Chapter 38: The Beginning of a Conspiracy
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
Several sharp sounds of movement suddenly broke the tranquility of the deep forest.
Four Anbu, wearing masks and cloaks, were leaping through the trees, heading into the distance at high speed.
These four were, of course, Kyosuke's Anbu squad.
As he struggled to keep up with the team, his mind drifted back to the events of a few days ago.
"Lord Danzō."
In the very center of the Root base, the four of them, including Kyosuke, were kneeling on one knee, looking up at Danzō on the high platform.
Danzō nodded, his gaze quickly sweeping over the four below. His eyes paused on Kyosuke for a moment before he finally spoke. "There is an urgent mission that needs your attention."
Then, Danzō explained the mission in detail.
A team of ninja, suspected to be from the Sand Village, had secretly infiltrated the heart of the Land of Fire. This group had engaged in a major battle with the "Twelve Guardian Ninja" outside the Daimyō's residence. After leaving several bodies behind, they had successfully abducted the Daimyō's only son and daughter.
The enraged Daimyō had ordered Konoha to send a pursuit team and bring his children back at all costs.
However, the situation in Konoha was somewhat dire. Not only were there constant skirmishes with the Sand ninja on the border, but the Cloud ninja from the Land of Lightning were also becoming restless. Although no battles had broken out yet, the ambitious Third Raikage had likely been eyeing the rich prize of the Land of Fire for a long time.
Therefore, Konoha had to be on its guard.
Currently, Orochimaru was leading a group of powerful ninja to set up defenses at the border of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain to monitor the Sand's movements. Jiraiya was stationed at the border of the Land of Rice Fields with Minato and others to deter the Cloud ninja.
Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, was under the direct command of the Hokage, secretly carrying out a mission deep behind enemy lines.
For a time, Konoha had almost no top-tier powerhouses to spare. Even if there were, they had to remain in the village to maintain order and could not be sent out casually.
So, this mission ultimately fell to Root.
"I have already sent men to intercept them along the way and have them cornered in the Land of Rivers. Your mission is to bring the hostages back safely. Do you understand?"
"Yes, we understand!" x4
"Snake, do you need a break?" the captain, Ansui, asked in a low voice, noticing Kyosuke was already a bit out of breath.
"Yeah, you should rest for a bit. We'd feel guilty if you were to be brutally murdered by the enemy because you ran out of stamina," Rei's voice also sounded beside Kyosuke's ear.
The corner of Kyosuke's mouth, hidden beneath his mask, twitched. He silently shook his head, indicating that he could still go on.
Seeing this, the others didn't press the issue and continued to head toward the Land of Rivers.
As Kyosuke gritted his teeth and pushed on, he recalled the system notification from before, and a slight smile touched his lips.
[Mission Triggered: Rescue the Hostages]
[Description: Successfully defeat the enemy and rescue the abducted children of the Daimyō.]
[Mission Difficulty: B]
[Completion Reward: 100 Experience Points.]
Land of Wind, Village Hidden by the Sand, inside the Kazekage's office.
The Third Kazekage, in the prime of his life, sat at his desk, looking down at a secret report.
Knock... knock... knock...
A knock suddenly sounded at the door.
"Come in," he called out.
The door slowly opened, and two elderly figures with distinguished auras walked in. They were the Sand Village's advisors, Chiyo and her younger brother, Ebizō.
As soon as she entered, Chiyo anxiously asked the Kazekage, "Has the intelligence been confirmed?"
The Kazekage nodded and handed the secret report to Chiyo.
She glanced at it briefly, then threw it on the ground and shouted angrily, "Damn you, Danzō!"
Ebizō calmed her down, then picked up the report from the floor and read it carefully from beginning to end.
"Can we confirm that it was Root ninja?" Ebizō asked for confirmation.
The Third Kazekage nodded. "Although the other party was extremely careful, they still left some clues. We can confirm it was Danzō's doing."
Just then, another knock came at the door.
They turned to see a handsome man with dark red hair enter. This man was the future Fourth Kazekage, Rasa. He was also the father of the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara.
"Lord Kazekage, honored elders," Rasa said, bowing respectfully to the three in the room.
"Rasa, you must have heard about the kidnapping of the Daimyō's children," the Third Kazekage said, rubbing his temples without looking up.
"Yes, I have," Rasa replied. He already had a good idea of why he had been summoned. It was likely related to this matter.
Sure enough, the Third Kazekage then explained the entire situation to Rasa.
After he finished, the Third Kazekage's expression turned serious. "Rasa, I am ordering you to lead a team to rescue the abducted children of the Daimyō. You may choose your own team members. I have only one request."
"I need you to ensure the safety of the hostages. Do you understand?" the Kazekage asked, his voice grave as he looked at him intently.
Rasa nodded with equal gravity, then took his leave.
If I can complete this mission, I can establish a good relationship with the Daimyō. Then... Rasa thought to himself as he walked out of the Kazekage's office.
This is a matter of great importance. I need to find some capable help.
A few days later, Kyosuke's squad finally arrived in the Land of Rivers.
There, they used the secret code left behind to successfully find the Root member in charge of reconnaissance.
"What's the situation?" As the squad leader, Ansui was responsible for all communication. Kyosuke and the others remained silent, their gazes fixed on the Root member.
"They are currently hiding in a cave. It looks like they're waiting for Sand ninja to meet them," he said.
"Have you seen any sign of the Sand ninja support team?" Ansui asked.
The Root member silently shook his head, indicating that there was no sign of enemy reinforcements.
"Tsk, lucky for us the enemy support hasn't arrived. Otherwise, one wrong move and we could all die here," Rei said with a serious tone.
The others ignored her jinxing. After asking for the location of the cave, they prepared to carry out the rescue mission.
After they left, the Root member suddenly muttered something in a low voice. After receiving some kind of response, he pumped his fist in excitement.
At the same time, a corner of his mouth curled up into an extremely strange smile.
(End of Chapter)
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