As long as they remained vigilant, a four-person squad with sensory and scouting capabilities could avoid more than 99% of dangers.
Hyuga Kouta, as a branch family member, had a duty to dissuade Kiyo Hyuga. He couldn't stand by while a main family elder went deep behind enemy lines without protection. For the Hyuga clan, safeguarding the Byakugan was more important than the village's mission.
With both major Hidden Villages attacking, it was impossible for Amegakure not to notice. The fact that they did and still showed no signs of preparation made Kiyo Hyuga suspect a deeper conspiracy.
The squad cautiously avoided all of Amegakure's outposts. Kiyo even captured a two-man patrol and handed them over to Kurenai Yuhi for genjutsu interrogation.
After hearing the intel, Kiyo furrowed her brows. "Reinforcements are still in the rear? At this stage? Why are they so slow? Can we trust the intel?"
"Unless Hanzo intentionally gave them false information to mislead us, but their route clearly wasn't that of scouts," Kurenai replied softly, relaying all she had extracted.
As team captain, Kiyo had to make judgments based on the intelligence gathered—it was her responsibility.
She looked up. "Any intel on who's leading their reinforcements?"
"No. Their rank was too low—just Amegakure shinobi stationed in Kaigawa Town. But according to their memory, that individual preferred working alone and didn't seem like someone sent to command frontline forces."
Kiyo stared at the map for a while. If they returned now and handed the intel to HQ, their mission would be considered a success. They had identified something abnormal about Amegakure, though lacking finer details.
Still, that didn't sit right with Kiyo. This level of intel might as well be nothing.
"Amegakure shinobi rarely follow protocol. Even if those stationed in Kaigawa Town find a messenger missing, they won't report it," Kurenai said pointedly, subtly nudging Kiyo's decision.
"Then we wait here for two days. Whether reinforcements come or not, we return afterward."
If the target was alone, they might act depending on the situation. With Byakugan, Kiyo could assess an enemy's chakra levels. While chakra didn't always equate to strength, powerful individuals rarely had little.
The team agreed. This plan allowed them to gather more intel while staying safe. Kiyo had chosen a location well-suited to Byakugan surveillance, with escape routes in case of a large enemy force.
They moved immediately and reached their position swiftly.
Few in the Akatsuki were interested in war. Even as leader, Nagato couldn't summon them all to face Iwa and Konoha. Apart from collecting Tailed Beasts and specific missions, members were largely free to act as they wished.
Only three agreed to get involved in the invasion of the Land of Rain. Kakuzu accepted after Konan paid him a large sum under Amegakure's name.
Jūzō Biwa and Raiga Kurosuki joined purely out of interest. After assassinating the Fourth Kazekage, things had grown dull for them. Hailing from the Village of the Bloody Mist, they had long suppressed their bloodlust.
The Land of Rain's environment was ideal for Lightning and Water Release techniques. So Jūzō and Kisame joined the conflict without hesitation.
The terrain didn't suit large-scale operations. As former members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, they specialized in small-scale assassinations. Even if they couldn't win, they could escape.
Jūzō figured once the war began, he'd head to the front lines to assassinate a few Leaf shinobi. He hadn't fought in so long, he worried he was getting rusty at the Hidden Mist's assassination techniques.
Aside from training with the Seven Swordsmen, Jūzō preferred working alone. That's why he refused to team up with Amegakure's shinobi—he considered them useless baggage.
"Wonder if I'll run into that spandex freak from Konoha…"
On his way to target Leaf shinobi, Jūzō often thought of the man who had shattered the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—Might Duy. Because of him, Jūzō both hated and feared Konoha. He couldn't stand that, as one of the Seven Swordsmen, he had developed fear toward a single man.
As he walked along a path in the Land of Rain, Jūzō approached the ambush spot chosen by Kiyo's squad. It was an intersection leading to Kaigawa Town and the front lines, with Kiyo hiding on a nearby mountainside.
After more than a day of rotating watch, a lone figure finally arrived.
Warned by Inuzuka Hana, Kiyo and the others drew near.
"Byakugan!"
Even from two kilometers away and obscured by the forest, Jūzō couldn't spot them. But with Byakugan, Kiyo soon identified his appearance and the massive blade on his back.
"A giant sword almost as tall as a person… and that chakra level—it looks like the Executioner's Blade from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."
She shared this intel, and the others frowned.
"Executioner's Blade? Why would one of the Seven Swordsmen be in the Land of Rain?" Hana asked, puzzled.
"No idea. If it really is that blade, it could mean he's a rogue-nin or someone stole it."
Kiyo's white pupils shifted slightly. "He's alone, and his chakra's slightly above mine. With the four of us, it's not impossible."
"Still, we don't know his full abilities. Don't rush it," Kurenai warned. She wasn't joking—whether a Swordsman or someone who took their weapon, either way, he was dangerous.
"Even if he's one of the Seven, with Kouta and my vision, we can keep him occupied. Kurenai, you cover Hana openly, while secretly we'll create an opportunity for you."
Kiyo looked calmly at Kurenai's red eyes.
Kurenai stared back for a moment, then smiled wryly. "Alright, I give in. But I decide when we retreat. If you don't agree, I won't support this plan."
"Deal."
Kiyo smiled too. If Kurenai had objected, she'd have ordered a full retreat. But her agreement meant there was a real chance.
Even if they failed, their team was strong enough to escape.
The skies over the Land of Rain were eternally gray. Even when it wasn't raining, thick clouds covered the sky.
Perfect weather for an ambush.
As Jūzō walked a forest trail, he suddenly stopped.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Shuriken and kunai flew from three directions. Jūzō grinned, swung his Executioner's Blade in a wide arc, and knocked them all down.
"Hey hey, Konoha shinobi, right? You come all the way out here and don't even say hi? How rude!"
He scanned his surroundings and locked on to several locations.
"No use hiding—Water Release: Water Whip!"
He quickly formed seals. In the damp environment, Water Release techniques were far more powerful. Three snake-like water whips lashed out toward the trees.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Trees were smashed, forcing the hidden shinobi out.
Seeing the trio, Jūzō relaxed slightly—no one in green spandex.
"Byakugan, a dog… you three must be a scout team. You think I'm just a regular Ame-nin?"
Before he could finish his rant, Hyuga Futa charged at him.
"Too chatty. Are all the Seven Swordsmen this talkative?!"
Thud!
Kouta's Gentle Fist strike was blocked by the Executioner's Blade. He quickly shifted and attacked again. Kurenai and Hana flanked him, covering angles to threaten Jūzō at all times.
"Gentle Fist, huh? Supposed to be Konoha's best taijutsu… you're not even close to that green freak!"
Jūzō kept blocking Kouta's strikes with his blade's flat. Despite wielding a heavy weapon, his movements were fast.
Their blows rang with muffled metallic thuds. Despite Futa's relentless attacks, Jūzō didn't budge.
"Take this—tsk!"
Jūzō kicked Futa away, tried to follow up, but Kurenai threw kunai to force him back.
Boom!
Hana's kunai, embedded with explosive tags, forced him further away.
"Don't even think of escaping!"
Futa seized the chance and resumed attacking.
Kurenai threw more kunai with expert timing—one of them tore through Jūzō's cloak.
"You damn brats are starting to piss me off!"
Though he felt no real threat, being pushed back by coordinated attacks annoyed him. Combined with his resentment toward Konoha, he began using more strength, forcing Kouta into danger with his blade.
"Die!"
"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
As Jūzō swung, Kouta launched a powerful chakra blast that hurled him over twenty meters away.
At that moment, a figure leapt from a tree and dove toward Jūzō.
But Jūzō spun around, planted his blade in the ground, and laughed. "I sensed you long ago, naive brat!"
"Water Release: Water Clone!"
"Water Release: Water Prison!"
A clone turned into heavy water, wrapping Kiyo in a crushing prison.
"Kiyo!"
Kurenai shouted, then threw her final three kunai.
Jūzō deflected them easily.
But then Kurenai vanished like cherry blossoms, replaced by a massive whirlwind.
"Fang Wolf Fang!"
While Kurenai used a genjutsu clone, Hana and her dog launched their technique.
"So that was the cover… Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Jūzō chose not to dodge—if he did, the Hyuga could escape. He poured chakra into his jutsu to knock out at least one opponent first.
Rumble!
Water clashed with whirlwind. Overpowered, Hana was blown back and forced to disengage.
But suddenly, Jūzō's instincts screamed—danger behind him. He raised his blade without thinking.
Kiyo had used that moment to burst free from the prison with a chakra surge.
Soaked but undeterred, she shouted, "Eight Trigrams: Mountain Crusher!"
Boom!
Even with his blade blocking, Jūzō was sent flying dozens of meters and smashed into a tree.
"Damn Hyuga… you're worse than the spandex freak!"
As he tried to rise, he noticed—his Executioner's Blade had transformed into roots, binding him to the tree.
"Genjutsu?! When—?"
For the first time, Jūzō looked truly shocked.
His arms were locked by the root-blade. Even gathering chakra was difficult.
Then, descending from the branches above, Kurenai—who had vanished with her clone earlier—appeared with a kunai in hand.
With a piercing stab toward his heart, she declared:
"It's over!"
(End of Chapter)