Uchiha Kairen and Uchiha Retsu followed the markings all the way to the point where the enemy had split their forces earlier.
After scanning the area carefully, Kairen frowned.
"Things have changed again. These aren't traces left by two people anymore — this is nearly twenty sets of footprints. I checked Honō's markings: one points west — that one's meant for the support team following behind us. The other points east — that's for our squad. And look, there are far more tracks heading east."
Uchiha Retsu thought for a moment, then nodded gravely.
"Not just that. Honō must've discovered something serious. The western signal isn't for us — it's bait, left for the enemy pursuers from the hidden village.
"He must've realized how big this has gotten, figured the village would definitely react, so he left one trail for them to chase, while the eastern trail is meant for our squad — and the Uchiha coming to back us up. You were right about one thing: this is bad. Really bad. Let's move — Honō could be exposed at any moment!"
At the edge of the Konoha Forest
"They split their forces again over there," said Ankoku, who had caught up with the main force. "Judging from the signs, Honō must've gone after the group heading into the forest. He's good at tracking. About fifteen hundred meters ahead of the split point, there was a fight — short and fast. I checked the bodies. The techniques used were Kairen and Retsu's style.
One of the enemy ninja poisoned himself to death. The kids have run into trouble… This isn't going to be simple."
Uchiha Nobunaga and the burly man beside him exchanged glances. Nobunaga's expression hardened.
"Pick up the pace! Keep moving forward!" he ordered, swinging his arm down. The entire squad accelerated instantly, racing deeper into the forest.
Inside the Konoha Forest
The trees grew thick and endless, lush and full of life.
Two figures darted through the towering trunks, pausing now and then to check the surroundings before dashing off again, abandoning stealth for speed.
After running for a while, they stopped.
"Damn it," Retsu cursed, punching a nearby tree hard enough to make the bark crack. "They've split up again! We'll never catch them like this — they're clearly laying false trails. And their pace isn't any slower than ours!"
Kairen didn't answer. He gave a silent hand signal. Both of them leapt back and quickly formed hand seals.
Then, as they got a clear look at the figure emerging from the woods ahead, Kairen suddenly stopped Retsu's hand.
"Wait," he said sharply.
The "enemy" before them was… a kid — around their own age.
The boy held a kunai, eyes wary at first, but the moment he saw their Konoha attire, he relaxed visibly, even letting out a sigh of relief.
Retsu raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Well, well. Blondie — what are you doing out here, camping?"
Kairen and the boy both froze for a second. Even now, Retsu still had the nerve to crack jokes.
The blond boy scratched his head, embarrassed.
"I'm Namikaze Minato, a student from the Konoha Ninja Academy. My teammates were kidnapped. I've been following the trail they left behind, and I ran into you two. Are you here to rescue people too?"
The two Uchiha immediately exchanged looks — realization dawning at once.
So the "cargo" in that big wooden crate… wasn't an object. It was a Konoha child.
Kairen's tone turned serious.
"Retsu, you go on alone. If you find the enemy but not Honō, don't rush in — leave markings and wait for backup. If you do find Honō, stick with him."
"As for me, I've got someone here who knows their trail. I'll follow it with him. Looks like our hunch was right — this isn't just a big catch. If we're not careful, it could cost lives."
Before Retsu could respond, Kairen turned to the blond boy.
"You can find your teammates, right? Lead the way."
He crouched down, carved both the Konoha and Uchiha tracking symbols into the ground, then gestured for Minato to move. The two of them shot forward through the trees.
As he leapt away, Kairen called back over his shoulder, his voice calm but firm:
"Retsu — stay alive. We all go home together."
---
Under a towering tree
Ankoku crouched by the roots, studying the marks on the ground.
"According to Honō's signs, they split up again here. Honō went ahead, and the two kids separated — Kairen went left, Retsu went straight. As for who's with Kairen… we'll only know when we see them."
The burly man coughed softly.
"I'll go after Kairen. Brother, you and Ankoku chase Retsu and Honō. Kairen used two sets of signals — that's probably what he intended."
Uchiha Nobunaga glanced at him, then nodded.
"Alright. Take the first five squads with you. Move out!"
Deeper in the forest
A burly man was moving swiftly along the branches, carrying a red-haired girl on his back. Three other ninja flanked him in a triangular formation, guarding the pair tightly.
"Are the little mice behind us still following?" he asked in a low voice.
The girl on his back smiled faintly.
"Mm. They're keeping up — quite the promising ones. Shame, though. Give it another hour, and we'll be sending them to the memorial stone."
The big man chuckled, lips curling. He quickened his pace.
Half an hour earlier
Two groups of infiltrator-nin from enemy villages — both operating deep within Konoha territory — had met up.
One of the rear ninjas frowned.
"Why'd you stop? Why aren't you following the plan?"
The masked ninja in front replied coldly,
"We've got company. Time to adjust the plan. Sanai, transform into the little girl. We'll pretend to rest here for a while.
"I'll carry her and move forward as scheduled. Split three people off to head back and throw off our pursuers. They're too close — not sensory types, just good trackers.
"The remaining five take the real girl and move left toward the rendezvous point. If no one's there, don't wait — go straight back to the Kumogakure.
"The three heading back, return after thirty minutes. We'll regroup at the front and wipe out the tail. I'm in charge of this mission — follow my plan."
---
Uchiha Retsu sprinted forward, the trees whipping by — until three figures appeared ahead. Both sides froze for an instant. In that heartbeat of recognition, battle erupted.
"Uchiha Shurikenjutsu!"
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Justu!"
Retsu struck first, then darted toward the direction he'd come from.
A jōnin and two chūnin — that's what he was up against. He was only a genin. A straight fight was suicide.
I'm cocky, not suicidal, he thought bitterly, dodging through the trees. Better to fall back, find support, then regroup with Honō. Damn it, Honō, you'd better be careful!
"Little brat's fast, huh?" the scar-faced jōnin snarled. "Kill him, then move!"
The three gave chase, gaining quickly.
Retsu cursed under his breath. Damn it, it's not like I cuckolded you! Why chase so hard? Maybe I should make a stand, buy a little time
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
"Uchiha Shurikenjutsu!"
The enemies countered immediately:
"Water Release: Water Flow Wall!"
"Manipulated Shuriken Jutsu!"
"Lightning Release: Ground Current!"
Their combined ninjutsu deflected his attacks — the lightning arced forward, striking Retsu squarely. His body exploded into smoke.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"
A short ninja screamed as he was dragged into the ground. Retsu burst out from the soil, stomped hard on the man's neck, and used the momentum to spin left — his shuriken slicing cleanly across another ninja's throat.
Panting heavily, Retsu grinned through the sweat and blood.
"Heh… now it's just one on one."