In the forest on the border of the Land of Waterfall, raindrops pattered softly against the dense canopy, the air heavy with moisture.Itoshiki Furukawa crouched silently atop a tall pine, strands of wet hair clinging to his forehead as he surveyed the open space ahead.
"Captain, the Rock ninja patrols have increased again," a shadowed figure whispered, emerging beside him. It was Morikawa Yota, one of his most trusted subordinates.
Furukawa's brow furrowed slightly, but he remained calm. "It seems our actions are working. They're moving right into the trap we've set."
Morikawa's eyes flickered with unease, though his voice remained steady. "But we're trapped as well. There are at least three patrol teams ahead, each with five or more ninja. They'll block our path to the Land of Frost."
For a moment, Furukawa said nothing. The rain slid down his cheek, dripping onto the branches below. Finally, he spoke, his tone unwavering. "We break through. Even if it means direct confrontation. We need to draw their attention away from the Land of Frost."
Morikawa nodded grimly. "Understood."
"Prepare to move out. At midnight tonight, we force our way through." Furukawa's voice was resolute, and Morikawa swiftly disappeared into the shadows. Furukawa remained on the tree, his gaze fixed on the enemy patrols as he plotted their next moves in his mind.
As night descended, the rain intensified, turning the forest into a blur of shadows and damp earth. Inside a concealed cave, five Leaf ninja gathered around a low fire. The flickering flames cast their faces in soft light, illuminating the seriousness in their eyes.
"The plan is simple," Furukawa began, his voice calm and precise. He drew a basic map on the ground with his finger, outlining their strategy. "Yota and I will draw the patrol team on the east side. Suzuki Yuto will handle the west. Kuroiwa Takuya and Tanabe Yusuke will use the chaos to break through the center. We rendezvous at the border of the Land of Frost."
Tanabe Yusuke, ever cautious, spoke up. "Captain, the risk is too high. Why don't we break through together instead of splitting up?"
Furukawa shook his head, his soaked hair flicking droplets into the air. "Splitting up lowers the risk of being captured. Do you remember the core of this mission?"
"To provoke a war between the Rock ninja and the Sand ninja," they all responded in unison.
"Exactly." Furukawa's gaze swept across the group, steady and focused. "The first part of our mission is complete. Now, we just need to make it back to the Leaf. Splitting up gives us the best chance of success. At least one of us will get through."
The ninja nodded, their faces reflecting determination and uncertainty.
"Good luck, everyone," Furukawa said quietly.
Just as they were about to leave, a slight rustling came from the entrance of the cave. All five instantly tensed, hands moving to weapons. Furukawa gave a subtle signal, and Morikawa Yota slipped silently toward the entrance.
"It's someone from the Leaf," a low voice called from outside the cave.
Furukawa's eyes narrowed as he remained still. "Show yourself."
A figure stepped into the dim light, the characteristic black cloak of an ANBU member dripping with rain. The figure's face was obscured by an animal mask.
"ANBU, codename 'Hawk,'" the masked ninja introduced himself, stepping forward and producing a sealed scroll from his chest.
Furukawa took the scroll, examined the Hokage's seal, and unrolled it. As he read, his expression shifted.
"It seems our plan has been effective," he finally murmured, handing the scroll to Morikawa Yota.
"The Rock ninja have officially confronted the Cloud ninja. The Cloud has refused to back down and is already mobilizing troops at the border of the Land of Frost," 'Hawk' added.
Furukawa nodded, his mind already racing. "This changes things. The Cloud's actions are more aggressive than expected. The mission is complete, but we need to adjust our retreat route."
'ANBU Hawk' revealed a new map, his finger tracing a winding path. "The Hokage foresaw this. A new retreat route has been arranged. A Fire Country merchant caravan that recently completed procurement in the Land of Earth is now passing through the Land of Waterfall on its way to the Land of Fire. You can join them and make your way directly to the Leaf."
Furukawa studied the map, calculating the risks and timings. "When will the caravan pass here?"
"Tomorrow at noon. They'll be near 'Azure Water River,' about ten kilometers southeast."
Furukawa looked to his team, his eyes steely with resolve. "We move quickly. Prepare yourselves."
"Change of plans," Furukawa said, his voice calm and decisive. "We will no longer split up. We need to reach Azure Water River before noon tomorrow and join the caravan."
The five Leaf ninja moved quickly, gathering their equipment as they prepared to depart before dawn.
As ANBU 'Hawk' turned to leave, Furukawa called out, stopping him.
"Wait," he said. "How did you find us? We've been careful every step of the way."
