Preparing the Stage

The night was the perfect cover. Namikaze Yoru held his breath and focused, blending into the shadows like a true rock.

Mind's Eye of the Kagura spread outward like a spiderweb, firmly locking onto the rapidly moving source of chakra.

As the distance closed and he could make out the figure's silhouette and chakra traits, Yoru's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

"So it's him!"

The newcomer was a clansman of Aburame Shibi—Aburame Shikuroo.

An Aburame appearing in the Land of Water was no coincidence. Yoru immediately connected this to a possible channel for intelligence transmission between Konoha and Mist Village's internal spies.

Often, for safety's sake, undercover operatives wouldn't meet their contacts directly. Instead, they used specific methods to communicate.

For example, using a Summoning Beast to deliver intelligence to a preset location, where a designated ninja would secretly retrieve it.

All spies operated on a single-line contact system, unknown to each other, minimizing the risk of exposure.

As for Yoru's own nominal intelligence handler? He hadn't even considered making contact. If that contact belonged to Root, it would be like walking into a trap.

The scene before him confirmed his guess. Aburame Shikuroo was clearly carrying out such a mission.

He moved cautiously, with numerous Kikaichū spread out for several meters as a perimeter alert, while he quickly searched among the rock crevices.

Soon, he retrieved a mud ball from a crack. Gently pinching it open, he revealed a miniature scroll no bigger than a fingernail.

He swiftly tucked the scroll into his robe. With the task complete, he showed no hesitation and turned to withdraw.

Yoru's thoughts raced. His "death" should have already been reported back to Konoha.

Revealing himself rashly might cause unnecessary trouble, even interfering with his subsequent plans.

But this was also a perfect opportunity. Though he couldn't show himself, he could use any means to pass the message that he might still be "alive" to someone's ears.

No sooner said than done. Just as Shikuroo was about to retreat—

"Whoosh"

Yoru flicked his wrist. A standard-issue kunai, with a crumpled-looking Explosive Tag tied to its tail, flew with a faint whistle and embedded itself precisely into the tree trunk beside Shikuroo.

"What?"

The kunai was still in flight when the highly alert Shikuroo sensed it. He quickly gathered his Kikaichū, his form seeming to blur into a dark mist, as if forming a Bug Clone.

But he keenly noticed the kunai's trajectory wasn't aimed at him, so he abruptly halted.

After the kunai struck the trunk, the forest fell silent again. Aside from the sudden kunai, there was no other anomaly.

No follow-up attack, no trace of the thrower. Based on experience, Shikuroo judged the kunai had been thrown from a great distance.

He stood on guard for a few seconds, then gave the kunai a long, hard look. Without lingering, he vanished into the dense forest at top speed.

Whoever it was, whatever their intent, his primary mission was still to deliver the intelligence. As for this strange interlude, he would leave it to the Kage Building to analyze and judge.

Several days later, in the Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the intelligence scroll Shikuroo had brought back, along with the attached mission report, lost in thought.

"During the intelligence handoff, a standard-issue kunai with no distinguishing features suddenly flew in, with an Explosive Tag tied to it? But then the other party took no further action?"

Unable to grasp the intent, Hiruzen confirmed with Aburame Shibi.

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Aburame Shikuroo replied calmly: "Judging from the throwing force and direction, it was thrown from a great distance.

The other party seemed to intend a warning or to convey some message, not an attack."

Hiruzen frowned, pondering, but couldn't grasp the meaning behind it.

Was this a warning about intelligence transmission, or a threat from some faction within Mist?

Shikuroo was about to withdraw when the office door swung open without warning.

Tsunade stepped in. Though she appeared to have recovered, a trace of weariness lingered in her eyes.

Hiruzen had no leads and was about to summon the council of elders.

Seeing Tsunade enter, he decided to share the mission's unexpected incident with her, asking for her analysis.

When Tsunade learned that Shikuroo had been "attacked" by a kunai with an Explosive Tag, her expression shifted. As if a thought struck her, she quickly asked:

"Shikuroo, describe that kunai and the Explosive Tag again."

Shikuroo recalled carefully and replied:

"Worried the kunai might have a hidden trap from the other party, I didn't retrieve it, but I observed it closely.

The kunai was standard-issue with no special features. The Explosive Tag, however, was a bit unusual—it looked crumpled, as if it had been casually crumpled up."

Tsunade fell silent for a moment. Her suspicion was confirmed, and a flicker of barely perceptible joy shone in her eyes.

After Shikuroo withdrew, she shared her thoughts with Hiruzen.

"Old man, I'm not entirely sure... but it might be that boy from the Namikaze clan."

She told Hiruzen about the two appearances of the "fake Explosive Tag." His eyes gleamed with sharp insight.

"You mean Namikaze Yoru isn't dead, but is instead lying low in Mist?"

Having voiced this possibility, Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback once more: "Then why hasn't he returned to the village, or even shown his face? Could it be that he doesn't trust the village?"

"Based on the intelligence relayed back, his exposure does seem rather suspicious!" Tsunade replied flatly.

Meanwhile, in the Land of Water, on the outskirts of the Kaguya Clan Compound.

Namikaze Yoru had long since used the Flying Thunder God to return silently. Whether Konoha would react or not—the seed had been sown; now it was up to fate.

Namikaze Yoru observed Kaguya Naoto, driven by the resentment of his clansmen, heading once again toward the Mizukage Building.

As if after a fierce argument, even upon leaving the Mizukage Building, Kaguya Naoto still wore a look of dissatisfaction.

But Namikaze Yoru noticed that the Mist Anbu ninjas who had been monitoring the Kaguya Clan Compound were quietly thinning out.

It seemed Kaguya Naoto's tough stance had worked; the Mizukage didn't want to completely sever ties with the Kaguya Clan and chose to compromise.

Yet how could Namikaze Yoru let him have his way? If the flames died down now, all the effort he'd invested and the covert operations during this period would go to waste.

Since the Anbu members were pulling back, let the Mist's prestigious clan, the Mizunuki, take over.

Like a ghost, he moved silently through the woods and streams near the Kaguya Clan Compound.

Once he confirmed a spot, he stopped, extended his palm, and lightly touched a tree trunk or rock.

Wherever he touched, a thin layer of frost would remain, or a mark carved by a blade of ice crystal would be left.

If discovered in time, one could still sense the Ice Release chakra aura within.

Namikaze Yoru was extremely cautious, leaving only a trace each time, scattered across all directions of the Kaguya Clan Compound.

It was like weaving an invisible net, driving the Kaguya Clan into the stage he had prepared.