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Coastal Border of the Land of Fire----
The closer they got to the coast, the more humid the air became. A sea breeze carried its distinctive salty tang and washed over them.
They were close!
They were almost at the village reported to have been attacked. The team stopped at the edge of the forest.
At the head of the group was ten-year-old Sawada Hiroki, the mission's commander.
This was also Hiroki's first time leading an operation in a local area. The last time he'd taken part in an operation of this scale was the previous time.
And which time was that? Well, the previous time, of course—when they fought the leader of the Land of Rain, Hanzo of the Salamander. O
Behind Hiroki was the escort squad assigned to him by the Third.
On the left, leading the squad, was Aburame Torune, one of Danzo's right-hand men in Root.
On the right, the leader was Inuzuka San, whom Hiroki didn't recognize at all. She was an Elite Jonin who had never appeared in the original story.
There were also six Jonin behind them whom Hiroki had never seen or heard of. Among them were members of the Uchiha Clan, a Branch House member of the Hyuga Clan, and a Sarutobi Clan ninja.
Counting Hiroki, this was a formidable elite squad: a Kage Level ninja and two Elite Jonin in the Shadow Guard Squad, plus six Jonin!
A force of this caliber would generally be more than enough to attend the Five Kage Summit—or even take part in peace talks during a war.
"Aburame, Inuzuka." Hiroki looked at the two Elite Jonin.
"Hmm?" Inuzuka San looked at Hiroki impatiently. She hated having a child as her superior, with her life forced into