High above the forest floor, several figures leapt rapidly from branch to branch.
Tsunade led from the front.
Hyūga Hiashi and Hyūga Hizashi guarded the flanks, scanning both sides.
Hyūga Ming brought up the rear.
A standard advance formation.
This mission was nothing like the last one.
There was no room for conversation during the march—every second mattered as they pushed hard toward the border of the Land of Fire.
Hyūga Ming carried a backpack nearly as large as himself.
Yet the weight didn't slow him down in the slightest.
By contrast, Hiashi and Hizashi—walking closer to the center—were already breathing a little harder.
The load was clearly taxing them.
Good thing my equipment boosted my strength, Hyūga Ming noted inwardly.
With a +3 strength bonus, his raw physical power already exceeded that of most ninja his age.
The packs were filled with sealing scrolls—inside them, ninja tools, soldier pills, medical supplies, and other strategic materials.
Critical resources.
Not a single item could be lost.
This alone had pushed the mission rating up to A-rank.
Without Tsunade, they wouldn't even qualify.
The team moved swiftly.
Through forests.
Across rivers.
Into the mountains.
Ninja rarely traveled main roads—mountains and wilderness offered concealment.
Only after entering deep mountain terrain did Tsunade finally signal a halt.
Night had fallen.
A crescent moon hung high above the silent peaks.
They built a small campfire, its flames flickering uneasily in the wind.
Tsunade poked at the fire, coaxing it higher.
"We still have three days of travel left," she said calmly.
That was at ninja marching speed.
For ordinary people, it would take at least a month.
"And from here on," she added,
"the real danger begins."
Hiashi and Hizashi frowned.
Hyūga Ming, on the other hand, looked almost excited.
This brat really does love trouble, Tsunade thought, glancing at him with mild irritation.
"If we're attacked," Hyūga Ming asked directly,
"what level of ninja should we expect?"
If it was a jōnin—he'd prioritize survival.
If chūnin—he'd decide based on numbers.
If genin—
Farm them.
Tsunade shot him a sideways look.
"Most likely chūnin," she replied.
"Jōnin and genin are less common."
Jōnin drew too much attention—any hint of their presence triggered immediate countermeasures.
Genin couldn't survive long under Konoha's patrols.
Chūnin, caught in between, were the most likely to slip through.
"Probably," Tsunade added.
That last word made Hyūga Ming uneasy.
He studied her expression carefully.
That sounded… uncertain.
Are we bait?
"Tonight, you three rest," Tsunade said firmly.
"I'll take first watch."
That did it.
Even Hiashi and Hizashi felt something was off.
Still, none of them objected.
Orders were orders.
Hyūga Ming glanced at the backpacks piled together.
If he wanted to confirm whether they were decoys, he'd need to check the sealing scrolls.
After a moment's hesitation—
He didn't.
They were genin on assignment.
Even if he knew the truth, what could he change?
He summoned his bronze blade, hugged it close, curled beside a rock, and closed his eyes.
Tsunade's gaze lingered briefly on the weapon.
A new Hyūga bloodline technique?
Or a ninja tool?
Hyūga Ming carried far too many things—far more than normal.
That blade especially.
She hadn't seen him draw it once during the march.
There was nowhere on his body it should've been hidden.
Still, she didn't press the issue.
She swallowed the question.
Late night.
Cold wind howled.
Tsunade sat by the fire, taking a small sip of strong liquor to chase away the chill.
Her eyes swept over the dry, yellowing branches around them.
"Winter's coming…"
The night passed peacefully.
At dawn, the team ate a few soldier pills and moved out immediately.
Soldier pills restored chakra and suppressed hunger—indispensable for long marches.
The silence continued.
The sooner they arrived, the safer they'd be.
As they advanced, Tsunade's vigilance increased.
Hiashi and Hizashi grew visibly tense.
Only Hyūga Ming looked unconcerned.
Suddenly—
Tsunade halted on a tree branch and turned back, signaling sharply.
Recon.
All three activated their Byakugan.
Hyūga Ming's vision turned transparent—terrain, trees, and distant figures laid bare.
Several silhouettes stood motionless ahead.
Their flowing chakra was impossible to hide from Hyūga eyes.
Hiashi quickly relayed the intel through hand signs.
"Five enemies ahead. Based on chakra volume—one jōnin, two chūnin, two genin."
Tsunade frowned.
Hyūga Ming understood immediately.
Too few.
If this route were bait, the response was underwhelming.
Hidden ninja within the Land of Fire shouldn't be this scarce.
Yet—
There were no others.
Tsunade made a swift decision, signaling assignments:
She would eliminate the jōnin.
Hyūga Ming and Hizashi would stall the two chūnin.
Hiashi would handle the two genin.
Hyūga Ming grinned, flashing his teeth, and signed back rapidly.
No.
Give me the two genin. Let them take the chūnin.
Hiashi immediately countered.
I can hold a chūnin.
As the Hyūga heir, he refused to be seen as weaker than either of them.
Tsunade looked hard at Hyūga Ming.
Then her hand dropped.
Operation begins.
Hyūga Ming tied his bronze blade to his leg with cord to keep it secure.
He noticed the doubtful looks aimed his way.
He snorted.
They think I'm avoiding strong enemies?
He didn't bother explaining.
What they thought meant nothing to him.
The four figures vanished in unison.
Hidden within the forest, Kian and his squad lay in wait.
Their intel was solid—this was a Konoha supply route.
The convoy had already departed.
Their mission:
Disrupt supply delivery.
Prevent the establishment of a defensive line toward the Land of Rain.
Kian adjusted the Cloud Village forehead protector on his brow.
It still felt unfamiliar.
They waited patiently.
Then—
A shadow dropped from above.
Straight toward him.
"Heavenly Kick of Pain!!"
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