"We'll reach Rendezvous City up ahead." The shinobi who spoke checked the map. A map was essential when traveling through the Land of Wind; otherwise, it was easy to lose your bearings.
Most of the land was desert, and a moment's carelessness could leave you lost.
"Let's get the intelligence as quickly as possible, then withdraw." Hatake Sakumo looked into the distance. There was still no sign of the city.
The two shinobi accompanying him exchanged a glance, completely unable to understand why they had been assigned this mission.
Because of Hatake Sakumo's keen senses, neither had been given the specific mission details. They had only been ordered to help him complete his mission.
As Root members, they generally would not ask about the mission's details, either.
Neither had any idea that they had already been abandoned from the very beginning.
The three continued forward in silence as hot wind mixed with grit blew into their faces.
Soon, the city came into view. They stopped, used the Transformation Technique together, and walked into the city.
The Sunagakure shinobi guarding the city noticed nothing unusual.
Hatake Sakumo and the others entered without trouble.
The desert city seemed rather spacious. Everyone wore windproof wraps, and despite the heat, they were all bundled up tightly.
The temperature difference between day and night in the desert was astonishing.
The heat was relatively bearable, but the cold could truly take a person's life.
The three did not immediately meet the spy. Instead, they looked at the surrounding buildings and asked about local prices like ordinary people.
They looked like merchants who had come to open up a new market.
Such people were not uncommon. One or two would appear every so often, so they did not stand out.
Hatake Sakumo asked about fruit prices at