Advancing by Retreating

Third, early morning.

Uchiha Yue, having finished cultivating his spiritual energy using a secret technique of the Uzumaki Clan, still appeared somewhat listless, yet his eyes gleamed with a sharp light, filled with confidence. However, when Stream and Pinewood appeared before Uchiha Yue, the masked Uchiha Yue's eyes suddenly dimmed, and he remained silent for a long time.

Neither Stream nor Pinewood went to the border of the Land of Water; they simply waited for Uchiha Yue to give them instructions.

After a full five minutes of silence, Uchiha Yue took a deep breath and calmly addressed the Stream and Pinewood before him. "Seniors, I have summarized the information you gathered yesterday regarding the distribution of the hidden sentries along the border of the Land of Water. However, the intelligence we have is still insufficient, and we need to trouble you two again. If you are unwilling, I can personally go and gather the intelligence. What do you two think?"

"Unnecessary."

Hearing Uchiha Yue's words, the Anbu named Stream coldly shook his head and said, "Asura, since you respect us as your seniors, then let me, as your senior, speak to you! It's true that you are the Anbu captain appointed by Lord Orochimaru, but how long have you been in the Anbu? Moreover, the Land of Water's sentries are so well-distributed that you are completely incapable of handling them with your current strength. Therefore, today Pinewood and I will still go to gather intelligence. You just wait here."

"Yes, it's definitely from the Stream."

Staring intently at Uchiha Yue, Pinewood tried to glean something from his Uchiha Yue, but Uchiha Yue remained completely expressionless and silent, revealing no unusual emotion whatsoever. Therefore, Pinewood, who had always been on the same side as the Stream, raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Asura, you just wait here for us to return. Yesterday we scouted out some of the hidden sentries along the Land of Land of Water's border. Give us a little more time, and our mission will be complete."

Then, Pinewood waved the intelligence scroll in his hand again and said, "As the captain, all you need to do is savor the fruits of victory, right?"

"Thank you very much, seniors."

As soon as Pinewood arrived, Uchiha Yue nodded to the two people in front of him.

Then, Uchiha Yue suddenly remembered something, took out several packets from his ninja tool pouch, and placed them in front of Stream and Pinewood, saying, "Seniors, these are the hidden weapons I specially prepared. Yesterday, when I was sensing the sentries along the border of the Land of Water, I discovered that the positions of some of them had changed, which must be because they noticed your investigation. So, if anything unexpected happens, please use the Anbu I created!"

"The poison I coat my hidden weapons is enough to kill even a Jonin-level ninja!"

"These hidden weapons will help you two seniors deal with any unnecessary trouble. Please accept them!"

"Um."

As soon as Uchiha Yue finished speaking, Stream and Pinewood nodded nonchalantly and immediately accepted the hidden weapon that Uchiha Yue had given them.

However, as Stream and Pinewood disappeared from Uchiha Yue's sight, heading to the border of the Land of Water to gather intelligence, a cold smile crept onto Uchiha Yue's lips. Indeed, the hidden weapons Uchiha Yue had given Stream and Pinewood were specially crafted by him. But the poison he had coated them with wasn't a poison meant for Uchiha Yue -level ninjas. It was a terrifying poison capable of corroding the human body and devouring its chakra.

As for the wonderful uses of that toxin, I'm sure the Stream and Pinewood will soon be able to experience them!

Immediately afterwards...

Watching the Stream and Pinewood disappear before his eyes, Uchiha Yue thought to himself that his plan was almost complete. He then used his Purple Eye to continue scouting the situation of the hidden sentries along the Land of Water's border. It's important to know that Uchiha Yue was using the Uzumaki Clan Secret Technique today to restore his spiritual energy because he had been using his Uchiha Yue Purple Eye to observe the distribution of the hidden sentries along the Land of Land of Water's border. Moreover, in a short period of time, Uchiha Yue had actually completed the analysis of the Land of Water's hidden sentries using his Purple Eye; the scroll he now held was the scroll detailing the distribution of the hidden sentries along the Land of Land of Water's border.

As he held the intelligence scroll, Uchiha Yue's Purple Eye detected the traces of Pinewood and Stream, and his expression grew increasingly cold.

Then, Uchiha Yue sighed deeply again, thinking to himself:

"Before becoming Anbu, I always paid close attention to the lives of my comrades."

"Furthermore, when I'm with Minato, Kushina, Kakashi, and the others, I will never let my comrades take risks, nor will I ever abandon them, if possible."

"Unfortunately, I'm now in the Anbu, so I should think like Anbu member!"

"I reckon even Orochimaru would agree with me if he were here!"

"After all, that's Orochimaru's way of thinking. In order to achieve his goals, he's also capable of abandoning two dispensable Anbu."

"Stream, Pinewood, I'm sorry!"

You have been abandoned!

Silently thinking about this, Uchiha Yue continued to observe the situation ahead with her Purple Eye, and then saw that Stream and Pinewood had encountered trouble.

Just as Uchiha Yue had guessed, the hidden sentries at the Land of Land of Water's border were indeed trying to lure out the person behind Stream and Pinewood, which was why they hadn't attacked them immediately. However, seeing Stream and Pinewood coming to gather intelligence again today, the Anbu at the Land of Water's border naturally couldn't hold back any longer and prepared to attack Pinewood and Stream. Stream and Pinewood hadn't expected that the hidden sentries at the Land of Water's border would discover them so easily.

Therefore, the Stream and Pinewood now face countless ninja from the Kirigakure.

The fierce battle began not long after the Stream and Pinewood had infiltrated the border of the Land of Water.

However, while Stream and Pinewood were being chased by the Kirigakure ninja, Uchiha Yue remained calmly watching them, showing no change in emotion. Clearly, Uchiha Yue's earlier show of weakness in front of Stream and Pinewood was a strategic retreat to lower Pinewood guard. As for Uchiha Yue's ultimate goal in this strategic retreat, it was to help Orochimaru complete his reconnaissance mission. Moreover, Uchiha Yue even had the idea of exceeding the mission's objectives—to lead Stream Orochimaru the others directly into the Land of Land of Water!

Then, within the range of Uchiha Yue's Purple Eye, he saw that the Stream and Pinewood had already caused chaos on the border of the Land of Water.

At the same time, Uchiha Yue used his Purple Eye to perceive that countless figures were rushing towards him from behind.

Then, just as the figures approaching from behind reached Uchiha Yue suddenly knelt before the leader and said:

"Lord Orochimaru, we can set off now!"