Entering

Fugaku committed all the intelligence to memory, then walked toward the two Sunagakure Jonin. Three Tomoe revolved in his eyes. Nothing about their condition escaped his Sharingan.

Both men were awake and merely pretending to sleep, perhaps hoping to escape when the others let their guard down.

"Stop pretending," Fugaku said. "The Hyuga's Gentle Fist has severed your Chakra pathways. You can't escape."

At his words, both men opened their eyes. Hatred, helplessness, and regret filled their gazes as they stared at Fugaku. Their mouths were gagged, so they could not even curse him.

They seemed to remember the intelligence they had revealed under his Sharingan Genjutsu, and the thought clearly galled them.

"Don't blame me. Blame this cruel world," Fugaku said. "I hope you're born in a peaceful age next time."

A dark blur swept past, and the Kunai in his hand slashed both their throats.

Two messages appeared in Fugaku's mind.

Killed one Jonin. Gained a moderate amount of Pupil Power.

Killed one Jonin. Gained a moderate amount of Pupil Power.

A cool sensation rose in his eyes, soothing them. The fatigue from repeatedly using Sharingan Genjutsu vanished, leaving his eyes sharper than ever. The increase in Pupil Power also gave Fugaku more confidence in the mission ahead.

"Shinji, Ono, bury these two with the other four Sand Shinobi," Fugaku said. "We leave tomorrow morning. First, we'll set traps at the designated location to cover our retreat."

"Yes."

The night passed quietly. No other Ninja came upon the place and made camp there. The group of eight headed for the Sunagakure Outpost.

The rain in the Land of Rain was heavier than usual that day. The eight had no need to erase their tracks; the rain would cover everything.

Concealed on high ground, Fugaku Uchiha pointed to a patch of land below. "Set the traps there. Once we leave through the Sunagakure Outpost's southeastern exit, we'll turn north and use the traps to shake off the Sand Shinobi. Then we'll head straight east to the Vanguard Force camp."

Hyuga Ning considered it for a moment. "That's an excellent retreat route. Yamada Shinji, Aburame Nozawa, I'm leaving you two to guard the traps."

As Konoha's elite, none of them found setting traps difficult, especially with two Earth Release Ninja among the eight.

The sky gradually darkened, and the rain grew heavier still.

"Let's go," Fugaku said. "Use the journey to settle into your roles."

"Transformation Technique!"

Smoke billowed around them. When it cleared, a squad of Sand Shinobi emerged and headed toward the Sunagakure Supply Outpost.

Each of them ran through the traits of the Ninja he was impersonating, working to adjust his habits.

Every so often, Fugaku scratched his right cheek. It was one of Black Sand's most distinctive habits. Supposedly, insects had often bitten that side of his face when he was young, and scratching it had become second nature.

His eyes darted from side to side, and he kept his body poised to defend at any moment. He looked cautious to a fault.

Details about Black Sand ran through Fugaku's mind and gradually took shape in his movements. By the time the Sunagakure Outpost came into view, all six had their impersonations down to a fine art.

"Captain Black Sand, you're back!" one of the Sand Shinobi guarding the gate called from a distance. "How did the mission go? Run into anyone from Iwagakure or Konoha?"

"Tongmu, Hirasawa." Fugaku greeted them easily. "We didn't run into Iwagakure or Konoha, but we crossed paths with several squads of Rain shinobi. We fought a few times, but they had the numbers. It ended in a draw, and both sides withdrew."

"Yeah, Ninja from Iwagakure and Konoha aren't easy to find," Tongmu said. "Captain Kurozawa's on duty in logistics today. We won't keep you."

Fugaku nodded in reply.

Black Sand's caution was well known among the Ninja at the outpost. He rarely fought Ninja from Konoha or Iwagakure and usually withdrew even when he encountered them.

Fugaku's claim that they had not encountered Ninja from either nation was exactly what the outpost personnel expected. Claiming they had fought them would have been suspicious.

Black Sand was generous, though. He spent most of his mission rewards treating others, and back in Sunagakure, he had treated nearly every Ninja squad now stationed at the outpost.

The information on Kurozawa, the Jonin in logistics, came to mind.

Kurozawa was a Sunagakure Jonin skilled in Wind Release and Puppet Technique. Cool-headed by nature, he looked down on Black Sand for being excessively cautious.

At the logistics tent, Fugaku lifted the flap and entered with Hyuga Ning. The other four remained outside.

The tent's furnishings were simple: a desk with paper and pens on it. Kurozawa sat behind it, while Murakami and Inoue were the two Chunin on duty that day.

"Captain Black Sand, Fukaki, you're back!" Murakami greeted them warmly. "How did it go?"

"We still don't know what Konoha and Iwagakure are up to," Fugaku said. "But Amegakure has stepped up its deployment. The constant fighting has Hanzō furious."

"Of course he doesn't know what Konoha and Iwagakure are doing," Kurozawa said coolly. "Fukaki, staying with Black Sand will only bury your talent. Want me to write to Sunagakure and have you transferred out of his squad?"

"Kurozawa, that would only hurt Fukaki," Fugaku said. "As a newly promoted Jonin, he doesn't need brutal combat right now. He needs time to learn how to be a Jonin."

Kurozawa took a deep breath. "There's no talking to you. But I'll say this anyway: the situation won't stay as it is for long. The fighting will only grow fiercer. If he doesn't get used to facing powerful enemies now, he'll die all the faster when it does."

Hyuga Ning stood to one side, looking embarrassed, as though he felt awkward about the two men arguing over him.

"Worry about yourself," Fugaku said. He turned and left the tent, his voice drifting back inside. "I'll wait outside."

Fugaku had planned the argument before entering the tent. It would divert Kurozawa's attention and make him overlook details that might give them away.

Inside, Hyuga Ning smiled at Kurozawa. "Sorry to trouble you again, Captain Kurozawa. Captain Black Sand is a capable Jonin. I've learned a great deal from him."

"Hmph. I think his caution has gone too far. He's turned into a coward." Kurozawa handed Hyuga Ning the document he had prepared. "Here's your certificate. Take it. I hope you don't become another Black Sand."

"Thank you, Captain Kurozawa."

The whole team breathed a sigh of relief when Hyuga Ning came out. With the certificate in hand, half their mission was complete. Now they had to find a way to destroy the supplies in the Sunagakure warehouse.

Their eyes met, and no words were needed. The closer they came to their goal, the more important it was to stay calm. One slip could ruin everything.

The six headed toward the warehouse at the Sunagakure Outpost.