War is a cruel furnace; it brings death to many, but it also forces survivors to grow at a rate that defies all logic.
Excluding Ui, the other three members of this squad were ordinary students less than a year ago. Now, they are efficient cogs in a killing machine. During their graduation exam, Kurenai Yuhi was easily provoked by Ui's words, but such a lapse in discipline would never happen now. It's not that she's fully "mature," but she has definitively begun the walk down that path.
Regardless of personal feelings or prior history, within this unit, they must follow Ui's lead. Here, Ui's words are not suggestions or opinions; they are orders that demand total compliance.
Communication among the four is sparse. Aside from occasional exchanges between Asuma and Kurenai, Ui and Yamashiro Aoba are largely silent. Aoba is quiet by nature; Ui is quiet because of the weight on his shoulders. The responsibility of leadership—the knowledge that every decision he makes directly impacts the survival of the three people behind him—has given him a new kind of gravity.
In an environment where an enemy could be behind any tree, he is occasionally tense and eternally vigilant.
The Briefing
Scouting cells like the Ui Squad operate independently within their designated zones. They have no reinforcements. Whatever they encounter, they must handle alone. Their mission is structured in 15-day cycles: monitor the movements of Hidden Rain forces and report back to intelligence headquarters at regular intervals.
As the three quickly finished the rabbit Asuma had caught, they performed a final gear check. All four wore identical, functional gear—all-black tactical cloaks with hoods, similar in silhouette to the uniforms of a certain future organization but without the ostentatious red clouds. This gear was chosen specifically for the region; you can't operate near the Land of Rain if your clothes aren't waterproof.
"Let's clarify today's objective," Ui said, spreading a detailed tactical map on the muddy ground. The team huddled close.
"We depart from Outpost B and head North. We will bypass the primary Hidden Rain activity zones and their usual patrol routes. Once we hit Landmark D—about 30 to 50 kilometers out—we pivot West. The goal is to cross into the Land of Rain undetected."
"Once inside, our primary objective is to scout the Amegakure forward camps across from our sector. We need to confirm if their numbers are increasing or decreasing."
Ui's finger traced the path across the map, lingering on key landmarks. In a mission like this, caution is the only currency.
"Any questions?"
Aoba and Kurenai shook their heads. In high-stakes missions, if you don't have a problem, you don't waste breath.
"One thing," Asuma said. "What's the extraction plan after the mission is complete?"
It was a sharp question. Completing the mission is one thing; making it back alive is another.
"Three options," Ui replied. "Plan A: If we aren't compromised, we return the way we came. Plans B and C are for when we are discovered. Depending on the situation, we'll loop South through the Land of Rivers or North through the Land of Grass. Rivers is our ally, and Grass is leaning toward us due to the constant invasions from the Stone. Both offer a margin of safety."
Ui folded the map, tucked it into his pouch, and pulled a mask over his face, flipping his hood up. The others followed suit. The fire was doused.
"Mission begins. Move out."
Contact
They moved in a vertical file: Ui in the lead, followed by Asuma, Kurenai, and Aoba in the rear. Ui scanned for signs of life, but the torrential rain acted as a perfect eraser. Any footprint or broken twig would be gone in five minutes.
For a long while, the only sound was the rhythmic drumming of rain. Then, Ui's arm shot up in a "Stop" gesture.
The storm had severely handicapped his sensing range. Just as he was about to signal a suspected ambush, the attack arrived.
Shuriken!
Ui tilted his head as a blade whistled past his mask. They were compromised. Abandoning hand signals for the sake of speed, he barked a short, sharp command:
"Engage!"
In a combat zone like this, there are no pleasantries. Encountering a different village's ninja means a fight to the death. There is no verbal exchange, no testing the waters—only killing moves.
Before his voice had even faded, Ui lunged forward. Asuma was right on his heels, his body low to the ground as he tracked the trajectory of the shuriken back to a specific patch of brush.
The enemy didn't retreat. Seeing two Konoha ninjas charging, they met the attack head-on.
Fast! was the enemy's first thought.
But Ui was faster. Ten meters out, his Lightning Release sparked to life. Bolts of electricity danced across his skin in the rain, and his speed surged. The beauty of no-seal ninjutsu is the instant change in tempo; the enemy simply couldn't adjust in time.
Ui closed the gap, leaped, and drove his right heel—boosted by momentum and Lightning chakra—into the enemy's nape. The force slammed the ninja into the soft, muddy earth, only for the body to bounce back up because the ground couldn't absorb all the power.
Ui didn't stop to admire his work. He didn't need to. Asuma was right behind him.
As the enemy floated mid-air from the rebound, Asuma arrived. He didn't have the flashy lightning, but he was brutal. He caught the target with a kick to the head, followed by another.
One step, two steps. Like the claws of a demon. Rain washing the mud, Lightning crackling through the dark. No words. Just the friction of boots on earth. The rhythm of a devil's stride.
The three-hit combination was seamless. The enemy ninja was dead before they even hit the ground the second time.