Moving the plan forward? Black Zetsu's secret letter.

After the winter snow, Harusame arrives.

In the Year 59 of Konoha, a new year brought new signs, Konoha was full of vitality.

Pedestrians walking along the street and shopkeepers on both sides of the road all wore joyful smiles.

Only one person stood there, head bowed with a sorrowful expression, walking unsteadily, as if burdened by something on their mind.

"Tōka? Why are you making such a face?" A person with dazzling silver hair walked towards them; who else could it be but Kakashi?

"No, it's nothing." Tōka was startled by Kakashi's voice and quickly shook his head, looking like he was trying to cover something up.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, then chuckled, scratched the back of his head, and invited Tōka, "There's a class reunion, want to come along?"

"A class reunion?" Tōka raised an eyebrow. Was it an ordinary gathering, or one with ulterior motives?

Kakashi wasn't discharged from the hospital long ago, was he? Is he up to no good again?

Seeing Tōka remain silent, Kaka continued, "They're all people I know: Asuma, Hong, Kai, Ibiki, and a few others."

Asuma, Kurenai, and Guy have a good relationship with Kakashi, so it's understandable that they would have a New Year's dinner together.

Ibiki, from the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force, is a cold and ruthless fellow.

It wasn't just a simple gathering after all...

"Let's go." Tōka stepped aside, gesturing for Kakashi to walk ahead.

The two walked through the bustling street and arrived at a Barbecue Restaurant. Tōka and Kakashi went inside one after the other, and as they looked into the restaurant, they saw a female ninja with flowing, slightly curly hair standing to the side.

Kai sat opposite Hong and immediately spotted Kakashi and Tōka walking in.

He jumped to his feet, waving his hands and grinning foolishly, "Kakashi, Tōka, over here, over here!"

Watermelon head, Green Skin.

Kai's loud shout immediately drew the attention of most of the customers in the Barbecue Restaurant.

Kakashi and Tōka's eyelids twitched. They quickly lowered their heads and hurried over, ignoring the strange looks around them. They couldn't hear, couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't see...

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

"Kakashi, what brings you here?" Guy asked, his mouth full of grilled meat, his words slightly muffled.

Kai may seem carefree, but he actually knows Kakashi very well.

As the Anbu Captain, Kakashi was extremely busy during the New Year period, so busy that he couldn't spare a moment to himself.

There's even less chance he'd have time to meet up with old classmates for barbecue.

Something must have happened, and it must be something very important.

Upon hearing this, the people sitting around the table immediately stopped what they were doing and looked up at Kakashi.

"Hey, don't be so serious, calm down, calm down." Kakashi reached out and patted everyone, signaling them to eat and drink as usual.

"Here's the thing, there's a task I need your help with."

"What mission?" Asuma asked with a serious expression.

Kakashi squinted and looked around, noticing that the nearby guests weren't paying attention to them. He then lowered his eyes and gestured for everyone to come closer.

"Reliable intelligence has been relayed..." Kakashi paused, then whispered.

"The Two-Tails Jinchūriki captured by Iwagakure was kidnapped a few days ago, reportedly by people sent by Kumogakure."

"The Two-Tails Jinchūriki? Yugito?!" Asuma was slightly taken aback; the news about the Two-Tails Jinchūriki was from a long time ago.

The Two-Tails Jinchūriki wreaked havoc in Iwagakure, but was suppressed by the acting Tsuchikage, Kitsuchi, and many elite Stone Ninja, after which he disappeared without a trace.

Why did it take so long for Kumogakure to send someone to rescue her?

"Mission details." Kakashi took out a Scroll with Sealing Technique set up from his pocket and handed it to Ibiki, who had been silent to the side.

"The four of you will form a temporary team, with Ibiki as the team leader."

Upon hearing this, Tōka's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he was thinking to himself, "So he's been hired as a temporary worker. The details of his task are obvious."

Nine times out of ten, they infiltrated the Land of Earth to gather information about the Two-Tails Jinchūriki.

Others may not know who kidnapped the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, but Tōka knows very well, which is why he's been in a bad mood all day.

The intelligence Scroll from Black Zetsu clearly states that the capture of the Tailed Beast has begun, exactly one year ahead of schedule!

If the Dojutsu residing in his eyes still exists, Tōka isn't worried about changes to the plot.

However, after being tricked by that old guy Six Paths, Tōka began to feel anxious and uncertain. He didn't want Mirai to get out of his control.

Just as Tōka's thoughts drifted away, staring blankly at the steaming roasted meat...

Ibiki reached out and took the Scroll, asking, "When do we set off?"

