The Next Day.
Morning.
At the break of dawn, Qing Ming led two squads of men toward their destination—the Blackstone Outpost.
Back when he and Uchiha Shisui traveled here, it took them the better part of a morning. Now, with two squads consisting of over a hundred people, they would need to minimize rest stops if they hoped to reach their destination by noon.
Thankfully, as ninjas with chakra reserves, such a feat wasn't impossible. Still, by the time they were nearing their destination, fatigue was visible on everyone's faces.
Qing Ming glanced back at the disordered ranks of soldiers, their heavy breathing audible even from where he stood. Deciding to be lenient, he ordered, "Alright, everyone, take a fifteen-minute break."
The moment his words landed, the Leaf ninjas halted in relief, quickly forming small groups to rest. Some genins even began swallowing military ration pills to replenish their chakra reserves.
Unlike the others, Qing Ming wasn't the least bit tired. His "Physique" stat was at an astonishing 19 points, and his chakra reserves exceeded 130,000. The energy they had expended during the journey was negligible for him.
After a brief pause, he activated the Wind Release: Wings of Wind and ascended high into the sky.
However, what he didn't notice was that shortly after his departure, a Leaf ninja quietly placed a marker on a tree trunk nearby.
From the sky, Qing Ming scanned the surroundings, vigilantly searching for anything amiss. The strange behavior of Nara Keiko yesterday had heightened his awareness.
That morning, before their departure, Keiko had warned him that the Mist might be planning something at the Blackstone Outpost. She had specifically told him to be careful.
This piece of intelligence had effectively confirmed his suspicions.
As a result, Qing Ming exercised extra caution, periodically taking to the skies during their journey to maintain an aerial vantage point for spotting potential dangers.
But now, as they neared their destination without encountering any abnormalities, Qing Ming began to question whether Nara Keiko's intelligence was faulty.
It wasn't impossible.
If Keiko herself couldn't verify the information, it would explain her vague instructions. She clearly wasn't confident about the intelligence she had received, which had forced her to send Qing Ming back for reinforcements.
And if Keiko couldn't confirm the information's reliability, then Qing Ming, following orders to execute the mission, certainly couldn't verify it either.
All he could do was remain cautious.
Fortunately, Qing Ming's true strength far exceeded what anyone knew. Regardless of the situation, he was confident he could handle it.
Time ticked by.
Fifteen minutes later, Qing Ming descended from the sky.
During his airborne surveillance, he hadn't detected anything suspicious.
Glancing at the resting group of ninjas, Qing Ming didn't waste words and simply commanded, "Everyone, assemble!"
The Leaf ninjas immediately obeyed, quickly forming a defensive formation.
Satisfied with their discipline, Qing Ming nodded. "Let's move out!"
Taking the lead, he dashed toward the Blackstone Outpost. The others followed close behind.
The group pressed forward for nearly another hour.
By now, the sun was high overhead, and they had reached the forested area bordering the Blackstone Outpost.
Beyond this forest lay the Blackstone Outpost's defensive perimeter.
Since the Mist forces' failed counterattack at Oil Harbor, they had shifted to a defensive strategy along the entire front line. This included the Mist forces near the Blackstone Outpost, who had retreated to defensive positions.
As a result, Qing Ming wasn't worried about his team being blocked outside the outpost.
Their operation this time had been both swift and discreet. Even if Mist forces in Fly Fish Town or nearby locations received word, they wouldn't have enough time to intercept them.
Reassured by these considerations, Qing Ming felt at ease.
Looking at the dense forest ahead, he decided to push through it in one go and enter the Blackstone Outpost's defensive range.
However, things never go as planned.
Not long after they entered the forest, they fell into an ambush.
In the forest.
Qing Ming stared at the mass of Mist ninjas ahead, his expression dark.
It was clear that these forces had been lying in wait for them.
He had already deduced that if the Mist had only recently discovered their movements, there wouldn't have been enough time to organize such a large-scale ambush, let alone erase all traces of their presence so thoroughly.
The flawless preparation and execution left no doubt: the Mist had been waiting here for a while.
And that meant their movements had been leaked.
Now, the key question was: Who was the target of this ambush?
If it was the Leaf squad as a whole, then this was merely a conventional military operation. But if the target was him specifically...
A glint of cold light flashed in Qing Ming's eyes.
If that were the case, he would make sure his enemies paid dearly for their audacity.
And who was the mole?
"Nara Keiko?"
Qing Ming's first thought was her.
But he quickly dismissed that idea.
If even someone like Keiko was a spy, then the Leaf might as well surrender and be done with it.
As for the possibility of her targeting him specifically?
It wasn't entirely impossible, but the chances were slim.
The Uchiha and Nara clans didn't have a particularly close relationship, but neither were they at odds. Keiko targeting him on purpose seemed highly unlikely.
Most likely, Keiko herself had been deceived.
This called into question the authenticity of the intelligence.
But who could manipulate intelligence so convincingly that even Keiko was compelled to act, unwittingly dragging Qing Ming into the mix?
There weren't many individuals or organizations in the ninja world capable of such precision and subtlety.
"Could it be... them?"
Suddenly, Qing Ming thought of Danzo and his Root organization.
It wasn't baseless speculation. Danzo had a long history of shady dealings and had targeted Qing Ming multiple times before.
With the war nearing its end, this might be the last chance for Danzo to act against him during the chaotic aftermath.
Given Danzo's temperament, eliminating a few "obstacles" before peace resumed was entirely plausible.
Moreover, Qing Ming had recently destroyed Danzo's secret base on Oni Island. Though he had left no evidence behind, Danzo might have found a way to trace it back to him.
In that case, it was only logical for Danzo to make a move against him.
Danzo wouldn't tolerate such provocation, especially not from a mere Uchiha brat.
As these thoughts flashed through Qing Ming's mind, he suppressed them for the time being.
Refocusing his attention, Qing Ming began devising a plan to deal with the current predicament.
Fighting head-on was clearly not an option. The enemy outnumbered and outclassed his team in strength.
But retreating...
Qing Ming glanced behind him.
He doubted the route they had come through was still safe.
If the Mist had gone to the trouble of setting up an ambush, cutting off their escape route wouldn't be difficult.
"So, we'll have to fight our way out, after all?"
Qing Ming looked at the Mist ninjas ahead, who were itching to attack, and muttered to himself.
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