The Squad

At dawn, dark figures flashed past Outside Konoha and stopped in a forest. Fugaku and several other Uchiha arrived soon after.

Many Ninja had already gathered in the forest. Every clan in Konoha was represented, especially the Hyuga, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans, which specialized in reconnaissance.

With three nations fighting in the Land of Rain, Scout Ninja could make a real difference by spotting enemies early and reducing losses.

More figures appeared among the trees. Even the weakest of them was an elite Chunin. Proud as the Uchiha were, they set their pride aside. These were Konoha's finest.

"Quite a few people in the Vanguard Force this time," Uchiha Jin said beside Fugaku. "Things in the Land of Rain may be worse than we thought."

Fugaku nodded. "Hanzō is known as the Demigod of the Shinobi World. The Land of Rain is arguably the strongest nation outside the Five Great Nations. If it hadn't sent its best, the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth would have driven it out long ago."

A figure with long white hair and a Short Sword strapped to his back entered the forest, cutting off the conversations. Power radiated from him, sharp as a drawn blade.

Fugaku Uchiha knew Hatake Sakumo had arrived. The Ninja who had been standing in small groups lined up in several columns without being told and faced forward.

Hatake Sakumo was well known in the village. Hatake Swordsmanship had been famous throughout the Shinobi World since the Warring States era, and Sakumo had surpassed his predecessors. In Konoha, his reputation even exceeded that of the Third Hokage's three disciples.

Ninja admired strength, whatever else they thought of a person. Plenty in the Vanguard Force looked up to Hatake Sakumo.

"I'll assign the squads now," Hatake Sakumo said. "You have six days to learn to work together. After that, gather at the location marked on your maps."

Several dark figures flashed through the trees. The Ninja who appeared handed each person a mission sheet.

Fugaku took his. It listed a number and the names of his two teammates.

Mission Sheet: No. 013

Captain: Fugaku Uchiha.

Squad Members: Aburame Nozawa, Satomaru.

Objective: Travel to the Land of Rain and kill three Ninja from other nations.

At the bottom of the sheet was the rendezvous point: a stretch of woodland in the Land of Rain.

Fugaku did not know whether every squad had been ordered to enter the Land of Rain and kill Ninja from other nations, but he understood Sakumo's purpose.

Ninja fought as teams. A squad with no rapport would only hold itself back. The sheet did not specify whether their targets had to be Jonin or Chunin; Sakumo wanted the squads to find their rhythm through combat.

Fugaku saw another purpose as well. This was Hatake Sakumo's test of the Jonin-led squads. Those confident in their strength would choose to hunt enemy Jonin first, even without being told to.

As the son of the Uchiha Clan Head, Fugaku could not settle for killing three Chunin. He hoped they would run into a Jonin squad.

"Captain, I'm Aburame Nozawa." A slightly tall Ninja in dark sunglasses approached, his head hidden beneath a hood. "I specialize in controlling insects."

Nozawa held out his right hand. Several Kikaichū crawled across it.

"Captain, I'm Satomaru, a Konoha Chunin. I'm best at Fire Release and Sword Techniques."

The Ninja who stepped forward looked utterly ordinary.

Fugaku nodded. He had never underestimated anyone. No matter how plain Satomaru looked, a Chunin the Third Hokage had assigned to the Vanguard Force was no ordinary man.

"All right. I'm Fugaku Uchiha," he told his teammates. "I specialize in Sharingan Genjutsu and Fire Release."

The three had each named their strengths. They needed to know that much to work together.

Fugaku passed the mission sheet to his teammates. "We're to reach the Land of Rain and kill three Ninja from other nations. Their rank isn't specified."

Both men nodded, their expressions shifting slightly. They had probably guessed the mission's real purpose.

The squads formed quickly, then disappeared one after another into the trees.

"See you in the Land of Rain, Fugaku!" Uchiha Jin called. "We're heading out first."

Jin and his two teammates vanished into the forest.

"Let's go too," Fugaku Uchiha said. "We'll decide how to complete the mission once we reach the Land of Rain."

"Yes."

All three vanished at once and traveled through the forests of the Land of Fire.

They did not move particularly fast. Each watched the others, hoping to learn more about his new teammates. This was their first time working together.

Fugaku paid most of his attention to Satomaru. He already knew the Aburame Clan fairly well, including its various insect-control techniques.

The more he watched Satomaru, the more he sensed there was more to the man than met the eye. Whether traveling or setting up camp, Satomaru was unfailingly cautious. Fugaku suspected he might once have served in Konoha ANBU.

Satomaru's assignment to his squad was probably no coincidence. If the Third Hokage wanted to win Fugaku over, he would need someone he trusted close by to observe him and decide whether he was worth the effort.

Three days later, they reached the Land of Rain. Fine rain fell steadily on them. Fugaku disliked missions in wet weather, but he doubted this trip would end with a quick return to Konoha.

Once the coming Shinobi World War broke out, the fighting would last for years.

"I've carried out missions in the Land of Rain before, so I know the terrain reasonably well. Let's find a cave and get out of the rain," Fugaku Uchiha said. "Nozawa, can you send out your Kikaichū in this weather?"

"I'll use tonight to breed Kikaichū that can better withstand the rain," Nozawa said calmly. "I suspected I'd be sent to the Land of Rain, so I've already worked out how to do it."

Fugaku nodded. The Land of Rain was mountainous, and its vegetation was sparse. It did not take long to find a fairly clean cave where he had sheltered on a previous mission. He had carved a mark in a hidden spot to help him find it again.

The cave was dim. The three lit a campfire and sat around it. Fugaku set a trap at the entrance; whether an intruder triggered it or disarmed it, he would be alerted.

"We have only three days to carry out the mission," Fugaku Uchiha said. "We're elite Ninja of Konoha. Completing it by hunting Chunin or Genin squads would be an insult to us. We can kill them, but they won't count as our targets.

"Our first choice is Jonin squads from other nations. With so many nations at war, taking one out would prove our strength and weaken an enemy at the same time.

"Nozawa, send out your Kikaichū tomorrow to find squads from other nations. Report back on every one you find, whether it has Jonin or not."