At the base of the cliff, after a brief moment of lingering warmth, Ren Uchiha immediately pulled his senses together and surveyed the surroundings.
The trio was no longer on the cliffside where Ren had fought Kakuzu. That area was now swarming with dozens of Jashin cultists in black robes and samurai attire, their search perimeter expanding by the minute. Somewhere along the line, the team had shifted to the opposite side of the valley—the very cliffside Kakuzu had collapsed with his Wind Style: Pressure Damage.
They were right under the cultists' noses. One had to admit, it was a move of supreme audacity. However, staying here meant discovery was only a matter of time.
"See that?" Shinno stood to the side, looking down with a flat expression. "The commotion you caused fighting Kakuzu has put them on high alert."
"From what you can see—and what you can't—there are four squads expanding the search from the center of the battle. At the entrance to the headquarters' cavern, six fully armed Chunin squads are standing guard."
"Inside, there's no telling how many members remain. Today seems to be a special day for them; most of their forces have been recalled to the headquarters."
Shinno paused, then looked back at Ren and Mei, his voice devoid of emotion. "It's about time you faced reality, isn't it? With your strength, thinking you can wipe out the Jashin Cult is nothing but a pipe dream."
Ren's brow furrowed, ready to argue, but Mei stepped forward first, her gaze solemn and determined.
"I'm going. There's information inside I must confirm. And... it's not like there's zero chance." She pointed toward the castle ruins. "The underground cavern is directly beneath the castle. We don't need to take the front entrance. If we open a vertical path straight down from the top, we can sneak in."
"Their defenses are concentrated here. The castle above isn't heavily guarded. This is our chance."
Shinno shook his head slightly. "First, you don't know the depth of the cavern. Second, how can you guarantee your tunnel will hit the mark? Furthermore," he asked coolly, "how do you know this isn't a trap? There might be a hundred men waiting for you in that castle to walk right into their net."
"Just buy me a little time," Mei said, her resolve hardening. "I'm proficient in Water, Earth, and Fire. I can use Earth Style: Underground Submarine to scout the location and the castle's interior. My Yōton (Lava/Boil Style) can easily corrode the limestone layers of the cavern."
"I just need... a little bit of time." Mei turned her gaze toward Ren.
Though Shinno was powerful, he acted like an old man out for a casual stroll, seemingly indifferent to everything. To finish what they started, she had to rely on herself and the other member of her squad: Ren Uchiha.
But Mei suddenly hesitated. She looked at Ren—covered in burns and scratches, his face matted with blood from the previous battle. She felt that her request was, perhaps, asking too much.
Shinno took the opportunity to sneer. "Little girl, did you forget? You were the one who proposed that 'feasible' plan when we first got here. And the result?"
He pointed a finger at Ren, who was struggling to stand. "Because of your hesitation, you missed the chance to storm the headquarters. Because of your hesitation, you ran into the S-Rank rogue Kakuzu. Because of your hesitation, this boy is lying here half-dead. That kid Hidan was taken, their guard is up, and now you want him to go die for you again?"
"If you had listened to this boy from the start, you'd already be inside, wouldn't you?"
Shinno didn't finish his sentence, but his intent to discourage them was crystal clear. As an observer, he saw it plainly: in this squad, only Mei had to go to the headquarters. Ren and Hidan were just impulsive kids playing ninja games and talking big about heroism.
It was only after Ren truly put his life on the line against Kakuzu that Shinno began to take this temporary team somewhat seriously, recognizing the latent talent within the boy.
Under Shinno's questioning, Mei fell into a pained silence. She clenched her fists, feeling that she had indeed been foolish. This was her mission; why was she instinctively trying to lean on Ren?
For a moment, no one spoke. The atmosphere was as tense as a hospital waiting room.
Then—
"No problem. I'll be the one to buy you that time!" Ren Uchiha, having finally struggled to his feet, spoke up.
"Hm?" Both Mei and Shinno looked at him in total shock. Their eyes screamed the same question: Kid, do you even realize what state you're in? Do you even have enough chakra left to move?
"The plan is fine. Kakuzu was an unforeseen variable," Ren said, activating his Sharingan to scan the battlefield below. "With their current guard, a frontal assault is impossible. I think we should try your way."
Ren looked at Mei. "I'll draw their attention. You scout the intel. Where do we meet? And how much time do you need?"
Mei took a deep breath, her gaze wavering for a moment before turning sharp. "You'll descend from here, bypass the outer wall, and lead them in a chase across the battlements. Then, head toward the junction before the underground cavern, turn back to the inner castle wall, and climb up. That will be our meeting point..."
She detailed the route and the critical points for him, her expression grim. "I need roughly five minutes. Once I'm done scouting, I'll reach the junction ahead of time and use Hidden Mist Jutsu to help you lose the pursuers. If it works, we might find my intel and Hidan's location at the same time."
Shinno couldn't help but chuckle mockingly. "Sounds beautiful. But what if there's a slight change in plan? For instance, after this boy draws the fire and leads dozens of men away, you get what you want and... don't come back? Without your mist to help him escape, this kid..."
Before Shinno could finish, Ren laughed.
"In that case, I'd probably be facing ten Jashin squads, twelve tracker ninjas, countless wandering samurai, and eighteen fully-armed Chunin with cult secret techniques. If that happens... I'll probably die."
Ren then turned his gaze directly to Mei, his eyes clear.
"But... I believe in you!"