The Other Side of the Battlefield

As night approached, the squad didn't blindly rush forward; Torifu Akimichi decided to stop and rest.

For this mission, they needed to maintain their stamina and combat readiness at all times, so resting when necessary was crucial.

Torifu Akimichi found a high vantage point, then dug a dugout under a large tree, quickly tidied the dirt outside, and concealed the entrance.

After entering the dugout, he cleverly arranged smoke ducts in the tree trunk and canopy. Then, he reached under his raincoat and pulled out a large bundle of firewood.

The other three's eyelids twitched. Never mind where he hid it, but was it necessary to carry a bundle of firewood on such an important mission?

The answer was yes.

The Konoha squad could even rest in a relatively clean environment and even build a fire to ward off dampness and cold.

Within the Land of Rain, the sound of rain perpetually enveloped people's ears.

A bonfire was lit in the dugout. Yuzuru took off his raincoat and jacket, drying his clothes and himself by the fire. Compared to the damp, cold environment outside, the comfort of dryness was almost sleep-inducing.

In a battlefield environment, there was little to be particular about. The two female ninja also gathered around the bonfire. However, they weren't familiar with each other, so they quietly warmed themselves without much conversation.

After the chill and dampness had mostly been driven away from their bodies, Torifu Akimichi took out some dried meat and handed it to everyone.

"Eat something to replenish your energy. Next, we'll take turns on watch, starting with Yuzuru."

"Thank you, Captain."

Yuzuru took the food from his captain. Compared to travel rations or Soldier Pills, the dried meat's texture was undoubtedly much better.

After distributing the dried meat, Torifu Akimichi pulled out a mess kit from behind him and made a pot of miscellaneous hot soup.

He served each person a bowl of soup.

This showed that the captain was not only skilled at killing but also a person who loved life and valued its quality.

After drinking a bowl of hot soup, Yuzuru felt his stamina rapidly recovering, and all his fatigue was dispelled... This captain was actually willing to look after him, a Genin. This seemed different from ordinary ninja.

After replenishing their energy, the squad began to rest. Yuzuru took the first watch. Several hours later, he woke up Hazuki Uchiha to switch shifts, and then he rested.

However, as dawn approached, the captain, who was on the final watch, quietly woke everyone up.

"Listen carefully. Can you hear it?"

The rain had lessened in the early morning, so after listening carefully, they heard other sounds.

"It sounds like a fight somewhere in the distance."

"There are quite a few people involved, at least a medium-scale engagement."

"Do you want to go take a look?"

"Patience," Torifu Akimichi stopped their discussion. After listening carefully for a while, he made a decision: "You all wait here. I'll go check the situation."

With that, he put on his raincoat and his figure silently blended into the morning rain. After only a quarter of an hour, he returned.

Seeing the others ready for battle, he said, "Don't make any noise, stay hidden, and we'll circle around the edge."

After the group quietly left the dugout and put some distance between themselves and the battlefield, Torifu Akimichi pointed in the direction of the battle. It was then that they noticed a large, ominous dark shadow lingering in the forest.

This wasn't the night curtain shrinking before dawn, but poisonous mist released by the warring parties.

This poisonous mist could persist in the heavy rain, indicating it was extraordinary. Even from afar, it looked extremely dangerous and lethal.

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be Sunagakure and Amegakure fighting... We should just stay away. Their battle has nothing to do with our mission."

After creating sufficient distance, Torifu Akimichi briefly explained the situation.

In ninja battles, they used the most efficient killing techniques. Compared to close-quarters combat, using poison was definitely a must-have for travel.

Yuzuru thought to himself that all he wanted was to survive the battlefield, but this seemed like a very difficult task... Just that poisonous mist could kill you if you took a breath.

Because they had almost been caught in the crossfire, Torifu Akimichi changed their route for the next leg of their journey. The Konoha squad crossed the border and moved from the Land of Grass side, which would reduce their chances of encountering enemies.

However, when the squad re-entered the northwestern part of the Land of Rain, the battlefield's complexity and danger suddenly increased... This was a battlefield where Iwagakure and Amegakure were fighting. For the Konoha ninja, it was a place of constant danger.

Before proceeding with their next actions, the Konoha squad stopped again. Only then did Torifu Akimichi unfold a map and show them the marked points.

"Konoha's reconnaissance outposts in this direction previously numbered three. The closest one is at this location," he said, pointing to a spot on the map.

"We need to go and confirm the situation here. Be ready to fight at any time. Our people have been out of contact for too long, and I have a bad feeling about this."

The three nodded simultaneously. After such a long time without any communication, they had already resigned themselves to the death of their comrades. Going there now was merely to confirm the situation... To put it bluntly, it was to see the bodies with their own eyes.

The group became extremely vigilant. They re-entered the Land of Rain and cautiously approached a Konoha reconnaissance outpost.

The outpost was hidden within a large tree and was very well camouflaged, making it impossible to spot with the naked eye. Normally, there would even be a barrier or interference enchantment set up around the perimeter, but the enchantment was now gone.

Upon approaching, Torifu Akimichi first imitated a bird's call to transmit a secret signal, but received no response.

He glanced at Kairi Omori. By then, Kairi had completed her hand seals, and a small fox-like creature darted out from her sleeve, climbing the tree where the outpost was located.

There were no enemies in the outpost, but Kairi Omori's expression darkened.

With no danger, the Konoha squad entered the outpost and found the dead Konoha ninja.

"They've been dead for over a week. We're too late," Torifu Akimichi concluded after a single glance.

Yuzuru covered his mouth and nose, trying to prevent the smell of decay from entering his nostrils.

"Why are there no signs of a struggle? It seems the ninja here died without a sound," Hazuki Uchiha questioned.

"Could someone have infiltrated the outpost stealthily?" Kairi Omori said.

"No, there's a Hyuga ninja here. Could someone evade the Byakugan's detection?"

A Hyuga ninja's corpse appeared before everyone. This was a branch family member. The Byakugan in his eye sockets had been destroyed, and the Caged Bird seal on his forehead had vanished after fulfilling its purpose.

At this point, Torifu Akimichi suspected a spy had exposed the outpost's location, as the ninja's deaths were indeed quite strange.

Then, Torifu Akimichi paced within the outpost, seemingly calculating something. Once he finished, he reached out and touched a tree trunk, then casually opened a hidden compartment.

Inside the compartment, an intelligence scroll was hidden.

After merely reading through it once, Torifu Akimichi's expression immediately turned to surprise.

At this moment, Kairi Omori was examining the last Konoha ninja's body. Suddenly, the body, which had been leaning against the corner of the outpost, slid sideways, and something hidden behind it was instantly revealed.

The sizzling sound of ignition followed.

It was...

A stack of Exploding Tags.