"Infiltrate the Land of Wind and retrieve the critical intelligence from our spy."
Hatake Sakumo looked solemnly at the vast desert before him.
Sunagakure's abnormal situation was no longer a secret.
But they had hidden things so well that no one could determine what exactly had happened.
Konoha had been trying to find out for the past two years—
But every attempt had been blocked.
Now—
Their spy had finally obtained the information.
A high-level operative, completely cut off from Konoha.
They had to personally enter the Land of Wind to make contact.
After handing over the intelligence—
The spy would no longer be able to remain undercover.
"White Fang-sama," one of the accompanying ninja said respectfully.
The two accompanying him were jonin.
An elite squad.
If anything went wrong—
They could break through quickly.
In theory—
This mission was foolproof.
Yet—
A sense of unease lingered.
"The rendezvous city is just ahead," one ninja said, checking the map.
Navigating the Land of Wind without one was nearly impossible.
Endless desert—
Easy to get lost.
"Retrieve the intel quickly and withdraw," Sakumo said, looking ahead.
The city wasn't visible yet.
The two ninja exchanged glances.
They didn't understand why they had been assigned to this mission.
Because of Sakumo's sharp instincts—
They hadn't been told the full details.
Only to assist him.
As Root operatives—
They wouldn't question orders.
What they didn't know—
Was that they had already been abandoned from the start.
The three continued forward in silence.
Hot winds mixed with sand lashed against them.
Soon—
The outline of a city appeared.
They stopped—
Used Transformation Jutsu—
And entered.
The Sunagakure guards noticed nothing unusual.
The three slipped in smoothly.
The desert city felt spacious.
Everyone wore wind-resistant coverings.
Despite the heat, they were wrapped tightly.
Because—
The temperature difference between day and night was extreme.
Heat was tolerable.
Cold—
Could kill.
They didn't immediately contact the spy.
Instead—
They acted like ordinary merchants.
Observing buildings.
Checking prices.
Exploring the market.
Traveling traders weren't uncommon.
They didn't stand out.
Sakumo asked about fruit prices—
Then headed toward an inn, looking troubled, like a businessman worried about prospects.
Soon—
Someone bumped into him.
"Watch where you're going!" a burly man barked.
Sakumo immediately apologized.
"Sorry, sorry. My mistake."
Seeing how meek he was, the man scoffed and left.
Sakumo appeared relieved.
But in his hand—
Was a slip of paper.
Back at the inn—
The other two had returned.
Sakumo showed them the note.
"We've made contact."
They both smiled.
Half the mission—
Done.
The note looked like meaningless scribbles.
Sakumo placed a blank sheet on the table—
Formed hand seals.
"Release."
The ink flowed onto the paper—
Revealing clear instructions.
The meeting location.
"Outside the city…"
Sakumo relaxed slightly.
Inside the city was too risky.
Sunagakure patrols were constant.
That's why they maintained their disguises.
The three exchanged glances—
And nodded.
Leaving now—
Wouldn't be suspicious.
…
That night—
The spy left the city.
Moving quickly toward the rendezvous point.
As a Konoha intelligence agent—
He had a legitimate identity within Sunagakure.
Not a fake cover.
And just as Sakumo's intel suggested—
He was a high-level operative, fully embedded.
What Sakumo didn't know—
Was that he belonged to Root.
The spy reached a withered tree.
Arin was already there with a Root squad.
As the spy approached—
Several figures emerged from the shadows.
Before he could react—
He was pinned to the ground.
"Hidden in Konoha's darkness," the spy hurriedly said. "We are nameless roots."
"Roots nourish Konoha endlessly."
Arin nodded.
"Code confirmed. Let him go."
The spy quickly stood and reported,
"Sir, the Kazekage of Sunagakure has disappeared. The current Kazekage is a fake."
"I know," Arin nodded with a smile. "You've kept the intel in your head?"
The Kazekage—
He killed him himself.
Of course he knew.
The spy shook his head. "There are also detailed records and evidence hidden in my clothing."
He began to remove his clothes—
To present them.
Arin raised a hand, stopping him.
"That's enough."
The spy's face lit up.
"Then… can I return to the village?"
Arin didn't answer.
Instead, he asked,
"Since you came here, that means you've contacted other Konoha personnel?"
The spy nodded.
"I left a signal. They'll meet me tomorrow. If I hadn't seen you, I would've handed the intel to them."
"Good."
Arin smiled.
"Sir, I—"
The spy suddenly froze.
A thin line appeared across his neck.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
He looked at Arin—
Unable to understand.
"Don't blame me. It's Danzo's order."
Arin shrugged.
Everyone involved in this mission—
Had to be silenced.
To prevent leaks.
Especially since this spy didn't have the Tongue Eradication Curse Seal.
[Experience +1654]
"Alright, everyone—get ready," Arin said, turning to the others with a smile.
"You're about to face Konoha's White Fang—Hatake Sakumo."
"Consider it an honor."
The Root members showed no expression.
These weren't from Arin's second squad—
But handpicked by Danzo.
His own squad was too valuable.
These—
Were expendable.
After all—
Facing Hatake Sakumo—
The chances of survival were slim.
That was—
The White Fang.
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