Omen

In the vast desert, a team of more than ten people were defending a damaged wagon. A few hundred meters away, a figure charged forward, unleashing Fireball as he went, scattering four people locked in combat ahead.

Having just broken free Jonin the Konoha Jonin, Jonin Yanping knew he was in trouble. Sure enough, without the Konoha Ninja to hold him back, the swarms of Phoenix Sage Fire immediately changed direction and chased after his group.

In the brief moment of retreat, Taiichi had already arrived, forming a pincer movement with Captain Yamaguchi to attack the enemy ninja.

Faced with the combined attack of two Jonin, the remaining three enemies exchanged glances and tacitly Hand Seals, Earth Style: Flying Gravel.

The three of them unleashed the same Ninjutsu together, creating a close synergy that far exceeded the power Ninjutsu 1+1=2. A deluge of flying stones hurtled towards Taiichi and Captain Yamaguchi. This density of stones was not something that could be dodged with agility and swordsmanship alone.

"A combined spell, you really are from Iwagakure!" Captain Yamaguchi shouted.

Taiichi was not to be outdone; they could combine their techniques to amplify their power, but their own Ninjutsu was also formidable.

He shouted "Captain!" to indicate that he needed to cooperate. He then formed several hand seals, Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.

The raging Flame Transformation a fire dragon, exploding into a sea of fire in front of the Rock Ninja.

Over there, Captain Yamaguchi also Hand Seals, Earth Style Earth Style: Earth Flow River.

The sand grains, under the influence of Chakra, turned into mud, forming two rivers of mud that surged towards the Iwagakure Ninja like arms, compressing their escape area.

Seeing the encirclement from both sides, the three Iwagakure members remained calm. They simultaneously Hand Seals and unleashed Earth Release: Earth Style Earth Style: Earth Core. Their feet trembled, and they were suddenly lifted up, dodging the combined attack of the Earth River and the Flame Dragon.

But Taiichi wouldn't allow them to be so smug. He changed his hand seals and unleashed a torrent of Chakra. The flames, which had been normal, suddenly turned Bright Gold, and their temperature soared.

The raised Dodai, resembling an icicle, was instantly ignited by the Flame Dragon and quickly melted into lava under the intense heat, collapsing into a soft mass.

"Damn it, where did this perverted brat come from? Is this still Fire Release Ninjutsu?" The roar of Iwagakure came from the Dodai, but it did nothing to stop the Dodai from collapsing.

If this trend continues, the Iwagakure, surrounded by flames, will only face certain death.

But at that very moment, a Signal Flare rose into the sky from the mission's side, and even in daylight, Taiichi and Captain Yamaguchi noticed it immediately.

"There are still enemies!" However, the two weren't particularly worried. Both of them had Shadow Clone left behind, and the fact that no memories were being transmitted back proved that the Shadow Clone were still intact, so the situation wasn't too urgent. Their primary goal now was to eliminate the enemies here as quickly as possible.

At this moment, a large amount of mud suddenly surged up from the Dodai that had been trapped by flames. The mud surged down from high to low, extinguishing a large amount of the flames along the way. Taking advantage of the fact that the flames had not been replenished, the three members of Iwagakure quickly broke out of the encirclement.

However, Taiichi was not about to let them have their way so easily. The Flame Dragon slightly veered in the direction they were fleeing, and the last bit of flame grazed past the last Rock Ninja running behind.

With just one scorch, the Chunin had no chance Chunin resist and was instantly reduced to charcoal.

The two ninjas running ahead had their pupils shrink. This flame was too terrifying; they absolutely could not be touched.

Therefore, the remaining Iwagakure Ninja no longer chose to engage in direct combat, but instead used Ninjutsu from a distance to entangle Taiichi two.

After all, they had seen the Signal Flare and knew that they still had a Jonin their side. They were certain that the person who ambushed the delegation was one of their own. They simply didn't believe that there could be another Jonin over there when there were already two Jonin here.

However, things often take the worst possible turn. While the two from Iwagakure were racking their brains to keep the two from Konoha in check, another Signal Flare rose from the direction of the delegation in the distance.

