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Shinobi Alliance Headquarters
Pre-dawn
"It's happening again! Liaison teams from various locations are sending in reports of comrades being assassinated!"
"The scene is in chaos, the enemy is unknown!"
"All have external injuries, killed by physical attacks!"
Nara Shikaku, stationed at the Headquarters, grew increasingly solemn as bad news arrived one after another.
He had to think both quickly and meticulously.
Inoichi Yamanaka, wearing a perception-amplifying device, continuously broke out in a cold sweat.
"Wait, the medical unit just sent a message!"
"The enemy's identity is…"
"White Zetsu disguised as Alliance Ninja!"
"They used a Ninjutsu that transforms even Chakra!"
"Ninja whose Chakra was absorbed during the daytime battle became the targets for White Zetsu's transformation!"
Nara Shikaku closed his eyes in thought.
'Currently, it's hard to distinguish friend from foe, which will directly affect preparations for battle at dawn.'
'If a method to identify the enemy isn't devised in time,'
'The longer this drags on, the more casualties there will be.'
'Ultimately, it will inevitably lead to our own infighting.'
He had to sort through all the intelligence gathered for this war.
And come up with a countermeasure.
And he had to be calm and swift…
…Konoha.
Hokage Building.
The Third Hokage looked serious.
On the screen, Konoha's Nara Shikaku at the Alliance Headquarters still seemed to be playing the role of a strategist.
But the Third Hokage at this moment had no intention of considering such trivial matters!
He had to get as much information as possible about the future Fourth Great Ninja War!
He absolutely could not fight an unprepared war!
"The Alliance suffered over half casualties, so this 'White Zetsu' thing caused it?"
Shikaku was very clear-headed.
He wasn't confused by the many pieces of information provided by the screen.
His mind was constantly analyzing.
He seemed to be analyzing in sync with the Shikaku on the screen.
Of course, he wasn't as tense as the Shikaku on the screen.
"It's not that simple; this is the second crisis for the Shinobi Alliance."
"The first was 'over half of the Alliance suffered casualties in a single day'."
"This time it's 'White Zetsu disguising as Alliance comrades, launching a night attack on the Shinobi Alliance and causing heavy casualties'."
"According to the screen's content, the two incidents seem to be related. White Zetsu must have participated in the melee during the day, which is why they could transform into the Alliance Ninja…"
After listening to Shikaku's analysis.
The Third Hokage nodded, and many clues in his mind also became connected.
However, he had questions about White Zetsu.
Where exactly did it come from…
Ninja Academy.
Observation Deck.
The emotions of the younger generation present changed very quickly.
At this moment, hearing the various reports of defeat conveyed on the screen,
Everyone felt as if something was lodged in their hearts.
Jiraiya was also analyzing the information revealed on the screen.
'A Ninjutsu that transforms even Chakra'?
So, if it's just Chakra,
Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode should be able to solve this problem.
After all, Sage Mode can sense the natural energy of the human body.
It's just that, on the screen, currently only Naruto can use Sage Mode…
Hinata looked at the screen.
She found it hard to imagine such clones, whose Chakra was identical.
Identical in appearance.
Even disguised as the most familiar comrades!
How could such an infiltrator be distinguished!
Even if distinguished, how could one attack the most familiar face?
Hinata's heart was filled with worry at this moment.
She completely regarded the Shinobi Alliance Ninja on the screen as her teammates.
With over half of the Alliance dead, and teammates falling one after another,
What should be done…
Front Lines of the Great War
Inside a grotto
Three Alliance Ninja and a large white dog surrounded a fallen comrade's body.
Kiba threw up his hands and asked, "So, there's an imposter among us?"
Shino: "It's not impossible."
"Hey, hey, we're teammates! We'd definitely notice if there was an imposter!"
"Is that so?" Shino turned to look aside, "Hinata, why aren't you using your Byakugan?"
Hinata clasped her hands into fists at her chest, appearing timid, "Well… the sealing squad's barrier Ninjutsu isn't fully activated, so my Byakugan is being disrupted…"
Shino's expression remained unchanged, "Are you telling the truth?"
Kiba waved his hand, annoyed, "Are you suspecting Hinata?"
"Kiba, you said your nose isn't working, is that true?"
Kiba: "Are you suspecting me too?! So, are you the imposter yourself?!"
The two again questioned each other, but couldn't find the real infiltrator.
Immediately following,
The original Konoha Team 8 began the process of identifying the infiltrator.
Which was to answer questions through rock-paper-scissors.
"Rock-paper-scissors…"
Shino: "What do you like?"
Hinata: "I like sweets."
Kiba said strangely, "Oh? No way, isn't your favorite Naruto?"
Hearing this, Hinata's face instantly turned red.
"Eh, is… is this really the time for such questions?"
Kiba laughed loudly, "Hahaha, just kidding, ha!"
"Rock-paper-scissors…"
Kiba: "It's my turn to ask. This question only the real Shino can answer."
"During the mission to retrieve Sasuke, only you didn't participate. What were you thinking then?"
Shino: "I cannot answer this question. No, I don't want to answer."
Kiba obviously didn't agree with this answer.
If that were the case, what was the point of their rock-paper-scissors?
Suddenly, Shino attacked Kiba.
Kiba initially didn't want to fight a teammate, but as Shino's offensive grew stronger,
"Fang Over Fang!"
At this moment, Kiba seemed to have already determined that Shino was the infiltrator.
Hinata also attacked Shino.
With the two cooperating, Shino was at his wit's end.
Accompanied by a burst of fire,
"Shino" was burned to ashes.
"We did it! We can finally get out of here!"
"Woof woof!"
Kiba and Akamaru showed joy after defeating the enemy.
"Hinata" smirked, "Yes, just me."
"Hinata's" hands transformed into continuously extending branches, directly attacking Akamaru from behind.
Akamaru was instantly sent flying by the impact and passed out.
Kiba looked over in horror.
He saw "Hinata" revert to White Zetsu's original form.
This was why the White Zetsu army could kill so many Shinobi Alliance Ninja in the dark.
This special transformation Ninjutsu was impossible to guard against.
White Zetsu laughed loudly.
"Gaga, the true form appears."
"I was a bit flustered when asked strange questions, but that guy was right."
"The information obtained from Yamato was very useful."
"Your infighting really helped me out a lot."
"Without your dog, you are no match for me at all."
Suddenly,
A calm and steady voice came.
"You finally revealed your true form."
White Zetsu and Kiba simultaneously turned their heads.
Shino, clad in a trench coat and sunglasses, emerged from behind a stone pillar.
White Zetsu was completely fooled, unable to believe it.
"Eh?! You're still alive, why?!"
Shino: "Because of you, I had to sacrifice my most important insects…"
"I couldn't distinguish who was real and who was fake."
"From the moment the three of us started confronting each other, I kept thinking,"
"Even if one of us was an imposter, if he maintained that appearance, could I bring myself to attack him ruthlessly?"
Shino was usually quiet.
It seemed no one paid him much attention.
But having been comrades with Kiba and Hinata for many years,
The few of them had long formed a very strong bond.
At least, that was how it was in Shino's heart.
"Could I kill my most trusted comrade, kill someone identical to my comrade?"
"Then, an even more foolish thought appeared in my mind."
"'Perhaps being killed by such a person would suit me just fine.'"