After Minazuki Murasaki released her Ninjutsu, the Ninjas trapped within the Ice Mirrors lay sprawled across the ground, their bodies riddled with ice spikes. Only the squad's leader remained conscious.
Asuka walked slowly up to the surviving Ninja. Seeing that he was still somewhat lucid, he turned to one of his subordinates and said, "Kenta, interrogate him. I want to know what their mission in the Land of Water was."
"Yes, Captain!"
The man named Sato Kenta stepped forward at once and dragged the injured Ninja aside. As a specialist in intelligence extraction, he was confident he could extract information from someone in that condition.
…
Not long after the interrogation began, the Hidden Mist border troops finally arrived.
Asuka watched their late arrival, a faint flicker of displeasure passing through his eyes. He addressed them calmly, "Anbu Squad Four, dispatched by order of the Mizukage-sama to reinforce the border. Who is in command here?"
The border Ninjas exchanged uneasy glances before an older-looking man stepped forward.
"My name is Asama Sai, Captain of the Sixth Border Patrol Squad. May I see your credentials from the Mizukage-sama?"
Without a word, Asuka took the Mizukage's transfer order from his ninja tool pouch and tossed it to Asama Sai.
"What exactly is going on here?" Asuka's voice turned cold. "Has the border patrol deteriorated to the point that you can't even stop a handful of mere Chunin?"
Having just finished reading the order, Asama Sai immediately dropped to one knee. "Please forgive us, my lord. Our response was delayed. We failed to detect the intrusion in time."
"It seems you still don't understand the severity of the situation. If this squad had infiltrated the Village and stolen critical intelligence, would you be able to compensate for the losses?"
Asama Sai lowered his head even further. "My lord, we acknowledge our mistake. Please grant us your forgiveness."
"I do not wish to see this happen again. Understood?"
"Yes, my lord!"
At that moment, Sato Kenta returned. "My lord, the interrogation is complete. They are Konoha Ninjas. Their objective was to gather intelligence on our personnel deployments near the border."
Asuka nodded. "As expected. Kenta, send a copy of the intelligence back to the Village."
He then turned to Asama Sai. "Take us to your station."
After a brief cleanup of the battlefield, the group followed Asama Sai back to the border outpost.
…
By evening, they arrived at the border station.
After having Asama Sai arrange quarters for the Fourth Squad, Asuka went straight to meet the station's commanding officer, Terumi Kenshi.
Before Asuka could even announce himself outside the tent, Terumi Kenshi stepped out with a broad smile.
"Welcome, welcome, Asuka-kun! I received the Mizukage-sama's confidential order some time ago and have been wondering when you would arrive. I didn't expect you to reach us so quickly. Speed is everything in wartime!"
"You flatter me, Kenshi-kun. I am simply carrying out the Mizukage-sama's orders. On my way here, we captured a squad of Konoha Ninjas. The situation at the border already appears quite tense."
"Oh? I see. It seems discipline has grown lax among some of our forces if such a breach occurred. Thank you for your assistance, Asuka-kun."
He sighed lightly before continuing.
"The situation is indeed unfavorable. The entire Ninja World is in turmoil. All nations are restless, and the frequency of probing operations has increased significantly. Infiltration squads like the one you encountered have become far more common. That is precisely why I requested reinforcements from the Mizukage-sama."
Asuka nodded. "The Ninja World is like a powder keg right now—just one spark away from ignition. But we are not the type to sit back and take blows quietly. Tomorrow, I plan to lead my squad into the Land of Fire to gather intelligence."
Terumi Kenshi laughed softly. "Truly bold, Asuka-kun—taking the initiative the moment you arrive. Still, you've just reached the front lines. Why not rest for a few days first?"
"Thank you for your concern, Kenshi-kun, but time is critical. The sooner we obtain useful intelligence, the better positioned we are to strike first."
"In that case, I wish you success in advance."
After exchanging a few more polite words, Asuka returned to the Fourth Squad's quarters and informed them of the plan to enter the Land of Fire at dawn.
No one objected. They simply ate more quickly.
…
Before sunrise the next morning, Asuka's squad quietly crossed toward the border of the Land of Fire. Their objective was to investigate Konoha's recent border defenses and personnel deployments.
Shortly after entering the Land of Fire, they encountered their first Konoha patrol. To avoid raising suspicion, Asuka chose not to engage and allowed the patrol to pass.
Continuing deeper into the territory, Asuka relied on his powerful sensory ability to evade multiple waves of patrol squads. On the third day within the Land of Fire, they finally discovered a suspicious location.
Through his perception, Asuka sensed several Chakra signatures lingering there at all times, constantly rotating in and out.
As he drew closer, his certainty grew. Though he had not yet seen the physical site, he could clearly sense a faint, almost imperceptible membrane interfering with his perception.
"A barrier."
There was no doubt—they had found the Konoha border station.
Asuka did not act recklessly. He halted and silently signaled the situation to those behind him. The squad immediately dispersed and concealed themselves. Asuka gathered several of the more experienced members to assign roles.
"I've located the Konoha station. Advancing further will bring us within the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan surveillance range. We will split into two teams. One team will create a diversion to draw the Konoha Ninjas' attention. The other will infiltrate the station and determine the status of their grain and supply reserves."
"My lord, allow me to lead the diversion team," an older Ninja volunteered. "I'm familiar with Konoha's tactics." His name was Miyagawa Ryosuke, a veteran of the Second Ninja War and one of the few Special Jonin in the squad.
"No, Ryosuke. You have a more important task." Asuka shook his head. "You will lead the reconnaissance team with Hohzuki Mangetsu and Minazuki Murasaki. Your experience makes you better suited for infiltration than I am."
Before Ryosuke could argue, Asuka turned to Mangetsu and Murasaki.
"Mangetsu. Murasaki. You both understand the risks involved, so I won't waste words on that. I don't require large-scale destruction—only accurate intelligence. Above all else, you must return alive."
"Yes, Asuka-sama," they replied firmly.
With the teams divided according to Asuka's orders, everyone concealed themselves within the grass and waited quietly for nightfall.