The four men, unable to achieve any result, stopped fighting and stood looking in the direction from which the Signal Flare had risen.

Konoha's side: Huh, that wasn't our Signal Flare, then it's alright!

On the Iwagakure side: Holy crap, what's going on? How come it's a distress signal from our own side? You, a Jonin, are being forced to send out a distress signal.

The two Iwagakure members exchanged a glance, then looked at the two Konoha members approaching with sinister smiles. Jonin Yanping decisively ordered, "Retreat!"

Having said that, he turned and fled into the distance without looking back. The Chunin was just as fast, chasing Jonin the Jonin, and soon disappeared from sight.

"Captain?" Taiichi turned to look at Masasuke Yamaguchi.

"No need to chase them. Our mission is to protect the delegation. Besides, Jonin who's determined to escape isn't so easy to catch."

The two stood atop a sand dune, watching the direction the two from Iwagakure had left in. Only after making sure they wouldn't return did they turn back to the delegation.

From afar, Yohei's smug laughter could be heard, as if he were boasting about something.

At this point, the two voluntarily dispelled their Shadow Clone and learned the whole story.

While Taiichi was engaged in fierce fighting, the delegation was also ambushed by a Jonin. Fortunately, Yohei's Sharingan was always active, and he discovered the Jonin who launched the attack immediately.

Yohei, with his Three-Tomoe, was already close to Jonin in strength, and the Sharingan gave him a significant advantage in one-on-one combat.

Besides, this wasn't a one-on-one fight, but a four-on-one battle, with two of them being Shadow Clone of Jonin, plus Saori providing occasional support from the sidelines.

The Iwagakure Jonin by this impressive lineup. After only a few exchanges, he was killed by Yohei, a classic case of dying due to insufficient intelligence.

After everyone cleaned up the battlefield, the precious Jonin's corpse naturally had to be sealed and taken back. Konoha's Intelligence Department certainly had the means to extract the information they wanted from his mind.

The delegation resumed its return journey, but this time everyone was on high alert. After all, two Iwagakure ninja had escaped, including a Jonin, and no one knew what their next move would be.

Two hours after the delegation left, a group of Sunagakure Ninja arrived at the battlefield. The group silently examined the traces on the ground before finally regrouping.

"Captain, there are five bodies at the scene, one of which has been burned to a crisp."

"There are two groups. One group is skilled in Fire Style, and their power is exceptionally great. They are likely Konoha ninjas, and this group is on the same route as the Land of Fire delegation. The other group uses Earth Style, and there are signs of a coordinated attack. They are probably from Iwagakure."

"The Rock Ninja actually came to my Sunagakure territory to intercept and kill the Land of Fire's envoy. What are they trying to do?"

"Isn't Iwagakure just a bunch of troublemakers? They're masters at sowing discord."

"Alright, once the inspection is complete, we'll go back and report. The key points are the Iwagakure assassination and the Konoha Ninja skilled in Fire Style. The power of that Fire Style was terrifying." Thinking of the Fire Style that melted the entire Dodai, the Sunagakure Ninja Captain couldn't help but shudder.

"Yes!" the Sunagakure Village squad answered in unison, and immediately turned back towards the village to report their discovery as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the delegation continued their journey amidst the tense atmosphere, finally leaving the Land of Wind and entering the Land of Rivers on the evening of July 24th.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on everyone's tired faces, and even the creaking of the carriage seemed to lighten up a bit.

"Finally, I can get a good night's sleep!" Yohei stretched, finally bidding farewell to the endless yellow sand, and even the sunlight wasn't so glaring anymore.

"We still need to be careful. Those two Iwagakure might make a move in the Land of Rivers," Captain Yamaguchi whispered a reminder.

At this moment, the tattered curtain of the carriage was pulled back, and the three envoys, suppressing their urgency, ordered, "Proceed to the nearest city immediately; we need a thorough rest."

The guards obeyed, and the carriage immediately sped up, heading into the distance.

