A day later, Land of Fire border.
The reconnaissance mission had suddenly become a hunting mission. Neji keenly sensed that something was unusual, but he could only carry out Captain Sarutobi's orders. He did not yet have the authority to question them.
The darkness before dawn was at its deepest. The cliff walls on either side of the canyon resembled two unsheathed swords in the faint light, piercing straight into the clouds. Neji crouched behind a protruding boulder, his fingertips lightly brushing the warning talisman affixed to the rock face. The patterns on the paper trembled slightly in the morning breeze, as though they were breathing.
"The warning talisman has reacted." Neji spoke softly, yet Chasing Fang beside him immediately tensed.
The silver-haired youth hurried over, excitement gleaming in his eyes beneath his mask. "How far? How many?"
"Southeast, ten li away." Neji closed his eyes and sensed the chakra fluctuations transmitted by the Ninja Talisman. "Eight chakra signatures. Two are especially powerful, probably Jonin."
Chasing Fang let out a low whistle. "Your Ninja Talismans are more accurate than the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan. You can even tell their strength levels apart?"
The corner of Neji's mouth lifted slightly. "The quality and quantity of chakra differ, so their fluctuation frequencies naturally differ as well." He paused. "Just like how you can distinguish different ninjas by their footsteps."
Chasing Fang nodded. "Makes sense. I'll notify the captain."
Neji watched Chasing Fang vanish among the cliff walls in a few leaps and let out a quiet breath. Morning mist began to rise through the canyon, draping over everyone like a thin veil. He took out several dozen Chain Mine Talismans and carefully buried them among the gravel.
The moment the talismans touched the ground, they immediately blended into the surrounding rocks. They were