The Best Way to Infiltrate

A day later.

Within the Land of Earth.

Two figures, one large and one small, swiftly weaved through the rocky cliffs, heading deeper into the mountains.

The Land of Lightning was not particularly close to the Land of Earth. Under normal travel conditions, whether by sea or land, the shortest journey would take at least a week.

Even on a ninja forced march, it would take three days.

Yet they had taken only a single day.

"He really is... a monster."

Watching the broad figure ahead of her, expressionless and showing no signs of fatigue, Samui's understanding of Sora was refreshed once again.

With her abilities, crossing the distance between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth in a day would naturally have been impossible.

So along the way, Sora had simply placed her on his shoulder.

Crossing vast seas, cutting through ice and snow.

Under such a relentless, high-intensity march without a moment's rest, the guy did not show the slightest trace of exhaustion. Samui had never even heard of such terrifying stamina!

"So, you're that Killer B's student?"

"Ah, yes."

"Lord Killer B is my swordsmanship instructor."

Sora's question brought Samui back to her senses. But considering Sora's earlier hostile attitude toward Killer B, she paused before saying, "His swordsmanship is the best in all of Hidden Cloud. He is known as the Seven-Sword Style: Killer Bee!"

"Seven-Sword Style? Is he performing acrobatics?"

Sora let out a derisive snort.

"As a jinchuriki, one's own body is the best weapon. Abandoning your fists to mess around with some Seven-Sword Style is utterly idiotic!"

With her teacher being insulted like that, Samui instinctively wanted to say something.

But when she recalled what had happened in the room earlier, she could only press her lips together.

"So swordsmanship is what you specialize in too?"

"Mm... short swords," Samui replied softly.

Sora raised a brow and turned to look at Samui's ample chest. "Swordsmanship—do you think it suits you?"

"..."

"The Eight-Tails is inside that so-called Killer B. What about the Two-Tails?"

"Ah, the Two-Tails... the Two-Tails is inside Lady Yugito Nii."

"Yugito Nii?"

"Yes. Lady Yugito Nii had a tailed beast implanted in her when she was about two years old..."

Samui shared intelligence about the current state of Hidden Cloud with Sora as they continued onward, their feet never slowing as they pushed deeper into the Land of Earth.

The surrounding landscape gradually became more barren. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but vast stretches of yellow earth and stone.

"That should be the Heavenly White Mountains, right?"

The two stood atop a cliff and looked into the distance.

At the end of their sight, a desolate mountain range sprawled across the land like a gigantic beast.

"Yes!"

Samui nodded. "Our main forces are surrounded by the Hidden Stone army within the Heavenly White Mountains. Several thousand Hidden Stone ninja have gathered there. The defensive line the Third intends to break through is this mountain range."

"Our targets should be Rock Town Village on the outskirts of the mountains, or White Stone Gorge."

"Rock Town Village is the largest logistics and supply station the Stone ninja have near the Heavenly White Mountains. Not only does it hold enormous stockpiles of supplies, but many high-ranking Hidden Stone officials are also stationed there, directing the overall situation."

"As for White Stone Gorge, it is a vital mountain passage leading into the range."

"Most of the Stone ninja withdrawing from the Wind-Fire border will pass through White Stone Gorge."

"Our mission is to draw attention and hinder reinforcements. So I think we can start with White Stone Gorge—destroy the main route, delay the reinforcements, and buy time."

"Enormous stockpiles of supplies? The largest logistics and supply station?"

As Sora listened to Samui, his eyes lit up.

"Is that information reliable?"

Isn't that the wrong thing to focus on, boss?

"The information came from the intelligence division, so there should be no mistakes." Samui lightly bit her lip. "Are you planning to attack Rock Town Village?"

"We can only attack Rock Town Village."

Sora gazed into the distance. "White Stone Gorge is only one of the entrances into the Heavenly White Mountains. Even if I destroyed the entire gorge, they could still enter from elsewhere. It would only cost them a little more time."

"Since those old men want me to draw the fire over here, then naturally, we need to make a bigger mess."

"If this so-called Rock Town Village is that important, then we'll charge straight at it."

His matter-of-fact words brimmed with absolute confidence, as though that place was not the enemy's central stronghold, but merely his own backyard. Samui's eyelids twitched.

But Sora did have a point.

If they could infiltrate Rock Town Village and destroy the Hidden Stone higher-ups or their supplies, they could draw even more of Hidden Stone's attention.

But it would also be far more dangerous!

Still, Samui did not consider her own life.

The moment she accepted this mission, she had already resigned herself to death and prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.

What truly worried her was the impact her own weakness might have on the mission.

"With my infiltration skills, I'm afraid I won't be able to conceal my tracks at all..."

"You're infiltrating?"

Sora gave Samui a strange look. "That's my job."

"The greatest value in bringing you along, aside from letting me learn the intelligence and collect the spoils, is having you verify my identity and making sure those young punks who don't know me can keep their mouths shut."

"..."

For a moment, Samui did not even know what to say. She could only nod.

At this point, aside from trusting the legendary Blood Wrist before her, she had no other choice.

"Then I'll be in your care, Lord Sora."

"Just keep up. As long as you don't expose yourself, they'll barely notice you."

Samui grew curious.

Sora's records stated that he had once served as captain of the ANBU First Squad, so Samui had no doubts whatsoever about his infiltration abilities.

But what kind of stealth technique could even conceal another person's movements as well? That left her rather curious.

She understood soon enough.

Sora did not use chakra, nor did he employ a Transformation Technique or any other trick. He simply strode openly toward Rock Town Village.

There was no concealment whatsoever, nor any infiltration technique!

In no time at all, the two of them were spotted by patrolling Hidden Stone ninja.

"Who are—"

Crack!

Before the questioning words could even leave his mouth, a streak of Blood Lightning flashed, and Sora was already standing before the Hidden Stone ninja.

A massive palm came down. The Stone ninja did not even have time to react before he was slapped into a cloud of blood mist, leaving no corpse behind.

"Th-This!"

Samui, who had been using chakra to conceal her presence and desperately disguise herself, was dumbfounded.

What... what kind of infiltration method was this?

"Infiltration method?"

"As long as I kill everyone, my tracks won't be exposed. That's the best infiltration method!"