Ready (Please Follow)

"Hey, Fuguki, this is already the sixth squad, isn't it?"

Munashi Jinpachi folded his arms and looked at the bodies strewn across the ground and the enormous Konoha symbol carved into it. He couldn't help frowning as he asked.

A huge ninja sword covered in strange talismans was strapped to his back. He was the first wielder of the Exploding Blade, Shibuki, among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!

"Those Konoha shinobi are pretty arrogant."

Jinin Akebino, the first wielder of the blunt sword Kabutowari, bared his teeth and spoke indifferently, though a smile crept across his face.

"But that means we're getting closer to them. I really want to see what kind of people could take down Raiga Kurosuki and Juzo Biwa!"

Jinin's words made the others nod involuntarily. More than the deaths of these Mist Ninja squads, they cared about and were curious to find out who had done it.

As members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, they had seen more than enough people die. Every one of them had a mountain of blood on their hands.

They couldn't care less whether these people lived or died. What interested them more was the Konoha shinobi who had forced them back from the front lines and killed one of their fellow Swordsmen!

Though they looked down on one another and their relationships were especially poor,

they were all on the same level, after all. If one of them was killed, it would bring shame on all of them!

After leading their squad back to the rear, they had immediately started doing what they did best—killing.

Just as Uchiha Sou and Nara Rukawa had expected, indiscriminate slaughter could unsettle some members of the resistance, and it would also force the Konoha shinobi to make a choice.

During nearly a month of killing, they had received a piece of news: the commander in Konoha's rear had personally entered the field.

The news had excited them. Once they confirmed the direction, they set out at once.

It had taken them only a few days to reach this area, but they had no idea exactly where the Konoha commander was.

Still, that fellow seemed truly arrogant to them. Six squads had already been wiped out in this area alone, and the enemy had even deliberately left behind a Konoha symbol!

"How many people do you think Konoha sent this time?"

Just as they were about to set off again to search for the Konoha commander, Suikazan Fuguki suddenly stood and asked in a low voice.

His burly frame was like a small mountain, and his words made the others raise their brows.

"Fuguki, don't tell me you're scared," Jinin Akebino said with a sneer. "You really are pathetic."

"So what if they brought people?" Kushimaru Kuriarare, who had remained silent behind his mask, said coldly. "If all of us can't handle them, I think we'd be better off disemboweling ourselves sooner rather than later."

"Hmph. I just don't like fighting battles we can't win."

Though the others had taken a jab at him, Suikazan Fuguki remained impassive.

"I'm only reminding you that they've squeezed the space behind our lines to its limit. None of us knows whether anyone else has made it in.

"And don't forget, we may be dealing with Orochimaru!"

Orochimaru's reputation in this era was beyond imagining. Few could compare to him.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were all powerful and proud, but even they had to admit that if they really faced Orochimaru, they had nothing to be proud of.

Even if all seven of them fought him together, things would hardly go well!

And now there were only five of them left. If they weren't careful, and they really did run into Orochimaru, their situation would only get worse.

Boom—

As they were discussing their next move, a tremendous roar suddenly erupted in the distance!

Countless birds scattered in every direction at the sound. The five men exchanged glances.

Whoosh!

In the next instant, all five vanished, leaving only chakra that continued to ripple through the air—

"Captain, there's an enemy sighting eight hundred meters ahead."

Deep in the forest of the Land of Whirlpools, Hyuga Tetsu looked into the distance and spoke in a low voice.

They had been behind enemy lines for more than a month, and along the way, they had taken out numerous patrols and supply squads.

This had made the already tense Mist Village rear even more chaotic. Their actions had also grown increasingly conspicuous: almost every time they wiped out a squad, they left behind a Konoha mark.

To be honest, Hyuga Tetsu had found this approach hard to accept at first. But out of respect for Uchiha Sou, he hadn't said a word.

He hadn't forgotten that the reason they had managed to stay so safe behind enemy lines and keep their movements from drawing too much attention was their captain's careful planning.

So he hadn't resisted joining this mission. Even if he knew that any merit they earned would ultimately go to the Main Family, he was still willing to help Uchiha Sou complete the task.

With his Byakugan assisting them, the mission had gone very smoothly.

"How many are there?" Uchiha Sou asked quietly. "How far away is the support force?"

Uchiha Sou was being cautious. After more than a month of unsustainable, scorched-earth efforts, the Mist Ninja had clearly noticed how ruthless he and his team were.

They never left survivors. The enemy had also reached a conclusion: Uchiha Sou's squad wasn't part of the resistance.

The resistance usually focused on harassment, simply trying to restrict their movements. They would never engage in so many direct clashes.

So even if their numbers were low, the Mist Ninja had no choice but to commit more manpower. They couldn't let their movements be restricted while their forces kept suffering losses.

Of course, this approach wasn't completely without effect. It was just that the gains were meager. Still, it had forced Uchiha Sou and the others to be more careful.

"I can see four standard squads for now. I haven't spotted a support force yet; they may be too far away," Hyuga Tetsu replied, sounding troubled. "But this group seems different. Their chakra signatures are all very strong."

"I see." Uchiha Sou gave a slight nod, then slowly continued, "Sixteen people acting together. That's unusual."

"Captain, could this be the target we're looking for?" Shiranui Genma asked quietly from beside him. "This is the first time we've encountered such an elite formation with so many people."

Genma's words made Shisui and Might Duy and his son nod involuntarily.

They had been roaming around the rear for quite a while, so they could tell that something about this situation seemed off.

It might even be the very target they were looking for!

But there seemed to be far more of them than they had expected.

That was certainly bad news for them.

"Get ready. We're moving in."

Uchiha Sou considered it for a while before finally giving the order.

"Though we don't know for sure whether they're our target, we can't let a squad like this go, either way.

"Besides, we came here knowing we had to be ready for anything."

Uchiha Sou paused, then glanced at Shisui. The meaning of his look was clear.

Shisui nodded silently. He understood what Uchiha Sou meant and knew what he had to do next.

"Follow the original battle plan."

Uchiha Sou turned his gaze away and spoke calmly.

"Tetsu, you're still in charge of keeping watch and reconnaissance. Genma, Guy, and Genin Duy, you're responsible for holding off and taking down your opponents.

"Shisui, be ready to provide support at any time. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Captain!"