The headband symbol of a Hot Water Ninja (Yugakure) consists of three wavy lines, resembling the kanji for 'river' (川).
Upon learning that a squad of Hot Water ninjas was scouting ahead, Uchiha Setsuna immediately led his team to intercept and flank them. The gap between the ninjas of a Great Nation and a small one was immediately apparent.
Before Ren could even pull out a shuriken for a "quality triple-tap," Setsuna had already blurred into motion. Ren could only watch as the Elder unsheathed his long katana, the blade erupting in swirling, crimson flames.
Like a wildfire sweeping across a dry plain, Setsuna tore through them. Within seconds, the three Hot Water ninjas were cut down like grass, unable to utter a single word. Ren felt like a low-level player being carried by a Max-Level Boss in a dungeon.
After finishing off the grunts, Setsuna held his blade to the throat of the last survivor. "Who sent you?"
The ninja trembled, his lips quivering, but he hesitated to speak. Setsuna didn't waste time; his Sharingan flared, pinning the man with a cold, hypnotic glare. A moment later, Setsuna retracted his eyes and ended the man's life with a swift strike.
Standing to the side, Ren saw the Elder's expression shift drastically. Setsuna turned to them, his voice urgent.
"We move now. We cross the border tonight! Once past the mountain pass, do not stop. Head straight for the capital of the Land of Hot Water to regroup with Police Chief Fugaku."
"If we encounter interceptors, do not engage. Retreat immediately."
"Great Elder, what happened?" Seishiro swallowed hard, his nerves fraying.
Setsuna was brief: "The Two-Tails Jinchuriki has appeared in the Land of Hot Water. Their target is likely our garrison at the Valley of Hell. The path ahead is crawling with interceptors. The situation is out of control."
"We must reach the capital, find the contact from the Ninja Cat Clan, and send word back to the Uchiha main house!"
"What?!" Seishiro's face turned pale, filled with terror. A Jinchuriki from Kumogakure was a weapon of mass destruction. Without a top-tier master at the Valley of Hell, the clansmen there faced a total massacre.
Ren, however, had a glint in his eyes. The Two-Tails Jinchuriki... No matter how fancy his shurikenjutsu was, one swipe from a Tailed Beast would turn him into a meat patty. After his brief skirmish with Seishiro, Ren realized that his "Sublime" tool mastery gave him a fighting chance against a Two-Tomoe Chunin. In other words, he was effectively at Chunin strength, maybe even "Special Jonin" if specialized tools were considered.
Standard missions weren't going to cut it for his "insurance plan" anymore. He needed an S-Rank threat. He needed a BOSS.
And here it was—the Two-Tails. Ren's heart was pounding. Tears of joy were almost leaking from the corners of his mouth.
Setsuna scanned his subordinates. He saw Seishiro acting like a coward, wanting to hide his head in his pants. Typical Dove, Setsuna thought. But when he looked at Ren, his eye twitched.
What was with this kid? The eager eyes, the drool at the corner of his mouth, and that frantic, ecstatic expression. He was even muttering something under his breath: "Tatakae... Tatakae... Tatakae..."
It was as if "I WANT TO FIGHT!" was tattooed on his forehead.
Setsuna's brow jumped. Scared the old man for a second there! He swallowed the "motivational speech" he had prepared. He didn't need to motivate Ren; he probably needed to leash him.
Setsuna drew his blade and pointed it into the pitch-black darkness. "Move out!"
They plunged into the night. Mountain ranges loomed like sleeping dragons. Because of Setsuna's decisiveness in clearing the scouts, they crossed the border without incident.
Meanwhile, a cloud shifted, allowing cold moonlight to illuminate the valley. Ramii, the Cloud Jonin who had been dozing with his hand on his blade, snapped his eyes open.
"Something's wrong. It's too quiet." He turned to the sentry. "Moroi, has the Hot Water scout returned for the scheduled report?"
Moroi frowned. "No. It's been over half an hour."
Ramii's brow furrowed. "Contact our spies in the border villages immediately."
Moroi reached for a summoning scroll but stopped when a carrier pigeon landed nearby. He pulled a note from its leg. "Ramii-senpai, the message is here. The Uchiha have entered the Land of Hot Water. They've bypassed the Valley of Hell and are heading straight for the capital, Tanikemuri!"
Ramii bolted upright, waking Dodai. "Something's off. We need to catch them! Setsuna might already know our plan!"
Back with the Uchiha squad.
They had crossed the border and bypassed three villages without stopping. It was now early morning, and the cries of monkeys echoed through the deep ravines. Having marched since 8 AM the previous day, including a frantic night run, they were exhausted.
Ren was drenched in sweat, his limited chakra reserves nearly tapped out. He leaned against his knees, gasping for air.
They found a deserted village to rest in. Seishiro collapsed, declaring he couldn't take another step. Setsuna frowned but ordered a halt. He tasked a half-dead Seishiro with clearing a spot, while he himself set up wires, explosive tags, and bells, taking over the labor his subordinates were too tired to finish.
Ren tried to force himself up to help, but Setsuna simply slapped the back of his head, knocking the exhausted kid unconscious for his own good.
Setsuna summoned a ninja crow for aerial surveillance, then looked at Seishiro. "We're half a day's walk from the capital. We rest for two hours, then we leave."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Setsuna closed his eyes and began to snore like thunder. Seishiro collapsed as well, sleeping like a log.
They earned a brief moment of peace. Little did they know, the danger behind them was closing in at high speed.