The Underground Base and the remains the Search Team discovered in the Land of Rivers caused quite a stir among the villages.
On top of that, when Ōtsutsuki Isshiki later ordered Kara to retreat, he destroyed a large number of secret bases.
This caused even more unrest in the shinobi world.
All the major powers grew wary and strengthened their border defenses and garrisons.
The Land of Wind, Sunagakure.
The night wind carried sand and gravel against the rock walls, making faint, rapid tapping sounds.
Baki stood behind the battlements, his gaze sweeping over the rolling dunes in the distance.
Moonlight spilled over the desert, illuminating every ridge of sand with stark clarity, but that only made it more unsettling.
The desert was too vast-so vast that an enemy could be hiding in any patch of shadow.
Even with three times the patrol personnel, Baki still felt uncertain.
"Still no signs of anything unusual."
A chunin's report came from behind him. "The third patrol has finished searching the southwest. They found no suspicious traces."
He turned toward the chunin, whose young face bore unmistakable fatigue.
This was already the fifth consecutive day of village-wide vigilance. Everyone in Sunagakure, from elite jonin to genin fresh out of the Ninja Academy, was taking shifts on guard duty.
After word arrived that Ōtsutsuki Isshiki had sent people to blow up bases across the nations, the Land of Wind's border defenses had gone on the highest level of alert.
"Have the third team return to camp and rest. Send the fourth team out to replace them."
Baki said, "Watch the blind spots on the shaded sides of the dunes. If the enemy infiltrates, those are the places they'll most likely choose."
"Yes!"
The chunin left to carry out his orders.
Baki's gaze moved