The thirty-two Konoha and Sand shinobi scoured the Forbidden Zone, crisscrossing the desert in a silent dance of reconnaissance. Occasionally, the advance teams would cross paths. When they did, they would pause just long enough to confirm identities—a wary exchange of glances to ensure no third-party interloper had donned a transformation—before moving on, neither side hindering the other.
Ui's team remained a constant fixture in the sky. He and Hyuga Hizashi had a clear division of labor: thanks to the superiority of the Byakugan, Hizashi handled the visual monitoring of the entire area, while Ui managed the aerial platform and communications with Minato's squad.
As the three-hour window drew to a close and mid-morning approached, the designated time for the meeting arrived. Both the Hokage and the Kazekage, along with their remaining sixteen personal guards, began their entry into the zone.
"The Third Hokage and our forces have entered the zone..."
Hizashi, who had been a silent statue behind Ui, suddenly spoke. In the thin air of the Land of Wind, the wind howled around them, but Hizashi's voice cut through the noise with chilling clarity, delivered straight to Ui's ear.
Before Ui could respond, Hizashi's voice paused for a fraction of a second, then continued with mechanical precision:
"The Kazekage has been spotted. Warning: The Fourth Kazekage has entered the monitoring sector. Group count: seventeen. The Kazekage himself and sixteen guards. The numbers match our intelligence... Primary targets identified: Target One, Priority S, Fourth Kazekage Rasa; Target Two, Priority S, Sand Elder Chiyo; Target Three, Priority A, Sand Jonin and Tactical Commander Baki."
When enemy shinobi reach a certain level of power, Konoha keeps them under a microscope. Their profiles, photographs, and signature techniques are compiled into bingo books distributed to every front-line ninja. Hizashi, a veteran elite, identified the key threats instantly.
Ninjas like Lady Chiyo were a nightmare to face. One could be killed by her toxins before even realizing the fight had started; worse, her poisons were mass-produced. The only reason the front hadn't collapsed earlier was because Tsunade had been there to counter her move for move. In Konoha's assessment, while the Kazekage was the political head, Chiyo's sheer lethality made her a greater immediate threat.
As for why Ui didn't recognize a high-level elder like Ebizo earlier? That was the result of him being a "transfer student" to this front. Having joined late and under chaotic circumstances, he had never actually been issued a standard intelligence manual. In his world, the "Shinobi Handbook" simply didn't exist because no one had bothered to give him one.
Kushina, after all, was a bit scatterbrained. You couldn't count on her for the paperwork.
Still, the Byakugan proved why the Hyuga called themselves Konoha's strongest in the absence of the Senju and Uchiha. At this distance, Ui could strain his eyes until they popped and see nothing but sand, yet Hizashi had already mapped out the enemy's formation. In a ninja battle, being the first to see is often the same as being the last one standing.
Just as Hizashi finished his report, the scheduled mental link from Minato's squad arrived.
This long-distance telepathy was a massive drain on chakra, so if there was nothing to report, Ui would usually just send back a "null" and the connection would sever. The "Yamanaka Radio" was strictly one-way and high-maintenance, but in this era, it was the pinnacle of high-tech communication.
This time, a "null" wouldn't cut it. Ui quickly detailed everything Hizashi had observed to Yamanaka Inoichi, repeating the target list twice to ensure no errors.
"Understood..."
There was a brief silence—likely Inoichi relaying the info to Minato and receiving instructions—before the command came back.
"Maintain close surveillance of the Kazekage's movements. Repeat: maintain close surveillance."
"Hyuga-Kamishiro team, understood."
Ui acknowledged the order, and the link went dead. With the Kazekage on the move, Minato would be shifting into high-alert status.
"Let's get closer," Ui said to Hizashi.
Hizashi nodded. "I'll guide us. Turn to 9 o'clock. Distance: 4.5 kilometers."
Ui banked the Yatagarasu and accelerated toward the coordinates. Soon, the Kazekage's retinue came into view. Ui lowered their altitude but kept a respectful, safe distance—just enough to be visible so the Sand would know they weren't attempting a sneak attack. This was "open surveillance." In this climate of paranoia, hiding would only invite a pre-emptive strike.
Ui briefly considered the impulse to buzz the Kazekage's head just to see his reaction, but he suppressed it. Now was not the time for his usual antics.
Don't seek out death, he reminded himself. At least not today.
The Sand team wasn't blind. They immediately spotted the "little bird" they had grown to loathe.
"Ignore it. Continue the advance. The meeting with the Hokage takes priority."
Because they were low and the desert air was clear, Ui caught the faint echo of Rasa's command to his subordinates.
Ui and Hizashi shadowed the group for a considerable distance until another Konoha ground team rotated in to take over the visual. Just as Ui was about to pull back and regain altitude, Hizashi's hand clamped onto his shoulder.
"Wait. Something's wrong."
The Yatagarasu hovered mid-air.
Ui turned around and saw a look of unprecedented gravity in Hizashi's eyes. Yes, even those pale, seemingly pupilless eyes could convey a look that was incredibly sharp.
"What is it?" Ui asked.
Hizashi released Ui's shoulder, his gaze fixed on a point in the distance.
"Stay right here. Do not move."
Chakra flooded into the Byakugan. The veins around Hizashi's temples pulsed with sudden, violent intensity. He stared into the void, his focus so absolute it was chilling.
Ui followed his gaze, but to his "normal" eyes, there was nothing out there but the barren, sun-scorched earth.