The eighty-nine members of the Konoha Surprise Attack Force stood ready, weapons in hand!
Their lineup: three Jonin, twenty-four Chunin, and sixty-two Genin.
Opposing them was a three-hundred-man Sand unit. At least eight Jonin were visible at the front, with countless Chunin and Genin behind them. There were puppeteers, weapon specialists, and those preparing Wind and Earth Style seals; others moved to the flanks to provide Genjutsu and support, while a rear guard prepared staggered Ninjutsu volleys.
Three hundred men surged forward, chaotic yet disciplined—a dark cloud looming over the horizon!
Shinichi Uchiha swallowed hard. Without looking back, he barked: "Ren, Shisui! Don't take the path back! This is the Sand's rear. From here, head southeast toward the Land of Valleys, and then—"
Before he could finish his makeshift retreat plan, a figure abruptly dropped from a stone pillar in front of the unit. He wore ANBU gear and a bird-patterned mask. Drawing his blade, he pointed it directly at Shinichi's face.
"Shinichi Uchiha, Commander of the Surprise Attack Force—" the ninja said coldly. "Are you planning to desert the village?"
Shinichi's words died in his throat. He stared at the ANBU ninja, his brow furrowing deep. "Are you the messenger sent by Shikaku Nara? ANBU?"
His eyes narrowed as they traced the red patterns on the bird mask. "No... you smell like a sewer rat. You're a henchman of that man. Root!"
The Root ninja's gaze remained cold and indifferent. "Shinichi Uchiha, your conduct will be reported later. But for now—the time has come. You are to follow strategic orders immediately!"
His eyes turned icy as they locked onto Shinichi. "Otherwise, you will be deemed a traitor to the village!"
Veins popped on Shinichi's forehead as he struggled to contain his burgeoning rage. "You were here from the start!" he hissed. "You knew this was a setup! Why didn't you brief us on the operation?!"
He pointed at the Sand army, only minutes away, then at the red smoke trailing behind them. "You wait until everything has gone to hell before jumping out to throw your weight around? To hell with your mission! This situation... you just want us to use our lives to plug the hole and hold back these Sand ninjas, don't you? All so your Infiltration Unit can complete their task!"
"You want my life, my clansmen's lives, and the lives of my comrades just to pad Root's achievements!"
Ninety pairs of eyes fixed on the Root ninja, their collective fury enough to tear him to pieces.
"Hah... Hahahaha!"
To their shock, the Root ninja threw his head back and laughed. Beneath the mask, his eyes were full of mockery as he looked at Shinichi and the unit.
"Shinichi Uchiha," he sneered. "Who do you think you are?"
He reached into his pouch and pulled out a scroll, thrusting it in front of Shinichi's face. "Look closely. This is your mission."
He read the contents aloud: "Konoha Surprise Attack Force, remain on standby! The battle here, and the mission itself, will be completed by the arriving members of the Special Operations Squad! Until those members are dead, you are forbidden to intervene! Otherwise, it will be considered an act of treason!"
The Root ninja tossed the scroll to the stunned Shinichi. Shinichi stared at the seals of the Sannin—Orochimaru and Jiraiya—and the border camp's official stamp.
"What?!" Shinichi gasped. "Special Operations Squad? Where are they? Aren't they assassinating Rasa?!"
The Sand army was closing in, the noise of their advance growing like thunder. Shinichi's face trembled. "If we don't prepare, we won't be able to stop them! And you're telling us to stand here and die? Waiting for some mystery member of a squad we can't even see?"
Shinichi grabbed the Root ninja by the collar, his eyes bloodshot. "Are you joking with me?!"
The Root ninja slapped his hand away. "That is not your concern. On the battlefield, you only need to do one thing: obey orders!"
As the Sand unit drew closer, the ground began to shake—a rhythmic booming like the drums of war. Wind shrieked and sand swirled. A coordinated ninja charge was like a row of fully-loaded trucks barreling toward them.
The Surprise Attack Force turned pale. Despite the Root ninja's orders, they braced themselves, weapons drawn.
Three kilometers... two kilometers... one kilometer...
Just as the faces of the Sand vanguard became visible, the Root ninja turned around and looked at the human wall behind him.
"Move!" he commanded.
"Captain," Ichiji whispered to Shinichi, his teeth gritted. "This grandson of a bitch is too arrogant. Let's just finish him..."
Akichi Inuzuka nodded grimly. "Kill him now." Even his dog barked in agreement.
"Let him through," Shinichi said coldly. "But stay ready to fight."
The unit reluctantly parted, creating a narrow path. Shinichi began to organize a formation. "Akichi, the Third Platoon will focus on diversion. Ichiji, follow me to carve a hole in their lines. I'll use my strongest Fire Style to match your Wind—"
He was interrupted by a collective gasp from his men. "What now?" Shinichi barked, turning around ready to scold them for losing focus.
But when he saw the scene behind him, the words died in his throat.
The Root ninja, who had been so insufferable moments ago, had walked straight up to Ren Uchiha. Then, without a word, he dropped to one knee before the bewildered boy.
He held up a mission scroll with both hands.
Ren blinked and took the scroll. It was written in Orochimaru's distinctive hand. Only two lines:
'Do what you think is right.'
'Come back alive.'
The kneeling Root ninja looked up at Ren as if gazing at a sun that illuminated the world. He had followed Ryoma Aburame to the Land of Hot Springs; he had seen the raw power Ren possessed. His eyes were full of fanaticism.
He lowered his head and asked in a loud, resonant voice:
"Ren Uchiha, Lord Orochimaru has one more question for you—"
"Are you prepared to become a legend of the ninja world?!"
A heavy silence followed. Every eye was on the boy—confusion, shock, and disbelief swirling among the ranks.
Ren looked at the scroll, then at the charging Sand army, then at the men of the Surprise Attack Force, and finally at the red smoke in the distance. He closed the scroll and shut his eyes.
Orochimaru was telling him the truth: this situation was a strategic trade. To create an opening for a surprise attack and end the war quickly, this unit was being discarded as pawns.
But Ren was the variable. If he couldn't defeat this Sand force, everyone around him would die. If he couldn't reach Ryoma in time, his "pretty good" superior would likely die.
Ren's eyes snapped open—crimson orbs burning with absolute resolve. He dropped the scroll and stepped past the kneeling Root ninja, his hands beginning to blur through hand seals.
Without looking back, he spoke with a haunting calm:
"Then watch closely... at my full power."
The Root ninja bowed low, pressing a hand to his chest. "Then... I wish you glory in battle!"
Beneath the mask, the fanaticism in his eyes held a secret only he knew—and the madness that was about to be unleashed.