Ryosuke's Guess, Operation Plan

Team One trained for the entire day without receiving a single order.

However, Shisui still had them reserve more than half of their chakra to deal with any sudden emergencies.

The next day, the special training began again.

Even Sanhe, who usually complained the most, did not say a word.

Because he, too, could feel the heavy atmosphere in the air.

It was already difficult to see ordinary people on the streets of Konoha.

"Today we will continue our special training, hmm?"

Shisui's words were only half-spoken when he turned his head to look toward the other side of the training ground.

Itachi was walking toward them.

"It's Itachi."

"Itachi-kun?"

"Itachi? Why are you here?"

Sanhe, Miyuki, and even Shisui all voiced their surprise.

Only Ryosuke watched the scene in silence; he had already guessed something, and he sighed inwardly.

What was meant to come would come eventually.

Itachi ignored the others, walked straight up to Shisui, and handed him a scroll.

"This is the intelligence provided to Team One by the Third Hokage. You should know what to do."

After Itachi finished speaking, he turned to leave.

"Wait a moment, Itachi."

Shisui called out to him.

Itachi stopped in his tracks but did not turn around.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Shisui said with a smile.

Itachi took a deep breath, said "You all need to be careful," and then vanished.

Only then did Shisui open the scroll to examine the intelligence within.

It was a map—or more precisely, a map of a portion of the border of the Land of Lightning.

Marked on it were several potential safe houses for the Cloud Village Anbu.

Their objective was to destroy these safe houses and the Cloud Village Anbu stationed there.

"Shisui-sensei, let's set off," Sanhe said, eager to try.

Shisui, however, wore a thoughtful expression.

"What's wrong, Shisui-sensei? Is there a problem?" Miyuki asked.

"Ryosuke, what do you think of this map?"

Shisui looked at Ryosuke, who had remained silent the entire time.

Ryosuke was packing his gear. He had only glanced at the map, but he already had a bad feeling about it.

"Our current status is Anbu, and we are acting under the orders of the Third Hokage. Even if he sent us to our deaths, we couldn't disobey, could we?"

Ryosuke said indifferently.

"Ryosuke, what are you talking about?" Sanhe looked at Ryosuke with a tone of reproach.

But neither Shisui nor Miyuki said anything.

"It's already quite obvious. If this war was truly started by the Land of Lightning, our mission should be defensive counterattacks. Yet, we have been given a mission to actively enter the Land of Lightning to attack. No matter how you look at it, it doesn't make sense."

Ryosuke continued to explain.

"But, Ryosuke-kun, this is war. You can't think about it with ordinary logic," Miyuki said softly. She didn't seem very sure of her own words; she just didn't want to think about things in a negative light.

"Ryosuke, go on," Shisui said seriously.

"Actually, this is just a guess of mine. When the Raikage came to Konoha last time, I witnessed the barbarism and rudeness of the Cloud ninjas. They actually tried to kidnap the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan during peace talks."

"So, I suspect their goal this time is the Sharingan, and we are merely the sacrifices for 'peace.' As long as the Cloud ninjas obtain our eyes, this war will end very quickly."

Ryosuke said calmly.

However, the other three were all shocked upon hearing his words.

"Ryosuke, you're terrifying. How can you say such things? Are you doubting the village, doubting the Third Hokage?" Sanhe looked at him with an expression of disbelief.

"Actually, although Ryosuke-kun's words sound frightening, if you think about it carefully, they make a lot of sense. The people of the Cloud Village are indeed capable of anything. I heard a bit about what happened last time, too."

Miyuki rested her chin on her hand and said very calmly.

"Shisui-sensei, what do you think?"

"Let's consider this matter settled. As ninjas of Konoha, our duty is to protect the village, even if it costs us our lives. Therefore, I will pretend I never heard what you just said."

A flicker of worry crossed Shisui's eyes, but he quickly turned away.

His inner resolve was actually beginning to waver, yet he still could not bring himself to believe that the Hokage would betray them.

But if it were for the sake of the village's peace, then everything would make sense.

As for why they would need to contact Iwagakure, perhaps it was simply to prevent the war from escalating?

The four of them packed their gear in silence.

Then, they set off together toward the location marked on the map.

There was a high probability that a trap lay ahead, and as the teacher of Team One, Shisui was leading his students straight into it.

Such thoughts were constantly tormenting him.

Miyuki maintained the same pace as Ryosuke.

"Ryosuke, how certain are you about your guess from earlier?" Miyuki asked with a hint of worry.

"Eighty percent. If the Hyuga Clan, who are so loyal to the village, can be sacrificed, then it goes without saying for us Uchiha," Ryosuke said with a bitter smile.

Miyuki frowned as well.

She could not refute Ryosuke's words.

This journey was much longer than the last.

To conserve their stamina, Shisui and the others had been moving at half-speed.

It took them three days to finally reach the border of the Land of Fire.

"We are half a day's journey away from the first target location," Shisui said to the three behind him after taking out the map and carefully comparing it.

Ryosuke and the others remained silent, simply eating their rations in silence to replenish their strength.

"I know what you are thinking, so this time you will stay here. I will go and scout ahead alone. If there really is any trouble, you are to return to the village, understood?"

Shisui laid out his plan.

Beyond this point lay the territory of the Land of Lightning; once they stepped inside, their status would change to that of invaders, and withdrawing would not be such a simple matter.

"Shisui-sensei, how can we let you go alone? We Uchiha do not abandon our comrades," Sanhe said, standing up.

However, neither Ryosuke nor Miyuki spoke.

"What is wrong with you two? Are you trying to be deserters?" Sanhe looked at them in surprise.

"Sanhe, Shisui-sensei's plan is the most secure. He has the Body Flicker Technique, so even if he encounters danger, he can escape in time. But if we go together, we will only be a burden to him," Miyuki analyzed calmly.

Sanhe was stunned.

"Ryosuke, do you think so too?"

Ryosuke said with a bitter smile, "Sanhe, this is war, not a game. The only thing we can do now is survive."

Sanhe was about to say more, but Shisui interrupted him.

"Miyuki and Ryosuke are right. You are my students, and I will not let you fall into danger. That is the decision. If I do not return within two days, you are to return to the village. The mission is declared a failure."