A ninja squad was moving quickly along the border of the Land of Fire.
The ninjas wore matching standard-issue vests and Forehead Protectors bearing Konoha's symbol. They were clearly from Konoha.
Some time had passed since the Second Shinobi World War, and the Shinobi World had enjoyed a brief period of peace. But not long ago, the Third Kazekage had suddenly disappeared. The young Sunagakure puppeteer Sasori of the Red Sands had vanished along with him, and the incident had once again put every power in the Shinobi World on edge.
The Five Great Shinobi Villages could no longer sit still. Sunagakure, in particular, had dispatched a large number of ninjas to search secretly for the missing Third Kazekage and Sasori of the Red Sands.
To guard against the possibility of trouble, the other villages had also sent ninjas to secure their borders. Some villages hoping to spark a war had begun making underhanded moves as well. During one such mission along the Land of Fire's border, Konoha ninjas had captured a Kirigakure spy.
At the very front of the Konoha squad was a middle-aged man with dark gray hair tied in a ponytail. He had handsome features, a resolute expression, and a scar at the right corner of his mouth.
He was the squad leader, Konoha's elite jonin Shirokumo Hayama.
"Everyone, pick up the pace. We need to get the prisoner back to our outpost as soon as possible!" Shirokumo Hayama called.
In the middle of the squad, which consisted of only six people, one ninja carried another on his back. The prisoner's hands and feet were bound, and his chakra had been sealed. He was the captive Shirokumo Hayama had mentioned.
The prisoner's eyes were dull. He seemed to have given up all hope in his current predicament.
He no longer expected anyone to come rescue him. Kirigakure had only one usual way of dealing with captured comrades: killing them to prevent the village's secrets from being exposed.
For him, making it safely to Konoha's outpost might be the best possible outcome.
One of the squad members, a boy who looked about fourteen or fifteen, seemed unconvinced by Shirokumo Hayama's words. "Senior Hayama, we're already inside the Land of Fire. Surely Kirigakure's ninjas wouldn't dare make too much trouble here?"
Konoha had emerged victorious from the Second Shinobi World War. Sunagakure and Amegakure, which had fought against Konoha, had both been defeated. Sunagakure had even lowered its stance and taken the initiative to form an alliance with Konoha.
The Sannin, the Yellow Flash, and other top Konoha ninjas had also made names for themselves in that war. This was now Konoha's heyday.
It was no match for the dominance Konoha had enjoyed when Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, and Uchiha Madara had been there, but its overall strength still far surpassed that of every other village.
A flicker of worry passed through Shirokumo Hayama's eyes at the boy's remark. Quite a few Konoha ninjas had begun to share the boy's mindset. Victory had greatly strengthened their confidence and their sense of belonging to and identification with the village, but it had also dulled their awareness of danger without them even realizing it.
Sometimes the difference between victory and defeat was razor-thin. Konoha had won the Second Shinobi World War, but the fighting had been perilous.
If the Sannin had suffered a mishap while fighting the Demigod, Hanzo the Salamander, or if the Yellow Flash had failed to complete in time the missions that depended on his Flying Thunder God Technique, Konoha might have faced total defeat.
And even though Konoha had won the Second Shinobi World War, its own losses had been devastating. So many ninjas had died that the village had been forced to send young ninjas on high-risk missions.
Take the boy who had just spoken. At his age, in peacetime, he would have been following his instructor on C- and D-rank missions around the village. He would never have been sent to the border to face enemy ninjas head-on.
No matter what, I have to get these kids safely back to Konoha. At the thought, Shirokumo Hayama's already stern expression grew even graver.
Two of the six ninjas in his squad were jonin who had long served under him. The other three were young Chunin who had been promoted because the village was short on personnel.
None of the three young ninjas had ever experienced a real battlefield. If they ran into enemy ninjas hardened by war, these rookies would likely be killed before they could show their true ability.
Shirokumo Hayama said gravely, "Don't let your guard down. The intelligence says Kirigakure's Assassination Squad, which is responsible for eliminating their captured comrades, has been active nearby. If we run into them, a major battle will be unavoidable."
A middle-aged ninja following close behind him added, "The captain's right. I've heard there's an Ice Release ninja in the Mist Assassination Unit who's extremely skilled. We'd better stay alert."
The three young ninjas grew more serious when they heard Shirokumo Hayama and the middle-aged ninja. But the boy who had spoken first still muttered in defiance, "Hmph. If we run into Kirigakure ninjas, I'll show them what I, Hotta Kojiro, can do!"
The girl beside him raised a fist and lightly tapped Hotta Kojiro on the head. Half warning and half teasing, she said, "Quit talking and focus on the road."
Just as Hotta Kojiro was about to protest, Shirokumo Hayama's urgent warning rang out beside him.
"Watch out! We're under attack!"
No sooner had Shirokumo Hayama spoken than the air filled with a succession of sharp whistling sounds. Seven ice cones shot toward the six Konoha ninjas and the Kirigakure prisoner.
The ice cones came at incredible speed. Shirokumo Hayama and the two subordinate jonin who had long served with him remained calm and reacted in time. But the three young ninjas who had only recently been promoted to Chunin were caught off guard and reacted a beat too slowly.
Fortunately, Shirokumo Hayama was not only experienced but powerful. He had been charging forward, but he forcibly reversed his movement and used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of the three young Chunin. At the same time, he swiftly formed Hand Seals.
"Wind Release: Blade Storm!"
Shirokumo Hayama opened his mouth and blew hard. Dozens of wind blades shot from his mouth, shattering every incoming ice cone and saving the three young Chunin who had failed to react in time.
The three young Chunin had only just recovered their wits when Hotta Kojiro let out a shaky sigh of relief and muttered, "Phew... Sneaky attackers. I'll make sure you—"
As he muttered, Hotta Kojiro quickly drew a Kunai and took up a guarded stance. But before he could finish speaking, he suddenly saw the shards of ice cone scattered across the ground where Shirokumo Hayama had shattered them sprout and spread like budding branches. An Ice Spike shot out, stabbing toward his companions.
"Watch out!" Hotta Kojiro cried.
He had barely shouted when a sharp pain struck his chest. Looking down, he saw that an Ice Spike had pierced his own chest, its crystal-clear tip stained with bright red blood.
Is my life as a ninja really going to end like this?
That was Hotta Kojiro's final thought, like so many other young ninjas, brimming with ambition when they first set out on the ninja path, only to die tragically on a mission.
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