The Factional Struggle Behind the Route Change and the Technical Advisor's Coldness

The convoy drove into the true heart of the sea of sand, where the boundary between sky and earth blurred.

The blazing sun that could roast jerky by day sank beneath the dunes, replaced by an endless deep-blue night sky and a chill that seemed to seep from between their bones.

No one in the convoy spoke.

Other than the rustle of footsteps and the dull grind of metal carriages rolling over sand, there was only the wind.

After the confrontation at departure, Inuzuka did not trouble Baishi again. Yet the more silent he became, the more oppressive the atmosphere within the convoy grew. The ANBU ninja followed him like shadows, clearly separated from the veteran soldiers of the Regular Guard Division. An invisible divide split this twelve-man team into two camps.

Baishi kept to his position, neither too near nor too far behind the central carriage. Though he appeared to be watching their surroundings, most of his attention was focused inward, sorting through the Leyline Energy that had settled down somewhat.

Just then, Inuzuka, walking at the very front, raised his right hand without warning.

The entire convoy stopped at once, every movement perfectly synchronized, without a single unnecessary sound.

"Five kilometers ahead, we'll enter an active quicksand zone."

Inuzuka's voice was slightly distorted by the wind.

"Consultant Chiyo's route is overly cautious. It detours nearly a hundred kilometers and wastes time. Our mission is to deliver the 'cargo' safely as quickly as possible, not go sightseeing in the desert."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the team before lingering for an instant on Baishi's Mask.

"We're changing routes. We'll cut through Black Sand Valley."

Black Sand Valley.

The moment those words left his mouth, several veterans from the Regular Guard Division stiffened briefly.

It was not fear, but