"Before tonight." Kakashi finished speaking, picked up a piece of steaming grilled meat, and blew on it to warm it up.

Before everyone's attention could focus, Kakashi turned his head, swiftly pulled off his mask, and stuffed the piece of meat into his mouth.

Its speed was comparable to the Body Flicker Technique, and the crowd couldn't even be sure if Kakashi had taken off his mask.

"We still have half a day to prepare..." Ibiki nodded slightly, there was still plenty of time in the evening. "Everyone, get ready, and we'll meet at the village entrance in the evening."

Upon hearing this, Tōka, Asuma, Kai, Ibiki Body Flicker Technique vanished.

Only Kakashi and Kurenai remained at the barbecue table.

"Why did you change your mind at the last minute?" Kurenai looked at Kakashi with a puzzled expression, and whispered through her teeth.

Before arriving at the Barbecue Restaurant, Asuma and she had discussed it; the members of the four-person team had been decided, and Red was one of them.

Now it's Tōka...

"All these years, Tōka has only taken on C-rank missions, but recently he's taken on two high-rank missions in a row. Don't you find that very strange?" Kakashi's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he asked a question instead of answering.

"Are you testing Tōka? What does the Third Hokage mean?" Hong was slightly taken aback, then realized what he meant.

"I suppose so. Also, Tōka's abilities are more suited to infiltration." Kakashi nodded, a smile curving his eyes.

"I hope everything goes well." Hong pursed her lips, gazing out the window, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

"Don't worry, they're all very strong," Kakashi reassured him.

That night, a light drizzle fell on the dense Forest, pattering softly against the leaves.

Three dark figures, like shadows blending into the darkness, stood silently in the shadows, letting the rain pelt their bodies.

On the main road leading to the gate of Konoha, the sound of footsteps echoed, and a boy dressed in casual clothes strolled slowly towards them, holding an umbrella.

The soles of my feet stepped into the puddles that had just passed my shoes, creating a sound like notes in a wondrous melody.

Asuma and Ibiki looked at each other, their gazes finally settling on Tōka, and a strange feeling rose in their hearts.

This guy is definitely going on a picnic!

"You're all here early," Tōka said with a smile, not at all feeling that she was late.

"Now that everyone is here, let's set off," Ibiki said in a deep voice, regaining his composure.

Kai, who was squatting in the corner exercising, saw this and jumped up like a spring, giving a thumbs up and revealing a set of white teeth that were exceptionally dazzling even in the evening.

"Tōka, let's have a race of youth!"

Tōka's eye twitched, Mirai to speak.

Chakra gathered beneath their feet and suddenly erupted. Using the power of the chakra burst, they leaped high and plunged into the depths of the Woods.

Several dark figures rose and fell in the quiet forest, and in the blink of an eye, the three figures completely disappeared into the depths of the mountains.

On the border of the Land of Earth, in a secluded Valley surrounded by towering Kitsuchi mountains, it is desolate, lonely, and sparsely populated.

"Kakuzu, how about we stay here?"

Hidan, carrying Yugito, looked around and concluded that the place was very well hidden; the Stone Ninja would definitely not be able to find it within two or three days.

"Let's do it here then." Kakuzu nodded slightly.

With a thud, Hidan casually tossed the half-dead Yugito from his shoulder onto the ground, while simultaneously clasping his hands together to form a strange hand seal.

A faint light suddenly appeared, emanating from the ring on his finger engraved with the number "3".

Kakuzu to the side, was making the same gesture...

A few days later, Tōka arrived in the Land of Earth with Ibiki and his group. All four of them looked tired.

In order to obtain firsthand information, the group traveled day and night.

Physical strength can be restored with a good night's sleep, but mental strength takes much longer to recover.

Outside a deserted Valley, the Ibiki's Squad stood high on a cliff and looked down, only to see a misty expanse below.

The view was obscured by the mist in the Valley, making it difficult to see the bottom of the valley.

"There's an ambush ahead." Tōka focused intently on sensing the surroundings before speaking out to warn them.

"Be careful," Ibiki said expressionlessly, his stiff demeanor suggesting he was used to being ambushed.

Along the way, the team was ambushed no less than ten times.

These people were not targeting Konoha Ninja, but rather foreign ninjas who had infiltrated the Land of Earth. They were also searching for the two individuals who were still hiding within the Land of Earth and had taken the Two-Tails Jinchūriki away by Yugito.

"Still Stone Ninja?" Asuma asked.

"The Earth Element chakra aura is strong; it must be Stone Ninja," Tōka confirmed after a brief assessment.

