Why evacuate?
There was no need for an elaborate explanation—none of the four people in this squad were idiots. Hagoromo Squad's mission was infiltration, search, and investigation.
Engaging and killing the enemy was technically outside their primary scope; they were supposed to avoid direct confrontation at all costs.
"Kurenai," Hagoromo looked at the girl, who had sustained the least damage. "We need to leave now while the storm provides cover. The weather is on our side, but we can't be careless. You're at the rear—make sure our tracks are scrubbed."
Though the torrential rain would wash away most physical evidence of their passing within minutes, Hagoromo preferred the insurance of a specialist's touch.
Kurenai nodded without hesitation. "Understood."
"Withdraw!"
At Hagoromo's command, the four turned and bolted. Following their respective battles, the squad's chakra reserves were depleted to varying degrees—Hagoromo's especially. He was in no condition for a back-to-back engagement.
Asuma took the lead, followed by Aoba carrying the prisoner, then Hagoromo, and finally Kurenai bringing up the rear to sanitize their trail. They didn't blindly retreat toward the Land of Fire; instead, they maintained a parallel course along the border.
The mission could not be abandoned.
However, because of the massive disturbance Hagoromo had caused, their original route was burned. The plan to slip quietly into the Land of Rain was scrapped in favor of a more cautious approach.
Even though they were technically still within Fire Country territory, there was no guarantee the Rain ninjas hadn't seen the "Kirin" flare. Scouts were likely already on their way.
To ensure both their safety and the mission's eventual success, Hagoromo decided to extend the operation's timeline. The squad needed to go dark, wait for the heat to die down, and then find a fresh opening to cross the border.
But first, they had to deal with this bundled-up prisoner.
In a secluded mountain cleft where a rocky overhang provided a natural shield against the downpour, Hagoromo Squad went to ground.
Kurenai was busy treating the wounds on Asuma and Aoba. Even if she wasn't a dedicated medical ninja, basic field dressing and first aid were mandatory skills for any shinobi of her caliber.
Meanwhile, Hagoromo was staring at the prisoner, contemplating the best way to extract information.
"Should I release the Genjutsu?" Kurenai asked after finishing her bandages.
The Fuma ninja was wrapped in ninja wire so tightly he looked like a human cocoon. Even if the illusion was lifted, he wasn't going anywhere. This "cocoon" was currently faring much better than his leader, who had been upgraded from "mercenary" to "charred meat."
Hagoromo wanted answers to two specific questions:
Why were Fuma ninjas operating inside the Land of Fire and attacking Leaf shinobi on sight? Was it purely for a bounty?
How did they know his name? Who was tracking him?
He could wake the man up and play some "special games" to break his will, but that was inefficient. There was no guarantee the man would tell the truth under physical torture.
Hagoromo turned to Aoba Yamashiro.
"Aoba, can you perform a memory read?"
From the dossiers the Hokage had provided, Hagoromo knew Aoba possessed a mind-reading ability similar to the Yamanaka clan's. He just didn't know the extent of its reach.
Aoba adjusted his dark sunglasses—a feat considering it was pitch black and raining. Some ninjas in the Hidden Leaf seemed to exist merely as human frames for their eyewear.
" I can try. As long as there isn't a mental seal in place, it shouldn't be a problem." Aoba's tone was cautious.
Hagoromo's gut told him a wandering mercenary wouldn't have high-level mental protection. Those kinds of "brain locks" were usually reserved for high-ranking officials of the Five Great Nations.
"Be careful," Hagoromo warned, signaling him to proceed. "Don't turn our only intel source into a vegetable if the intrusion fails."
Aoba nodded silently. He closed his eyes and wove a sequence of hand signs Hagoromo didn't recognize, then pressed his right palm firmly against the Fuma ninja's forehead.
Hagoromo's warning was grounded in reality. Violent mental intrusion was far more dangerous than physical injury. A slip-up or an accidental "mental sneeze" during the process could shatter the victim's psyche, turning them into a permanent vegetable.
As he watched Aoba work, Hagoromo removed his own mask and winced slightly. He realized he hadn't formally studied mental-protection seals.
(Note to self: ask Kushina-sensei if the Uzumaki have any 'anti-mind-reading' seals. I either need her to slap a mental halo on me, or I need to learn to do it myself.)
While Hagoromo's mind wandered, Aoba's brow began to sweat. "Found it!" he muttered, his voice strained.
"They are indeed Fuma... A week ago, they picked up a mission at a Bounty Station. The Hidden Rain issued a contract: infiltrate the Land of Fire and assassinate Leaf ninjas for a commission. We were just their first target of opportunity."
"So it is for the money," Hagoromo whispered.
But Aoba wasn't finished.
"There's more... Someone, or some organization, has placed a massive personal bounty on you at the exchange. They've verified and published parts of your profile..."
Hagoromo's expression soured instantly.
"...A personal bounty?"