Border patrols were generally conducted in groups of two or three, keeping watch along fixed routes.
This was enemy territory.
If he wanted to kill the Amegakure Ninja, he had to do it with a single fatal blow. He couldn't give the target any chance to send a signal or alert others, otherwise... "Also..."
Yuji hung upside down from a tree, channeling Chakra to adhere the soles of his feet to a branch.
Before his eyes, a white line as thin as a strand of hair appeared, wrapped around the tree trunk.
This was clearly a trap.
If one were to step on it accidentally, it would surely trigger some kind of alarm, leading to exposure.
Just like his own Sunagakure, due to their familiarity with the environment, the traps they set were often difficult for outside enemies to detect, primarily because of their lack of familiarity with the surroundings.
Fortunately, through the original work, Yuji had a certain understanding of the Land of Rain, including this kind of jungle warfare.
Then, his figure flickered and vanished.
Hiding one's tracks, camouflage, meticulous observation... these were all part of a Ninja's strength.
They had all learned this at the Ninja Academy.
Relying solely on manpower to patrol and cover the entire vast border was quite difficult... With the Second Great Ninja War ongoing, both the Amegakure and Sunagakure were actually very short on manpower.
Therefore, the best method was to set up a large number of traps at the border, which could effectively intercept intruders.
And the Amegakure Ninja would certainly know these trap locations like the back of their hand.
Soon, besides that kind of white line installed on the trees, Yuji also discovered exploding tagss hidden very discreetly on the bark, as well as springboards hanging within the shade of the trees that would fire a barrage of Kunai once triggered. In short, these traps were laid out more or less as Yuji had expected.
However, as he moved through the dense forest, he had to be extra careful.
Suddenly, Yuji's ears twitched.
He heard a sound.
He immediately slipped into a thicket of bushes beneath a tree.
Immediately after, an Amegakure Ninja appeared above him. He didn't notice Yuji and was just performing a routine check on the trap devices.
This kind of work was also part of Yuji and his team's daily routine.
After confirming there were no issues with the traps, the man jumped away.
Yuji didn't make a move... because he wasn't sure if there were other Amegakure Ninja nearby.
After a while, Yuji had basically familiarized himself with a section of the forest, designating it as his hunting ground. Before the hunt, he had to have a preliminary understanding of the surrounding environment.
Next, he went ahead to another trap point set by the Amegakure.
He hid in the shadows.
Sure enough, before long, the Amegakure Ninja who had just checked the traps appeared again.
Yuji leaned against the back of another tree, scanning the vicinity with his peripheral vision. Once he confirmed again that the opponent was alone, he quietly gripped his scalpel.
Swoosh!
In the weather of the Land of Rain, things like exploding tagss easily became damp, causing them to fail.
They had to be replaced frequently.
The Amegakure Ninja had just finished sticking a fresh exploding tags back onto the spot when, in the next second, a chilling killing intent rushed toward him.
Out of instinctive combat reaction and experience, the Amegakure Ninja instantly raised his weapon and tried to stand up to dodge.
At the same time, he observed the enemy's figure and position.
But... he didn't expect the opponent's speed to be so fast, and he also misjudged the enemy's sneak attack route. He thought the enemy would close in, but unexpectedly, the latter just leaped over his head, using the momentum of his rising posture to land on the ground.
"A child?"
When the Amegakure Ninja saw the enemy clearly, his expression changed slightly.
He thought the boy had missed... he himself didn't feel like he had been attacked or injured.
"Sunagakure, huh..."
Upon seeing the forehead protector hanging around Yuji's neck, the Amegakure Ninja's gaze turned cold, and he was just about to release a signal.
Suddenly, his movements stiffened, and his pupils dilated.
Because only now did the pain of being attacked appear. It was his neck... it had been sliced open.
This kid's strike... was silent and precise!
Even a difference of just one body length had already decided his life and death.
From the very beginning, this Sunagakure brat had seen through his rising movement and its range... it wasn't a miss at all, but a perfect assassination.
With a soft thud.
The Amegakure Ninja's body tumbled from the tree. Yuji immediately stepped forward to catch the corpse, hid it in the bushes, and quickly erased some traces from the scene.
Half an hour later, another Amegakure Ninja appeared at the spot.
He had come specifically to look for his missing companion.
"Strange... where did he go?"
This Amegakure Ninja jumped onto a tree trunk, stood up to survey the surroundings, and frowned.
There were no signs of an enemy attack on their side. Although the two of them had separated by some distance, if his companion had really encountered an enemy, there should have been some noise.
He had followed the footprints left by his companion all the way here.
However, just as he stood up with a puzzled look on his face.
The back of his head suddenly felt a chill.
Because behind him, an upside-down face dropped down from above, silently and mysteriously.
Falling along with it were a few leaves.
To this Amegakure Ninja's senses, this person seemed to have appeared out of thin air; his presence had been completely undetected beforehand.
Yuji's hand rose and the blade fell.
The seemingly thin and small scalpel easily plunged into the back of the Amegakure Ninja's head. Then, the moment his body went limp, Yuji flipped down and supported the dead enemy.
Following the same pattern, he hid the body and the traces once more.
"The sudden disappearance of two people will be enough to alert the other Amegakure Ninja in the base... The prey that comes later will likely be on guard, making them not so easy to deal with." Yuji narrowed his eyes.
Under the opponent's meticulous vigilance and combat atmosphere, even if he could kill the Amegakure Ninja, the number would probably be limited.
Moreover, the task Arai had assigned to him and Sasori had a time limit.
Once it caused a large-scale alarm among the enemy... the situation would become serious.
"I'll just do my best..."
Yuji smiled and flickered away.
He had to think of some other hunting methods... Meanwhile, on the other side.
Two Amegakure Ninja were staring in shock at two corpses hanging from a tree trunk.
Those were their companions!
Blood was still dripping from high above onto the ground.
They had clearly just died.
And on the tree, a boy sat perched... looking at them with a cold gaze, as if he were looking at dead men.
He looked down at them from his high vantage point.
"A Sunagakure Puppeteer... quick, notify..."
One of the Amegakure Ninja reacted and had just spoken.
The other had already pulled out a signaling device from his waist.
However, at the same time they made their move, a strange sound reached their ears.
Those were two puppets flying toward them, controlled by Chakra threads.
The puppets made a creaking sound as they swayed.
The two puppets, one on the left and one on the right, suddenly transformed into two wooden racks covered in sharp spikes as Sasori's fingertips twitched gently.
With a loud clap.
The puppets were like two walls pressing against each other, instantly sandwiching the two Amegakure Ninja between them.
With a burst of blood, the two were riddled with holes by the spikes.
They died on the spot.
Sasori remained indifferent. With a flick of his fingers, the two puppets flew back.
Unlike Yuji, he did not clean up the scene; after killing the people, he simply turned and left.
He had no intention of hiding his tracks at all.
It was almost as if he were killing people in a blatant, swaggering manner...