Patience, Incoming!

"Captain, they're going to transfer us away from here, aren't they?"

Yamanaka En said at once.

Hatake Sakumo nodded. "Very likely."

"The convoy was attacked, but the attackers still couldn't take the iron ore."

"Besides, even if the attacks disrupt mining operations, they aren't fatal. We can simply suspend transportation for a while."

There was no great urgency to haul away the iron ore that had already been mined.

Uchiha Namiichi said, "Our mission is to protect the mining area. What happens to the convoy on the road has nothing to do with us."

It sounded heartless, but Shita Genichi nodded in agreement.

They could certainly chase after the attackers and kill them.

But what if it really was a diversion, and the mining area was blown up while they were gone? That would mean their mission had failed. Even if they killed the people who attacked the convoy, what would that accomplish?

After hearing his subordinates' opinions, Hatake Sakumo gave a slight nod. "Everyone, return to your posts and stay alert."

"We can't pursue them, but we should still check on the attackers. I'll use a Shadow Clone."

"Disperse!"

At the order, Shita Genichi immediately dispelled his Shadow Clone.

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

Hatake Sakumo formed Hand Seals and sent a Shadow Clone rushing toward the scene.

From the treetop, Shita Genichi watched Hatake Sakumo's Shadow Clone hurry away.

Come on, can't I just train in peace while completing the mission?

Shita Genichi sighed to himself.

He really had no interest in fighting and killing.

After all, that meant putting his life on the line.

Training was much more enjoyable. He could keep improving, feel a sense of accomplishment, and feel safer.

But the attackers...

Shita Genichi wondered, Who could they be?

Infighting within the Land of Rivers?

The Land of Rivers joining forces with the dissatisfied Land of Wind?

Or something else?

Meanwhile.

Hatake Sakumo arrived at the scene.

There were overturned wagons, dead horses, and the people who had been escorting the convoy.

Ore lay scattered everywhere.

Hatake Sakumo found no traces of ninjutsu.

But there was generally no need for ninjutsu when dealing with samurai and ordinary people.

He followed the tracks and soon reached a river.

The tracks ended there.

Hatake Sakumo looked upstream and downstream, then crossed the river and found more traces on the other side.

He glanced toward the woods but didn't continue pursuing them. Instead, he returned the way he had come.

He could have dispelled his Shadow Clone right away, but he chose not to.

The Shadow Clone retraced its steps to the defensive perimeter, then headed straight to Shita Genichi.

"Genichi, the enemy may have infiltrated by following the river. Pay special attention."

Hatake Sakumo gave him a warning.

The river he had found earlier originated in the mountains.

As it happened, the mining area had also dug a channel from the river to bring in water.

That connected all three locations.

The enemy might have traveled upstream to infiltrate the area.

Of course, the defensive perimeter had been set up with this possibility in mind.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke's squad was responsible for that section.

But as Shita Genichi was their most important lookout, watching in every direction was also part of his duty.

"Don't worry, Sensei. I understand!"

Shita Genichi nodded.

Hatake Sakumo said nothing more. He vanished from the spot and went to brief Sarutobi Shinnosuke.

Up in the treetop, Shita Genichi thought for a moment, then formed Hand Seals.

Poof!

A Water Clone appeared and leaped away.

It crossed two mountain ridges.

Shita Genichi's Water Clone arrived at a river running through a mountain valley.

This was the mining area's water source.

"Genichi!"

A figure appeared.

It was Nara Kakuto.

"Kakuto!" Shita Genichi greeted him, then explained, "Sakumo-sensei said the enemy might come in this way, so I came to set an ambush."

Nara Kakuto didn't mind. Instead, he relaxed and smiled. "Then I can take it easy."

He didn't know Water Release.

Of course, that didn't mean Hatake Sakumo's arrangements were flawed.

The two squads took turns covering the defensive sectors.

They would switch in two days.

Then this area would become Shita Genichi's patrol sector.

The chance of poisoning the water was extremely slim.

But if someone put an animal carcass in the water, it would contaminate the water source.

The afternoon passed without incident.

That night, Sarutobi Shinnosuke's squad rested, while Shita Genichi and the other three guarded the area for the first half of the night. This meant a heavier assignment and a larger area to defend.

It was a temporary measure to prepare for the attackers.

Otherwise, the two squads would take turns standing watch.

But the night passed without incident.

In fact, no one infiltrated the area over the next two days.

Then, on the third day, another convoy transporting ore out of the mining area was attacked.

"Could these guys' only goal be to stop the ore from being transported out?"

Yamanaka En couldn't help wondering.

Uchiha Namiichi was suspicious as well.

"What do you think, Genichi?" Yamanaka En asked.

Shita Genichi shook his head. "Anything's possible."

"Maybe their mission is simply to attack the convoys. But it's also possible that our opponents are patient and hard to deal with."

"Genichi, you're leaning toward the latter, aren't you?" Yamanaka En asked.

Shita Genichi smiled and admitted, "We can't underestimate our opponents."

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

"We don't have enough people."

"The mining operation will probably ask us to take the initiative and attack."

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

Uchiha Namiichi replied coldly, "But those rats hiding in the dark are provoking us. We have to teach them a lesson!"

That was the Uchiha way.

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

Shita Genichi agreed with Uchiha Namiichi.

In their position, following the mission's requirements would have been perfectly reasonable.

Their mission was to protect the mining area, not the convoy. There would have been nothing wrong with not intervening.

But as the squad leader, Hatake Sakumo had more to consider.

Konoha's reputation was another important factor he had to take into account.

Hatake Sakumo was his teacher, so Shita Genichi naturally considered more than just the mission.

A moment later.

Hatake Sakumo returned and got straight to the point. "The mining supervisor asked us to deal with the attackers the next time they transport ore."

"I agreed."

Shita Genichi and the other two watched Hatake Sakumo without speaking, quietly awaiting his orders.

Hatake Sakumo said, "Genichi, you'll stay behind and help Shinnosuke's team block off the river."

"Namiichi, En, you'll come with me."

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

"Disperse!"

At the order, the three of them returned to their posts.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, another convoy set out from the mining area to transport ore.

Hatake Sakumo, Uchiha Namiichi, and Yamanaka En hid among them in person, leaving only their clones behind in the defensive sectors.

Up in a tree on the mountaintop, Shita Genichi was still holding his binoculars.

But he was only a clone too.

His real body was hiding where two rivers met, using the Transformation Technique to turn into a rock jutting out of the river.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Figures raced along the river, whose surface was veiled in wisps of mist.

In the treetop, Shita Genichi's clone blew a warning whistle.

The enemy was coming!

And from two directions: one from the river, and the other from the front.