Yohei led the group toward their tent, but the messenger ninja stayed glued to his side the whole way. Kakashi and the others kept glancing at the guy with open curiosity. They'd seen messengers before, but this one felt different—like he was there to stop Yohei from running rather than just deliver orders.
Once they were inside and packing the basics, Yohei turned to his team. "Kakashi, you're in charge while I'm gone. Keep an eye on everyone."
Obito immediately protested. "Cousin, why Kakashi? I can lead too!"
Yohei didn't even argue. He just chopped the top of Obito's head with a sharp hand strike. Obito shut up fast. Yohei gave the others a quick nod, then followed the messenger out without another word.
At the camp gate, two unfamiliar ninja were already waiting. They looked nothing like the usual faces around camp. The moment they spotted Yohei they smiled wide and waved like old friends.
"Hey, Captain! I'm Kudo. Looking forward to working with you."
"I'm Sato. Same here."
Yohei kept his expression neutral. Kudo and Sato? Those names felt way too convenient. "You two know I'm the captain?"
The messenger answered before they could. "Yes. This mission is a three-man cell. You're in charge. Any questions?"
Yohei looked at the pair. They stayed quiet, so he just shook his head.
"Mission briefing complete," the messenger said. "Good luck." He vanished in a swirl of leaves before anyone could reply.
Yohei sighed. "Alright. Let's move. We've still got two days of travel ahead."
"Yes, Captain!" they answered in unison.
The first day felt almost normal. Yohei tried to keep things light, asking about their strengths and cracking a few jokes to loosen everyone up. But something was off. Kudo and Sato laughed at the right times and answered every question, yet their smiles never reached their eyes. It felt rehearsed. Fake.
By the second day Yohei had stopped trying. He only spoke when the mission required it. The three of them crossed into the Land of Rain in heavy silence.
They reached the meeting point around noon on the third day—a narrow cave tucked into the rocks. Yohei double-checked the landmarks. The spot was hidden, sure, but if anyone blocked the entrance they'd be trapped with nowhere to run. He filed that away to complain about later.
Kudo went in first to scout. Once he gave the all-clear, the three of them stepped inside. The tunnel was tight. Yohei could barely turn around without brushing the walls. His irritation grew. Whoever picked this spot had zero field sense.
An hour later they heard movement at the entrance. All three tensed. A series of bird calls echoed in—the agreed signal. Yohei answered with the correct reply and felt a small rush of relief. Maybe this would go smoothly after all.
A tall masked man stepped into the cave. No headband, no clan markings. He recited the correct code phrase without hesitation. Yohei relaxed and walked forward to meet him, Kudo and Sato right behind.
They stopped two meters apart—standard cautious distance. Yohei spoke first. "The intel?"
"Right here." The masked man pulled a scroll from his pouch and stepped closer to hand it over.
Yohei took it and started checking the security seals. That was when he noticed the man hadn't stepped back. Before he could react, the masked man's hand shot forward, fingers hooked toward his eyes.
Yohei jerked backward on pure instinct. At the same instant he heard the sharp whistle of kunai coming from behind. Realization hit like a hammer.
This was a trap. And he was already inside it.
His chest burned as the emergency sealing tag Taiichi had given him activated. A glowing array flashed under his feet. The masked man froze mid-lunge, body locked in place like he'd been dropped in amber. His fingers hovered one inch from Yohei's eye.
Yohei didn't waste the opening. His Mangekyo Sharingan spun open. Susanoo's skeletal arm materialized behind him just in time to catch the two kunai aimed at his back. Bone met steel with a loud clang.
The next second the skeletal hand closed around him, pulling him inside the protective ribcage. Safe for the moment, Yohei stopped retreating. He planted his feet and drove his kunai straight into the masked man's heart.
The man's eyes widened. Blood bubbled at his lips. Yohei shoved the body aside and immediately formed seals.
Fire Style: Great Fireball.
A roaring sphere of flame exploded down the narrow tunnel and blasted out the entrance. Three Root operatives who had been rushing in barely had time to scream before the fire swallowed them.
Yohei burst out of the cave right behind the fireball, already turning to face the remaining forces. Twelve ninja in total—black cloaks, masks, the whole Root look. The one in the cat mask seemed to be in charge.
"You're all fake," Yohei said, voice cold. "Real Leaf ninja don't hide their faces when they come to kill one of their own."
The cat-mask leader's voice was flat. "Uchiha scum. You killed Leaf shinobi. Surrender now and face judgment."
Yohei gave him a look like he was the dumbest person alive. Then he poured more chakra into his eyes. Susanoo's form grew, bones thickening, muscle and tendons wrapping around the skeleton until a half-complete warrior stood over him.
"Try me."
The Root team moved as one. Insects swarmed. Shadows stretched. Mind techniques lashed out. Coordinated ninjutsu hammered the Susanoo from every angle. For the first time Yohei felt the real pressure of fighting a trained unit instead of a single strong opponent.
They worked together too well. One second of distraction and the combined assault nearly shattered his defense. A deep gash opened on his right arm. Blood ran hot down his sleeve.
Yohei's Mangekyo spun faster. More chakra flooded out. The Susanoo roared upward, bones cracking and reforming, muscle filling in thicker. With a violent twist he shattered the shadow binding and swept both arms wide, clearing space around him.
The second round was about to begin.