"I want you to lead a small team and move covertly to the sea near the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools."
As Rasa spoke, he handed Pakura a scroll containing intelligence.
She accepted it and began reading the contents.
Her proud figure stretched the fabric of her clothes, and her long green hair was pinned up casually, save for two tresses of orange-blonde hair falling from her temples and brushing her cheeks.
In terms of appearance, Pakura was undeniably a beauty—but her sharp gaze and crisp demeanor gave her the aura of a decisive, commanding woman.
Pakura swiftly scanned the intel and immediately understood Rasa's intent.
Let the clams and mussels fight—so the fisherman may profit.
For the embattled Sunagakure, this strategy was perfect.
"This mission must not fail. Understood?" Rasa said again, his tone steely.
Be it children, wives, or even so-called heroes of the village—nothing could be allowed to threaten Suna's interests.
"Understood, Lord Kazekage. I'll choose the personnel myself and see it through."
Pakura responded firmly. As she turned to leave, her hair swayed slightly behind her.
Rasa watched her back, eyes glinting.
Sending Pakura served two purposes: leveraging her strength and fame to command respect within the unit… and ensuring a measure of control.
The rising fame of "Scorch Style Pakura" was not entirely a blessing to the village leader.
And the latest intel had confirmed that Orochimaru himself was commanding operations at the Whirlpools front. Caution was now more critical than ever.
—
Meanwhile, dozens of nautical miles from the ruins of Uzushio, on a jagged stone island shrouded in dense mist…
Figures loomed within the fog—Kirigakure shinobi.
Unlike other ninja villages, these Mist-nin exuded a faint but chilling scent of blood.
At the forefront stood a middle-aged man with graying temples and the eyes of a hawk: Rokurō.
He stood with hands behind his back atop a massive reef, gazing into the fog-shrouded sea.
For Mist-nin, adept in Water Release, moving quickly across the ocean surface was nothing.
From here, they could reach the Uzushio ruins in just over half a day at full speed.
And on that hazy far shore... awaited the Konoha defensive line they had to breach.
"Lord Rokurō," came a voice.
A heavy-set ninja in a shinobi hat and red glasses, with blue markings on his face, stepped forward.
"I've scouted the area. A significant number of Konoha ninja are positioned ahead."
"Chuuki, how many Byakugan users?"
The man—Rokurō—turned and looked at Chuuki, one of the village's top sensory nin.
Chuuki's skills were so sharp that he could detect even the subtlest fluctuations in chakra—his instincts had guided Mist squads to victory many times.
"Not many. Fewer than fifteen. I can't distinguish between main and branch families, but most are probably branch Hyuga."
"Hmm…"
Rokurō's mind flashed to Ao.
That man had once talked about taking a Byakugan from the Hyuga Main Family and unlocking its secrets… but failed.
Whether he died at the hands of White Fang's son or his team was unclear.
His corpse had been so thoroughly destroyed—even the brain was obliterated—that no conclusion could be drawn.
Someone had taken great care—most shinobi wouldn't take the time to do that during wartime, unless they were exceptionally cautious.
Terumī Mei had insisted it was likely Kiyohara.
"And the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
"They're en route according to the plan. They'll arrive one day after we reach the rendezvous point," Chuuki said respectfully.
This mission had high priority. The village elders had even summoned the dispersed members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to form a spearhead capable of breaking through the Konoha line at the ruins of Uzushio—and beyond, into the heart of the Fire Country.
If successful, the other great nations would surely follow, eager to carve off a chunk of Konoha's rich territory.
"Good."
Rokurō nodded.
"Zabuza, this mission is not to be taken lightly. Stop fighting with your teammates. And you, Mei—don't let the last mission's failure weigh you down."
He looked toward Momochi Zabuza and Terumī Mei.
They weren't in the same squad, but for this operation, they had been assigned to the same strike force.
Mist was gathering a formidable host to attack from multiple angles.
The geography of Uzushio was unique—controlling it meant securing Mist's supply lines and establishing a firm foothold for further invasion.
"I know," Zabuza replied coolly, arms crossed. His face was wrapped in bandages.
"Good."
Rokurō nodded.
Zabuza was the infamous "Demon of the Hidden Mist"—the one who had killed every other student in his class during the graduation exam. An extreme shinobi in every sense.
"I won't let this mission fail again," Terumī Mei said with certainty.
Last time, they hadn't expected Kiyohara to become such a variable. She'd been forced to let Ao stay behind to buy time.
By the time she returned to the village, she could only receive news of Ao's death.
That had left a deep thorn in her heart.
Unlike most Mist-nin, who trusted no one, Mei held onto a dream—to reform the Bloody Mist, and bring true bonds and trust back to Kirigakure.
No more betrayal. No more bloodshed between comrades.
And it would start here—with this mission.
She also quietly hoped… to meet Kiyohara again.
This time, she would redeem herself—and prove her strength.
—
The next morning.
The sea mist had not yet fully cleared.
Kiyohara's squad and Kakashi's moved out like usual, following their assigned patrol route, sweeping for signs of intrusion.
Suddenly, the usually quiet Pakkun stopped in his tracks. His moist snout twitched intensely. The other ninja dogs followed suit, growling low and restless.
"Something's off…" Pakkun said, lifting his head.
His usually lazy pug face turned grave beneath the shade of his hat.
"Kakashi, the air smells wrong. Sea salt, sure—but also a trace of unfamiliar chakra… laced with killing intent. It's faint, but my nose doesn't lie."
"Can you determine direction and numbers?"
Kakashi lowered his voice, fully alert.
The ninja dogs sniffed again. Pakkun finally said:
"The scent's scattered by the sea breeze. I can't give exact numbers, but at least two squads. They're moving… toward the abandoned harbor on the flank of our defensive line."
"The flank… harbor…"
Kakashi quickly visualized the tactical map.
That area had rugged terrain—hard to defend, easy to assault—and was only lightly manned.
If Mist elites got through there, the consequences could be catastrophic.
"We need to warn the others. Now. Then intercept them!"
Kiyohara's grip tightened around his blade. Chakra flowed steadily through his core.
It was time.
Exactly what he'd been waiting for—a real battle.
And maybe…
A step closer to that summon beast contract.
There were three standard ways to contract a summon beast:
-Inheritance (through a master or clan).
-Taming one personally.
-Buying one (yes, seriously).
There were even summon beasts sold on Summoning Island—including one run by an Uzumaki descendant, Uzumaki Honoka, according to the anime.
'Money, huh… and of course, I'm broke again,' Kiyohara sighed inwardly.
He wanted a powerful summon, but his wallet was thin.
Maybe this battle would help him collect some quality loot from the corpses.