"Our targets are the enemy commander, Rasa, and the Suna elder, Chiyo. This will be a difficult mission for all of you. Kakashi, Obito, Rin... remember what Takeshi told you."
'Takeshi's words?' Kakashi's mind went straight to that embarrassing lecture. 'That kind of advice only works for certain ninja.'
If someone actually followed it to the letter, a taijutsu specialist like Guy would be considered but a blockhead, a shame to all shinobi. The same went for Obito.
Of course, he wasn't completely dismissing it. A lot of what Takeshi had said was important for genin, but Kakashi wasn't a genin. He'd been a ninja for five years.
Their recent training had paid off. Even Ebisu, who had been the slowest, was now keeping pace with the rest of the unit.
The team advanced swiftly, halting just before a mountain pass.
"Meow?"
"Hold here for a moment," Minato said in a low voice. "We move out when we get the signal from their position."
The path from Konoha's main camp to this point should have been clear of Suna ninja, but the way forward was unknown. Their mission was to strike at the enemy leadership, so the ideal approach was a silent one. Orochimaru's forces were creating a frontal diversion, pinning down the enemy to give Minato and Takeshi a clear path to Chiyo or Rasa. For now, all they could do was wait.
Though Guy and the others were still green lacking combat experience, they had taken Takeshi's lessons to heart. The moment Minato stopped, they melted into the landscape, finding cover. Kakashi and Rin were just as quick. But Obito...
Takeshi turned his head and stared at Obito.
'What is wrong with this kid?' Everyone else was perfectly concealed, but Obito was just standing out in the open like a target. 'Does he think he's Naruto?'
"Ah! Sorry, my mistake!" Obito was as quick to apologize as he was to mess up. He ducked behind a tree, disappearing from sight. The battlefield had sharpened his transformation and concealment skills, but it hadn't cured his carelessness.
Takeshi shook his head. 'This won't do.' An idea formed. 'When we get back, I'll have Ebisu draw up a test scroll on stealth for Obito. If he doesn't get a perfect score, he'll copy it a hundred times. Yes, that sounds about right.' Some people just had to learn the hard way, and Obito was definitely one of them.
Mentally filing the plan away, the black cat returned his attention to the path ahead, scanning the terrain from his perch in the treetops.
A moment later, a faint *boom* echoed from the distance. In the direction Orochimaru's team had gone, a plume of fire shot into the sky.
'Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu.' It was hard to say if it hit anyone, but the jutsu's bright flare was unmistakable even from here. It served as a perfect signal.
Takeshi tapped the branch with his paw and shot forward with a *whoosh*.
"Let's go," Minato said, moving in perfect sync with him. They had honed that unspoken coordination during their missions in the Land of Lightning.
The others followed instantly. Beyond the mountain pass lay territory where Suna forces were more active, which meant it was likely littered with traps. But with Takeshi leading the way, they could avoid most of the hidden dangers. His powerful sense of smell made him an unparalleled scout.
They moved almost unimpeded over several hilltops before Minato raised a hand. He had sensed chakra signatures ahead.
"Eight of them. Two squads."
The night was clear, the landscape lit by a faint glimmer of moonlight. Takeshi raised a paw and gestured to the left. Minato gave a slight nod, then signaled for Guy and the others to follow him to the right. The two groups split, moving to flank the enemy.
The black cat wove through the undergrowth, his movements silent and precise. He moved with incredible speed, deftly avoiding stray leaves and hidden traps. At the same time, Guy and his squadmates followed Minato, circling around from the right.
A moment later, Takeshi caught a faint sound and froze. He scanned the shadows, his eyes locking onto a spot behind a tree after a few seconds. 'There you are.'
The next instant, he was a blur of motion. A soft *whoosh* cut through the air, and the hidden Suna ninja collapsed, his throat slit before he even knew he was under attack.
The body hit the ground with a soft thud, a sound that instantly alerted his comrades. But it was too late.
*Swish, swish, swish!*
The air tore three more times, followed by the sound of bodies falling. In the blink of an eye, the entire four-man squad was dead. Even their jonin leader, a puppet master, hadn't had time to react before Takeshi's claws found his throat.
