Chapter 33 Patience, coming! (Seeking monthly ticket)
AI Model: gemini-2.0-flash
"Captain, are they going to transfer us from here?"
Yamanaka En asked immediately.
Sakumo Hatake nodded: "Very likely."
"The convoy was attacked, but those people couldn't take the iron ore."
"Moreover, merely attacking the convoy, while it affects mining operations, isn't fatal. Transportation can be temporarily halted."
Transporting the excavated iron ore wasn't an urgent matter.
Uchiha Namiichi, on the other hand, said: "Our mission is to protect the mining area. Being ambushed on the road has nothing to do with us."
This sounded heartless, but Xuan Yi nodded in agreement.
They could certainly pursue and eliminate the attackers.
But what if it truly was a feint to lure them away, and the mining area was destroyed? That would mean their mission failed. What good would killing those who attacked the convoy do then?
After listening to his subordinates' opinions, Sakumo Hatake nodded slightly and said: "Return to your positions and heighten your vigilance."
"Although we can't pursue, it's necessary to check on the attackers' situation. I'll use a Shadow Clone."
"Disperse!"
At his command, Xuan Yi immediately dispelled his Shadow Clone.
Uchiha Namiichi and Yamanaka En, meanwhile, used the Body Flicker Technique to leave.
Sakumo Hatake formed hand seals, sending a Shadow Clone directly to the incident site.
On the treetop, Xuan Yi watched Sakumo Hatake's Shadow Clone quickly depart.
"Sigh, can't they just let me cultivate peacefully while completing the mission?"
Xuan Yi sighed to himself.
He really wasn't interested in fighting and killing.
After all, that truly meant risking his life.
Cultivation was much more interesting; constantly improving himself brought a sense of accomplishment and security.
"But the attackers…"
Xuan Yi mused: "Who could it be?"
"Internal conflict within the Land of Rivers?"
"A combination of internal factions in the Land of Rivers and the unwilling Land of Wind?"
"Or something else?"
…
On the other side.
Sakumo Hatake arrived at the incident site.
Overturned carriages, dead horses, and the convoy personnel lay scattered.
The ore was strewn across the ground.
Sakumo Hatake found no traces of Ninjutsu.
However, against samurai and ordinary people, Ninjutsu was usually unnecessary.
He then followed the tracks, soon arriving at a riverbank.
The tracks disappeared.
Sakumo Hatake looked upstream and downstream, then crossed the river to the opposite bank, finding some more traces.
Looking towards the forest, Sakumo Hatake did not continue tracking, but returned the way he came.
Although he could dispel the Shadow Clone directly, Sakumo Hatake did not do so.
The Shadow Clone retreated all the way back to the defensive area, then went directly to Xuan Yi.
"Xuan Yi, the enemy might have infiltrated from the river. Be especially vigilant."
Sakumo Hatake instructed.
The source of that river came from a mountain stream.
Coincidentally, for water supply, the mine had also dug a canal to draw water from the river.
This connected the three points.
The enemy might have traveled upstream to infiltrate.
Of course, the defensive perimeter they set up wouldn't overlook this point.
That particular spot was the responsibility of Sarutobi Shinnosuke's squad.
However, as the most important observer, Xuan Yi, capable of observing all directions, was also within his responsibilities.
"Don't worry, Sensei, I understand!"
Xuan Yi nodded.
Sakumo Hatake said no more, his figure vanishing from the spot, heading to Sarutobi Shinnosuke's side to report the situation.
On the treetop, Xuan Yi thought for a moment, then raised his hands to form a seal.
Bang!
A Water Clone appeared, then leaped away.
After crossing two mountain peaks.
Xuan Yi's Water Clone arrived at a river flowing through a valley.
This was the mine's water source.
"Xuan Yi!"
A figure appeared.
It was Nara Kakuto.
"Kakuto!"
Xuan Yi greeted him, then explained: "Sakumo Sensei said the enemy might invade from here, so I came here to set up an ambush."
Nara Kakuto didn't mind; instead, he sighed in relief and smiled: "Then I can relax a bit."
He couldn't use Water Release.
Of course, this wasn't a problem with Sakumo Hatake's arrangement.
Rather, the defensive zones of the two squads were rotated.
They would switch in two days.
At that time, this area would be Xuan Yi's patrol zone.
Although the feasibility of poisoning was minuscule.
But if animal carcasses were put into the water, it would also pollute the water source.
…
The afternoon passed uneventfully.
In the evening, Sarutobi Shinnosuke's squad rested, while Xuan Yi and his three teammates were responsible for guarding the first half of the night. This also meant a heavier task, requiring them to defend a wider area.
This was also a temporary arrangement to deal with the appearance of attackers.
Otherwise, the two squads would take turns guarding the night.
However, that night was uneventful.
Even for the next two days, no one infiltrated.
It wasn't until the third day that another convoy transporting goods was attacked again.
"Could it be that these guys' mission is simply to prevent the outward transportation of ore?"
Yamanaka En couldn't help but suspect.
Uchiha Namiichi was also somewhat puzzled.
"Xuan Yi, what do you think?"
Yamanaka En asked.
Xuan Yi shook his head: "Any possibility exists."
"Perhaps the mission is only to attack the transport convoy, but it's also possible that this opponent is very patient and very troublesome."
Yamanaka En said: "Xuan Yi, you lean towards the latter, don't you?"
Xuan Yi smiled, admitting: "We can't underestimate the opponent too much."
Uchiha Namiichi frowned: "Then what should we do?"
"We don't have enough manpower."
"The mine will probably demand that we take the initiative to attack."
Yamanaka En smiled: "Langyi, didn't you say that wasn't part of our mission?"
Uchiha Namiichi said coldly: "But the rats hiding in the dark are provoking us; we must teach them a lesson!"
This was Uchiha.
They could be calm, but also very proud and arrogant!
However, Xuan Yi agreed with Uchiha Namiichi.
In their position, it was actually correct to proceed according to the mission requirements.
Their mission was to protect the mine, not including the transport convoy, so there was no problem with not taking action.
But for Sakumo Hatake, as the squad leader, he had more to consider.
There was also Konoha's reputation, which was an important aspect that had to be considered.
Sakumo Hatake was his Sensei, so Xuan Yi naturally thought more deeply.
A moment later.
Sakumo Hatake returned, stating directly: "The mine manager requested that we eliminate those attackers during the next ore transport."
"I agreed."
Xuan Yi and his two teammates looked at Sakumo Hatake without speaking, quietly awaiting orders.
Sakumo Hatake said: "At that time, Xuan Yi, you stay and coordinate with Shin'nosuke and his team to blockade that river."
"Langyi, En, you will act with me."
Xuan Yi and his two teammates nodded in unison: "Understood!"
"Disperse!"
At his command, Xuan Yi and his two teammates returned to their respective positions.
Three days passed in a flash.
On this day, early in the morning, another convoy departed from the mining area to transport ore.
Sakumo Hatake, Uchiha Namiichi, and Yamanaka En's main bodies were hidden among them, leaving only clones in the defensive area.
On a tree on the mountain, Xuan Yi still held binoculars.
But this was also just a clone.
His main body was currently hidden at the confluence of two rivers, transformed into a protruding rock in the river using the Transformation Jutsu.
Clap, clap, clap!
On the river surface, still shrouded in a faint mist, figures rushed forward.
On the treetop, Xuan Yi's clone blew a whistle as a warning.
Enemy attack!
And from two directions: one from the river, and one from the front.