Once the orders were issued, personnel from all four outposts were recalled to the Village for isolated interrogation. Kakashi also obtained a set of contact methods from Danzo.
The preliminary reports came in quickly.
Most of the recalled outpost members appeared genuinely confused. They were low-level operatives—logistics runners and support staff—who had done nothing more than follow established procedures, ensuring routine supplies reached the front lines.
As for higher-level intelligence, they knew nothing.
Only the commander of the most active outpost—the one stationed in the Land of Rivers—provided anything of substance. A former subordinate personally trained under Danzo, he had spent years on the front lines and shared his former superior's deep distrust of Sunagakure.
In his view, now that Konoha had finally escaped the diplomatic quagmire of recent years, it was foolish to continue indulging an unreliable ally.
So when Danzo's order arrived, he did not hesitate. He mobilized maximum support for the so-called "Spy operating within Sunagakure."
That, however, was the extent of his knowledge.
The spy's identity? Unknown.
The mission's true objective? Unclear.
The destination and use of the excess supplies? Also unknown.
He had simply carried out Danzo's orders, convinced that everything he did was to eliminate hidden threats to Konoha.
Kakashi's own situation was no better.
Attempts to use the contact channels provided by Danzo yielded nothing. Messages sent to Yakushi Nono vanished without a trace, like stones sinking into the sea.
Yakushi Kabuto responded only once—after several days—with a single, terse message: Mission in progress.
Then the line went dead again.
No matter what Kakashi tried, there was no further response.
"This is the nature of infiltration missions."
When Kakashi presented the results, Danzo listened with one eye half-closed, his tone steady and unruffled.
"Deep behind enemy lines, surrounded by danger—long periods of silence are normal. No infiltrator can afford to respond to every summons from the rear."
"Poorly timed contact attempts can even increase the risk of exposure, forcing the operative to sink deeper into isolation."
"Kakashi," Danzo added coolly, "if you intend to shoulder responsibility in the shadows, you must understand this—impatience is a fatal flaw."
Kakashi did not argue.
But afterward, another ANBU squad was quietly assigned to monitor the former advisor.
It was under these circumstances that Roshi was summoned to the Hokage Office once more.
By then, Samui had already returned to Kumogakure with Konoha's response. After suffering a setback at the genin level during the August exchange event, Konoha had adopted a conservative stance toward the joint chunin exams scheduled for November.
After a single failure, they had no intention of gambling on their own soil.
They wouldn't play their trump cards—but they would keep them in reserve.
The reply was far from generous, but it was honest. After all, Konoha still had many former Root members under its control. Their records were clean, their competition histories unblemished.
They were also the right age—fifteen, sixteen, seventeen—prime years for rapid growth. Most had graduated more than three years ago, and skipping the August event was hardly unusual.
Samui accepted Konoha's guarded response without protest.
Before departing, she told Roshi quietly, "Roshi, at least for now—or rather, until a larger, irresistible change occurs—Kumogakure will remain Konoha's ally."
She likely sensed something. Roshi had been moving constantly between the Ninja Academy and the Hokage Office, and the tension within the village was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
So she offered the clearest commitment she was authorized to give.
—
"Roshi."
Tsunade's voice pulled him back to the present.
"You're probably going to have to head out."
"Destination?" Roshi asked. "The Land of Rivers—or Sunagakure?"
"The Land of Rivers," Tsunade replied. "You'll lead a team to investigate the border region."
"As for Sunagakure…" She paused briefly. "Nothing appears wrong, but I don't want you going there directly right now."
"I want you to find out where the excess supplies from that outpost ended up—and what they were used for."
"Kakashi will continue following the communication channels that responded, trying to locate Nono or Kabuto."
She met Roshi's eyes, her expression sharp.
"Both fronts will move at the same time."
"I want to know exactly what Danzo is planning."
To understand what Danzo was truly planning, one first had to ask a simpler question:
'What was worth risking complete house arrest for?'
There was only one possible answer.
Danzo believed this scheme could overturn his current predicament entirely.
The abnormal activity at the Land of Rivers outpost had already been investigated multiple times by the squads Kakashi dispatched, yet every search ended the same way—empty-handed.
All known traces of ninja activity had been followed. Every suspicious hideout had been scouted. The excess supplies delivered through the outpost had vanished without leaving a footprint in the shinobi world.
The investigation had been thorough—excessively so.
If this truly had nothing to do with Danzo, it could almost be dismissed as ordinary border smuggling.
At frontier outposts, when troop movement and material flow weren't tied to war, the most common explanation was simple: buy low, sell high.
Especially in the Land of Rivers. Pass through it, and you gained access to the markets of the Land of Wind.
But would Danzo really stir up this much trouble just to smuggle goods?
Impossible.
If the supplies weren't intended for military action—and weren't being sold—then only one possibility remained.
They were payment.
Support. Bribes. A means of buying the loyalty of a critical force.
The question was—who?
Inside the outpost, Roshi studied the unfolded map, deep in thought, when a ninja hurried in and broke the silence.
"Jōnin Roshi, an official notice has arrived from Sunagakure. Their team for the Chūnin Exams has already departed."