'Hawk' gave a faint, knowing smile. "The traces you deliberately left behind were too obvious. We ANBU are trained for this. A real ANBU ninja wouldn't leave so many signs."
Furukawa nodded, his assessment aligning with the other's judgment. "One more thing—why didn't the Hokage send you to escort us directly back to the Leaf?"
'Hawk's expression turned serious. "I have a more pressing mission—to witness the true outbreak of conflict between the Cloud ninja and the Rock ninja."
Furukawa understood immediately and asked no further questions. They nodded to each other before 'Hawk' disappeared into the rainy night, vanishing as silently as he had arrived.
By the early morning hours, the rain had eased slightly. Furukawa led the group quietly out of the cave, heading southeast.
"Captain," Morikawa Yota asked in a low voice, "should we disguise our departure traces?"
Furukawa shook his head, his steps steady and purposeful. "No need. What we need now is speed, not concealment. The Rock ninja's attention is already drawn to the border of the Land of Frost. We just need to avoid the patrols."
The five moved through the forest like shadows, their movements barely making a sound.
As dawn broke, the rain ceased entirely. Sunlight pierced the clouds, casting golden beams across the wet forest, the air now fresh and fragrant with the scent of earth and greenery.
"There's a Rock ninja patrol team five hundred meters ahead!" Morikawa Yota's voice was a whisper, but it carried urgency. His sensory ninjutsu had detected the approaching patrol.
Furukawa signaled for them to stop, his sharp eyes assessing the situation. "Six of them, fully armed, heading this way."
Furukawa thought for a moment and then winked at Morikawa Yota. "Detour three hundred meters south, then turn east."
Yota nodded and took the lead, guiding the group as they carefully skirted the patrol.
By midday, they had reached the outskirts of Azure Water River. The river was a confluence of three fast-moving streams, and the surrounding area was open grassland, dotted with scattered trees.
"Where's the caravan?" Suzuki Yuto asked, anxiety in his voice.
Furukawa didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gestured for everyone to hide in the thick brush along the riverbank.
"Morikawa, you and the others split up. Search the area within a two-kilometer radius."
The group dispersed, moving silently through the terrain.
After a tense few minutes, Morikawa's voice returned. "There's a caravan to the southwest—about twenty people, a dozen carriages. They're heading this way, expected to arrive in thirty minutes."
Furukawa exhaled in relief but didn't let his guard down. "Check for any signs of Rock ninja tracking or lying in ambush."
Morikawa's voice crackled over the quiet air. "No signs of Rock ninja so far."
Furukawa nodded, turning to his teammates. "Prepare the disguise. Remember, we're merchants from a small border town in the Land of Fire, returning from the Land of Earth after purchasing medicinal herbs and cloth."
The five quickly changed into the civilian clothes they had prepared, pulling out disguises from their ninja tool pouches. Furukawa made sure to carefully conceal his ninja headband and anything that could reveal their true identities.
"Captain," Yamada asked nervously, "what if we run into a Rock ninja inspection?"
Furukawa placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, offering a rare, faint smile. "Don't worry. This caravan was arranged by the Hokage. They know how to handle inspections. We just need to play our parts well."
As the sound of hooves and wheels grew closer, Furukawa signaled for the group to step out from their hiding spots. They waved to the approaching caravan, standing with open, friendly faces.
The caravan leader, a middle-aged man, reined in his horse, halting his group. He eyed them warily, his expression guarded. "Who are you?"
Furukawa stepped forward, his smile humble but confident. "We're merchants from the northern border of the Land of Fire. We came to the Land of Earth to purchase medicinal herbs. Unfortunately, we were attacked by bandits in the Land of Waterfall and lost our carriages and some goods."
The caravan leader narrowed his eyes, clearly assessing the truth of Furukawa's words. "Do you have any proof?"
Furukawa produced a small wooden plaque from his chest, a discreet Leaf identification secret mark carved into it.
The caravan leader's expression softened immediately upon seeing the mark. "So you're compatriots. Get on the carriage. We're heading back to the Land of Fire."
The five boarded the caravan's carriages, blending in with the group. The caravan continued on its path, making its way toward the Land of Fire.
Inside the carriage, Furukawa sat quietly, gazing through the small cracks in the wooden frame. His mission had been a success, but he knew the real conflict was just beginning.
What would the escalating war between the Cloud and Rock ninja mean for the world? He couldn't know for certain.
All he knew was that the Leaf had successfully avoided being caught in the crossfire.
The caravan rolled steadily forward, toward the Land of Fire, toward home. Behind them, the rain began to fall once more in the Land of Waterfall, washing away all evidence of the plan that had set these events in motion.
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