In the open space behind the medical station, Kawadera Uchiha watched Zhu Senju and Kureya Inuzuka train.
Kureya Inuzuka's new ninja hound had been sent to the front lines.
It was a giant mastiff, its entire body covered in bulging muscles, its head full of folds and excess flesh—a ninja hound ready to be thrown into battle at any moment.
A flicker of sorrow occasionally crossed Kureya Inuzuka's face.
Replacing a ninja hound was extremely painful. Kawadera hoped Kureya would emerge from the gloom soon.
Once the four members of the squad had more or less learned to work together, Kawadera Uchiha led them out of the main camp.
Looking at the scroll, he said, "Our mission this time is to investigate a missing squad forty kilometers southwest of the main camp. Find their bodies and determine how many enemies they encountered. It's a very ordinary investigation mission, common on the battlefield."
Woof woof!
Before anyone else could say anything, the ninja hound Brownmaru barked.
Kureya had named this ninja hound Brownmaru.
"Good! Everyone, learn from Brownmaru. Brownmaru says we'll definitely complete the mission successfully, and while we're at it, take out a few hundred weak Mist ninja to earn ourselves a huge mission reward!"
There was no way two barks from a dog could mean that much.
But that was Kawadera Uchiha's wish.
The closer they got to the location marked on the mission scroll, the more cautious Kawadera Uchiha became.
If a squad went missing, Konoha would send an investigation team. The Mist ninja knew Konoha would send an investigation team, so they might very well set an ambush and fish for them.
From afar, they spotted a gap in the forest. That was their destination: a small lake.
Layers of mist drifted over the lakeshore.
It was