In a forest, at one of Sunagakure's camps, Baki called everyone together.
"Elder Chiyo sent word that Cloud shinobi launched a surprise attack at the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Wind. Fortunately, we won."
Baki smiled slightly as he shared the news of their victory with everyone in the tent.
"That's great! Lord Rasa is so powerful!"
"Incredible! Lord Rasa drove back the entire Cloud shinobi force on his own. No wonder he's the Third Kazekage's disciple!"
The victory thrilled everyone present, and they praised Rasa for his outstanding performance in the battle.
"Everyone! Elder Chiyo was pleased with the information we sent back. The village has already chosen Lord Rasa as the Fourth Kazekage. Now we'll gather the strength of the entire village to attack Konoha and avenge the Third Kazekage!"
Baki slammed his fist on the table, declaring their resolve to attack Konoha.
Just then, a bloodied Sand shinobi rushed into the tent.
"Lord Baki! The western outpost! It was ambushed! The enemy is very strong!"
The Sand shinobi gasped for breath, speaking urgently.
"Tell us clearly. How many enemies were there? Do we have any information on them?"
Before Baki could speak, another Sand shinobi beside him asked.
"Just two! We don't know who they are. By the time I brought reinforcements, they'd already fled too fast for us to catch them."
After hearing the report, Baki told the shinobi to go rest, then assembled two squads and set off to investigate the western outpost.
Shortly after Baki left, Uchiha Shisui and Jiraiya sprang down from the treetops.
They exchanged a glance. Jiraiya drew a kunai while Uchiha Shisui unsheathed his Ninja Blade. They charged into the outpost like tigers among a flock of sheep, and the Sand shinobi were powerless to fight back.
"Who are you?!"
"Enemy attack!"
As flames rose, one of Sunagakure's outposts was completely wiped out.
"Damn it! The enemy's too cunning!"
When Baki reached the western outpost, he saw thick smoke rising behind him and realized something was wrong.
After taking out one outpost, Jiraiya and Uchiha Shisui raced through the eastern woods, their agile figures as swift as phantoms.
Their feet touched lightly on the thick branches. The branches trembled and the leaves rustled, as if covering their movements.
"Kid," Jiraiya panted, a look of approval on his face as he turned to Shisui. "Your plan worked pretty well! You had those Sand shinobi completely fooled."
Shisui raised his chin slightly, a carefree smile tugging at his lips. "Of course. I can't count on an old-timer like you to come up with any good ideas."
"Oh, dear," Jiraiya sighed dramatically, lowering his head in disappointment. "I can't believe the great Toad Sage Jiraiya has no authority at all with you!"
They kept bantering as they leaped swiftly from branch to branch, heading for their next destination.
"The outpost is just ahead—the Sand shinobi's eastern outpost!"
Uchiha Shisui pointed to the area ahead and spoke to Jiraiya.
"Then I'll handle it alone this time. Otherwise, you'll think the fame of the great Toad Sage is undeserved."
With that, Jiraiya jumped down, leaving Uchiha Shisui waiting in the tree.
"Boom!"
Before long, an explosion went off inside the camp. A moment later, Jiraiya came running out, the white hair on the back of his head singed.
"Damn it! She wasn't supposed to be in the intel!"
Jiraiya dodged the high-temperature fireballs flying at him as he grumbled.
"Don't think you can get away! Scorch Release: Fireball Barrage!"
Pakura shouted, then sent the fireballs circling around her flying toward Jiraiya.
"Are you in trouble?" Uchiha Shisui murmured from a tree in the distance, watching Jiraiya flee in disarray.
As she pursued Jiraiya, Pakura noticed Uchiha Shisui in the distance and wondered, Is he here to back him up? Then I'll find a chance to take him out first!
Uchiha Shisui quietly watched the cat-and-mouse chase, but it seemed the cat had mistaken him for a mouse too, edging closer to him as if by chance.
As an explosion rang out and smoke billowed over the area, Pakura leaped into the air and attacked Uchiha Shisui, who stood on a branch.
"Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder!"
As Pakura closed in on Uchiha Shisui, three fireballs appeared around her, hot enough to vaporize everything nearby.
Uchiha Shisui leaped backward, dodging the fireballs as he threw two Explosive Tag kunai.
"It's no use!"
Pakura instantly raised the fireballs in front of her. The moment the kunai and Explosive Tags touched them, they melted into iron and ash.
"Kid! Don't fight her head-on! She's Pakura, the Sand shinobi's Scorch Release user!"
Watching from a distance as Uchiha Shisui seemed ready to engage her at close range, Jiraiya hurriedly warned him.
"Relax! She's no match for me!"
Using the trees for cover, Uchiha Shisui dodged the incoming fireballs.
"Underestimating me is a mistake! Scorch Release: Scorch Kill Leg!"
Pakura charged at him, her heel wreathed in heat as she kicked toward Uchiha Shisui.
"You're wrong! Didn't your elders tell you not to look into the eyes of someone from the Uchiha Clan before fighting them?"
The Three-Tomoe in Uchiha Shisui's eyes turned slowly as he smiled at Pakura, who had been staring at him the whole time.
"This is... a genjutsu!"
Pakura froze in place, her gaze vacant. Pain, fear, and smugness flickered across her face.
"Wow! You've already got her? Not bad!" Jiraiya ran over and patted Uchiha Shisui on the shoulder.
"Yeah. Wasn't someone just running away in a panic?"
As Uchiha Shisui pulled out a rope and tied up Pakura, he muttered just loud enough for Jiraiya to hear.
"If I hadn't warned you, you'd be a dried-up husk by now! And you still say things that hurt!"
Jiraiya's eyes flew wide at that, bulging like bells as he glared straight at Shisui.
"I'm just stating a fact."
After sealing Pakura's chakra, Uchiha Shisui hoisted her over his shoulder and signaled that they could leave.
"..."
Jiraiya was speechless for a moment, then slapped his forehead and said, "Honestly, I give up."
With that, Uchiha Shisui and Jiraiya quickly withdrew toward the Land of Fire. Their mission to harass the outposts, which had gone on for several days, was essentially over.
Looking back, all the Sand shinobi outposts they had destroyed along the way were now nothing but ruins.
The Sand shinobi stationed at these outposts were merely reconnaissance teams sent by Sunagakure. Their numbers were small, and they were scattered across makeshift camps.
Nearly all of them were Genin and Chunin, green recruits with little combat experience and no particular strength.
Their young faces still showed signs of nervousness and unease. Against the surprise attack by Jiraiya and Uchiha Shisui, they were completely helpless. The battles usually ended after only a brief clash, which was the main reason the mission had been completed so quickly.