After Namikaze Minato saw Uchiha Ryun leave, everyone turned their gaze to him. He took a deep breath and spoke slowly.
"Hiashi, you go to the mountain stronghold first. When we are almost there, please use your Byakugan and tell me the specific situation." Namikaze Minato said seriously.
Hyūga Hiashi nodded. "Leave it to me." After speaking, Hyūga Hiashi began walking towards the stronghold. There was a forest in front of the stronghold, very suitable for hiding and reconnaissance.
Namikaze Minato and the other four waited in place. In less than a quarter of an hour, Hyūga Hiashi ran back.
"There are two guards at the entrance, and two watchtowers nearby. Each tower has two people..." As he spoke, Hyūga Hiashi picked up a randomly broken tree branch and began drawing a diagram on the ground.
Namikaze Minato and everyone else looked at the diagram, silent and thoughtful.
"I saw the guards all have dark circles under their eyes, looking very tired, and their legs are weak. It looks like they didn't rest well." Hyūga Hiashi was still very naive and didn't know why the bandits were like that.
So he could only attribute it to poor rest, which wasn't wrong.
"Besides the external defenses, did you see the inside?" Namikaze Minato continued.
Hyūga Hiashi nodded. His Byakugan had x-ray vision, so he could see a lot of things.
"There is a cellar in the left wing room, filled with food and trafficked women." When he said this, Hyūga Hiashi's expression became somewhat unnatural.
Namikaze Minato nodded. "What about other locations?"
As Namikaze Minato changed the subject, Hyūga Hiashi relaxed. "The house on the right is where some bandits rest, and the central area is where the bandits train."
"What about the numbers?" Namikaze Minato asked.
"My Byakugan's field of view is limited. I can only see the situation in half of the courtyard. There are roughly 40 to 50 people. All are ordinary people, with no chakra flow." Hyūga Hiashi answered truthfully.
Namikaze Minato considered privately, then said, "Around 4 AM, we begin the operation. The teacher said this is the time when people sleep most deeply."
"At that time, Shinnosuke, you go to the entrance of the house where the bandits live and use Earth Style: Mud Wall to block the doorway. Before the doorway is completely blocked, Fugaku, you need to quietly place the dry grass inside the bandits' house."
"Chōza, find a large rock to block the chimney of the bandits' house. Then go to the left wing room, eliminate the guards, and rescue the trapped women."
"Inoichi, use your Mind Body Switch Technique to pass through the wall into the bandits' house and eliminate the bandits. Leave no survivors."
"Hiashi, come with me to deal with the lookouts. Then assist Chōza in rescuing people. Kill anyone you see. Do not let the bandits react."
"Finally, after everything is done, the six of us will regroup in the central area and discuss how to deal with the three shinobi in the main house."
Namikaze Minato's mind worked quickly. He laid out the plan and soon gained everyone's approval. For now, it was time to rest, prepare for battle, and collect dry grass.
Taking out a scroll, everyone went down the mountain to collect dry grass and branches. After collecting, they found a cave to rest in.
Uchiha Ryun saw this from a tree, the corners of his mouth turning up. Not bad. The plan was basically sound, with no major issues.
Even if there were problems, Uchiha Ryun could ensure the safety of the six youngsters.
Around 3 AM, Namikaze Minato got up. He roused himself and woke the other five.
"Everyone, wake up!" After Namikaze Minato spoke, everyone opened their eyes one after another, full of energy, and looked at him.
Namikaze Minato glanced at the time on his watch and murmured, "It's 3 AM now. Everyone, be alert."
Everyone had slept in the afternoon and slept until 3 AM. They were all full of energy now.
"Now, we start heading up the mountain. Be quick, keep your steps light, try not to make any sound. Hiashi, lead the way with your Byakugan!" Namikaze Minato arranged.
Hyūga Hiashi nodded, frowned. The veins on both sides of his temples bulged, looking somewhat frightening.
But the others were already used to it. This was how the Byakugan looked when activated. The reason Namikaze Minato arranged it this way was because in the dark, Hyūga Hiashi's Byakugan could clearly see the road conditions and any hidden sentries or ambushes.
With Hyūga Hiashi leading the way, everyone quickly reached the bandits' stronghold. Two torches hung at the stronghold entrance. Hyūga Hiashi observed the four bandits on the watchtowers and the two guards sleeping on the ground at the entrance, then began making hand signals to Namikaze Minato.
After receiving Hyūga Hiashi's message, Namikaze Minato nodded and made hand signals back to Hiashi. Hyūga Hiashi nodded slightly.
Then the two quickly moved to the entrance. Namikaze Minato held a kunai and slit one person's throat, while his other hand covered the bandit's mouth. Soon, the bandit went limp and fell to the ground, lifeless.
Hyūga Hiashi used his Byakugan to locate the bandit's Adam's apple and punched out. The bandit's throat was pierced instantly, unable to utter a word.
Then, Namikaze Minato pointed to the left, then to himself. Then he pointed to the right, then to Hyūga Hiashi.
Hyūga Hiashi nodded. The two took action. They didn't use the main gate. Instead, they attached chakra to the soles of their feet, ran up the wall, and found the watchtowers. Namikaze Minato used Body Flicker Technique to appear beside the two lookouts and used Wind Style: Wind Dagger.
The two bandits' heads were immediately severed. Namikaze Minato hid in the watchtower, secretly watching Hyūga Hiashi's side. Hyūga Hiashi took a deep breath, leaped onto the watchtower, then targeted a person, pressed his hands on the bandit's head, and twisted.
With a snap, the bandit died instantly. The other bandit heard the sound and shivered. Just as he was about to shout "Intru...", before he could finish, Hyūga Hiashi grabbed his throat cartilage and squeezed hard. With a gurgling sound, Hyūga Hiashi punched and crushed his head.
Hyūga Hiashi immediately hid his form and looked towards Namikaze Minato. The two made eye contact, then threw shuriken to extinguish the two lights at the entrance. After the signal, the people outside began to act.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Everyone quickly scaled the wall and began rushing towards their assigned mission points.
In the dark night, Uchiha Ryun appeared on the watchtower. A trace of satisfaction appeared in his dark red Sharingan eyes.
He saw Uchiha Fugaku walk to the entrance of the bandits' house, begin to control his breathing, and walk into the house. He opened the scroll, and dry grass lay quietly at the entrance. Then, Uchiha Fugaku silently used Phoenix Flower Jutsu and quickly left the spot. Seeing the firelight inside the house and Uchiha Fugaku safely out,
Sarutobi Shinnosuke formed hand seals with both hands, slapped the ground, and an Earth Style: Mud Wall erupted from the ground, completely blocking the main entrance.
Akimichi Chōza smelled the smoke coming from the chimney. He immediately summoned a large rock and blocked the chimney to prevent the thick smoke from escaping.
Yamanaka Inoichi finally appeared next to Sarutobi Shinnosuke, nodded to him, indicating, "I'm counting on you!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke nodded in response, while his right hand held the iron rod, and his left hand supported Yamanaka Inoichi.
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