Found a Wild Jonin (One more update tonight)

Fallen leaves danced in the breeze, and the forest was tranquil, save for the chirping of insects and birds.

"Thump~ Thump~ Thump~"

A three-man squad darted rapidly through the woods of the Land of Rivers, shattering the quiet atmosphere.

Yusuke opened his map and marked their current position.

As the second wave of reconnaissance ninjas, they were responsible for exploring District 6.

Yusuke glanced ahead from time to time, comparing their location to the map, and continuously jotted down information on an intelligence scroll.

The three had worked together previously in the Land of Whirlpools, so their coordination was seamless.

Inuzuka Go and Hyuga Aya were like teammates covering your flanks while you looted a crate; they kept watch over the surroundings, providing a profound sense of security.

As evening approached, they had nearly finished surveying District 6.

Once they completed the final small section tomorrow, they could return to the main camp to report their findings.

Following the map's guidance, Yusuke's group found a spot near a stream.

"Alright, same old rules. Draw a straw to decide the night watch shifts." Yusuke casually held out three grass stalks of varying lengths.

"Heh, it definitely won't be me and Haimaru on the late shift this time."

Inuzuka Go stepped forward excitedly; he had specifically washed his hands in the stream earlier, confident that his luck wouldn't be bad today.

"Hm?" Yusuke suddenly tightened his grip on the grass stalks; he sensed a faint fluctuation of chakra ahead.

Seeing the alert expressions on his companions, Inuzuka Go suppressed his excitement.

He formed hand seals, concentrated chakra into his nose, and sniffed the air lightly.

"There's the scent of blood. Someone must be injured. I only smell one person for now."

Yusuke looked toward Hyuga Aya, and she nodded.

"Byakugan, Activate!"

The scene several miles away appeared within her vision.

"There is someone with a very weak chakra signature. Based on their attire, they are a Konoha ninja. I don't detect anyone else's presence for the moment," she replied concisely.

The three of them had reached the same conclusion. Yusuke nodded, "I don't detect any other presence within my sensory range either."

"Let's go take a look."

The three moved slowly toward the ninja. As veterans of the battlefield, they were cautious, fearing this might be bait set by the enemy.

When they were a hundred meters away from the ninja, Yusuke waved his hand: "There are many warning traps set up in the vicinity."

"Approach with caution. Watch out for decoys."

Yusuke and his team slowly bypassed the traps until, fifty meters ahead, they discovered a blood-soaked ninja leaning against a large tree.

It was barely possible to identify the man as wearing a Konoha forehead protector; he appeared to be in a coma, his breathing extremely shallow.

There were no other traces in the area.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

As someone who preferred a cautious approach, Yusuke did not go himself. He formed hand seals, manifested a shadow clone, and sent it toward the man.

Yusuke's shadow clone exchanged a glance with him before walking slowly toward the injured man.

Just as it reached a distance of three meters, the injured ninja's finger twitched, pulling on a wire he held.

Several kunai flew out from a blind spot, shooting straight at Yusuke's shadow clone.

The shadow clone immediately leaped backward, but the injured ninja tightened his grip, and the sound of friction against wire rang out.

While Yusuke's clone was still in mid-air with no leverage, the wires crisscrossed, binding it tightly to the tree.

"Thump!" Birds scattered in all directions.

The man opened his eyes, his gaze filled with exhaustion.

He looked at the shadow clone and asked, "Kid, who are you?"

Yusuke's shadow clone didn't mind being bound to the tree: "Konoha ninja, currently on a mission."

He recited his code phrase.

The injured ninja stared at the shadow clone with bloodshot eyes. He stood up shakily and walked toward it.

The man was like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, trusting no one. He reached out his palm toward Yusuke.

It seemed he intended to use a jutsu to probe Yusuke's memories to verify his identity.

"Sigh, you really are a suspicious one."

"Boom~"

The shadow clone dissipated, and the man's pupils contracted as he prepared to flee.

"Don't bother running. We are Konoha ninjas, and this place is already surrounded." Yusuke stepped out from the 12 o'clock position.

Meanwhile, Hyuga Aya and Inuzuka Go closed in from the 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions, respectively.

"Huh? Are you Captain Miyazaki Kenta?" Inuzuka Go scratched his head. The blood had masked the scent earlier, and the man was covered in gore.

He hadn't recognized him at first; it was only after closing to within three meters that he identified him, a feat he owed to his habit of making friends.

Miyazaki Kenta looked toward Inuzuka Go, clearly recognizing him as well: "Seeing you puts my mind at ease. Is your squad on a mission?"

Inuzuka Go scratched his head awkwardly: "This is actually my captain."

Yusuke stepped forward and nodded at Miyazaki Kenta: "Yusuke, Chunin. A pleasure."

Miyazaki Kenta was stunned for a moment; he hadn't expected a Chunin to be leading a squad.

He then walked over with a smile, intending to give Yusuke a hug.

Yusuke: You're covered in blood and guts, and you want to hug me? That's not very polite.

Yusuke stepped back half a pace, creating some distance.

Miyazaki Kenta felt a bit awkward and introduced himself sheepishly: "Miyazaki Kenta, Jonin."

"The smell of blood is too strong here; this is no place to talk. Let's leave first," Yusuke said.

Miyazaki Kenta nodded, and Inuzuka Go, being the helpful guy he was, naturally took on the task of carrying Miyazaki Kenta, given that the two of them were acquainted.

Yusuke and Hyuga Ri quickly cleared their tracks, and the four of them headed back toward the direction they had come from.

At the resting spot.

"Captain Miyazaki Kenta, how did you end up with all these injuries?" Inuzuka Go asked while stitching and bandaging Miyazaki Kenta.

"It's nothing. I was discovered by the enemy while on a mission. There were a lot of them."

"We fled from District 5 to District 6. Now, I'm the only one left."

Miyazaki Kenta swallowed a Military Ration Pill to recover his stamina.

He had already submerged his tattered ninja vest in a nearby stream to mask his scent.

He took a shower and put on a new set of clothes he had requested from Inuzuka Go.

"Captain Yusuke, I need to escort vital intelligence back to the main camp."

"This intelligence concerns the survival of many people. I ask that you escort me back."

He turned to look at Yusuke, his expression serious.

"Since it's vital intelligence, the enemy must have already tightened security. Whether I accept or not is no longer the point."

"Hurry up. Rest for half an hour, then we depart. I'll go on watch."

Yusuke ordered in a low voice.

The group quickly adjusted their breathing, condensing and recovering their chakra.

Half an hour later, just as Yusuke's squad was preparing to move, Miyazaki Kenta suddenly called out to Yusuke.

"Captain Yusuke, I believe it would be better if we split into two squads to advance."

"This way, we can reduce our profile while simultaneously diverting the enemy's attention."

He tossed a scroll to Yusuke.

"You lead half the squad, and I'll lead the other. That way, no matter which squad makes it out, the intelligence will be delivered."

"Besides, I am a Jonin. According to Konoha Wartime Regulation Article 31."

"In times of war, a higher-ranking ninja has the authority to command lower-ranking teams."

"Everything for Konoha."

He pulled out his ninja identification, which read: Konoha Jonin.

Yusuke caught the scroll, his brow furrowing as he thought to himself: I saved a guy who wants to seize my command.