The ice coating his claws receded. Takeshi quickly swallowed a soldier pill. High-speed movement burned through stamina, and with more fighting ahead, he couldn't afford to waste it. He had to conserve his energy for the main objective.
Still, the effort had barely taxed him.
The black cat pressed on. He was the faster of the two leaders, but Minato's team was not far behind. With Kakashi, Obito, and even Rin all being capable fighters, their side of the pincer closed in at almost the same moment. Guy looked a little dejected, while Genma seemed pleased. This kind of stealth attack was perfectly suited to Genma's assassination style, especially when someone else provided the distraction.
They cleared several more Suna lookout posts in the same manner. The enemy numbers were small, these were just pickets meant to watch for flanking maneuvers, stationed far from the main battlefield. Suna clearly hadn't anticipated Konoha sending two shinobi of Minato and Takeshi's caliber. They moved too fast for anyone to raise an alarm.
Half an hour later, after clearing the last of the outer patrols, the team gathered to plan their next move. They were getting close to the main battlefield now. Deeper in was enemy territory, and if they were detected, they would be swarmed. Suna had plenty of sensor-types, moving any closer together would be too risky.
"Kakashi, you and Rin will each lead a squad from here," Minato said, his expression serious. "Find a concealed position and hold it. Avoid engagement at all costs. If you're discovered... summon Takeshi." He took a deep breath.
It was a tremendous risk. If Takeshi was summoned away mid-fight, Minato could be left alone against the Kazekage and his elite guard. But it was the safest option for the children.
"No need for that, meow," Takeshi interjected. "Just use a sealing scroll on my shadow clone and one of yours. If they run into trouble, they can unseal them for support."
Creating a shadow clone cost half the user's chakra, but the chakra could be recovered, and a sealed clone wouldn't dissipate. It was a solid plan. 'Besides,' Takeshi thought, 'there shouldn't be anyone in Suna that two of our clones can't handle.'
"The release seal is-"
"I know it," Rin said, raising her hand. "Tsunade-sama taught me." She had recently learned several sealing jutsu and their release signs from her master. Tsunade had said it was groundwork for a more advanced technique, but Rin was glad to find a practical use for it already.
"Excellent," Minato said, relieved. "We'll do that, then." He hadn't considered it because the release technique required precise chakra control, something usually only a jonin could manage. With Rin able to perform it, the plan was sound.
He and Takeshi created their shadow clones in unison. Minato produced two empty scrolls, and with a quick series of hand signs, sealed one clone into each. With their support plan settled, the black cat ate a packet of his special high-energy food while Minato took another soldier pill. They sat in a light meditation for ten minutes to recover their chakra before rising to move on.
"We'll set up our ambush there," Kakashi said, pointing to a nearby hilltop. He didn't wait for a response, vanishing with the Body Flicker.
The others followed suit without hesitation.
This was the battlefield, no place for fooling around. Even Guy, for all his energy, was focused and disciplined, following his captain's orders without question. It was a valuable trait in a soldier.
'I have the complete Lightning Blade now, a gift refined by guidance from the Raikage himself,' Kakashi thought. Though he hadn't fully mastered its power, he was already at the level of a Special Jonin.
Rin, his co-leader, wasn't as strong in a direct fight, but her training under Takeshi and Tsunade-sama had given her a sharp strategic mind. As the only medical-nin in the group, her presence was vital. Their leadership styles would complement each other well. He knew Obito and Guy were itching to compete with him, but even they understood this wasn't the time for rivalry.
Kakashi led his team to their position. Seeing everyone move into cover without issue, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
'It isn't incompetence that is terrifying in a teammate, it is incompetence combined with being a liability. Thankfully, I don't have to worry about that. This team is solid.'
Still, he hoped they wouldn't be found.
Kakashi caught Rin's eye from her position nearby. They exchanged a brief nod, an unspoken agreement. Their job now could be summed up in a single word: hold.
Glory was tempting, but their real mission, the only mission that mattered right now, was to remain undetected and support Minato-sensei and Takeshi.
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