"The delegation consists of twelve squads, with three accompanying ninja—a total of thirty-nine personnel."
Now?
Roshi's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
Sunagakure had submitted their general itinerary in advance. Sending a formal notice to the Konoha border outpost before departure also adhered to protocol. Thirty-nine shinobi crossing the border was no small matter.
"How long does it usually take for Sunagakure's team to reach the Land of Rivers after sending notice?" Roshi asked.
He already knew the forced-march travel time from Sunagakure to the Land of Rivers—but the actual pace depended entirely on how fast the Sand Village chose to move.
The outpost ninja replied, "Typically, they arrive the following day. The Sunagakure teams usually bring local specialties. They sell an initial batch in the Land of Rivers at market prices, then clear the remainder after entering the Land of Fire. On their return trip, they purchase large quantities of supplies to take back."
"Proceed with standard reception protocols," Roshi ordered. "Ensure smooth passage—and observe them closely."
"Yes, sir!"
Though unlikely, Roshi couldn't afford to dismiss the possibility that unauthorized individuals might be hidden among the Sunagakure delegation.
The investigation into the missing supplies would have to pause for one day. Tomorrow, he would personally accompany the outpost staff to receive the Sand Village team.
With the plan set, Roshi retired early.
—
At dawn the next day, when the forest was still wrapped in thin mist and the morning light had yet to fully break, Roshi had already finished preparing his equipment.
Then—
A shrill alarm tore through the quiet.
"Jōnin Roshi!"
An ANBU operative appeared in front of him in an instant, voice urgent.
"Emergency report! Three nearby outposts are under attack!"
"The enemy is using airborne objects to drop explosive tags!"
Attack? Airborne?
Roshi vanished from the outpost in a flash and looked skyward.
In the pale light of dawn, six black dots were rapidly closing in on his position.
A low, ominous buzzing filled the air.
And as they drew nearer, their shapes became unmistakably clear.
Six ninja descended from the sky.
They wore grayish-brown outfits—nothing resembling the standard uniform of any known Great Ninja Village. Goggles obscured their faces, and strapped to their backs were crude yet functional mechanical wings.
Simple. Efficient.
Capable of flight.
Sky Ninja?!
Why now of all times?
The airborne ninja clearly noticed the commotion at the outpost below. Their formation shifted smoothly, tightening as they angled downward, preparing to exploit their altitude advantage.
Roshi tilted his head up, his mind racing as he calculated their speed and trajectory.
Twenty meters.
Eighteen.
Fifteen—
Twelve.
The Sky Ninja leveled out at roughly twelve meters above ground—right at the outer edge of most standard long-range ninjutsu.
And then they attacked.
Roshi's hands blurred.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"
More than a dozen razor-sharp wind blades tore through the air, their speed and reach far exceeding the sky ninja's expectations.
Midair, the six attackers stiffened as if time itself had seized them.
The next instant, brilliant arcs of blood burst from their limbs and torsos.
Not a single scream escaped.
Their flight devices—along with their mutilated bodies—plummeted from the sky, crashing into the open ground around the outpost with dull, heavy impacts that sent dust billowing upward.
"Confirm the situation immediately," Roshi ordered coldly. "Have Earth Release teams begin constructing defensive fortifications."
"Send a detailed report to the Village—now."
His gaze never lingered on the corpses.
Sky Ninja…
Was this Danzo's hidden card?
If so, it was being used far too crudely.
A trump card wouldn't be wasted on border harassment.
Which meant this attack wasn't the conclusion.
It was the opening move.
The real danger wasn't the bombing itself. Against organized border forces, such tactics could only cause temporary confusion—damage to fixed structures, maybe a few unlucky squads caught in the open.
Veteran Konoha ninja knew how to scatter, take cover, and minimize losses.
No.
What demanded attention was the real strike—whatever was meant to slip through under the cover of this chaos.
"Alert all border units. Full assembly," Roshi commanded. "Prepare for follow-up attacks."
"The First through Fifth Squads—move with me. We're going to receive our 'allies.'"
If the Sunagakure arrivals were still merely Chūnin Exam candidates…
Roshi allowed himself a sliver of hope.
That hope vanished the moment he saw them.
Within the Land of Rivers, a formation stood ready—disciplined, elite, unmistakable.
At its head stood a man in white Kazekage robes, a straw hat shadowing his face.
"Lord Kazekage."
Roshi looked straight at Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, who had personally arrived leading Sunagakure's finest.
"For a Chūnin Exams delegation," Roshi said evenly, "this is quite the personal appearance."
Rasa's voice was deep and steady.
"We received an urgent request from the Daimyō of the Land of Rivers. An unidentified force launched aerial attacks against multiple towns."
"As a neighboring nation—and an ally—the Hidden Sand Village has an obligation to assist in maintaining regional stability. That is why we are here."
His gaze shifted briefly to Roshi, then to the Konoha shinobi behind him.
"As for the team participating in the Chūnin Exams, they are continuing according to the original plan," Rasa added. "If Konoha has no objections, you may wait here. Once they arrive, we can proceed together to Konoha."
The battlefield was quiet.
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