was even more closely tied to the collective understanding of everyone involved.

Although Yuzhen had concealed the surname "Hagane," that did not mean he could sever the blood ties among the clansmen. Nor did he intend to sever them.

On the surface, the changes were merely superficial. Inwardly, everything remained as it had always been. A person's nature could not be changed by a single sentence.

Although Yuzhen and the others had received a distress message from Hagane Chihori, the message did not mean that only one person was in trouble. It was very likely a plea for help from several, or even more than a dozen, clansmen.

After hearing Yuzhen decide to carry out the rescue, the clansmen around him still kept stern expressions on their faces, but Yuzhen could clearly sense an atmosphere of relief.

"Rescue is naturally imperative, but as usual, I'll still act alone this time."

He raised a hand to stop those who wanted to object and continued:

"Acting alone will give me greater flexibility. If I run into any problems, I can advance or retreat as needed. If too many people participate, it'll actually be easier to end up unable to advance or retreat."

To be frank, with their current strength, the others were simply incapable of supporting such a complicated mission combining reconnaissance, infiltration, and rescue.

Although the word "burden" sounded a little harsh, if they acted together, they were more likely to cause difficulties than provide help.

"So... considering the complexity of the rescue mission, I'll head to the destination first to investigate the situation. You should prepare for the operation. If I need support, I'll notify you as soon as possible."

Yuzhen changed to wording that was easier for them to accept.

"If the captain acts alone and encounters an emergency, the consequences could be disastrous if no one is there to receive him," someone said.

Yuzhen performed another demonstration of "piercing a large tree with his bare hands" and said:

"Unless I encounter Sealing Jutsu that leaves no gaps, it'll be very difficult to trap me."

The action was quite convincing.

It seemed this was the only option. The others were unable to change Yuzhen's will.

Some of them could not help secretly lamenting that it would be nice if that Senju ninja were still here. Perhaps they could ask him to provide some assistance.

"It's settled, then. I'll conduct the initial reconnaissance. And considering the urgency of the matter, it's better for us to act sooner rather than later," Yuzhen said.

Although he did not intend to let everyone participate in the actual rescue operation, Yuzhen still had to give them some sense of involvement and anticipation.

Everyone had to be working hard to rescue their clansmen, and everyone had to receive the corresponding "contribution points." Otherwise, if some people did the work while others merely watched, what would be the point?

After all, their clansmen weighed equally heavily on everyone's hearts.

Actually, whether during his earlier period as a pure cannon fodder or now as high-level cannon fodder, Yuzhen had never been used to coordinating with others. He was more familiar with fighting alone.

Yuzhen made some arrangements for the various matters at camp, then organized his ninja tools, took some Ration Pills, and set out... Thanks to the contributions of the Sarutobi Clan, at least Yuzhen was no longer short of weapons or wartime supplies.

Over the past month or two, his strength had gone through a period of rapid growth.

As far as his current self was concerned, he was far from enough compared with those above him, yet more than sufficient compared with those below him.

He was not particularly good at fighting, but when it came to running, he was absolutely lightning-fast.

After leaving the camp and crossing the forest to reach the outside world, Yuzhen did not recklessly hurry along at his top speed.

Battles could break out at any time from here on. He had to maintain his chakra levels in good condition.

To conceal his identity, he also draped a tattered blanket over himself, covering the ninja tools hanging from his waist. This made him look less like a ninja and more like a modernist avant-garde artist or a classical-style refugee.

After roughly three days, Yuzhen arrived at the coordinates marked on the distress letter. It was a seemingly ordinary small town.

It lay hidden in the grayish morning mist. As far as Yuzhen could see, the buildings of varying heights and styles were all dilapidated, and the people living in the town seemed utterly lifeless.

There did not seem to be any problem. At this time, most places in the shinobi world, and most people, lived in this state.

Based on the geographical divisions of later generations, this place should have been in the border region between the Land of Fire, the Land of Rivers, and the Land of Rain. It had always been a famous "no-man's-land" region.

After observing for a while without discovering anything, Yuzhen walked into the town.

The moment he entered the town, however, he discovered the problem.

Logically speaking, in such a closed-off town, the other people should have looked at a sudden stranger with wariness and scrutiny. Yet the people here seemed accustomed to outsiders like him.

Although Yuzhen's clothing style was very ordinary, his face was definitely unfamiliar.

"There really is something unusual here..."

After making a circuit along the town's main crossroads, Yuzhen sensed a certain gaze watching him.

Could clansmen really be hiding or being detained in a place like this? Yuzhen could not find an answer for the moment. His only clue was that coordinate, so he could only begin his search from this town.

After making another circuit, Yuzhen quietly lifted a money pouch from someone who appeared to be fairly well-off... To ordinary people, ninjas were professional thieves, with highly proficient theft skills.

This was the first time Yuzhen had touched money in several months.

The currency of the shinobi world was still measured in Ryo, but unlike the paper money of the Ninja Village era, the Warring States period favored metal currency, minted separately by daimyos from different regions.

Naturally, metal currency had a different purchasing power from paper money.

Yuzhen opened the pouch. There were roughly five gold coins inside, and their appearance closely resembled the "koban" coins from the Edo period in his memory.

The obverse was marked with the denomination "One Ryo." Yuzhen casually weighed one in his hand and estimated that the gold coin weighed around fifteen grams.

During the Ninja Village era, the purchasing power of "one Ryo" was equivalent to about ten yen. But clearly, the "one Ryo" of the present was worth far more—it was a high-denomination currency.

After making a rough conversion, Yuzhen determined that the purchasing power of a "one Ryo" gold coin was certainly no less than five thousand yuan.

After finding the money, he went to an inn in the center of town.

He had already observed that there was only one inn in the entire town.

Yuzhen entered the inn and saw a thin, gaunt middle-aged man sitting behind the counter facing the entrance. He walked up to the counter, slapped a gold coin down, and said:

"I'll stay here for now. I'll pay more when it runs out."

The innkeeper picked up the gold coin and examined it against the bright light from the entrance. He then breathed on it and vigorously rubbed it several times with his sleeve before saying:

"Minted by the Onoshishi, pure gold... It's enough to keep you here until the end of time."

As he spoke, he tucked the gold coin into his sleeve and tossed a ring of keys to Yuzhen.

Yuzhen raised an eyebrow. He realized that this man was no ordinary person, because he had not clearly seen the man's movement when hiding the gold coin. Could this innkeeper be a master in the style of a "sweeper monk"?

He did not rashly ask about his clansmen. Since he had just arrived, caution and prudence had to come first.

Afterward, Yuzhen took the keys to a room on the inn's second floor.

After shutting the door tightly, he carefully inspected the room. Only after confirming that there was nothing unusual did he slightly relax his vigilance.

Next, Yuzhen planned to patiently observe this small town.

As long as there was a problem here, it would eventually reveal a flaw. Sooner or later, Yuzhen would certainly catch whatever was amiss.