The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy.
No one looked excited about the good news Takada Fujiwara had brought, which left him puzzled. He asked, "What exactly happened? Why do you all look like this?"
"Shikaichi, you explain," Uchiha Jin said.
Nara Shikaichi nodded, then began explaining everything in detail.
Ten minutes later.
After hearing the explanation, Takada Fujiwara's expression grew solemn as well. "Your analysis does make sense. I also thought Sunagakure's ambush was strange. I never expected there to be such an explanation."
"But would anyone in the village really dare to do something like this? This is practically the same as betraying the village, isn't it?"
As a civilian, he found it difficult to understand.
Corruption alone had shocked him. He had never expected anyone to go so far as to sell out the village's intelligence and collude with its enemies.
Uchiha Jin's face was full of disdain. "As long as we're dead, who would know about any of this?"
"It's possible as long as one has reached a certain level of power." Nara Shikaichi slowly continued, "Power represents the right to speak. The people below have no ability to distinguish right from wrong. Whatever the higher-ups say naturally becomes the truth."
"Take Captain Takada, for example. Even if you know the truth, what can you do about it now?"
Takada Fujiwara fell silent.
For the first time, he truly understood the importance of power. In the past, he had thought that the Hokage served everyone. Only now did he realize that the Will of Fire was all a lie—a means by which the higher-ups controlled those below them.
As a civilian, he naturally could not have understood these things before. But now that he had become a jōnin, he was gradually coming into contact with them. Naturally, that also meant more trouble and worries.
This made him realize that although spending the money last time had felt great, the danger behind it had been just as great.
After pondering for a long while, he slowly said, "Shikaichi, there's no need to ask around anymore. Security is extremely tight in the camp, and ordinary shinobi aren't allowed to move around freely."
"I know the command structure of Kikyo Mountain Camp. Let me introduce it to you for now."
Takada Fujiwara let out a sigh. Although he was utterly helpless, he still began a detailed introduction.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
After hearing all this, Uchiha Jin's eyes lit up, and he suddenly said, "The person in charge of handing out frontline missions is named Sawada Seiichi? That's excellent news for us."
"Kakashi, it's your turn!"
"We might as well see whether your father's reputation still carries any weight. If it does, find us an intelligence-gathering mission—preferably one that gets us as close to the front line as possible. A little danger doesn't matter."
"The longer the mission lasts, the better. We don't need to rest either. Ideally, we can leave this camp as soon as possible!"
Kakashi hesitated.
He truly did not want to rely on his father's prestige to do something like this. If this had been the past, he definitely would not have agreed. But now that he understood more and more about the village's darkness, and had not lost as many friendships as in the original work, he had not become as completely dispirited as his counterpart in the original work.
Right now, he was filled with determination.
As a young man, he still wanted to uncover the truth behind his father's suicide and perhaps even avenge him. Thus, after pondering for a moment, he nodded and left the tent.
Half an hour later.
Kakashi returned with a mission scroll. "Pakura of Sunagakure appeared in the Land of Rain a few days ago. The mission requires us to head to the Land of Rain immediately and determine Pakura's true objective as soon as possible."
"There's no time limit. The mission lasts until it's complete!"
Almost instantly.
Everyone inside the tent let out a sigh of relief.
Uchiha Jin narrowed his eyes.
It seemed Hatake Sakumo's legacy really was useful. Even after his death, someone was still willing to protect Kakashi. After all, the people who could oversee the mission assignment system were practically all trusted aides of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Could anyone who had risen to such a position truly be unaware that they were being targeted?
Yet despite knowing, that person was still willing to help. This made it even clearer how valuable the list in his hands was.
"There's no time to lose. We're leaving immediately!"
Uchiha Jin's tone was solemn.
Everyone was somewhat taken aback. Takada Fujiwara could not help saying, "How about we rest for a day first?"
"No. That could cause problems." Uchiha Jin shook his head.
Although there were some things he could not say outright, he understood Danzo's personality very well.
If Danzo really was behind this, then given his petty nature, he would definitely strike again as soon as he learned about it. By then, altering the missions in everyone's hands would be no difficult task.
They absolutely could not give him that chance!
Although the people present did not quite understand, they still chose to trust Uchiha Jin.
Ten minutes later.
Relying on the mission scroll in their hands, everyone left Kikyo Mountain Camp.
Two hours later.
A squad of masked Anbu arrived at Kikyo Mountain Camp. They went to Orochimaru's tent, knelt on one knee, and slowly spoke.
"Lord Orochimaru!"
"Lord Danzo has issued a special order, requiring Takada Fujiwara's squad to carry out a special mission!"
After speaking.
He raised the mission scroll in his hand high into the air.
Orochimaru had been studying a map. Upon hearing this, a trace of curiosity appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He casually took the mission scroll, and after opening it, he let out a cold chuckle.
"Destroy Sunagakure's supply route?"
"Assign it to Takada Fujiwara's squad, which only graduated recently?"
"These methods—truly crude!"
Orochimaru shook his head, his eyes filled with disdain.
Indeed!
Anyone with common sense could sense the overwhelming malice hidden within it.
He looked down on someone like Danzo from the bottom of his heart. If not for Teacher Sarutobi's support, someone like Danzo could be killed with ease.
But at the same time.
He naturally did not care much about whether Takada Fujiwara and the others lived or died.
If Uchiha Jin could not even avoid this kind of danger, then no matter how talented he was, Orochimaru would have no interest in him.
If he died, so be it.
He immediately called over a shinobi and spoke casually.
"Go call Takada Fujiwara over. There's a mission."
"Yes!"
The shinobi bowed and left the camp. He then went to find Takada Fujiwara's squad, only to clearly come up empty-handed.
He did not simply report this to Orochimaru. Instead, he began investigating the matter. After all, it was difficult to leave the camp without the proper procedures. In the end, after learning the truth from the patrol squad, he found Sawada Seiichi at the mission administration office. The two then returned together to the commander's tent.
"Lord Orochimaru, Takada Fujiwara's squad has left."
"They accepted a mission from the mission administration office two hours ago and are currently heading toward the Land of Rain."
"Should we bring them back?"
The shinobi knelt on one knee and asked directly.
Orochimaru froze when he heard this. Takada Fujiwara's squad had actually left?
Well, well!
After thinking about it, Orochimaru soon began to laugh.
"Interesting. Truly interesting!"
Before you continue