Mission Accomplished

Not long ago.

In the depths of the night, the trio took advantage of the chaos caused by Uchiha Iori to slip past the sentries without a sound.

The moonlight was faint, casting a glow upon their faces that revealed eyes full of resolve.

Uchiha Iori had taken on the most dangerous task, and they could not afford to betray his trust.

Under the cover of Aburame Shibi's Kikaichū, the squad approached the enemy camp in total silence.

Suddenly, a squad of ninja emerged slowly from the darkness; it was an internal patrol of Iwagakure Ninja.

In an instant, the three scattered, using the surrounding shadows and terrain for cover.

As the enemies drew near, the three struck in unison, neutralizing them in a heartbeat before they could even signal for help.

"We have now bypassed most of the sentries. Once we destroy their war supply storage, the mission will be complete."

"There are exactly three heavily guarded locations over there. For the sake of efficiency, we take one each."

Gekko Nobuhiko temporarily took command, speaking in a low voice.

"We split up from here. Be careful not to be discovered."

"Although the Five-Tails Jinchuriki has been lured away, there are surely still Jonin guarding the camp."

"Understood, everyone stay safe." Maruboshi Kosuke and Aburame Shibi nodded in agreement.

"If no one is discovered, we will rendezvous here afterward."

"If anyone is spotted, we will regroup at the location where we parted ways with Iori."

"Is that clear?" Gekko Nobuhiko confirmed the plan.

"Understood!"

They split up, each heading toward the previously scouted war supply storage points.

Gekko Nobuhiko relied on his exceptional stealth techniques to avoid the crowds without a sound.

As a ninja of the Gekko Clan, although he had not mastered the true Transparent Escape.

A simplified version of the Transparent Escape was more than enough to handle this situation.

His gaze swept across his surroundings, and after confirming no one had noticed his presence, he moved forward rapidly.

So this is where the ninja tools are guarded; kunai, shuriken, and flak jackets are all here, Gekko Nobuhiko calculated silently.

It seems Kosuke-senpai and Shibi are handling the medical supplies and Explosive Tags.

After setting the fuses deep inside, Gekko Nobuhiko created a Shadow Clone.

In case he was discovered, he would use the Shadow Clone to trigger the detonation directly.

There are no signals, so they shouldn't have been discovered yet. I'll head to the meeting point where we split up.

Gekko Nobuhiko restored everything to its original state and turned to leave.

Maruboshi Kosuke was also well-versed in infiltration; he was a disciple of the Second Hokage.

He had served on missions alongside the Third, the Sannin, Hatake Sakumo, and Minato Namikaze.

A veteran of countless battles, he did not hesitate when he encountered a patrol unit, instantly cutting the enemies down with Konoha Style: Willow, clean and efficient.

Proficient in swordsmanship, Water Release, and genjutsu, Maruboshi Kosuke could be considered an all-around ninja.

After sneaking into the warehouse, Maruboshi Kosuke searched carefully, finding it filled with various medicines, bandages, and Military Ration Pills.

It seems Nobuhiko and Shibi are handling the ninja tools and Explosive Tags.

He also created a Shadow Clone to ensure the mission was foolproof before heading back the way he came.

Aburame Shibi used his Kikaichū to mask his body and clear his tracks.

It was not that the Iwagakure Ninja didn't sense something was wrong, but under the influence of Aburame Shibi's Kikaichū.

They were either drained of their chakra or directly devoured by the Secret Technique: Insect Sphere.

The secret techniques of the insect-wielding clan had many uses; although only Aburame Shikuroo's Secret Technique: Phosphor Destruction Insects reached the Kage level.

The others had an upper limit of Jonin, but combined, he was a very difficult type of opponent to deal with even among Jonin.

He headed straight for the warehouse, which was filled entirely with Explosive Tags.

After leaving behind the incendiary materials, Aburame Shibi created an Insect Clone.

He likewise headed back toward the place they had arrived from.

At the same time, Gekko Nobuhiko and Maruboshi Kosuke also rushed back.

Once the three reunited, they prepared to detonate and withdraw.

"Earth Release: Earth Rising Spear."

Suddenly, the ground surged upward, and sharp rocks shot toward the three of them like blades.

