Upon hearing this, Ryuzetsu leapt from the hospital bed. "Shinji, if you're going, take me with you! I'm a Grass shinobi—I can guide you!"
Shinji nodded. "Get ready then. We're leaving soon!"
His visit to the hospital was precisely to bring Ryuzetsu along.
Though he was certain that the ones infiltrating Grass Village were ghosts, he didn't dare to be careless. Someone like Ryuzetsu, who was familiar with Grass Village, was naturally essential to have on the mission.
Before long, two teams assembled at the gates of Hidden Leaf Village.
One team was led by Tsunade, with members Shizune, Yakumo, Shinji, and Ryuzetsu.
The other team was commanded by Kakashi, with the remaining three members being seasoned special jonin.
Excluding Ryuzetsu, these were two standard four-man teams, equipped with medical expertise and dojutsu, boasting high-tier configurations and formidable combat strength. Shinji, in comparison, was merely an extra, only included due to Koharu Utatane's insistent recommendation.
After all, if the investigation succeeded, it could likely be recorded as an S-rank mission on their resumes.
Tsunade's stern gaze swept over the group. "Final equipment check!"
Even Kakashi didn't dare to be careless, and everyone promptly inspected their gear.
Once the checks were complete, Tsunade waved her hand, and the two teams officially set out!
Back in the village, Sasuke returned to his apartment, still fuming.
He had naturally applied to join this reconnaissance mission, but while Yakumo and Shinji were allowed to participate, he—a Mangekyo Sharingan-wielding Uchiha—was left behind. This was unacceptable to him.
Just then, a voice suddenly echoed in his ear.
After a moment of surprise, the corners of his mouth curled upward. He moved to a hidden compartment in his room and retrieved the hawk-patterned mask and the red-cloud cloak.
Undoubtedly, Shinji had just issued an order to Sasuke through Jikibi, acting as the leader of the Akatsuki.
Sasuke wasn't the only one to receive such orders.
Neji, at the Hyuga clan grounds, and Kimimaro, at a small training field, also received commands from Shinji via Jikibi.
The ghosts' invasion was a threat to the entire shinobi world.
If undetected, so be it. But once discovered, Shinji, as the "Lampbearer," had to use decisive measures to eliminate all invading ghosts completely!
In a forest outside Hidden Leaf Village…
Whoosh!
Sasuke, wearing a hawk-faced mask and a red-cloud cloak, dropped down from a tree, scanning his surroundings.
At that moment, a figure emerged from the woods and greeted him. "Hello, I'm your partner for this mission."
Sasuke looked over and saw another figure in a red-cloud cloak, but this one wore a dog-faced mask.
Recalling the village's intelligence, Sasuke probed, "'C'?"
Without a doubt, the one assigned to partner with Sasuke was Haku. He smiled. "You can call me that!"
Sasuke asked, "What's my codename?"
In another forest…
Kimimaro, wearing a snake-faced mask and a red-cloud cloak, met with Neji, who was similarly clad in a red-cloud cloak but wore a plain white mask.
Neji asked warily, "You're my partner?"
"Yes," Kimimaro nodded lightly, observing the other.
For some reason, both felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with each other.
On a treacherous mountain path, Ido, wearing a demon mask and red-cloud cloak, floated in the air, tauntingly calling out to Karin behind her. "'B,' can you keep up with me?"
Karin, dressed in Akatsuki garb, didn't respond. She sped through the steep mountains with such swiftness that even Ido, in her spiritual form, was secretly impressed.
Aside from Deidara, who was embedded in the Akatsuki, and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki hiding in the Land of Hot Water, Shinji had mobilized all his available forces for this operation.
Karin, Haku, Sasuke, Ido, Neji, and Kimimaro—six in total—operated under the guise of Akatsuki members.
Haku and Sasuke formed one team, with Haku's caution and low profile balancing Sasuke's impulsiveness.
Neji and Kimimaro were paired together, their halves of the "biological exoskeleton" able to resonate and support each other at close range.
Karin and Ido formed the strongest reconnaissance team. Karin possessed the "Kagura Mind's Eye," a supreme sensory ninjutsu, while Ido, as a free-moving spirit, could summon Yakumo's main body with the "Koryu" to conduct long-range clairvoyant scouting using the Koryugan.
Thus, Shinji's two teams operated in the open, while the three teams he had arranged moved in secret, all rushing toward Grass Village from different routes at full speed.
At the same time, Hidden Leaf, through special channels, relayed the intelligence that the Akatsuki might have infiltrated and secretly taken control of Grass Village to the other four great shinobi villages.
Upon receiving this intelligence, Mist Village and Cloud Village were the first to react. The Fourth Mizukage and Fourth Raikage each led elite forces and immediately headed to Hidden Leaf.
After discovering that the Akatsuki might have used an illusion to puppet the Third Mizukage, Mist Village had become a vanguard against the Akatsuki, acting swiftly whenever Akatsuki-related intelligence surfaced.
Cloud Village was no less proactive.
The abduction of the Two-Tails Jinchuriki by the Akatsuki was the Fourth Raikage's greatest humiliation, so his response was equally rapid.
Subsequently, Sand Village and Stone Village also reacted, each dispatching teams.
These two villages had less direct enmity with the Akatsuki.
Sand Village's grudge stemmed primarily from Sasori, as mounting evidence pointed to him as the killer of the Third Kazekage. Even if only for appearances, the Fourth Kazekage had to send forces to participate.
Stone Village acted purely out of concern that their two Jinchuriki might become Akatsuki targets. Additionally, from a political standpoint, if the other four villages united and Stone Village stayed out, their position would become precarious.
As a result, the shinobi world once again descended into tension.
Communication shinobi shuttled back and forth with intelligence, while elite fighters gathered, as if a great battle were on the verge of erupting!
Amid this tense atmosphere, after days of relentless travel, Shinji's group finally arrived at the outskirts of Grass Village.
Ryuzetsu pointed to the cluster of buildings ahead. "That's Grass Village up there!"
The group silently observed.
On the surface, Grass Village appeared unremarkable, with people coming and going and vendors calling out on the streets.
Shizune remarked, "It doesn't seem like anything's unusual."
Tsunade responded, "If the abnormalities were that obvious, we would've noticed long ago."
Ryuzetsu volunteered eagerly, "I can take you to the secret base to meet the elder!"
Tsunade shook her head. "Let's arrange to meet somewhere else instead."
The team's mission was reconnaissance. Entering a secret base, even one belonging to the "Flower of Grass" faction, was an extremely risky move.
Ryuzetsu had no objections. "Alright, I'll go contact the elder!"