Ambush

Under the burst of Fire Style, that Iwa Chunin was completely reduced to ashes.

Uchiha Kei's trio also set off quickly, they now had a more specific goal.

However, when Uchiha Kei looked at these two, he wasn't all that happy. These two were too smart, making him truly unbearable at times.

It was a pity that Kei indeed needed their strength; he really couldn't accomplish these things alone.

Although Kei guessed that the ninjas currently responsible for guarding were likely Genin, who knew if some Jonin hadn't gone to the front lines, or were guarding the rear?

Uchiha Kei's idea was simple. Knowing the future trends, he was naturally willing to make some small investments without affecting himself.

As for saving people?

It was actually just to complete the mission better.

It was obvious what these captured ninjas had gone through, and they were filled with resentment towards Iwa, not even ruling out the possibility that some had already become fearful of Iwa.

But no matter what, the fact that they were still alive meant they hadn't confessed—don't think confessing will keep you alive. On the contrary, those who lost their usefulness were often the first to be eliminated.

With a two-front war, logistics, support, and guarantees all required time to complete. Iwa wouldn't hand these things over to some 'worthless' rogue ninjas.

Of course, these were all Uchiha Kei's speculations, but he wouldn't think he was wrong about these things. With things like Genjutsu existing, there was really no need to keep them around to cover up these messy affairs.

Those who were still alive were just because their will was relatively strong, and they hadn't been tortured by Genjutsu and torture to the point of speaking.

Uchiha Kei's objective was simple: to rescue these people and use their hatred for Iwa to complete Uchiha Kei's mission.

It had to be said that this move was indeed shameless. Hatred could sometimes cloud one's mind. Even if they were weak, it wouldn't be difficult for them to cause chaos in Iwa's rear.

As for how many of them would survive, that was not something Uchiha Kei knew.

Uchiha Kei's group only needed to be responsible for rescuing these people, and then slightly revealing their mission. These guys would likely find ways to get involved and provide some help on their own.

Even if they were unwilling to help, Uchiha Kei could 'accidentally' let an Iwa ninja escape and transmit some information.

This way, the entire rear of Iwa would likely have their attention drawn away, thereby achieving the requirement for the Minato Squad to complete their mission.

However, these things really couldn't be said. Saying them would be a matter of life and death.

But whether it was Hyuga Aya or Imai Kenta, they quickly understood Kei's thoughts. It had to be said that these two were willing to go to any lengths to survive, and their brains were indeed very useful.

It only made Uchiha Kei wonder why such Intelligence Quotient didn't leave a name in the original work?

After thinking it over and over, Uchiha Kei felt that it was likely because they died during this mission, or they simply became rogue ninjas.

The survival rate for such a mission was indeed quite low. Regardless of whether Namikaze Minato's mission succeeded or failed, these 'hate-attracting' individuals were 100% cannon fodder.

If it failed, needless to say, these cannon fodders would naturally continue to complete Namikaze Minato's mission. This was a kind of 'unspoken rule'.

And if they succeeded, it would be even worse, because they, the 'cannon fodder,' would face the most insane retaliation from the Iwa Ninja. No matter how you looked at it, it was a situation where they were bound to die.

As for the rogue ninja?

That was much simpler. They would slash their forehead protectors and leave the battlefield, finding a small corner away from the disputes of the Five Great Nations to hide in.

Although they would never be able to make a name for themselves in this warring ninja world again, at least they would survive, wouldn't they?

In Uchiha Kei's opinion, living was more important than anything else. If it really came to that, Kei wouldn't mind doing it.

Since they were going to die anyway, it was good to take a gamble and try to survive. Besides, he hadn't forgotten that the Uchiha clan would be annihilated in the future.

The three of them advanced cautiously for two days before encountering the Konoha Ninja who were being escorted back to Iwa's rear.

At this point, Uchiha Kei and his companions could technically be considered to have entered Iwa's rear. In this area, they were likely to encounter patrolling Iwa Ninja frequently.

Hyuga Aya was still in charge of reconnaissance. If it weren't for her, they probably would have run into some Iwa Ninja.

"There are four guards, a complete squad," Hyuga Aya said after observing with her Byakugan. "And there are six Konoha Ninja, but their condition is a bit bad."

"That's only natural," Uchiha Kei nodded and then asked, "Nearby, where is the nearest support point?"

"It's about three to four kilometers away, and moving in the opposite direction. If we're fast enough, we should be able to rescue them," Hyuga Aya closed her Byakugan and turned back to Uchiha Kei.

"Captain, maybe we can go around to their front," Imai Kenta said with a smile. "Set some traps, like Explosive Tags, maybe they'll have a miraculous effect."

It was perfectly normal for ninja to set traps, especially since the Detaining Prisoner Squad moved very slowly.

They had plenty of time to determine the enemy's Advance Route and then set some traps. It wasn't difficult for them at all.

Imai Kenta's suggestion also aligned perfectly with Uchiha Kei's thoughts. Using some Explosive Tags would indeed create a commotion and attract enemies.

But this was also what they needed most. Otherwise, Hyuga Aya wouldn't have mentioned anything about "handling it quietly."

"Too conspicuous," Kei said, shaking his head after thinking carefully. "Our mission is rescue, not to attract a large number of enemies."

Uchiha Kei paused before continuing, "Set some traps. When they step into the traps, you two will launch a Flank Attack, and I will Pressure from the Front with Fire Style. Understand?"

"Understood, Captain." It was easy to talk to smart people. These two immediately understood Uchiha Kei's plan, nodded, and got to work.

Explosive Tags were indeed a good thing, but many things couldn't withstand scrutiny. Using more conventional methods would actually be more effective.

It didn't take long for the three of them to set up a simple trap. At the same time, they quietly hid in three different directions in the forest, patiently waiting for their Prey to take the bait.