"Get ready to attack!" Ibiki didn't want to take a detour, so he flashed into the Valley in a Body Flicker Technique.

Asuma and Kai exchanged a glance, worried that Ibiki be at a disadvantage, and immediately took off after him.

A hint of hesitation flickered in Tōka's eyes. Had he just sensed White Zetsu's presence?

While he was thinking, Tōka slowed down his movements by half a beat and walked to the back. It was not hard to tell from his indifferent expression that he did not seem to have any intention of making a move.

Because the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito, was kidnapped, a large number of Stone Ninja patrolled the border of the Land of Earth, and Stone Ninja set up ambushes.

The Stone Ninja squads, with the border area towards Konoha as the most important, were lined up in a row, almost like a series of interconnected squads.

Therefore, Ibiki decided to confront them head-on.

If the battle is resolved quickly, the nearby Stone Ninja squads won't discover it so soon.

Beneath the bare rocks lay a campsite.

The simple tents were propped up on wooden stakes, and the seemingly undefended camp was actually hiding a deadly trap.

Swish swish swish!!

Three dark figures descended from the sky, landing beneath a low rock and using the Shadow Hiding themselves.

"Leave it to me." Asuma surveyed the Stone Ninja camp, noticing unusual chakra fluctuations nearby, and said in a serious, deep voice.

"Alright, we'll cover you." Ibiki knew that Asuma was proficient in both Wind Release and Fire Release and could quickly force out enemies hiding in the shadows.

Kai, who was standing to the side, didn't say anything, but he gave a thumbs up and showed off his white teeth to encourage him.

Asuma's face twitched, and he quickly looked away.

He took a deep drag of his cigarette, his hands moving swiftly as Hand Seals.

Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!

With a low shout, Asuma opened his stubble-covered mouth.

A cloud of scorching ash spewed from his mouth, cascading down like Milky Way from the heavens, instantly engulfing the entire Stone Ninja camp.

While its attack power is not as strong as a fireball, it excels in Jutsu Formula wide range and long duration.

Amidst the smoky clouds that filled the Valley, several dark figures darted out, but they didn't appear where the tents were.

"Are they lying in ambush around the tent, waiting to attack us when we go inside to investigate?" Ibiki saw through their plan at a glance and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

At this moment, Tōka was the slowest to move, also joined the three of them.

The Stone Ninja had already left the trapped area and disappeared into the nearby rocky cliffs; it was only a matter of time before they were exposed.

Ibiki's gaze swept over with the sharpness of an eagle's eye, and he uttered a single word without hesitation.

"Disperse!"

To disperse means to divide and defeat them one by one.

Swish swish swish!!

The four scattered and darted off in four different directions. Tōka's figure drifted like a ghost towards the Stone Ninja hidden beneath the mountain wall.

Puff!

With a swift movement, the sharp Kunai pierced the neck of the Stone Ninja without mercy.

Tōka's face remained expressionless as he slowly withdrew his hand, shook off the blood on the Kunai, and then put it back into his Ninja Tool Pouch.

"This level is at most Chunin."

Tōka glanced at the corpse lying at his feet and was about to turn and leave when that strange feeling suddenly returned.

A large, green Big Tree appeared out of nowhere from the corpse.

White Zetsu??

Tōka's pupils contracted sharply, and she quickly looked up at the others. Only when she realized that they hadn't noticed her did she breathe a slight sigh of relief.

A Scroll rolled out from under the tree and landed right at Tōka's feet.

"The Konoha team consists of Ibiki, the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force leader; Asuma, Taijutsu Ninjutsu Jonin; Guy, a Taijutsu Jonin; and Tōka."

The Scroll unfolds backward...

Tōka's expression changed slightly. "It's actually an analysis of several people's abilities?"

White Zetsu obeys Black Zetsu. The White Zetsu before us has infiltrated the Stone Ninja using the Object Transformation and is carrying this Scroll.

To whom exactly is it intended to be handed over?

Is that old bastard Black Zetsu trying to trick me?

Lost in thought, Tōka suddenly sensed someone approaching. He flicked his finger, and a cluster of flames shot out, igniting the Scroll.

"Tōka? What are you burning?" Ibiki landed beside Tōka and asked expressionlessly.

"It's nothing." Tōka glanced at Ibiki indifferently, not even bothering to give a perfunctory reply; he was extremely irritable at the moment.

It seems like Black Zetsu is hiding something from him.

The atmosphere instantly became awkward.

Seeing this, Asuma immediately stepped between Tōka and Ibiki, and said with a serious expression, "It's not safe here, let's leave!"