It took two full days to reach Sunagakure from Konoha at full speed.
During the journey, Roshi found himself lost in thought. Because he was thinking while leaping through the forest, his pace slowed slightly, placing him somewhere in the middle of the formation.
Itachi landed quietly beside him, lowering his voice.
"Captain."
Roshi glanced at him, noticing a faint crease of unease between the boy's brows.
"What is it?"
"Father returned last night. He said the Third Hokage inquired about the Police Force's night patrols… and the internal affairs of the Uchiha clan."
"Hm?" Roshi frowned. "That doesn't sound like a problem."
Then it struck him.
"…Wait. The implication is—Konoha suspects the Uchiha?"
Itachi's lips pressed into a thin line.
'Suspecting the Uchiha again? This can't be…'
Then realization dawned on Roshi—it could be an Uchiha, just not one from within the village.
If he had been confused before about how the Kumogakure envoy appeared and vanished so mysteriously, now it made sense.
The one responsible might have been Uchiha Obito.
Was he targeting Itachi?
No—it didn't matter for now. Thinking about it mid-mission was pointless.
"I understand," Roshi said simply.
Itachi gave a quiet nod, his emotions sealed away once more as he focused on the mission. If his captain knew, then there was nothing more to say.
By the end of the first day, they had crossed the Land of Fire and entered the Land of Rivers. Since they were headed to Sunagakure, they bypassed Koizumi Town and instead followed the winding trail through Funfun Street.
Ahead lay the River Canyon—once they crossed that and passed through One-Line Sky, they'd reach their destination.
As the jagged canyon walls loomed, casting vast shadows across the path, Raidō—leading the group—suddenly halted and raised a hand in warning.
Genma appeared beside Roshi, his senbon unmoving between his lips.
"Something's off ahead," he murmured. "The dust on the ground and rock walls—someone's tampered with them. Hidden traps. Multiple. The setup's… expert-level."
Traps?
This stretch of canyon was avoided by merchants and travelers. If traps were set here, it could only mean one thing—the work of ninja. But who were they targeting?
The Kumogakure envoy incident had happened barely a day ago. There wasn't enough time for any foreign force to hear, react, and organize an ambush this quickly.
Roshi exhaled softly. "Stay alert and follow my lead."
His hands blurred through seals—Boar → Dog → Rooster → Snake → Ram.
Wind Release: Vibrating Wind Breaking Jutsu!
A piercing hum erupted as invisible ripples of vibrating air swept forward, the pale-blue waves washing across the canyon floor and cliff faces like water.
A moment later, faint inky markings bloomed over the once-barren rocks and soil—hidden seals, suddenly exposed under the pressure of the wind.
And then—
Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!
Kunai and shuriken burst out from both canyon walls, slicing through the air—not aimed at the Konoha shinobi, but at the freshly revealed seals.
Binding seals materialized midair, glowing faintly before being torn apart by the barrage—a complex network of traps and capture seals unraveling all at once.
Before the sound faded, Roshi drew another deep breath, expanding the wind field further—
—but even as he did, a dozen kunai and shuriken shot directly at him!
"Tch!" Genma spat his senbon aside, his body blurring into motion.
Raidō and Iwashi moved with him—three black shadows intersecting midair, deflecting and parrying the projectiles with flawless precision. The sharp clang of metal echoed through the canyon.
Then the ambushers revealed themselves—
Eight figures burst out from the rocks, their flak jackets dusty, their headbands gleaming in the sunlight.
Iwagakure!!
Their movements were coordinated, their intent unmistakable. Five of them charged straight for Roshi.
The leading ninja's hands flashed through seals, and the ground turned to liquid earth beneath their feet.
Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!
Mud surged upward, coiling around Roshi's legs as several explosive kunai whistled through the air.
"Scatter!" Roshi commanded.
Slamming his palms onto the not-yet-softened ground, he conjured thick earthen walls—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions tore through the walls, sending chunks of stone and dirt flying.
Before the dust settled, Raidō darted forward, his black blade gleaming. He locked onto an Iwa Chunin attempting to flank them—his strike slipped past the man's kunai guard and pierced clean through his ribs.
The Iwa ninja convulsed, eyes bulging as his body turned dark purple before collapsing lifelessly.
Anko intercepted two enemies rushing at Roshi. Her sleeve twitched—
Several brown serpents erupted forth, hissing and lunging.
One was sliced apart, but two others coiled around an Iwa ninja's arm and neck, fangs sinking deep. The man screamed, thrashing wildly as his face turned purple and his movements stilled.
A second later, a volley of stone spikes shot from beneath Anko's feet, but she leapt back, landing lightly beside Roshi.
Genma fought two opponents at once, the senbon flashing between his lips as his kunai forced both Iwa ninja onto the defensive. Despite being outnumbered, he held the advantage with ease.
Iwashi clashed evenly with a short, wiry opponent, their weapons ringing again and again.
Above them, an Iwagakure ninja prepared to hurl explosive tags into the fray—
—but before he could, a shadow appeared behind him.
A glint of red—Sharingan.
Itachi's kunai traced a swift arc across the man's throat. Without pause, the boy pivoted to assist Iwashi.
In mere seconds, three of the eight ambushers were down.
The Iwa Jonin leading them gritted his teeth and slammed a fist to the ground.
Earth Release: Earth Flow River!
The terrain trembled as the ground beneath them turned into a raging current of mud and rock.
Raidō, Genma, and Iwashi leapt back instantly. Anko and Itachi retreated behind Roshi.
Facing the torrent, Roshi's chakra flared—a dense, tangible pressure.
Earth Release: Quicksand Coffin!
He wasn't defending—he was taking control.
The surging mud froze mid-flow, twisting unnaturally before turning on its creators. The three Iwa ninja caught off-guard were instantly swallowed by the chakra-charged sand.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
Three massive stone coffins rose from the earth, sealing the trapped ninja inside.
Roshi's palms slammed together.
A muffled, sickening crunch echoed through the canyon.
The screams ended just as quickly as they began.
Battle result: six down, zero losses.
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