The five people from the two sides stared at one another, but neither group attacked. With an unspoken understanding, both sides took several steps back, putting a safe distance between them.
This was not just for their own safety, but also to give themselves room to think calmly. Until they understood the situation, they would avoid any conflict unrelated to their missions.
Once they had put some distance between themselves, the wariness in their eyes eased slightly, but neither side showed any intention of speaking first.
"Only three of them. That isn't the standard lineup for a tactical squad. Has the fourth already been killed? Or..."
Kinryu lowered his voice, keeping his gaze fixed on the three Hidden Cloud Anbu opposite them.
When he failed to spot a fourth figure, his brow instinctively furrowed behind his mask.
"Probably an understaffed tactical squad. That's very common in our Anbu."
Tenma also spoke quietly, offering his guess.
Kinryu nodded. That was the most reasonable explanation.
One Jonin leading three Chunin was the ideal standard lineup for a four-person Anbu tactical squad.
As a unit directly under the Kage, the Anbu regularly carried out all kinds of high-risk missions, and their casualty rate remained high. It was perfectly normal for a four-person tactical squad to lose members and be sent out on another mission before replacements could be assigned.
His and Tenma's situation was different, however. They did not belong to the Anbu directly under the Hokage, but to Root.
Within Root, tactical squads did not have a uniform number of members.
They were a two-person tactical squad carefully selected from within Root.
Their Ninjutsu complemented each other as well, making them a rather unusual tactical squad even within Root.
While Tenma and Kinryu were speaking quietly, the three Hidden Cloud Anbu opposite