Preparing for Battle
It was only after subduing them that Nakamura and Shikamaru clearly noticed the engraved forehead protectors.
"Hidden Hot Water Village shinobi?" Nakamura's eyes narrowed. "Do you intend to provoke a war?"
"I advise you not to meddle in our affairs," the captured Jōnin spat. "This is an internal matter of Yugakure. If you interfere, your end will not be pleasant."
At this moment, Shikamaru walked over, voice calm but firm.
"But you've already interfered with our mission. And besides, what if we decide to confront you? Don't forget—we were invited by your own Hidden Hot Water shinobi."
He folded his arms. "Why don't you tell us what this place really was used for? Perhaps then you can atone for your mistake."
"Hmph." The man turned away.
"Enough, Shikamaru," Nakamura said, shaking his head. "Even if he refuses to speak, it won't change anything. He's still a Jōnin, and his standing in Hidden Hot Water Village is far from low."
"Then what do we do? If we release them now, it'll affect the mission."
"I'll leave a Shadow Clone to guard them for the time being. When Shirō returns, we'll decide the next step."
"…That's all we can do," Shikamaru admitted helplessly.
The group resumed searching the area, though the chances of finding useful traces were slim.
---
As dusk fell, Shirō—after a short rest—slipped through the treeline and approached the enemy stronghold.
He had spent the entire day observing. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a den of mountain bandits, but he wanted confirmation.
Summoning a thin shimmer of prana, Shirō Projected a tattered cloak—an imitation of the Invisibility Cloth. Though only an E-rank Noble Phantasm, and far from flawless, it would at least bend perception enough for him to sneak past inattentive eyes.
Step by careful step, Shirō infiltrated the hideout.
Inside, he confirmed his suspicion. Just ordinary thieves—violent and rowdy, but not shinobi. Certainly not linked to Gakin-kyō.
Still, Shirō mentally recorded everything. Even if irrelevant now, there might be value in "harvesting some wool" after the mission. After all, this wasn't the Land of Fire. The rules were different here.
Having gathered what he needed, Shirō slipped back into the forest. On the way, he spotted a discreet marker left by Shikamaru.
Ducking into a shadowed corner, he transformed into another guise before following the trail. It eventually led him to the site Shikamaru and Nakamura had investigated earlier. There, both of Taiyi's teams were already waiting.
It turned out Shikamaru had left a Shadow Clone to keep watch, then regrouped with the others. But when Shirō didn't return quickly, they grew cautious and gathered together.
After listening to their report, Shirō asked bluntly, "What do we do with them? Why not just kill them? The snakes of Ryūchi Cave are… efficient at disposing of bodies."
Nakamura immediately shook his head. "No. The way Shikamaru and I acted today wasn't subtle. If these men die, suspicion will fall directly on us. That would be troublesome."
"In that case, leave it to me," Shirō said. "I've been practicing a minor genjutsu—it can make people subconsciously ignore certain memories. Not perfect against shinobi, but it might serve."
Nakamura raised a brow. "You're becoming rather versatile. A hand in everything, aren't you?"
"Hardly. Just average," Shirō deflected, then turned to Shikamaru. "Can you find us a safe spot to stash them?"
Shikamaru shook his head. "No. This close to Yugakure, moving them hastily risks discovery. Can you boost the effect?"
"I can, but not for long. Against Genin at best—and only if they aren't sensory-types. One day, maybe two."
What Shirō intended was no shinobi art at all, but rather an obscure spell from Medea's knowledge: a repelling charm designed to divert ordinary people away from magic. Against trained ninja, its limits were obvious. But with some tailoring, it could at least cloud a Genin's memory.
"That's enough," Nakamura decided. "Yugakure doesn't have many active shinobi. Mostly Genin. Few if any sensory-nin."
"Then I'll set it up."
Shirō went to work, weaving subtle layers of concealment into the clearing. Maintaining it would be inconvenient, but they only needed to hold their captives for a short while.
Once done, the group shifted focus to exchanging intel.
Taiyi's squad reported first. "The site we scouted is bandits—ordinary ones. But…" He frowned. "Something about them feels wrong. My kikaichū reacted oddly. They're not behaving like common thieves."
Shikamaru's brow furrowed. "Not behaving like thieves?"
Taiyi shook his head. "Hard to describe. Just… wrong."
"Yue? Toyota? What about your side?" Nakamura asked.
Toyota stepped forward. "There are shinobi there. Many. And the strongest one's chakra signature—stronger than a Jōnin's."
Everyone stiffened at that. Chakra presence alone wasn't a perfect measure of combat power, but it was rarely misleading. Whoever that was, they were no lightweight.
"You're certain?" Nakamura pressed.
"Yes. Absolutely."
Shikamaru exhaled sharply. "…This is troublesome. Shirō, did you at least find good news?"
"Yes. The group I infiltrated really were just mountain thieves. No shinobi, no hidden traps."
"At night?" Shikamaru asked suspiciously. "And what about the entire day?"
"Watching them from the ridge opposite. No suspicious movements."
Shikamaru chuckled dryly. "Your eyes really are useful."
"Of course," Shirō smirked. "They're a clan secret technique, after all."
"Alright, enough banter," Nakamura cut in. "Shikamaru, your assessment?"
"Yes, sensei." Shikamaru's expression hardened. "I believe this mission isn't simple. Someone in Yugakure is deliberately feeding us half-truths."
"You think that Jōnin we caught has an accomplice?" Shirō asked, pointing at the restrained prisoner.
"Exactly. I looked into Yugakure's current leader—he's cautious, even desperate to maintain good ties with Konoha. He wouldn't risk open hostility by sending a Jōnin to sabotage us."
Nakamura folded his arms. "But we can't move recklessly either. If they die by our hands, it could escalate into a diplomatic incident. Our mission comes first."
"Still, one thing is certain," Shikamaru said grimly. "Gakin-kyō is involved with Yugakure. The intelligence was too clean. Too staged."
"In other words," Nakamura concluded, "the 'targets' we were fed are distractions."
Shikamaru nodded. "I have a theory about their true objective, but I need one more piece to confirm it."
"Then for now, we play along," Nakamura decided. "Tomorrow, we'll split into two teams and strike both strongholds at once."
His gaze swept over the group. "Shirō. Yue. Taiyi. You three are the strongest. You'll handle the site with the heavier shinobi presence."