The Operation

A side path ran from the logistics office toward the warehouse. At its end stood a cluster of tents where Sunagakure teams stopped to rest when they came for supplies.

An elite Jonin could get from those tents to the warehouse in less than a minute.

Fugaku Uchiha and the other five had to destroy the supplies in the warehouse within that minute. Otherwise, a large force of Sunagakure Shinobi could arrive, and the mission would likely fail.

The sky grew darker, and the rain showed signs of getting heavier. The downpour concealed a great deal.

Qiuze Danye handed Fugaku several kunai fitted with explosive tags. Dark streaks flashed through the air, and the kunai vanished into the curtain of rain without making a sound.

Qiuze Danye had placed simple seals on the kunai. When they struck the ground, the seals would activate and bury the explosive tags beneath the soil.

Every Sand Shinobi team heading to the warehouse had to pass this way. If someone stepped on the soil above a tag, the pressure would set it off and slow the Sand Shinobi down.

The explosive-tag traps were only a precaution. If they made the Sand Shinobi stop, they would have served their purpose.

The outpost's warehouse was a large tent divided into several smaller storerooms. Three Sand Shinobi guarded the outer section: one Jonin and two Chunin.

Fugaku and the other five lifted the flap and went inside.

"Black Sand, Fukaki, you're here." The ninja facing them greeted the six Sand Shinobi. "Kurozawa was on duty at the logistics office today. He didn't give you any trouble, did he?"

The intelligence on the three people inside the tent came to mind.

Ishida was a Sunagakure Jonin who specialized in wind and water ninjutsu. In a place as wet as the Land of Rain, he could fight far better than usual. He was also friendly by nature.

One of the Chunin was Feicun. He specialized in Wind Release and was timid but observant.

The other was Mitsui. He specialized in Fire Release, had a fiery temper, and paid little attention to details.

Fugaku smiled. "How could he? This is the front line. No matter how much Kurozawa dislikes me, he wouldn't make trouble for me here."

Ishida nodded. Kurozawa would not dare harass Black Sand. If Black Sand reported it to Sunagakure's Command Headquarters in the Land of Rain, Kurozawa would face severe punishment.

Deliberately obstructing a village Jonin at the logistics office during wartime could be treated as suspected collusion with the enemy. Kurozawa might even be detained as a spy. Unless he was a fool, he would leave Black Sand alone.

Fugaku handed Ishida the undamaged authorization document. "When we picked up supplies last time, Noda said you were running low. Don't tell me there's nothing left by the time it's our turn."

"Of course there is," Ishida said with a laugh. "A shipment arrived this morning. We're fully stocked now. The kunai are from the latest batch shipped out of the Land of Artisans, not old inventory from years ago."

Ishida examined the document carefully, then passed it to his two assistants. "Everything's in order. Mitsui, Feicun, fetch what's on the list. Black Sand, Fukaki, please wait here a moment."

Ishida chatted warmly with Black Sand and the others, including the four Chunin, keeping up a casual conversation.

Fugaku watched Ishida's eyes throughout. Not the slightest change escaped him.

He noticed Ishida's eyes narrow for an instant before returning to their usual liveliness. After that, Ishida's gaze kept drifting toward the four Chunin.

Fugaku knew their cover might have been blown. The four had done their best, but they still lacked the experience and ability to fool a Jonin for long.

He could not wait any longer. Otherwise, Ishida might send a warning and bring a large force of Sand Shinobi down on them.

Fugaku signaled to the others with a glance. They understood. Their cover was blown, and they readied themselves to fight.

"Ishida."

Fugaku called his name without warning.

Ishida turned toward Fugaku Uchiha. A pair of scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan met his gaze, their tomoe spinning rapidly.

Ishida's eyes went blank for an instant. The five others struck, driving five kunai into his body. The fierce pain jolted him from the genjutsu.

Freed from the genjutsu, Ishida saw that Fugaku Uchiha and his companions had changed back into Konoha shinobi. He glanced down at the fatal wounds covering his body and gathered all his remaining strength to warn his two subordinates in the warehouse.

Fugaku whipped his arm across Ishida's throat with a kunai. The Sunagakure Jonin died with his eyes wide open.

A message appeared in Fugaku's mind.

Killed one Jonin. Gained a moderate amount of pupil power.

A cool sensation immediately flowed through his eyes, nourishing his Sharingan.

Qiuze Danye and Satomaru carried Ishida's body to a corner of the tent. With the rain pounding outside, no one would notice.

Fugaku glanced at Hyuga Ning. Ning nodded and silently activated his Byakugan.

The tent walls might as well have vanished before Ning's Byakugan. He could see everything in the warehouse, including every trap.

Ning whispered what he had seen into Fugaku's ear. Fugaku nodded. A warning trap stood just inside the warehouse entrance. A ninja who did not know it was there could easily trigger it and bring a large force of Sand Shinobi.

Ning transformed into Ishida again and began chatting with Fugaku Uchiha.

"Those two get slower every time I give them a job," Ning said loudly. "Black Sand, I'll go see what they're doing. Wait here."

Ning rose, lifted the flap at the warehouse entrance, and went in. Fugaku Uchiha followed close behind, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan sweeping the room.

Hearing movement, Feicun turned toward the entrance. He had grown suspicious the moment he heard Ishida speak. Normally, he and Mitsui handled the supplies while Ishida chatted with the visiting ninja and gathered intelligence about the war among the four nations.

For Ishida to complain that they were working slowly meant either he had sensed something wrong or something had happened to him. Feicun was ready to rush out of the tent and raise the alarm at any moment.

But the instant he saw Fugaku Uchiha behind Ishida, the genjutsu in Fugaku's eyes took hold.

Feicun's plans dissolved. He could not tear his gaze away, and his awareness grew hazier by the second. He knew he had fallen under the enemy's genjutsu, yet he could do nothing.

Ning used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Mitsui before he could react. The kunai in Ning's hand cut across Mitsui's throat, spraying blood onto the warehouse shelves.

Only after the two Chunin were dealt with did Fugaku take a proper look around the warehouse.

The shelves in this section held weapons ninja commonly used in battle. Rows of brand-new kunai and shuriken gleamed with sharp edges.

Fugaku went through the smaller storerooms. He found all kinds of weapons, common puppet parts, and bottles of prepared soldier pills.

Sacks of grain were stacked neatly, presumably for making rations. After all, eating nothing but soldier pills every day would eventually cause problems for a ninja's health.

Fugaku approached another storeroom. Layers of seals covered its entrance. He guessed it held explosives such as explosive tags, or perhaps poisons made for puppets.