Operation

"Captain, Jonin Minato and Jonin Dan Katō have already set out with their team," Cicada reported as she came to Gennosuke's side.

Gennosuke nodded and glanced around again. "Where's Crow?"

"Crow and Sparrow are scouting ahead," Fangs answered. After thinking for a moment, Gennosuke told Cicada, "Have Crow and Fangs return. Leave forward scouting to the other Anbu."

"Alright."

Around noon, Minato and Dan Katō discussed it and decided to take a break for lunch.

Watching the steaming hot pot being cooked below, Jin drooled from his perch in the tree. "Captain, can't we go ask for a bowl too?"

"Hurry up and eat your soldier pills. All you do is think about unrealistic things," Gennosuke said, handing him several soldier pills.

Jin looked at the pitch-black soldier pills in his hand, then at the hot pot below... "The difference is really huge..."

"Eat up. Rest for a while once you're done." Fangs handed over some of his specially made soldier pills. "These are chicken-leg flavored. Specially made."

"Oh? Then I've definitely got to try them." Jin promptly put away the soldier pills Gennosuke had given him and reached out to take Fangs's.

Gennosuke watched Jin and shook his head helplessly. He really does have a child's temperament. That's not bad, either. At least he won't lose himself in a place like the Anbu.

"Sakumo-senpai, not a single prisoner of war was missing when we delivered them," Minato and Dan Katō said cheerfully.

The past week had kept both of them on edge, afraid that the slightest mistake might occur. Fortunately, they had arrived safely in the end, allowing them both to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"You two have worked hard." Sakumo smiled and nodded. After having someone take charge of the prisoners, he continued, "Will you rest for a day, or return immediately?"

"We'll return immediately," Dan Katō said. "Tsunade's been busy with an experiment lately. I need to get back and help her."

Minato added, "Same here. I still need to lead some genin on missions."

Seeing this, Sakumo did not insist that they stay. "Alright, then be careful on the way. Once the handover is complete, I'll return to the village as well. See you there."

After parting ways, Minato and Dan Katō chatted as they walked. "Minato, are those five people in the shadows still following us?"

"They're gone." Minato shook his head. From the moment they had left the village, he had known there were five people hidden in the shadows. They must have been Anbu arranged by the Hokage to protect them in secret...

"The Anbu who came with us have also disappeared without a trace." Dan Katō frowned slightly, feeling that something about this was off.

Minato, however, said reassuringly, "Our mission was to deliver the prisoners of war. We shouldn't worry about anything else..."

"Carry out the final mission." Gennosuke spoke in a low voice. "Once the prisoner exchange is complete, eliminate all Hidden Sand prisoners of war."

"Yes." The others answered in unison. Though Jin did not quite understand why they had to do this, he still agreed. After all, the Anbu's first rule was to obey orders unconditionally.

"Crow, Fangs, and I will handle the frontal operation. Cicada will relay intelligence. Sparrow will make sure none of them escape," Gennosuke arranged methodically.

Anbu Squad One silently watched the prisoner exchange not far ahead from the shadows. At this moment, Gennosuke softly asked Jin, who was resting with his eyes closed beside him, "Do you not understand why we're doing this?"

"Mm... a little." Jin narrowed his eyes. "But it won't affect my execution of the mission."

"Some of the prisoners were interrogated, and they now know our interrogation procedures. So... do you understand?" Gennosuke explained softly. "Likewise, Hidden Sand will send Anbu as well. It all comes down to whose methods are superior."

"But Jonin Minato and Jonin Dan Katō have already left, haven't they? Who's protecting our people?" Jin asked in confusion.

"The previous Anbu never left. Like us, they're carrying out the final mission—protecting our people." Gennosuke laid out the orders in full, afraid that Jin might overthink things and let it affect the mission.

"Understood, Captain." Jin continued resting against the tree. Though it was somewhat inhumane... this was, after all, an unspoken rule of the Shinobi World.

As both sides began returning with their respective villagers in the distance, the prisoner exchange officially came to an end—and it was time for Anbu Squad One to make their move.

"Get ready," Sparrow reminded them. Gennosuke moved first, with Fangs and Jin close behind.

"Captain, I've established a mental link. If anything happens, I'll notify you immediately." Cicada's voice rang out in everyone's minds.

By the time they tracked the enemy beyond Konoha's borders, a day had already passed. Seeing that the time was ripe, Gennosuke signaled Fangs and Jin in code. The two understood at once, and Jin was the first to rush out and attack. "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."

The Hidden Sand jonin leading the group had been on guard against an ambush by Konoha's Anbu all along, but he had not expected it to come so soon. They were still some distance away from the ambush point Hidden Sand had prepared for Konoha's Anbu...

Still, he reacted quickly and shouted, "Enemy attack!"

The prisoners who had just been released had already been highly strung from the moment they were captured until their release. Now that they had been set free, they had naturally relaxed completely. How could they possibly react in time to such a sudden turn of events?

The shuriken split from the Phoenix Sage Fire Technique slaughtered freely through the crowd. It took several full seconds before the Hidden Sand group finally launched a frantic counterattack.

"End this quickly." Gennosuke leaped out from another tree trunk, reminding the others from behind his mask as he unleashed a ninjutsu. "Fire Release: Smoke Accumulation Burn."

Fangs followed immediately. "Earth Release: Hardening Technique!"

A massive cloud of smoke enveloped the Sand Ninja. The next second, the smoke ignited. At the same time, someone was charging wildly through the crowd... it was Fangs, using the Hardening Technique.

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"

The Hidden Sand jonin leading the group unleashed a ninjutsu, then quickly retreated as he roared furiously, "What does Konoha mean by this?!"

"Sorry, but we have no obligation to tell you." Jin met the jonin head-on, his voice icy as the sword in his hand continuously shifted forms to attack his opponent.

"Hmph! You've gone too far!" The jonin used a backward kick to propel himself into the air, forming hand seals at the same time.

Jin used the Sharingan to predict his opponent's movements. The instant the hand seals were completed, Flying Thunder God activated. "Lament the tragedy of not having the Sharingan or Flying Thunder God."

"Flying Thunder God Slash!"

"Wha... wha... what..." The jonin stared with shaking pupils at the sword buried deep in his chest. He had never imagined that he would be instantly killed? His mouth trembled and twitched slightly... As Jin pulled the sword from his chest, the Hidden Sand ninja fell stiffly to the ground.

"Jin, use the Hidden Mist Technique!" Gennosuke came to Jin's side and gave the order in a low voice.

Jin did not hesitate in the slightest. "Ninjutsu: Hidden Mist Technique."

The dense mist enveloped everything within three kilometers. Without the jonin's command, the Hidden Sand prisoners had already descended into chaos. Now, they attacked wildly in every direction.

"Cicada, use your secret technique to tell them their locations." Gennosuke's voice appeared in everyone's minds once more.

Cicada replied, "Understood, Captain." She then gathered chakra and mental energy. "Secret Technique: Water Release: Water Mirror."