Ambush

Caw—

The crisp, piercing call of a Night Hawk echoed intermittently through the dark, deep mountain forest.

The caravan wagons moved forward slowly.

Ahead, the terrain dipped into a narrow valley.

The cliffs on the left and right rose roughly ten-odd zhang high.

A six-man squad crouched along the right-hand cliff, disguised in Konoha Anbu attire, with two of them gazing up at the clouds gradually receding into the distance.

The six men blended seamlessly into the night like patient hunters; they were a Root Organization team led by Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune.

The two men were highly valued by Danzo.

So much so that Danzo had died.

They had brought Danzo's remaining loyal confidants to intercept and kill the Uchiha Rogue Squad.

"Team leaders, a caravan seems to be approaching ahead," a Root member reported in a low voice.

Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune exchanged a glance, and the former said in a deep voice, "Drive all of them into the area covered by the thrown ninja tool traps and eliminate them completely."

"Understood!" Two Root members disguised as Anbu vanished in Body Flicker Technique toward the valley exit.

They understood Yamanaka Fu's decision.

Better to kill by mistake.

Than to let anyone slip through.

Even if this were an ordinary caravan, it would prevent the Uchiha rogue team from disguising themselves and infiltrating it.

"The commotion in the forest just now might have been Asuma's squad or another pursuit team making a move against the Uchiha rogue group, which I can understand, but the change in the clouds in the sky..."

Aburame Torune spoke in a low voice.

"That was indeed caused by swordsmanship. I suspect a powerhouse in the Shinobi World made a move against the Uchiha rogue team. In short, no one within the Uchiha possesses such formidable swordsmanship."

Yamanaka Fu said in a deep voice.

Aburame Torune said:

"Mn, I hope Asuma and the other pursuit teams can cause some trouble for the Uchiha group!"

Yamanaka Fu remained unconcerned, thought for a moment, and cautioned, "If you encounter them, you must mind your distance and beware of the enemy's control-type Dojutsu!"

"The nano-scale sensory insects I newly raised are residing inside your bodies. The moment anyone is manipulated, I will be able to sense the reactions of your minds and Chakra."

They had made thorough preparations for this ambush.

The caravan entered the valley.

Ingetsu, sitting in the wagon bed, raised his head to survey the towering cliffs on both sides, sinking into deep thought.

If a Root team was already lurking within Mount Katsuragi, terrain like this was best suited for an ambush.

The mission was equivalent to a warning.

The team was stepping into a trap.

This time it was once again annihilating a pursuit team, only the target had changed to the Root Organization's squad.

This was the trouble one inevitably had to face upon defecting from Konoha.

Danzo's remnant forces?

Ingetsu had his answer internally, though he had never imagined that after Danzo's death, Root members would avenge him.

"Tied up!"

Kurenai Yuhi smiled warmly, tied the ninja tool bag securely for Ingetsu, slowly stood up, sat beside Ingetsu, and quietly gazed at his cheek.

"Sorry... I just now misunderstood you."

Suddenly, Uchiha Mikoto's dignified and gentle voice came from across Ingetsu.

Ingetsu lowered his gaze, looking straight at her.

Uchiha Mikoto's gaze was sincere and filled with apology; her eyes lowered as she explained:

"I just now... didn't understand your actions, so I wanted to stop you. I didn't expect that you were only helping her check her body..."

Even though Mikoto still did not understand the significance of Ingetsu's actions up to this point, she had indeed misunderstood him.

She knew.

Ingetsu truly had no intentions toward that little girl.

By doing that.

He must have had another purpose, and this purpose might be able to help the squad escape.

Thinking along these lines, Mikoto, who had always been gentle, kind, and empathetic, felt it necessary to apologize to him.

The feeling of being misunderstood did not feel good.

"Ah, why did you help me check my body?"

Hotaru's cheeks flushed with curiosity as she looked at Mikoto. The other Uchihas remained indifferent, not daring to gossip too much about Ingetsu's private matters.

Ingetsu's gaze shifted away from Uchiha Mikoto's fair and pretty face to look at the other Uchihas, and he said in a deep voice, "Prepare for battle!"

