Within the borders of the Land of Fire.
Leo's Ninth Squad was moving at full speed toward the battlefield in the Land of Rain.
Among the many small nations, the Land of Rain was considered one of the stronger ones. It lay between the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Earth.
Especially with the appearance of a powerful figure like the demigod Hanzō of the Salamander, the country refused to remain weak or to let itself be trampled by the Five Great Nations.
In recent years, the Rain had been strengthening its military, purchasing weapons, and boosting its national power.
It was a complete military state—where shinobi reigned supreme, ruled over civilians, and held absolute authority.
Unlike the system of the Five Great Hidden Villages, where a daimyo unified and balanced national power, here the shinobi were the state.
Seeing the Rain grow stronger, the Five Great Nations could not possibly sit by and watch. None of them would allow the birth of a "Sixth Great Nation."
Naturally, they all began meddling in the Rain's internal affairs, plundering its resources and land.
And the Land of Fire was no exception.
The battlefield being set within the Land of Rain wasn't merely a conflict with the Rain itself—it was also a proxy war between the ninja villages of Fire, Earth, and Wind.
In that sense, the Rain wasn't necessarily the weaker side. As an ambitious and cunning leader, Hanzō of the Salamander might even have welcomed this chaos—secretly allying with other nations or playing both sides for his own gain.
Along the road, Moonlight Jiho, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Aburame Shimura were chatting as they traveled. Leo was among them, though most of the time he was only listening.
Despite Leo's dazzling record in the ANBU—ten consecutive victories on the Dark List right after joining—none of that meant much now that they were heading to a real battlefield.
No matter how gifted someone was, without having faced blood and fire, they couldn't be called a true elite.
In their eyes, Leo would probably just be a burden during the first few missions. After all, he hadn't received formal ANBU training.
Before they left Konoha, Jiho had even received personal instructions from Hiruzen Sarutobi: to guide Leo, look after him, and, if necessary, protect him at all costs.
Thus, the team treated Leo more like a junior, eEXPlaining how missions should be executed and what to watch out for.
Leo cooperated fully—he knew he was the rookie here. The fact that they were even taking the time to teach him was already a courtesy.
The journey through the Land of Fire was smooth.
But as they approached the border, the group grew more silent, their vigilance increasing with every step.
During wartime, even the Land of Fire eEXPerienced internal unrest, let alone what awaited them beyond its borders.
The Land of Rain was a place riddled with danger—enemy encounters could happen at any moment.
Being surrounded by three great nations made it a central crossroads of conflict.
Before they even set foot inside, the weather changed—gone was the blue sky and warm sunlight, replaced by towering, oppressive clouds.
The air grew heavier, the atmosphere more suffocating.
Just like in the original story, the Land of Rain was shrouded in perpetual gloom and drizzle.
Though in that future, it was due to Pain's unique jutsu that allowed him to sense and control the entire country.
Now, as they officially entered the Land of Rain, not a single ray of sunlight remained.
Following the special markers left by previous ANBU scouts, Jiho quickly located Konoha's reconnaissance ninja—their "scouts," responsible for relaying intelligence and mission details.
After receiving the intel, the Ninth Squad officially began their mission.
But something soon made Leo quite frustrated.
"Leo, you'll walk in the middle," said Jiho.
"The middle?" Leo asked, puzzled.
"Yes. The three of us will form a defensive triangle around you. If anything happens, we can respond instantly."
As Jiho spoke, Shimura and Inoichi moved to the flanks, the four forming a classic ANBU defensive formation.
Behind his mask, Leo's eEXPression twitched—so they really did see him as a burden.
Still, their concern was genuine. Refusing it would only make him seem ungrateful.
With no better choice, Leo nodded and took his place in the center.
The Ninth Squad advanced deeper into the Land of Rain.
The missions were mostly uneventful—simple reconnaissance work with minimal danger. Occasionally they carried out assassinations, but only against minor local leaders, many of whom weren't even shinobi.
They were only Chūnin, after all. Sending them after elite Jōnin, Kage-level opponents, or even Hanzō himself would've been pure suicide.
Even so, they remained constantly on guard. On the battlefield, a single moment of carelessness could mean death.
For Leo, however, this had been his easiest period since joining ANBU. Protected on all sides, he hadn't even needed to draw his blade.
Still, not wanting to seem useless, he secretly used his Observation Haki multiple times to warn Jiho of possible ambush points.
This gradually changed Jiho's opinion of him—Leo's keen perception was no coincidence. Given time, he might become an exceptional ANBU operative.
A month passed in the blink of an eye. This would be their final mission before returning to report in—ANBU teams were required to return once every month. Those who didn't… were usually presumed dead.
Now, as they made their way out of the Land of Rain's interior, Jiho finally spoke up:
"Our luck's been good. Thanks to Leo's sharp senses, we've avoided several ambushes and direct confrontations. According to the scouts, many of our brothers weren't so fortunate this month."
Yamanaka and Aburame both fell silent, their eEXPressions heavy.
The four reached a small valley dotted with puddles from the constant drizzle. The air was eerily still, a faint mist curling between the rocks. Even the rain itself felt heavier here.
Thump… thump… thump…
Leo's Observation Haki flared to life. In that instant, time seemed to freeze. The falling raindrops slowed around him.
In front of him, Jiho had just lifted his foot, about to step into a puddle.
Leo instinctively reached out and yanked him back.
Jiho stumbled, startled. "Leo, what are you—"
Before he could finish, the puddle eEXPloded—dozens of razor-sharp water blades shot out from it!
"Insect Wall!"
Aburame Shimura reacted instantly, releasing a swarm of black insects that formed a writhing barrier before them—the Shield of Insects.
Jiho froze, staring in disbelief. He'd been a step away from death.
"...I almost didn't make it," he murmured, still pale beneath his mask.
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