Two hours later, the delegation arrived at Sanchuan City, a major town in the northern part of the Land of Rivers. The stone walls looked particularly imposing in the twilight, and celebratory banners hung outside the city gates. After a brief inquiry, it was learned that the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers had finally been appointed.

The delegation arrived at the best inn in Sanchuan City, and the three envoys couldn't wait to return to their rooms, seemingly to wash away the dust of their journey.

After settling everyone in, Captain Yamaguchi went out alone to gather information. Taiichi and the other two then took on the task of protecting the delegation.

When the Captain returned, a rare smile appeared on his face, "The Eldest Young Master of the Land of Rivers officially ascended the throne 10 days ago, and the entire Land of Rivers has been undergoing personnel adjustments during this period."

"Excellent!" The deputy envoy slammed his hand on the table and stood up, spilling most of the sake from his cup.

As an envoy from the Land of Fire, he naturally knew that the Eldest Young Master was close to the Land of Fire. The Land of Fire had also contributed a great deal to the Eldest Young Master's ascension to the throne, and now that they were finally seeing the fruits of victory, how could they not be overjoyed?

The banquet was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation. Even the Captain was pulled in by the three envoys to drink quite a bit of wine. Taiichi and his two guards, who were standing guard nearby, looked on in astonishment.

"With the Eldest Young Master becoming the Daimyo, the Land of Rivers siding with the Land of Fire, and the borders stabilized, our future missions will be much easier."

Taiichi explained the reason to Yohei and Saori.

"No wonder the Captain is so happy; I've never seen him drink before," Yohei muttered to himself.

"That's because the war will be far from the Land of Fire, or at least it won't happen within the Land of Fire."

"Oh!" Yohei and the other man nodded in realization. If the Second Young Master became the Daimyo, and if the lands of wind and fire went to war, Sunagakure would be able to travel freely through the Land of Rivers, and might even receive help from the Land of Rivers. At that time, the borders of the Land of Fire would be in danger.

This is why the people of the Land of Fire are doing everything they can to help the Eldest Young Master ascend to the position of Daimyo.

After a night of merriment and relaxation, the three envoys did not rise until late the next day. After tidying up and retrieving their newly splendid carriages, the delegation did not embark on their return journey until the afternoon.

The journey that followed was remarkably smooth. There were no Sabaku, no ambushes from Iwagakure, and they didn't even encounter the bandits they had met on the way there. The delegation was getting closer and closer to the Land of Fire.

On this day, as the delegation was on its way, a group of Sunagakure Ninja appeared in Taiichi's senses. At first, Taiichi didn't pay much attention, but simply continued to keep an eye on the Sunagakure Ninja.

But when the Sunagakure Ninja group approached within 500 meters and clearly spotted the delegation, they moved towards the delegation without hesitation.

Taiichi immediately issued an alarm. After nearly a month of cooperation, the guards had become familiar with the Yamaguchi Squad's style and immediately tightened their formation upon receiving the alarm.

Captain Yamaguchi instantly Body Flicker beside Taiichi: "What's going on!"

"A bunch of Sunagakure Ninja are approaching, and they seem to have ill intentions?" Taiichi pointed in the direction the Sunagakure Ninja were approaching and briefly reported his discovery.

Following Taiichi's direction, Captain Yamaguchi could now vaguely see the Sunagakure members, a standard four-person team. As they approached, Taiichi could clearly sense their hostility.

Perhaps seeing the flags displayed by the delegation, the Sand Village Ninja Scout the area from a distance before decisively leaving without ever exchanging any information with the delegation.

The four members of the team exchanged glances. They could all sense the obvious hostility; it wasn't directed at them, but it was definitely directed at the Konoha ninjas.

In other words, there are Konoha ninjas nearby who are being hunted down by Sunagakure Ninja.

After a brief discussion, the four members of the team, including Taiichi, looked at Captain Yamaguchi and waited for his orders.

"We're also on a mission and can't just leave. Besides, we don't know where they are right now, so it's even more inappropriate to split up our forces," Captain Yamaguchi explained, eliciting disappointment from the three men, who were understandably disappointed as their comrade was being pursued at the time.

