Shinma stood near the Memorial Stone in the Hidden Leaf Village. He found a headstone behind the main monument with the name "Shinmei" engraved on it.
"Brother, I've been recommended for Jonin by Lord Sakumo. You were always so strict with me since we were kids. I never thought that while you died a Chunin, I would be the one to become a Jonin. I'll be just as strict with my two children; I hope they grow up to be stronger than both of us."
Shinma looked at Shinmei's photograph, laid down a bouquet of flowers, and left the Memorial Stone. He had received a village mission to scout for enemy activity at Kikyo Pass, an outpost fortress on the border of the Land of Fire. Kikyo Pass was one of the most remote fortifications, situated right next to the Land of Valleys.
Shinma arrived at the village gates and met the three subordinates assigned to his team. "Let's go. Let's make this quick."
Shinma thought to himself that while the Jonin exams wouldn't be canceled because he was on a mission—they would be automatically deferred—he still wanted to catch the first wave of evaluations. A good attitude would leave a positive impression on the Jonin Commander and the high command.
A few minutes later, the Hippo Team arrived at the main gate. Just as they were about to set out, a figure flickered into existence before them.
"Captain?"
Yagami glanced at Hippo and the three ANBU members. "I'll come along. This mission carries a certain level of danger."
The mission to assassinate Shinma *had* to fail. Yagami was unwilling to let a Special Jonin like Shinma die simply because of the political infighting among the village leadership. To ensure nothing went "wrong," he decided to go himself. If even Yagami couldn't complete it, the high command would have to accept that the task was genuinely problematic.
Shinma's team traveled west, reaching the southwestern border of the Land of Fire. Upon entering the Kikyo Pass fortress, the garrison Jonin addressed Shinma:
"I cannot stray too far from the fortress. Sand ninja have been spotted appearing about 50 kilometers away. Therefore, I requested reinforcements from the village to investigate whether the Sand has some sort of scheme in the works."
Listening to the briefing, Shinma nodded. "I understand. I'll head out immediately."
Looking out from Kikyo Pass, one could see Kikyo Port, the busiest harbor in the southeast of the Land of Fire. This port was the primary objective the fortress was meant to protect. The garrison Jonin, a member of the Sarutobi clan, looked out at the shimmering sea, his eyes flickering with hidden thoughts.
After leaving the fortress, Shinma's team headed west. Following far behind, Hippo whispered, "Captain, I've already set things up. The Sand will receive detailed intel on Shinma's team through a spy. Shinma is a subordinate of the White Fang and knows White Fang's secrets. Chiyo and Ebizo won't miss this chance; they'll send a large force to capture him. All we have to do is confirm that Shinma is either captured or killed by the Sand."
If the ANBU wanted to eliminate a Leaf ninja, they rarely did it directly. By leaking intel through spies during a mission, they could easily use the enemy's hands to clean up. The power to distribute missions was one of the Hokage's most vital tools—a power that ninja throughout the village either feared or relied upon.
Hippo added, "The Leaf's spy network is controlled by Root. It would be better if the ANBU controlled the spies; then I wouldn't have to keep coordinating with Root."
Yagami thought about his own lack of assets in the spy department. He wondered if Nonō Yakushi had seen the letter he left at the orphanage. Since his last exchange with Pakkun, the dog hadn't contacted him. He wasn't sure how White Fang intended to rescue Shinma. The village certainly wouldn't allow Sakumo Hatake to leave the village right now.
The first post-war Jonin Council meeting was going to be a bloodbath, determining the power structure of the village for years to come. Whichever side had more Jonin would hold the advantage. He wondered who Sakumo had arranged as the rescuer.
Meanwhile, an elite Sand unit crossed the rivers of the Land of Valleys, heading straight for Kikyo Pass.
"Hurry! A spy sacrificed their life to send this intel. White Fang's subordinate is near Kikyo Pass—we must capture him!"
The White Fang of the Leaf was the most hated enemy of the Hidden Sand. He had killed the son and daughter-in-law of Consultant Chiyo, nearly severing the top-tier lineage of puppet masters. Everyone in the village said Chiyo's grandson, Sasori, was a puppet prodigy, but no one knew just how far he could grow. Capturing a subordinate of the White Fang to interrogate for intel would surely yield an S-rank reward.
On a distant mountain peak, Hippo lowered his binoculars. "Captain! The Sand are here!"
A Sand unit—an entire mid-sized company—appeared at the edge of the horizon. Yagami picked up his binoculars and saw that Shinma's team had also spotted the Sand. After confirming their numbers, Shinma immediately retreated toward Kikyo Pass.
The Sand ninja were powerful and quickly caught up. Shinma's three subordinates were too weak, acting as a complete anchor on his speed. This mission was a joint arrangement between ANBU and Root; those weak Genin were part of the plan.
Battle erupted instantly. Shinma drew his ninja sword. Civilian-born ninja mostly focused on hard physical training, excelling in tools and swordsmanship with solid fundamentals. Shinma stood before the three Genin, ordering them to return to the fortress to report while he covered the rear.
As the three Genin fled, Shinma charged at the Sand. Yagami thought: 'If Sakumo's arrangement doesn't show up soon, Shinma is dead.'
Suddenly, flames erupted from Shinma's blade. It was no wonder he was up for promotion; he had mastered a special Fire Style Nintaijutsu that allowed him to coat his blade in chakra. His strength surprised the Sand, but at most, it was a nuisance. There were three Jonin in the Sand company.
"Huh?" Hippo suddenly said. "That's not right. Why are Shinma's enemies falling over for no reason?"
A gap opened in the encirclement. Shinma broke through and fled. Hippo asked, "Captain, should we put on Sand disguises and kill him ourselves to ensure mission success?"
Yagami shook his head. "Hippo, look closely. If you miss the key details and rush in blindly, not only will the mission fail, but we'll also be exposed."
Hippo continued to watch as Shinma fled in a panic. "Sorry, Captain, I don't see anything, but the Sand ninja are definitely dying inexplicably."
"During the Whirlpool war, I worked with a Bloodline Jonin," Yagami explained. "The Leaf's Transparent Release (Tōton). It allows for complete invisibility and silent strikes. Without a doubt, there is a Tōton user beside Shinma. Withdraw. The mission is a failure. With a Tōton Jonin protecting him, our sensory methods won't be enough to kill the protector and keep our involvement secret."
"A Tōton Jonin? Moonlight So?" Hippo's heart sank. Why would they run into Moonlight So here? He was a Jonin who mastered the Tōton and possessed lethal swordsmanship. It wasn't that they couldn't beat him, but as the Captain said, they couldn't find a hiding Tōton user to silence him. Failure to silence a witness meant total exposure.
On the way back, Yagami breathed a sigh of relief. Sakumo Hatake had several Jonin under his command, and Moonlight So was one of the best. No ninja could complete 100% of their missions; if the Fox Squad occasionally failed due to an "uncontrollable force," there was nothing to be done.