Hearing this, the expressions of the Uchihas gradually grew solemn.

When Ingetsu uttered those words.

It meant... danger was close at hand!

Uchiha Mikoto's pupils trembled slightly as she seemed to make a certain decision internally. Her gaze resolute, she looked at Ingetsu, extended a snow-white wrist, turned her palm upward, and requested:

"Can you give me a weapon?"

Ingetsu nodded, drew the sole kunai from the ninja tool bag Kurenai Yuhi had tied for him, and handed it to her.

What brought him a measure of comfort was that when danger arrived, this clan head's wife would step forward to fight for these remaining clansmen rather than choose to flee.

Hotaru's pupils trembled slightly as she stared at the lower half of Ingetsu's face beneath his black hood, not knowing what the man meant by preparing for battle.

Meanwhile, Izumi among the Uchiha squad underwent a drastic change in expression, crying out internally:

No way, is there really danger on this mountain? No matter which way we choose, we walk right into it?

What was Captain Ingetsu's purpose in insisting on entering the mountain?

The Uchihas immediately woke up to the realization.

Since they knew there was danger in the mountains and yet continued to press forward into them, Captain Ingetsu's intent was glaringly obvious—he wanted to completely annihilate the pursuers!

Thinking of this, the Uchihas grew excited, each of them quietly clenching their fists, ready for battle at any moment.

The caravan moved forward slowly.

Suddenly—

The lead wagon abruptly halted, and immediately after came Sōsen's feigned, intimidating reprimand: "Step aside, people ahead! This is the Tsuchigumo Clan's caravan!"

Rumbler—

The wheels of the caravan's vehicles stopped one after another. The horses were reined in by the caravan members, snorting and letting out neighs.

Ingetsu and the others turned to look ahead.

In the gloomy woods.

Two figures wearing Anbu masks and Konoha gray-white armor slowly walked out.

One of them said with disdain:

"We are the Konoha Anbu. We now suspect that rogue ninja have mixed into your convoy. All personnel, get off the wagons and submit to inspection! Those who resist will be treated as rogue ninjas!"

Hearing this, Sōsen's eyes twitched slightly as he laughed it off and said, "Lord Ninja, we are all law-abiding citizens. There are no rogues in our..."

Bang!!

Before Sōsen could finish speaking, another tall, burly Anbu ninja kicked Sōsen squarely in the stomach with immense force, sending him crashing violently against a wagon wheel.

"Ugh..." Sōsen dropped to his knees, his eyes bulging, cold sweat pouring down his forehead as a sharp pain wracked his abdomen.

Yet his mind raced in a frenzy.

Under these circumstances.

Offending either side was out of the question.

Nor could he be certain whether these Konoha Anbu were capable of eliminating the S-Rank Rogue Ninja within the caravan.

If they failed to eliminate them and he betrayed the rogue ninja, his ultimate end would undoubtedly be death.

On the second wagon.

Aside from Ingetsu, who wore a black robe, the Uchihas' katanas had long since been stowed away, and even Kurenai Yuhi and Nonō had changed into the attire of Tsuchigumo clansmen, using Transformation Jutsu to alter their faces and builds.

In the dark of night, Ingetsu blended into the ordinarily dressed group, his black-robed appearance hardly standing out.

At this moment, the Uchihas all looked toward Ingetsu, awaiting his signal.

"That's the Anbu..."

Uchiha Nanpu said in a low voice.

"No, it's Root."

Ingetsu explained calmly.

The Uchihas wore blank expressions. The Root Organization?

Only Ingetsu knew clearly that these were merely Root members dressed as Anbu.

They should have been the team that tracked them down on the day of the clan's annihilation, arriving around the same time as Asuma and the others.

"A fair number of enemies must be lurking on these two cliffs. I will hold the front, and you are responsible for assassinations!"

Ingetsu briefly laid out the assignment.

"Understood..." The Uchihas replied in low voices, then fell silent.

Izumi sighed helplessly. They really had run into trouble; she could only hope that the other two paths were unembushed.