Land of Bears, East of the Yuu River.
The structures of the New Hoshigakure rose sharply from the ground. The entire district had been designated as a military restricted zone, with striking gray-white walls plastered with prominent prohibition notices.
Patrolling Star-nin turned away any civilians attempting to cross the picket lines.
"Lady Nanashi!" The iron prison gates ground open with a piercing screech. Two sentries bowed respectfully as the black-haired girl walked past.
Uchiha Hikari continued inward, her expression impassive, her footsteps echoing down the long stone corridor.
In a dimly lit guardroom, the massive silhouette of Kakuzu was cast against the wall. He was idly counting his monthly salary, along with the extra hazard pay for overseeing the dungeon.
"A rare guest. The smell of mold down here can't compare to the sunlight above," Kakuzu's raspy voice came from behind his mask.
"Project 'Winter Cicada' is ready to begin. You haven't forgotten, have you?" Hikari tilted her head slightly, glancing at the money in his hands. In the corner, two Anbu guards instinctively straightened their backs.
"Has another year passed already?" Kakuzu tucked his money away and produced a heavy ring of keys, leading Hikari deeper into the prison.
For Kakuzu, the one thing he possessed in abundance was time. Between his long lifespan and his current assignment, it was common for him to lose track of the days on the surface.
They stopped before a high-security cell.
Inside, Pakura of Sunagakure was bound hand and foot with heavy chains, sitting cross-legged on a pile of dry straw. Sensing visitors, she snapped her head up, her chains rattling violently.
During her captivity, Pakura had attempted to escape multiple times, only to be dragged back by this masked giant. His fighting style was bizarre; her Scorch Style required physical contact to evaporate the target's internal moisture, but Kakuzu could extend his limbs like a puppet, striking her down before she could even get close. He was her natural counter.
As for the black-haired girl, Pakura had never fought her, but she saw a familiar, chilling arrogance in her eyes... an arrogance that reminded her of the Uchiha Clan of Konoha.
Hikari and Kakuzu gave Pakura only a fleeting glance before moving to the very end of the dungeon.
Inside the final cell were three Star-nin.
Akahoshi with his purple hair, the bald Yoyoi, and the dark-haired Shizuma. They were nailed to wooden crosses, having undergone daily interrogations that left them in a state of blurred consciousness. The mental torture of genjutsu had proven far more effective than physical pain.
These were the moles who had leaked the village's secrets and sent the distress calls to Suna, Iwa, and Konoha the previous year. Through Kakuzu's interrogation and Uzumaki Kasumi's Mind's Eye of the Kagura, they had been identified as the leaders of the internal dissent.
"How many are we using?" Kakuzu asked. As a high-ranking member, he knew the outline of Project Winter Cicada.
"Release the Suna ninjas first. One squad is enough," Hikari mused. "Wait a few days, then release the Stone ninjas. We'll perform the play twice."
"Fine. I'll leave the brainwashing to you." Kakuzu unlocked the iron gate.
Hikari stepped inside. Beneath her flowing hair, her Mangekyo Sharingan bloomed into life.
The three traitors' eyes glazed over instantly, and a faint pattern matching her Mangekyo flickered on the backs of their hands before vanishing. Their heads, previously slumped, lifted slowly; their gazes were now hollow and vacant.
Two days later.
On the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Bears.
Yashamaru was leading a three-man patrol squad, including the young Yuura, toward a border outpost.
"Yashamaru-sensei!" Yuura, his long hair covering half his face, suddenly stopped.
"What is it?!" Yashamaru signaled the team to take a defensive formation.
They were all wearing standard Suna desert gear—sand-colored wraps and wind masks that left only their eyes visible. Yashamaru, wearing the Jonin vest, led the unit. Since the "Longsword Revolution" in the Land of Bears last year, the danger level of these patrols had jumped to B-rank.
"Three o'clock. There's an anomaly!" Yuura reported after a quick sensory pulse.
"Everyone, battle positions!" Yashamaru drew a kunai.
They moved toward the source. Soon, at the edge of the shifting dunes, they saw three stumbling figures being pursued by several Star-nin.
"It's Pakura-senpai!" Yuura hissed, recognizing the lead figure.
Yashamaru confirmed the identity and immediately ordered: "Support them! Move!"
Yashamaru struck first, followed by Yuura and the others, including a puppet master who unfurled his scroll.
A fierce skirmish broke out on the border. Yashamaru's squad intercepted the Star-nin pursuers, providing cover for the battered Pakura and her two subordinates. Seeing their own kin, the escapees rallied for a final counter-attack.
The battle was short but bloody. The Suna squad managed to kill five Star-nin, though they lost one man in the process and two others were seriously injured.
When Yashamaru attempted to capture one of the Star-nin for questioning, the man bit a poison capsule and died instantly.
"The resolve of these rebels is terrifying," Yashamaru muttered, turning to the exhausted Pakura.
"Yashamaru... we have it..." Pakura's blood-stained hand reached into her pouch and pulled out a scroll, thrusting it into his hands. "The intel... on Hoshigakure..."
As soon as the scroll left her hand, she collapsed. Yashamaru caught her just before she hit the sand. Of her original team, one was dead and the other critically wounded.
Looking at the fresh blood smeared on the scroll, Yashamaru barked an order to his men: "Carry them! We're returning to the village immediately!"