Uchiha Iori hurried to the rendezvous point, where he found the other three had been waiting for quite some time. He was the last to arrive.
"Sorry I'm late," Iori said.
"No problem. Is everything ready? You're the captain this time, so you'll need to decide what we do," Gekko Nobuhiko reminded him with a faint smile.
"Senior Kosuke, Senior Shibi, if you're ready, let's move out."
"Our target is an enemy stronghold where they store war supplies. It should be protected by a force led by Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki."
"Once we get there, Senior Shibi will scout first. Then we'll decide how to destroy the supplies."
"If we can sneak in, we'll use Explosive Tags to blow up the supplies."
"If we need to draw Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, away, I'll handle it."
Uchiha Iori explained the plan. Facing the Five-Tails Jinchuriki head-on was too risky.
If they could avoid it, they should steer clear of a direct confrontation.
If it came down to it, he still had a chance against the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
"Understood. I'll follow the plan." Maruboshi Kosuke nodded.
Aburame Shibi silently nodded as well. Ninjas of the Aburame Clan were always taciturn, known for being discreet and reliable.
Gekko Nobuhiko had no objections either, though Iori's assignment was dangerously risky.
But he believed Iori would one day become a ninja who could support Konoha just like the Sannin.
All he needed to do was trust Iori.
Three days later
Land of Grass
Night fell.
Uchiha Iori and his three companions moved slowly through the dark woods.
After three days of investigation, they had a good grasp of the Iwagakure Ninja's movements.
The closer they got to the stronghold, the more ninjas they saw on patrol.
Their squad could easily take out the enemy in an instant, but they didn't know how the other side's defenses worked.
A reckless attack could easily expose them.
"We owe a lot to Senior Shibi's Kikaichū. They're incredible."
Aburame Shibi's Kikaichū had handled everything along the way, from covering their tracks to gathering intelligence.
The bugs looked a little disgusting, but their power and versatility were impressive.
Aburame Shibi didn't respond, merely giving a slight nod.
"Stop here. We can't get any closer. The patrols' crossing points and density make infiltration impossible," Aburame Shibi said calmly, coming to an abrupt halt.
"Then I'll grab a prisoner and question him." Uchiha Iori activated his Sharingan and watched the enemy's movements.
Soon, he spotted a four-man Iwagakure Ninja squad patrolling in from the right.
Iori quietly crept up behind them. A mere Chunin couldn't possibly detect him.
With the Body Flicker Technique, Iori struck quickly, knocking out three ninjas before meeting the last Iwagakure Ninja's gaze.
Genjutsu: Sharingan.
Scarlet Tomoe appeared in the Iwagakure Ninja's eyes, and he instantly fell under the illusion.
How could a mere Chunin resist the genjutsu of the Three Tomoe?
Uchiha Iori quickly questioned the Iwagakure Ninja about their defenses. Once he had extracted the intelligence, he dealt with him.
He repeated the same method with the other three, obtaining their intelligence in turn.
"It looks like there's no way around them. I'll have to draw Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, away," Iori said calmly.
He had a feeling that if he survived this mission, he would surely awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Although, having set out on a path like Indra's, he had no real need to awaken the Mangekyō.
Still, he couldn't give up the immediate boost in combat power the Mangekyō Sharingan would bring.
"Then we'll leave it to you." Maruboshi Kosuke had wanted to help, but in the end, he decided to follow his captain's orders.
After getting his teammates killed through reckless ambition all those years ago, he had sworn never to rush ahead for glory again.
He decided to trust his captain.
Aburame Shibi and Gekko Nobuhiko both nodded. "Leave burning the supplies to us."
Uchiha Iori hesitated. "Are you sure you can handle it? Even if I draw away the Jinchuriki, the Iwagakure Ninja they leave behind shouldn't be underestimated."
"If things go wrong, don't force it. We'll have other chances."
"You're being arrogant, Iori. Don't treat us like dead weight. We're Jonin," Gekko Nobuhiko said, sounding annoyed.
He knew Iori meant well, but that attitude hurt. It made them feel as though he was looking down on their abilities as Konoha Jonin.
After their teammate took on the most dangerous task, he still doubted whether they could handle what remained.
As elite ninjas of the Ninja World, they found it hard to accept.
"You're right. That was my mistake. I'll leave destroying the supplies to you," Uchiha Iori said, immediately admitting his error.
In an era when power levels had yet to skyrocket, elite Jonin still belonged to the T1 tier.
Aside from the handful at Kage Level, they were the strongest fighters around and weren't easily defeated.
Iori circled halfway around the Iwagakure Ninja camp, then emerged from the woods.
Whoosh... whoosh... whoosh...
With a few Body Flickers and low-level illusions cast through his Sharingan, Iori easily took out a patrol squad of Iwagakure Ninja.
He walked straight up to the camp as if he were strolling through his own.
"Enemy! Sound the alarm!"
The Iwagakure Ninja sentry sounded the alarm, warning of an incoming attack.
Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame.
Uchiha Iori concentrated chakra in his throat and unleashed a torrent of flames as overwhelming as a tsunami.
The flames surged like a furious sea, sweeping toward the Iwagakure Ninja camp.
Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall. N
The Iwagakure Ninja forces reacted at once, releasing their defensive jutsu in unison. An unbroken line of earthen walls successfully held back the sea of flames.
Boil Release: Unrivaled Strength.
Just then, a man wreathed in steam charged out of the Iwagakure Ninja camp.
He paid no heed to the scorching heat of the Majestic Destroyer Flame.
Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, had arrived.
He was a tall man wearing a conical hat, a red mask over his mouth, and red armor.
He fought by using bursts of steam to unleash immense strength, earning him the title "Steam Ninja."
"So you're the Five-Tails Jinchuriki? You're not much to look at." Uchiha Iori sneered, trying to provoke him.
"Ōnoki's getting old, too. Looks like Iwagakure really is running out of people. Hahaha!"
Han's gaze was as cold as stone. Unlike Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, he had always been loyal to Iwagakure and Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki.
Iori's taunts didn't shake him. He merely watched his opponent calmly. "Don't think you can provoke me. I'll crush this battle with a body as solid as rock and an unyielding will."
Steam billowed from Han's body. "Boil Release: Unrivaled Strength."
Like a speeding train, he charged fiercely at Iori, steam pouring from his back.
Iori dodged with a Body Flicker, a faint sneer playing at the corner of his mouth. "You're not that fast. The Five-Tails isn't anything special, after all."
He retreated while taunting Han, trying to lure him away from the camp.
Han might have understood what Iori was doing, but he trusted the comrades he had left behind.
He also knew how dangerous it would be to let a powerful enemy roam around in their own territory.
He decided to kill Uchiha Iori before returning to help.
As a Jinchuriki who could skillfully control some of the Tailed Beast's power and fully transform into it when necessary,
he had few rivals in the Ninja World.
"Next, I'll have to ask you to die!"
Han began drawing on the Five-Tails' chakra, and a tail emerged from behind him.