Dusk had fallen, and it was nearly nine thirty.
Hoshino put on his Anbu attire and mask, fastened his Forehead Protector, puppet, and ninja tool pouch around his waist, and left his room with a meter-long sealing scroll on his back.
He arrived at the Anbu Team Six room right on time. Everyone else was already there.
The atmosphere in the room was tense. Several Anbu members checked their equipment, and a murderous air hung over the room.
Before they set out.
Shaji took out a portrait and a map. "Before we leave, I'll go over the mission details one more time."
He unrolled the portrait, revealing a man with a gloomy expression and cunning eyes.
"Our target is this man, Onimaru, a Jonin certified by the village. He can control a giant sandworm puppet."
After giving a detailed account of the rogue ninja's intelligence, Shaji tapped a remote valley on the map.
"This is the meeting place, inside the Land of Rivers. According to our intelligence, Kumogakure will send at least one Jonin."
"Our mission is not only to kill Onimaru and recover the stolen puppet technology documents, but also to avoid a large-scale conflict with the Land of Lightning's ninja as much as possible. If fighting breaks out, end it quickly. We can't get dragged into a prolonged battle."
"Is that clear?"
"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.
"Move out!"
At Shaji's command, everyone quickly left the room and vanished into the dim night.
The lights of Sunagakure gradually blurred in the distance as the group traveled through sand and rock.
The desert night was bitterly cold, and the howling wind drove fine sand into their faces, making it hard to keep their eyes open.
Hoshino followed close behind the team, his eyes sweeping their surroundings warily from behind his mask.
This was his first time taking part in a mission this difficult. He couldn't help feeling a little nervous, but he was even more excited.
Who else joined the Anbu right after graduating from the Ninja Academy? And who else had an A-rank or even S-rank mission as their first official assignment after joining?
It was like taking a knife to the butt-an eye-opening experience.
As captain, Shaji remained at the front of the group, occasionally raising a hand to halt them while he carefully surveyed their surroundings.
The other Anbu members each performed their assigned duties, remaining on high alert.
After several hours of rapid travel, the team reached the border of the Land of Rivers.
A valley was faintly visible in the distance.
"The meeting place is up ahead. Everyone, follow the plan," Shaji said quietly.
"Spirit Puppet!"
Hoshino quickly took several small fly puppets from his ninja tool pouch and gave them a gentle toss.
The fly puppets flew silently toward the valley.
Through the lens over his left eye, he monitored the situation in the valley in real time.
A moment later, Hoshino reported quietly, "It's clear for half a kilometer ahead!"
"Move!" Shaji waved the team onward.
As Anbu, they had to trust their teammates absolutely during a mission.
So if Hoshino said the way ahead was clear, then it was clear.
The other Team Six Anbu members around him wouldn't doubt him in the slightest, much less question him.
As the team steadily advanced, they soon reached the edge of the valley.
Hoshino stopped and said, "I've spotted Onimaru. He's eight hundred meters straight ahead, and he's alone."
A chill flashed through Shaji's eyes, and he raised a hand to halt the team.
"Everyone, prepare to move. Spirit Puppet, keep watching Onimaru and make sure he hasn't noticed us approaching."
Hoshino nodded and continued monitoring Onimaru's every move through the lens over his left eye.
Onimaru was standing in the middle of the valley, seemingly waiting for something.
The giant sandworm puppet lay coiled on the ground beside him, giving off a chilling aura.
"Captain, Onimaru appears to be waiting for the Kumogakure ninja. He hasn't made any other moves for now," Hoshino reported quietly.
Shaji nodded slightly and quickly issued his orders. "Spirit Puppet, keep watching him and provide us with intelligence."
"Fox Shadow, circle around from the left and cut off his retreat. Night Sand, flank him from the right and keep him from escaping. Scorpion Shadow, support us from the rear. Faceless, advance with me from the front."
"Understood!"
Everyone answered in unison and put on their simultaneous-interpretation earpieces, then scattered and moved toward their assigned positions.
Hoshino quickly climbed a high rock and looked down at the activity in the valley.
He gave the Chakra Threads in his hand a gentle twitch, and several small spider puppets silently crawled toward the sandworm puppet's joints, ready to sabotage it at a critical moment.
Onimaru seemed unaware of the approaching danger. He stood where he was, occasionally glancing toward the valley entrance, clearly waiting for the Kumogakure ninja to arrive.
"Move!" Shaji barked, bursting into motion.
Onimaru lived up to his status as a Jonin certified by a great ninja village. He reacted with great speed, rapidly forming Hand Seals.
"Sand Release: Sand Wall!"
A thick wall of sand rose from the ground in an instant.
But Shaji had come prepared. His Kunai swiftly cut through the sand wall, and he continued closing in on Onimaru.
"Wind Release: Wind Blade!"
Faceless followed close behind, sending a sharp blade of wind straight at Onimaru's flank.
Onimaru's face darkened. He quickly retreated while controlling the sandworm puppet to block in front of him.
The sandworm puppet opened its enormous mouth and spat out a violent torrent of sand.
But the moment the sandworm puppet launched its attack, the small spiders had already crept onto its joints.
"Detonate!" Hoshino shouted under his breath.
With a boom, the sandworm puppet's joints were blown to pieces, leaving it unable to move.
Onimaru's expression changed drastically. "Who was that?!" he roared.
At the same time, Fox Shadow and Night Sand had flanked him from both sides.
Though Onimaru was powerful, he gradually fell into a disadvantage under the combined assault of the Anbu.
"Anbu, huh? You certainly got here fast!"
Onimaru sneered, bit his thumb, and slapped his palm against the ground.
"Summoning Technique: Giant Sandstorm Worm!"
With a rising cloud of smoke, a worm even larger than the sandworm puppet appeared in the valley and lunged at Shaji and Faceless, claws bared and jaws snapping.
Shaji's face darkened. "Scorpion Shadow, support us from a distance! Everyone else, attack Onimaru with everything you've got!"
Scorpion Shadow quickly emerged from the shadows, connected Chakra Threads to the scorpion puppet on his back, and charged toward the Giant Sandstorm Worm.
Hiss-
The giant worm let out a pained hiss as the scorpion puppet's stinger pierced its body, slowing its movements.
The others quickly closed in and continued their fierce assault.
For a time, flashes of Ninjutsu crisscrossed the valley, mingling with the metallic clang of colliding puppets.
"Damn it!"
Onimaru gritted his teeth, a flash of madness in his eyes.
"Wind Release: Windblown Sand and Dust Technique!"
In an instant, a violent sandstorm engulfed the entire valley, blurring their vision.
"He's stalling for time until the Kumogakure ninja arrive. Finish this quickly!" Shaji said coldly.
Hearing this, the others used Ninjutsu or controlled their puppets to advance toward Onimaru through the sandstorm.
Hoshino relayed his position through shared vision.
As the fierce battle raged, a sudden rush of wind came from behind Hoshino's ear.
"Well, look at that. There's a little mouse hiding here!"