Chapter 55: Could it be...?
"Escort a supply convoy?"
"That's right. The frontline command has dispatched a transport unit, but manpower is stretched thin. They simply couldn't spare additional forces, so only a single jōnin squad was assigned to handle the delivery. That's why we're asking you, Clan Head Hyūga, to make the trip and provide support—specifically, to rendezvous with Kakashi's squad."
"Which squad?"
Hyūga Ritsu's gaze sharpened instantly.
The young man standing before him—his hair tied into a pineapple-shaped ponytail—froze for a moment before answering hesitantly,
"Kakashi's squad."
At the same time, a storm raged through his quick mind.
Kakashi's squad? What's the relationship here?
Why is the Hyūga clan head suddenly giving off such terrifying killing intent?
If he remembered correctly, there was a Hyūga ninja in Kakashi's team… but even so, this reaction felt excessive.
"Nara clan head," Hyūga Ritsu said coldly, a faint sneer tugging at his lips. "Because of manpower shortages, only Kakashi's squad was sent to escort such critical supplies? Has the frontline camp really become this understaffed?"
The man with the pineapple ponytail was none other than Nara Shikaku, head of the Nara clan—one of the famed Ino–Shika–Chō trio—and currently the commanding officer of the Kinkō Peak defense line.
Hearing Ritsu's question, Shikaku forced a wry smile and let out a quiet sigh.
"I don't have a full picture of the situation at the frontline camp," he admitted. "But among all the jōnin squads, Kakashi's team ranks firmly among the elite. Their captain, Hatake Kakashi, is a genuine prodigy. Two of his teammates are special jōnin from prestigious clans—one of them an Uchiha. The remaining member may only be a chūnin, but she's a fully qualified medical ninja."
He paused briefly, then continued,
"With a lineup like that, unless they run into a large Mist force or a top-tier enemy, they shouldn't encounter serious trouble."
"Hmm?"
Hyūga Ritsu's expression shifted slightly. "There's a member of my clan in Kakashi's squad?"
"Ah… you didn't know?"
Now it was Shikaku's turn to be surprised.
He didn't bother checking documents—his memory supplied the answer immediately.
"If I recall correctly, there's a young Hyūga girl in Kakashi's squad. Her name should be… Hyūga Akiha."
"Akiha…?"
Hyūga Ritsu's voice dropped, almost to a whisper.
Hyūga Ritsu frowned deeply.
Countless thoughts churned through his mind, and in the blink of an eye, clarity dawned.
After Uchiha Obito's "death," Kakashi's squad had been reduced to just Kakashi and Nohara Rin. When the village reorganized its units, Kakashi's team was almost certainly on the restructuring list. Given Kakashi's reputation as a genius—and his connection to the illustrious Namikaze Minato—preferential treatment was only natural.
It was likely during that reshuffling that special jōnin from both the Uchiha and Hyūga clans were assigned to Kakashi's squad.
From the elders' perspective, it was a sound decision. After all, serving in an elite squad drastically improved one's chances of survival compared to being tossed into a disposable frontline unit.
What they didn't know, however, was that the dangers Kakashi's squad faced went far beyond the Mist ninja on the battlefield.
Lurking in the shadows were enemies far more terrifying—beings scheming to overturn the entire shinobi world.
"…Will it be this time?"
Hyūga Ritsu murmured under his breath.
"What?"
Nara Shikaku was caught off guard by the sudden remark. Even for someone famed for intellect, mind-reading was impossible.
"It's nothing," Ritsu replied casually. "I just get the feeling this was Deputy Commander Aburame Ryūma's doing. Sending a single squad to escort supplies, then specifically arranging for me to intercept them… it doesn't feel well-intentioned."
As soon as he said it, his heart stirred.
Knowing that Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu were lurking in the darkness, constantly stirring chaos, his instincts immediately flagged this as a potential trap aimed at Kakashi's squad.
But then another question surfaced.
Why arrange him to provide support?
There were over a hundred ninja stationed at Kinkō Peak. Although they were tasked with guarding against Mist attacks, it wasn't as though manpower couldn't be reassigned at all. If needed, someone else could have been sent to intercept Kakashi's squad.
It didn't have to be him.
"Hyūga Clan Head, this is an order from the frontline command."
Shikaku's expression stiffened as he forced the words out.
As a strategist, he could clearly sense the irregularities in this arrangement. But on paper, everything was technically reasonable. Any objections could be countered with perfectly legitimate explanations.
So in the end, he could only pretend not to notice and carry out the order.
Strictly speaking, the Nara clan was aligned with the Sarutobi faction. Aburame Ryūma was a trusted subordinate of Shimura Danzō, the Hokage's shadow. And Danzō himself was the Hokage's black glove.
Tracing responsibility that far only led to one conclusion—
Some things were better left unquestioned.
"Clan Head Nara," Hyūga Ritsu said with a faint smile, "are you worried I might disobey orders?"
"How could that be?" Shikaku laughed dryly. "The great clans are the foundation of Konoha. The Hyūga clan head would never do such a thing."
In truth, he was worried—terrified even—that this young clan head might lose his temper and create a situation no one could clean up.
"Relax," Ritsu said calmly. "I have suspicions, but no evidence to support them. So naturally, I'll comply with the order—and I plan to depart immediately."
He turned toward the shimmering sea in the distance.
They were standing on a platform halfway up Kinkō Peak. From here, one could see the ocean to the east, the wastelands to the north, and dense forests to the south.
"Then I'll leave this to you, Clan Head Hyūga," Shikaku said promptly. "According to the frontline's information, Kakashi's squad will be taking Route Seven."
For shinobi who could traverse mountains as easily as flat ground, sticking to main roads was unnecessary. Between the frontline camp and Kinkō Peak, ten designated routes had been established to facilitate coordination. Without them, rendezvous missions would be nearly impossible.
"Route Seven…"
Ritsu recalled the terrain briefly, then nodded. "Understood."
He stepped forward, reached the edge of the platform—
And leapt.
His figure plunged down the jagged cliff face, body cutting through the air like a falling arrow. Mere seconds later, he vanished into the dense forest below.