Gekko Nobuhiko and Maruboshi Kosuke drew their longswords to cleave through the stone, while Aburame Shibi flickered away, leaving a trail of insects behind.

"Yo, care to tell us what you've been doing here?"

Several Iwagakure ninja emerged from the earth.

Over a dozen Iwagakure ninja stepped out from the shadows.

"Aburame clan ninja, I will never forget your scent for as long as I live," one of the Iwagakure ninja sneered.

"Since we've met here, hand over your intel and die."

"This ninjutsu and this chakra signature... the Kamizuru Clan?"

Aburame Shibi's eyes narrowed as he spoke suddenly.

"Shibi, do you know the enemy's background?" Gekko Nobuhiko asked.

"They are the insect-users of Iwagakure, the Kamizuru Clan, also known as the Kamizuru clan," Aburame Shibi replied.

"I have an impression of them; back when the Second Hokage was in power, Iwagakure sent people to attack Konoha."

"The vanguard of that force seemed to be the Kamizuru clan."

Maruboshi Kosuke nodded. As a veteran ninja, even though he hadn't participated in that specific battle, he had heard of the event.

It was that very battle that had cemented the Aburame clan's status within Konoha.

"Yes, their clan was defeated by the Aburame clan, led by my father."

"It is my responsibility that we were discovered; they must have tracked us by detecting my Kikaichū."

Across from them, Kamizuru Ninbee gritted his teeth and said, "That's right. Your Aburame clan's scent—I wouldn't forget it even if you were reduced to ashes."

"You used despicable means to defeat our clan and caused us to lose the Tsuchikage's trust."

"In this war, I will defeat you and restore the glory of my clan."

The three of them exchanged glances, and Maruboshi Kosuke and Gekko Nobuhiko retreated behind Aburame Shibi.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Three violent explosions rang out in succession as the warehouses for ninja tools and medical supplies collapsed into ruins.

The warehouse storing the Explosive Tags turned the surrounding area into a sea of flames.

The Shadow Clones of Kosuke and Nobuhiko were blasted to pieces, the agony of their destruction flowing back along with their chakra.

The two men gritted their teeth, enduring the pain.

The superiority of the Secret Technique: Insect Clone became apparent here; even when blown apart, the insect clones did not transmit pain.

"Damn it, what have you done?" Kamizuru Ninbee roared, taking a step forward.

He had only realized Aburame Shibi's movements when they were already on their way back to rendezvous.

Because he didn't understand what they were planning, he hadn't attacked immediately.

He had waited for the three to regroup, hoping to probe their actions, only for them to detonate the Explosive Tags right under his nose.

Such a dereliction of duty was intolerable to Kamizuru Ninbee, who had made the revival of the Kamizuru clan his life's mission.

"It seems only by killing you can I salvage some of my reputation."

Kamizuru Ninbee said through gritted teeth.

BOOM!

A deafening roar echoed from the distance, as if the very earth were trembling.

That was the direction the Five-Tails Jinchuriki had departed; thick smoke and fire rose into the sky.

"That is a Tailed Beast Bomb. What kind of enemy could force Han to use that power?"

The Iwagakure ninja were struck with terror.

Someone whispered a guess: "Could it be that the Sannin have entered the fray, or perhaps the Third Hokage has arrived?"

Although Gekko Nobuhiko and his two companions were worried about the safety of Uchiha Iori, they knew this was a rare opportunity; the chaos among the Iwagakure ninja was their best chance to break through.

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Maruboshi Kosuke struck first, completing the ninjutsu with only a few hand seals. A torrent of water poured down like a violent waterfall, unstoppable.

The Water Style inherited from the Second Hokage was not to be underestimated in either speed or power.

"Secret Technique: Insect Tornado!"

Aburame Shibi had already laid an ambush of countless Kikaichū in the vicinity. At this moment, they surged toward the enemy like a black cyclone, blocking the pursuers behind them.

The three worked with perfect synergy, quickly breaking through the perimeter.

"Don't you dare run!" Kamizuru Ninbee's roar came from behind, his face twisted with rage and resentment.

He quickly formed hand seals, "Secret Technique: Beehive Technique!" Countless bees flew from his hands, forming a hurricane of insects that pursued the trio.

The few Kamizuru clan ninja beside him followed closely, giving chase as well.