Just as everyone was about to continue their escort mission, Captain Yamaguchi made a 180-degree turn. "But we can't just stand by and do nothing about our fellow villagers."

Taiichi and the other two immediately looked up happily, their eyes filled with anticipation as they gazed at Captain Yamaguchi.

"How about this? We'll create Shadow Clone and explore the surrounding area. Firstly, this will create some noise to distract the Sunagakure Ninja, and secondly, if we encounter any of our own people, they might be of some help."

After some consideration, the three of them could only agree to this, since they couldn't really abandon their mission.

With a series of "bangs," a puff of white smoke flashed by, and the four of them each created their own Shadow Clone. However, Taiichi's face was pale, as if he had exhausted himself.

Seeing this, Saori quickly stepped forward to support him, asking him about the situation with concern.

"It's alright, it'll be fine in a bit. I just used up most of my Chakra on my Shadow Clone." With that, Taiichi immediately took out a Military Ration Pill and ate it.

Yohei, upon hearing this, stared curiously at Taiichi's Shadow Clone. Normally, Shadow Clone divide the main body's Chakra equally, but the ability to freely control the distribution of Chakra is something not everyone can do.

After examining Taiichi's Shadow Clone, Yohei curiously stared at Captain Yamaguchi.

The Captain seemed to see through Yohei's question and said with a helpless expression, "Don't look at me like that. I don't have that ability. Not only does it require a high level of understanding of the Shadow Clone Technique, but it also requires stronger Chakra Control. I can't meet either of those requirements."

Seeing Yohei's disappointed expression, Captain Yamaguchi's brows twitched, and he wished he could punch him.

Taking a deep breath and suppressing his throbbing fist, Captain Yamaguchi ordered, "Yohei and Saori, form a team and head east to Scout."

Taiichi Scout westward, and my clone is heading north. Now, let's set off!

Watching their Shadow Clone disappear into the distance, the group did not linger and escorted the delegation on their way again.

As everyone expected, in the time that followed, as Saori and Yohei's Shadow Clone disappeared one after another, they brought back the latest news.

The Sunagakure Ninja were indeed hunting down Konoha ninja, but they didn't know exactly who they were. After the two Shadow Clone made some noise, Sand Ninja quickly caught up with them.

The two did not engage in combat, but simply kept running away, drawing each other's attention until their Chakra was exhausted and their Shadow Clone dissipated on their own.

About half a day later, Captain Yamaguchi's Shadow Clone also disappeared, bringing back almost the same information as Yohei and the others. Now, the members of Team 8 couldn't help but worry about the Konoha Ninja they had never met.

Such a large-scale manhunt raises questions about their exact mission.

Now, only Taiichi's Shadow Clone is still out there. As everyone travels, they keep glancing at Taiichi sitting on the roof of the car, hoping for news from him. But a whole day has already passed.

On the other side, since leaving the delegation, the Shadow Clone Taiichi has been heading west. Even without using Chakra, his physique allows him to move quite quickly.

Once he was far enough away from the delegation, Taiichi, like the others, used Fire Style to create some commotion, which attracted some Sand Village Ninja. Taiichi then leisurely kept them in suspense, occasionally using his sensory abilities to check the surroundings.

Whether it was Taiichi's good luck or the Sunagakure Ninja's bad luck, as Taiichi once again activated his senses to explore his surroundings, two figures appeared in Taiichi senses at the Northern Front edge of his perception.

It was just a hair's breadth away; if the distance had been a little greater, or if the detection had been a few seconds later, Taiichi would have passed by those two.

Taiichi glanced back and saw that the Sand Ninja he was hanging from had not yet entered his perception range, so he didn't hesitate any longer, turned around, and ran towards the two figures.

As they got closer, Taiichi's senses became clearer. It seemed that one of the two was seriously injured and didn't even have the basic ability to move.

As the two closed to within a kilometer, Taiichi finally clearly perceived the other's identity—it was none other than White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo!