Chapter 20: The Hidden Rain Village
Whoosh!
More than thirty shinobi moved silently through the forest.
Not a single bird took flight as they passed beneath the trees. The animals seemed completely unaware of their presence, as though the entire group had left no trace behind.
Gōenji occasionally activated his Sharingan, scanning the surrounding terrain while keeping pace with the formation.
Their movements were perfectly concealed.
For a shinobi, the ability to hide one's presence was one of the most fundamental skills. It was something taught at the Ninja Academy from the very beginning.
That was why the birds in the forest hadn't reacted to their passing.
The entire unit was composed of elite shinobi carrying out a covert mission, so there was no question about their ability to conceal themselves. Every member was highly proficient at hiding their presence.
This was what a true shinobi should be like.
As they traveled, Gōenji couldn't help but think about how different the original Naruto story was from the reality he was now experiencing.
Some of the more intimate scenes in the original series had never felt particularly ninja-like to him. At times, the shinobi seemed more like ordinary warriors.
There were also surprisingly few scenes involving assassination, espionage, infiltration, or intelligence gathering.
Most of the time, it was simply—
Fight.
Fight again.
Then fight some more.
It was entertaining, certainly, but it didn't fully showcase what made shinobi different from ordinary soldiers.
A sharp cry suddenly came from above.
Gōenji looked up.
An eagle circled overhead before gradually descending toward them.
Danzō reached into his equipment pouch and pulled out a blank scroll.
The eagle flew directly into it.
A series of characters immediately appeared across the previously empty surface.
Danzō read the information before speaking.
"Once we leave the Land of Fire, everyone will transform into Iwagakure shinobi. Do not use any techniques that are uniquely associated with Konoha. Make sure you don't expose your identities."
Everyone nodded.
Gōenji did the same.
Efficient.
Danzō's ability to execute missions was genuinely impressive.
He could quickly determine what needed to be done, communicate his orders clearly, and maintain pressure on the entire unit without wasting a single word.
It was difficult to reconcile this decisive, capable shinobi with the man Danzō would eventually become.
As a shinobi, Shimura Danzō was undeniably talented.
"If we aren't allowed to use Konoha's signature techniques, that means the enemy won't be able to identify this as a Konoha operation," Gōenji said quietly. "Danzō's intelligence network must be extensive. It seems he's already prepared to act directly against Amegakure."
It made sense.
The mission had been assigned specifically to interfere with the relationship between Iwagakure and Amegakure. There was no way Konoha would send them in without gathering sufficient intelligence beforehand.
Konoha probably already possessed most of the information they needed.
At this point, the question was simply whether their intelligence was accurate.
Poor Amegakure.
The Land of Rain was caught between the major powers, making its position incredibly difficult.
Even having Hanzō wasn't enough to change that.
One man couldn't carry an entire country on his shoulders.
Unless that man possessed strength on the level of the First Hokage or another legendary figure.
Hanzō was powerful, but he wasn't at that level.
Since Gōenji couldn't use Konoha's signature techniques, he would have to rely on other methods.
He couldn't casually use the Sharingan, either.
That left him with kunai, taijutsu, shuriken, traps, explosive tags, kenjutsu, the Body Flicker Technique, and countless other basic tools of the shinobi trade.
Fortunately, he knew a great deal.
And his progress during the past month hadn't been limited to Fire Release.
Fire Release remained his greatest talent by far, but that didn't mean he was mediocre in every other field of ninjutsu.
His experiments had already confirmed that he possessed considerable talent in other areas of ninjutsu as well.
It simply couldn't compare to his monstrous talent for Fire Release.
Even his knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and related subjects had improved significantly.
Now, even without the Sharingan, he could execute the Uchiha Clan's shuriken techniques.
He could combine mathematics, aerodynamics, and other principles with his enhanced intellect to calculate trajectories and determine the most effective way to use each throw.
For him, it was almost effortless.
That was where his confidence came from.
Even without the Sharingan, he wouldn't be weak.
The Sharingan was simply too useful.
Being able to observe another shinobi's techniques directly and analyze their chakra flow provided information that was extremely difficult to obtain through other means.
Unfortunately, there was no substitute for that.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The entire unit remained on high alert.
Two days later, they finally reached the border of the Land of Fire.
Gōenji looked toward the horizon.
The difference was striking.
On the other side of the border, the sky was covered by dark clouds. A light drizzle fell continuously, turning the ground into a landscape of puddles.
Raindrops struck the water's surface, sending ripples outward.
Behind them, however, the Land of Fire remained bathed in warm sunlight.
Birds sang.
Flowers bloomed.
The contrast was almost surreal.
Only when the clouds spread farther toward the Land of Fire would the border disappear beneath their shadow.
Under Danzō's command, the unit crossed into the Land of Rain and continued toward its interior.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
More than thirty shinobi simultaneously performed the Transformation Technique.
They then put on the raincoats Danzō had prepared beforehand.
Gōenji transformed into an Iwagakure shinobi, complete with the appropriate clothing.
He glanced down at himself, then quietly chuckled.
The Transformation Technique really was one of the most useful techniques in the shinobi world.
Its practical applications were far greater than the original series had made them appear.
Even the simplest transformations could serve as crude versions of the legendary transformation techniques he'd seen in other worlds.
Danzō's cold voice cut through the rain.
"Everyone will follow orders. Anyone who disobeys will be treated as a missing-nin."
His ruthless nature was immediately apparent.
Danzō lived by a simple philosophy: for a shinobi, the mission came first.
There was no denying that, putting aside his selfishness and paranoia, the man possessed considerable ability.
His presence gave the unit a strange sense of security.
But Gōenji knew that feeling was deceptive.
The sense of security simply meant that Danzō had prepared everything carefully.
The dangerous part was that he was also perfectly willing to sacrifice his own people if doing so would allow him to complete the mission.
The group continued through the central region of the Land of Rain before heading southeast, toward the territory between Amegakure and Iwagakure.
Everyone concealed themselves carefully.
Even beneath the curtain of rain, their figures disappeared into different hiding spots.
Following Danzō's instructions, Gōenji crouched behind a large rock and covered himself with a specialized camouflage cloth.
As he waited for their target to appear, his thoughts inevitably drifted toward another organization that currently existed somewhere in this country.
I wonder what the Akatsuki looks like at this point.
This was the era when Hanzō still ruled Amegakure.
The Akatsuki was still in its infancy.
According to the timeline he remembered, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan were currently spreading their ideals of peace throughout the Land of Rain, gathering like-minded companions and gradually expanding the organization's influence.
They're probably still a long way from becoming the Akatsuki I remember.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
A strange sound suddenly caught Gōenji's attention.
He narrowed his eyes.
Several figures appeared in the distance.
More than a dozen shinobi wearing Amegakure's distinctive clothing were approaching.
Their hats and woven rain capes were clearly visible through the downpour.
Judging from their formation and pace, they appeared to be heading out on a mission.
This route should be near the border between Iwagakure and Amegakure.
Splash. Splash.
Their sandals struck puddles as they advanced, sending water spraying in every direction.
Gōenji silently estimated the distance between them.
A shuriken rested between his fingers.
Around him, the other Konoha shinobi were doing the same.
The atmosphere grew tense.
Then one of the Amegakure shinobi suddenly stopped.
"Something's wrong!"
"There are enemies nearby!"
Whoosh!
The instant the warning rang out, the entire Amegakure unit sprang into action.
The previously quiet rain-soaked wilderness erupted into movement.