Early the next morning, the squad regrouped after a brief rest. They began sweeping the bandits' perimeter, layer by layer, closing in on the heart of the hideout.
Everything went smoothly—until the final push, when they had to fight head-on.
Fortunately, their opponent was just a rogue Chūnin. Brutal, yes—but reckless and untrained. The three Uchiha surrounded him with ease and cut him down without taking a scratch.
They'd grown more synchronized, moving as one, guided by their squad's sacred rule: never duel when you can gang up.
---
Meanwhile, a Root tracking unit had already reached the second bandit base.
Their masked leader stood quietly before the ruins, surveying the aftermath.
"Captain," one Root operative reported, "we checked all squads assigned nearby. Three in total—but none had three members proficient in Fire Release. One regular Anbu patrol was in the area, but there's no sign they engaged."
He continued, "As for the bandits near the site of the massacre—there was an official mission posted, but no one's taken it yet. And this outpost here… it was just assigned this morning to a team of Genin. They should still be en route."
The captain's voice was low and cold.
"Interesting. Someone's been wiping out bandits in the Land of Fire… yet it's not a Konoha team. Or at least, not one that accepted a mission through proper channels.
So—this isn't vengeance. More likely a contract hit."
He scoffed.
"And definitely not your average rogue ninja. No sane drifter would risk crossing Anbu—let alone ambush and kill them, then go about their business like nothing happened. Whoever's behind this… has balls of steel."
His tone sharpened.
"Double the patrols. I want this rogue squad found and bagged. Check every remaining bandit base in the area—set up watchpoints. Report the moment you see Konoha shinobi."
---
"We can't keep doing bandit clean-up jobs," said Uchiha Kairen. "Our earlier missions bought us some cover, but that trick's running thin. If someone's investigating these raids, they'll connect the dots."
He looked around grimly.
"The last bandit camp we hit was too close to the one that got wiped out. The timing lines up. Anyone checking the mission logs could pinpoint us—and all they'd have to do is wait for us to hit the next bandit base."
Uchiha Honō gave a quiet, knowing smile.
"No need to worry. Those bandit missions weren't officially listed under Konoha. The only task that was… is the spy hunt."
"Even so," said Uchiha Retsu, "it's too risky. Let's play it safe from now on."
Kairen nodded.
"Agreed. We'll finish the spy job and head back to the village. Once we're home, we can pull missions through proper channels."
Retsu unrolled a mission scroll and pointed at a marked location.
"Then this one. Tracking an Iwagakure spy near the Land of Fire's capital. When we're done, we could swing by the city—never been there myself."
Both Kairen and Honō exchanged a glance, intrigued. None of them had visited the capital before.
Uchiha Ankoku chuckled.
"Do whatever you want. As long as you complete the mission, payment's all the same. No one dares shortchange us."
And so, the team headed toward the Land of Fire's capital—unknowingly slipping right past the Root operatives closing in behind them.
---
"No need to keep watch," the Root captain muttered days later. "They're gone. No one clears out three bandit groups, pisses off Anbu, and keeps pressing their luck. They came here to get the job done, not to throw their lives away."
He gave one last glance at the ruins.
"Three days without a trace means they're ghosts. Cunning little rats... Fine. Pull back. We'll wait for their next move."
---
"According to intel," Kairen explained, crouching over a map, "the Iwa spy we're after escaped capture and is now hiding somewhere in this region. The terrain's rough—lots of valleys crawling with missing-nin and wanderers. There are two such zones near the capital. The Daimyō's men don't clear them out—too useful for their politics."
He glanced up.
"This reeks of Danzō's handiwork. Keeps the Daimyō nervous enough to keep funding the military—but not so unstable that they blame Konoha. Patrols guard the outskirts, Root hides in the shadows. A tidy little system… very Second Hokage."
Retsu frowned.
"Let's scout first. Even if it's a village mission, we should verify the intel ourselves."
Kairen and Honō nodded. The trio transformed and entered the valley under disguise.
Inside, the so-called "hideout" turned out to be a small, bustling market.
Vendors shouting, sake flowing—nothing like the danger they'd expected.
They took a table in a tavern, ordered food, and watched.
Not long after, their target appeared—bold as daylight. The man bought two bottles of sake and swaggered away.
Too easy.
The three exchanged skeptical looks, then followed.
He turned into a quiet street, entered a small house. Honō took a position by the alley, leaning casually against the wall. Retsu climbed a rooftop for vantage.
Then—
"He's running!" Retsu shouted. He kicked off the roof and bolted after the man, the others right behind him.
The chase tore through the valley and into the woods until the spy reached a lake. He spun, smirked at them, and dove in.
Retsu moved to follow—but Honō grabbed his shoulder.
"Don't. Something's off."
Kairen's instincts screamed the same. He drew his blade—and the forest around them rippled with chakra signatures.
Ten masked Root operatives emerged.
Their leader spoke coolly.
"Uchiha Ankoku. Come quietly. Danzō-sama wishes to speak with Konoha's prodigy."
Ripples broke across the water's surface. The Iwa spy surfaced again—flanked by four more Root ninja.
They were surrounded.
Danzō's dogs again.
Kairen's jaw tightened. The old bastard never stops.
No time to argue.
They'd have to break through—fast.
He signaled behind his back: Go for the water. Fewer enemies there. Give Ankoku an opening—only he can kill the enemy jōnin. It's our only chance.
"Uchiha Style Shurikenjutsu!"
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!"
The three burst forward, flames igniting the forest. Retsu unleashed a blazing fireball toward the disguised spy.
The enemies countered instantly—
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
"Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
"Great Waterfall Jutsu!"
The clash of fire and water roared through the clearing.
But the Uchiha trio combined their attacks in sync:
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bombs!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
→ Combined Jutsu: Inferno Burst!
Then another—"Fire Release: Flame Whirlwind!"
A pillar of fire consumed the center of the enemy formation, killing three instantly and wounding two more.
The trio broke through the gap, sprinting across the lake toward the opposite shore.
The Root reinforcements caught sight of them from afar.
"Those bastards—it's them! After them! Don't let them escape!"
As Kairen, Retsu, and Honō vanished into the dense forest, the Root leader barked at the injured shinobi:
"You two, report back! Tell the captain we found them—request backup!"
The two turned and ran toward the valley—
—but never made it.
A blade flashed. One fell instantly.
The second turned just as a voice whispered: "Fire Release: Dragon Fire Jutsu."
Flames engulfed him.
From the smoke stepped Uchiha Ankoku, eyes glowing red.