Yoru's Squad

The white mist in the air grew ever thicker, and the damp atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

After the battlefield had been cleared, the losses that were tallied filled every ninja in Konohagakure's camp at Souta Village with both fury and dread.

Two large warehouses had been destroyed, and enough strategic supplies to sustain thousands of frontline ninja for three days had gone up in flames.

Thirteen Jonin and fifty-eight Chunin had been killed. Body Flicker Shisui had been severely wounded and had even lost a Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Konohagakure had suffered its greatest loss since the Kirigakure front began, and most crucially, this loss had not occurred on the front lines, but in the rear supply forces!

Inside the tent.

All of Konohagakure's Jonin responsible for Souta Village's logistics had gathered together. Seated at the head, Uchiha Fugaku wore an exceedingly grim expression as he swept his gaze across the room.

Losses in war were normal. What war did not claim lives?

What he could not accept was that Uchiha Shisui, the young genius renowned throughout the ninja world, had been instantly defeated by the enemy—and had even lost a Three-Tomoe Sharingan!

The leakage of a Kekkei Genkai was something no Kekkei Genkai Clan could tolerate. Not long ago, during the battle of Kannabi Bridge, Hatake Kakashi had inherited Uchiha Obito's Sharingan, sparking enormous controversy within the clan.

And that eye had at least gone to someone from their own village. But now, Shisui's eye had been taken by the enemy!

"Based on the intelligence extracted from the prisoner's mind, the targets were the Mist ANBU Assassination Squad's First Squad. Its members include First Squad leader Hozuki Mangetsu, Second Squad leader Fuyuna Yukiko, Third Squad leader Ringo Yurui, and Fourth Squad leader Uzumaki Yumi."

"The one leading them was Kirigakure's rising star, the ANBU's feared 'Blade of the Bloody Mist,' Yuki Yoru."

Yamanaka Miki said gravely, "Their objective was to destroy the supplies in our Konohagakure camp. I suspect they intend to cut off our supply lines and relieve the pressure on the front, just as we cut off Kannabi Bridge on the Iwagakure front."

"Hozuki Mangetsu? Uzumaki Yumi?"

"Yuki Yoru?!"

At the mention of those names, everyone present froze. Quite a few of them furrowed their brows.

The Hozuki Clan's reputation needed no introduction. Among the Kirigakure Ninja, they were one of the most prominent great clans, and their representative figure, the Second Mizukage Hozuki Gengetsu, was especially renowned!

And Uzumaki Yumi...

During the Second Great Ninja War, Uzushio Village in the Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed, and the Uzumaki Clan had been massacred. Very few survivors remained.

Who would have thought that there would still be an Uzumaki Clan orphan in Kirigakure?

As for Yuki Yoru...

To be honest, just like the others mentioned before, they had indeed never heard the name Yuki Yoru. But they were no strangers to the surname Yuki.

In the current ninja world, every ninja village had several prominent Kekkei Genkai Clans, such as Konohagakure's Uchiha and Hyuga Clans.

Kirigakure was no exception.

The Snow Clan held a position in Kirigakure equivalent to that of the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans in Konohagakure. Their unique Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, in an environment of water and mist, could unleash power so terrifying it rivaled a natural disaster!

The Hozuki Clan, the Yuki Clan, the Uzumaki Clan...

Was the First ANBU Squad's lineup really this extravagant?!

"Moreover, according to information from the minds of the ANBU under his command, Yuki Yoru has yet to awaken the Snow Clan's Kekkei Genkai," Yamanaka Miki said in a low voice.

"He hasn't awakened his Kekkei Genkai yet?"

The words sent another wave of shock through the crowd.

He could already achieve this much without awakening his Kekkei Genkai?

"That man indeed never used Ice Release Kekkei Genkai in battle. Even the techniques he used were unusual, not the techniques commonly employed by Kirigakure Ninja."

A grave voice came from outside the tent. Sarutobi Shinnosuke stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over the room before finally settling on Uchiha Fugaku. "His swordsmanship, secret techniques, and Body Flicker Technique are all extremely formidable. But most importantly, it is the secret techniques he possesses."

"Stealth and invisibility. Restraint and control. Instantaneous bursts of power."

"The secret techniques he possesses seem as though they were born specifically for this battlefield. If we do not respond to him properly, he will surely bring us enormous trouble!"

"Most importantly, our Byakugan failed to detect him or his subordinates in any way. Clearly, the enemy possesses special means to counter the Byakugan!"

Shinnosuke's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone's heads, jolting awake the ninja who had believed the war would soon be over.

Especially that last sentence.

The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan had always been Konohagakure's sharpest weapon on the battlefield. Those white eyes, capable of seeing through everything, were exceptionally useful for infiltration and assassination, intelligence gathering, and guarding and surveillance alike.

The Byakugan had played an enormous strategic role in allowing Konohagakure to gain the upper hand time and again against the other ninja villages and defeat them.

But now the enemy possessed a special method of countering the Byakugan. How could Konohagakure's ninja not be alarmed?

Uchiha Fugaku's expression became uncertain as well.

Kirigakure had actually managed to quietly cultivate a monster of this caliber. Was this the allure of the Village Hidden in the Mist?

Using methods akin to raising venomous insects in a jar to breed the strongest monster... No wonder they had remained silent at the start of the war. So they had been deliberately showing weakness, waiting until the war was nearly over to emerge and reap the fruits of victory...

"Immediately report all intelligence on Yuki Yoru, as well as Kirigakure's possible means of countering the Byakugan, to the Third Hokage. We need every piece of information we can get on them, the sooner the better!" Uchiha Fugaku said gravely, his expression stern. "Also, notify frontline headquarters. Warn every combat unit to remain vigilant and never let their guard down."

"Kirigakure has sent a monster!"

"Yes!"

As Fugaku's orders were issued, Konohagakure ninja quickly left the tent to relay the information and commands.

The entire tent was deathly silent.

Yuki Yoru's sudden emergence had truly caught them off guard. Even Body Flicker Shisui had suffered a crushing defeat at that man's hands. He was likely a terrifying genius on par with Golden Flash!

"Also, where is Lord Jiraiya?"

"By my calculations, he should have arrived by now, but for some reason..." Nara Enshui of the Nara Clan said, a trace of confusion appearing in his eyes.

"Emergency!"

The tent flap was abruptly thrown open. A Konohagakure Jonin rushed in, his face tense with urgency. "Lord Hizashi has detected an intense Chakra reaction several kilometers away. Based on the Chakra feedback, it is highly likely to be Lord Jiraiya!"

"What?!"