Patience, They're Coming! (Seeking Follow-up Reads, Monthly Votes)

"Captain, are they trying to transfer us away from here?"

Yamanaka En was the first to speak.

Hatake Sakumo nodded: "It is very likely."

"The convoy was attacked, but those people had no way to take the iron ore."

"Furthermore, merely attacking the convoy, while affecting the mine's output, is not fatal; transport can be temporarily suspended."

Transporting the already mined iron ore was not exactly an urgent matter.

Uchiha Namiichi added: "Our mission is to protect the mining area; being robbed on the road has nothing to do with us."

This sounded heartless, but Shita Genichi nodded in agreement.

They could certainly pursue and wipe out the attackers.

But what if it was truly a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain, and the mining area was blown up? That would mean their mission had failed. In that case, even if they killed those who attacked the convoy, what would it matter?

After listening to his subordinates' opinions, Hatake Sakumo nodded slightly: "Return to your posts and stay alert."

"Although we cannot pursue them, it is necessary to see the situation of those attackers. I will use a Shadow Clone."

"Disperse!"

At the command, Shita Genichi directly dispelled his Shadow Clone.

Uchiha Namiichi and Yamanaka En used the Body Flicker Technique to depart.

Hatake Sakumo formed hand seals, creating a Shadow Clone that headed straight for the scene of the incident.

At the top of a tree, Shita Genichi watched Hatake Sakumo's Shadow Clone rapidly move away.

Sigh, can't they just let me complete the mission peacefully while I cultivate?

Shita Genichi sighed to himself.

He really had no interest in all this fighting and killing.

After all, that was truly risking one's life.

Cultivation was much more interesting; constantly improving oneself brought a sense of accomplishment and security.

However, the attackers...

Shita Genichi pondered: Who could it be?

Internal strife within the Land of Rivers?

A combination of internal factions in the Land of Rivers and the unwilling Land of Wind?

Or something else entirely?

On the other side.

Hatake Sakumo arrived at the scene.

Overturned carriages, dead horses, and the men who had been transporting the convoy lay there.

The ore was scattered all over the ground.

Hatake Sakumo found no traces of ninjutsu.

However, to deal with samurai and ordinary people, ninjutsu was indeed generally unnecessary.

He followed the tracks and soon arrived at the side of a river.

The tracks disappeared.

Hatake Sakumo looked upstream and downstream, then crossed to the opposite bank, where he found some traces.

He looked toward the forest, but Hatake Sakumo did not continue the pursuit, choosing instead to return the way he came.

Although he could have directly dispelled the Shadow Clone, Hatake Sakumo did not do so.

The Shadow Clone retreated all the way back to the defensive perimeter, then headed straight for Shita Genichi's position.

"Genichi, it is very likely the enemy will infiltrate via the river. Pay special attention."

Hatake Sakumo cautioned.

The source of that river originated from a stream in the mountains.

Coincidentally, to obtain water, the mine had dug a canal from that river.

This connected the three points.

The enemy could very likely move upstream to infiltrate.

Of course, the defensive perimeter they had set up naturally would not overlook this point.

That sector was the responsibility of Sarutobi Shinnosuke's squad.

However, as the most important observer, Shita Genichi was responsible for monitoring all directions.

"Don't worry, Captain, I understand!"

Shita Genichi nodded.

Hatake Sakumo said nothing more, his figure vanishing from the spot to report the situation to Sarutobi Shinnosuke.

Up in the treetops, Shita Genichi pondered for a moment before raising his hands to weave hand signs.

Poof!

A Water Clone appeared and leaped away.

Crossing two mountain peaks.

Shita Genichi's Water Clone arrived at a river flowing through the valley.

This was the water source for the mine.

"Genichi!"

A figure appeared.

It was none other than Nara Kakuto.

"Kakuto!"

Shita Genichi greeted him, then explained, "Sakumo-sensei said the enemy might infiltrate from here, so I came over to set an ambush."

Nara Kakuto didn't mind; instead, he breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, "That makes things easier for me."

He did not know Water Release.

Of course, this wasn't a flaw in Hatake Sakumo's arrangements.

Rather, the two squads took turns covering the defensive zones.

They would swap in two days.

By then, this area would be Shita Genichi's patrol sector.

Although the feasibility of poisoning the water was minimal.

If they were to dump animal carcasses into the river, it would still contaminate the water supply.

The afternoon passed without incident.

By nightfall, Sarutobi Shinnosuke's squad rested, while Shita Genichi and the other three were responsible for the first half of the night, which meant a heavier workload and a wider area to defend.

This was a temporary arrangement to cope with the appearance of the attackers.

Otherwise, the two squads would have taken turns keeping watch.

However, the night passed peacefully.

Even over the next two days, no one infiltrated.

It wasn't until the third day that the next transport convoy was attacked again.

"Could it be that these guys' mission is simply to prevent the ore from being transported out?"

Yamanaka En couldn't help but wonder.

Uchiha Namiichi was also suspicious.

"Genichi, what do you think?"

Yamanaka En asked.

Shita Genichi shook his head, "Any possibility is on the table."

"It's possible their mission is just to attack the transport convoys, but it's also possible that this opponent is very patient and very troublesome."

Yamanaka En said, "You're leaning toward the latter, aren't you, Genichi?"

Shita Genichi smiled and admitted, "One cannot underestimate the opponent."

Uchiha Namiichi frowned, "Then what do we do?"

"We don't have enough manpower."

"The mine will likely demand that we take the initiative to attack."

Yamanaka En laughed, "Namiichi, didn't you say that wasn't part of our mission?"

Uchiha Namiichi said coldly, "But the rats hiding in the shadows are provoking us; we must teach them a lesson!"

This was the Uchiha way.

They could be calm, but they were also proud and arrogant!

However, Shita Genichi agreed with Uchiha Namiichi.

In their position, strictly following the mission requirements was not wrong.

The mission received was to protect the mine, which did not include the transport convoys; not intervening would not have been an issue.

But for Hatake Sakumo, the team leader, there were more factors to consider.

There was also the reputation of Konoha, which was an important aspect that had to be taken into account.

Hatake Sakumo was his teacher, so Shita Genichi naturally had more to consider.

A moment later.

Hatake Sakumo returned and said straightforwardly, "The mine manager has requested that we eliminate those attackers during the next ore transport."

"I agreed."

Shita Genichi and the other two looked at Hatake Sakumo without a word, quietly awaiting orders.

Hatake Sakumo said, "Genichi, you will stay behind and coordinate with Shinnosuke and the others to blockade that river."

"Namiichi, En, you two will move with me."

Shita Genichi and the others nodded in unison: "Understood!"

"Dismissed!"

At the command, Shita Genichi and the others returned to their respective positions.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

Early that morning, a convoy once again transported ore away from the mining area.

Hatake Sakumo, Uchiha Namiichi, and Yamanaka En were hidden among them in their true forms, leaving only shadow clones at the defensive perimeter.

At the top of the mountain, Shita Genichi was still holding his binoculars.

But this was also just a clone.

His true body was currently hidden at the confluence of two rivers, having used the Transformation Technique to become a rock protruding from the water.

Splash, splash, splash!

On the river surface, still wreathed in a faint mist, figures were sprinting forward.

At the top of the tree, Shita Genichi's clone blew a whistle to signal a warning.

The enemy was attacking!

And they were coming from two directions: one from the river, and one from the front.