Land of Lightning.
At this moment, Sora was lurking in a damp, dense jungle.
He was wearing dark combat attire, covered by the standard Konoha Anbu flak jacket, and his familiar Green Snake mask. His entire figure nearly merged with the shadows.
Not far from him, Fox, Grey Wolf, and Night Owl were also lurking.
Although Fox had lost one arm, Konoha was currently severely short-handed, so he was still serving as the captain of Squad C Five.
On the stump of Fox's missing left arm, a specially-made kunai arm blade was attached. It could be used for combat and did not affect his hand seals, though his movements were ultimately not as fluid as before.
The penetrating wound on Grey Wolf's chest had healed, but it left a lingering aftereffect. His breathing would become somewhat difficult after intense exercise, and his strength was somewhat diminished. Sora suspected he would likely never reach jonin level in the future.
Night Owl had recovered the best and was currently closing his eyes, carefully sensing the movements around them.
Sora's team's mission was to investigate the movement routes and logistical supply points of an elite unit from Kumogakure.
This unit, codenamed "Thunder Blast," had recently caused considerable trouble for Konoha's northeastern front forces. They were swift-moving and extremely destructive.
Konoha's higher-ups suspected they might have a special raid plan, so they dispatched Squad C Five to investigate.
After several days of careful tracking and lurking, Sora's team had basically identified this unit's general area of operation and several commonly used supply routes.
The mission was entering its final stage.
'Kumogakure's defenses are much tighter than imagined. The frequency of patrols and the density of sensory barriers are both very high. It seems even within their own country, they don't dare let their guard down in the slightest.'
Sora thought silently to himself, his gaze sharply scanning the surroundings.
Under the dark clouds of war, everyone's nerves were stretched taut.
Even with a god's-eye view and knowledge of the general historical direction, Sora dared not be the least bit careless.
The tide of history was indeed vast, but those who drowned were often careless small figures.
He had no desire to become one in some insignificant statistic.
"That should do it." Fox's low voice reached everyone's ears via chakra. "One final check on the supply point in the southeast valley. If there's nothing unusual, we can withdraw."
"Understood."
"Roger."
Grey Wolf and Night Owl replied in low voices.
Sora also nodded slightly.
The four of them, like ghosts, flitted silently through the forest, moving quickly towards the southeast.
Their movements were very agile, avoiding leaving any traces as much as possible.
As he moved, Sora pondered the current situation in his mind.
'With Kumogakure and Iwagakure attacking simultaneously, Konoha's pressure is indeed immense. However, according to the original, Konoha ultimately pulled through, even managing to pull off classic battles like the Kannabi Bridge.'
'But the process was absolutely brutal, with countless ninja dying on the battlefield. Including Obito...'
Thinking of Obito's name and his fate, Sora's feelings were somewhat complicated.
As long as the masterminds, Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu, remained unresolved, the tragedies wouldn't stop. Moreover, saving Obito would cause the future to deviate from the track he was familiar with. It might be better to let things proceed in their original direction, as he could at least grasp the vast majority of future intelligence.
This was also why he hadn't grown closer to Obito at the Ninja Academy, Obito was fated to be a tragic figure.
...
Soon, Sora and the other three reached the vicinity of the target valley.
Hidden in the dense bushes on the hillside, they cautiously looked down.
Within the valley, there was indeed a temporarily established Kumogakure supply point.
Several large tents stood there, guarded by about ten Kumo-nin. Ninja moving supplies could be seen entering and exiting from time to time.
Judging by the number of tents and the scale of the guards, this should be a medium-sized supply point, likely storing a significant amount of supplies.
After careful observation, Fox said in a low voice,
"It seems correct. This is likely an important supply point for the 'Thunder Blast' unit. Once we record the coordinates and guard strength, our mission will be complete."
Night Owl immediately took out a map and charcoal pencil, quickly marking it.
Grey Wolf counted the number of guards below and their shift patterns.
Sora's gaze swept over the entire camp more meticulously, including the surrounding terrain.
'The guard strength doesn't seem too heavy, but there must be warning barriers and traps hidden in the shadows. If we launch a strong attack, the four of us could probably take it, but it would definitely cause a commotion. Attracting surrounding Kumo-nin would be troublesome then.'
'Better to be safe. Record the intel, then return safely.'
Just as Sora thought the mission would conclude peacefully, his gaze suddenly focused.
He saw a Kumo-nin who had just walked out of a tent at the edge of the camp. This person seemed different.
That person wasn't busily moving supplies or patrolling like the other ninja. Instead, he stood there, his gaze sharply scanning the surroundings, as if inspecting something.
More importantly, Sora noticed his forehead protector was worn in a somewhat special way, and there was an inconspicuous mark on his flak jacket.
'That mark... seems like Kumogakure's intelligence division?'
Sora's heart sank slightly.
A ninja from the intelligence division appearing at a frontline unit's supply point?
This seemed somewhat unusual.
Unless... this was not merely a simple supply point.
"Captain." Sora transmitted information via chakra in a low voice to Fox. "Three o'clock direction, the ninja with the headband near the tent. Pay attention to the mark on his flak jacket."
Hearing this, Fox immediately looked in the direction Sora indicated.
A moment later, Fox's voice also carried a hint of gravity:
"...Kumogakure's 'Raven' unit? What is one of their people doing here?"
"Raven unit?"
Grey Wolf and Night Owl clearly had also heard this name. Their tones immediately changed.
Kumogakure's "Raven" unit was an elite force specifically responsible for counter-espionage and internal purges. It was equivalent to part of the functions of Konoha's "Root," but more mysterious and ruthless.
Their appearance often meant cleanup, silencing, or a trap.
Fox acted decisively:
"The situation is abnormal. Cease all movement, maintain maximum concealment. Night Owl, prioritize sensing if there are any ambushes or barriers around!"
Night Owl immediately held his breath and concentrated, pushing his sensory abilities to the limit.
Sora also quietly mobilized the subtle perception brought by the Azure Dragon Fruit, combining it with his hearing and sight to carefully probe for any abnormalities around them.
In the air, there seemed to be an additional faint, elusive sense of tension.
Beneath his mask, Sora's brow furrowed slightly. 'Hopefully... it's just a false alarm.'
The atmosphere in the valley suddenly became tense and still.
Night Owl's perception was operating at full force. A moment later, his face instantly paled. He transmitted an urgent message via chakra:
"Captain! There are hidden barrier nodes in the surroundings! More than one! We might have been under their surveillance the whole time!"
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