Using his sensory ninjutsu, No. 3 scanned the path ahead. Once he confirmed that—thanks to the hired Akatsuki—the area had been thoroughly cleared of hidden seals and traps, the group from the Hidden Cloud Village wasted no more time. Towering walls loomed in front of them, the kind that would stop most people cold. But with just a trickle of chakra flowing to their soles, the team moved up the vertical surface as if it were flat ground. One after another, they silently crested the wall and landed on the other side—inside the territory of the Hidden Leaf Village.
They didn't advance immediately. Instead, they sought cover and turned once more to their sole sensory ninja, No. 3. Only after he cast another jutsu and gave a subtle nod—signaling that all was still clear—did the group relax.
'No patrols even after all this time… Looks like that Akatsuki group wasn't bluffing. They really did wipe out the guard detail.' Now, only some barely-trained reserves remained—stand-ins so ineffective, they were little more than decoration.
The captain, seeing No. 3's signal, finally loosened the knot in his chest. With a mockingly dismissive chuckle—part contempt, part morale tactic—he scanned their surroundings, hands on his hips.
"Good. Everything's going exactly as planned… Now then, it's time to find the future Head of the Hyuga Clan. Remember—this is our only shot to wash away the shame. No matter what, we bring Hyuga Hinata back to the Hidden Cloud."
"Yes, sir!"
"Move! Before the Leaf has time to respond!"
At the captain's command, even the arrogant scion and the cold, aloof No. 3 dropped their usual attitudes. With curt nods, they vanished into the dense forest that led toward Konoha's residential sector, each transforming into streaks of shadow.
'Everything's going according to plan… So why can't I shake this feeling that something's wrong?'
Watching his team disappear into the trees, the captain's feigned smirk faded. His brows knit tightly as he murmured under his breath.
'We may have slipped in successfully, but this time, we're not diplomats under the feudal lord's protection. We're invaders. If we're exposed… we'll lose any claim to the moral high ground.'
As captain of this covert ops unit, he knew far more than the rank-and-file. And unlike the scion tagging along to piggyback some glory, or No. 3 seeking revenge for his brother, the captain bore heavier concerns than any of them could grasp.
It was true: With the Fourth Raikage—A renowned warrior who rose to power after shining brightly during the Third Great Ninja War—leading them, and with Killer Bee and Yugito Nii as near-perfect Jinchūriki, the Hidden Cloud's strength had surpassed even the Hidden Leaf. Both could fully unleash their Tailed Beast powers at will and retain control, making their military might perhaps the greatest among the Five Great Shinobi Nations.
Meanwhile, the Leaf had lost its previous Jinchūriki. The Nine-Tails' power, once stable under rational control, was gone. And the death of Minato Namikaze—the Fourth Hokage, Konoha's famed Yellow Flash—during the incident had delivered a massive blow. With the Hidden Cloud rising and the Leaf diminished, the balance had undeniably shifted.
Yet even so… if war broke out between the two villages, the fallout wouldn't be limited to just them. The other three villages, long harboring ambition, would surely seize the opportunity.
In short, the world—still raw from the Third Great Ninja War—remained a fragile bubble. Even the smallest disturbance could trigger the Fourth.
War wasn't swift. It was a slow, grinding, money-burning monster. In that regard, the Hidden Cloud was at a disadvantage. Konoha had deeper pockets, stronger infrastructure, and years of quiet rebuilding. If this turned into a drawn-out conflict, it wouldn't just be risky—it could ruin the Cloud.
Which was why, when their attempt to claim Hyuga Hiashi's corpse was thwarted—only to learn later that Hiashi had been resurrected and still lived in the Leaf—they were forced to swallow their fury in silence.
But that silence wouldn't last. The Cloud had coveted the Hyuga's Byakugan for years. And so, a new team had been dispatched: a covert infiltration unit, led by a hardened veteran from their equivalent of the Anbu, with No. 3 as support specialist, and No. 2—a powerhouse meant to handle any direct confrontation.
And then there was the scion. On paper, he was just a spoiled son of a powerful elder. The captain had been ordered to bring him along—ostensibly to give him a chance to earn prestige and pave the way for inheriting his father's seat.
But in truth, he was a hostage.
If the team was cornered, this scion's presence would ensure the elders—particularly the one who sent him—would never abandon them. He was their insurance, the symbol of hope that help would come. A reason to believe they weren't disposable.
That was the theory, anyway.
But the captain wasn't so sure. According to his own intel, that "important" son might not be so valuable after all.
Raised in luxury, arrogant and thoughtless, the scion had little chance of surviving long in the backstabbing world of the Elder Council. His father, meanwhile, had numerous mistresses and enough illegitimate children to fill a clan. The only reason the scion was favored at all was because he was the only legitimate heir from the main wife—one whose family held serious power. The elder feared her wrath far more than he valued his son.
So when he eagerly volunteered the boy for this mission, it wasn't affection—it was opportunity. If the mission succeeded, the scion would earn credit and status. If it failed… well, it would make for a convenient excuse. They could stage a grand funeral, declare him a hero, and silence any protests. Then the elder could finally bring in the heir he actually wanted—under the guise of recruiting a new assistant or apprentice.
After all, it was just a child they were abducting. A simple task. Practically a gift-wrapped promotion.
But what a joke. Hinata wasn't just some random kid—she was the heiress of the Hyuga Clan. And last time, even with the Land of Lightning's feudal lord backing them, the entire team had been annihilated.
The captain rolled his eyes in exasperation.
'They nod and smile on the surface, but the moment we stepped over the Fire Country border, the Leaf struck back like a coiled viper. This village isn't some docile housecat—it's a sleeping lion you don't want to wake.'
'If we go too far… the elders will disavow us without hesitation.'
If the mission succeeded, the elders could boast about their political cunning and use the results to weaken the Fourth Raikage's authority. If it failed, they'd gain sympathy for "sacrificing" a son, reinforce their image as noble leaders, and quietly groom a more obedient heir behind the scenes.
'Hmph. Two birds with one stone. What a clever trap.'
He let out a long sigh as his internal rant faded. Putting on a smirk, he moved to follow the others—deliberately walking in their wake, tracing the same path they had deemed safe.
'This whole thing… It's a suicide mission, set up just to feed the egos of those old bastards on the council.'
'If we can really bring Hinata back, maybe we'll make it out of this alive. But if we're caught, or fail… or worse, if we're forced to flee and become missing-nin…'
'None of those fates end well.'
At this point, surviving Konoha's wrath would be a miracle in itself.
'Hm?'
His thoughts halted. Up ahead, the team had suddenly changed direction. They were scattering, ducking into cover.
The captain blinked. Then he understood—something had gone wrong.
He dropped beside No. 3's hiding spot and whispered in the Cloud's secret code.
"What happened? Why did everyone stop?"
"Captain, a hundred meters ahead—we've detected an enemy."
"What? From Konoha? But we're still quite a ways from the village. How—?"
His stomach twisted. He lowered his voice.
"How many? What's their strength? Can we get a read?"
"Yes… Based on chakra signature, they seem to be around Chūnin-level. But…"
"But what?"
No. 3's voice faltered. Under his hood, his expression turned uneasy.
"But… it's only one person."