From a distance, the canyon ahead appeared perfectly normal to the group of Sunagakure shinobi—quiet as always.
Quiet?
Yes—too quiet.
That's exactly what felt off to the two seasoned jōnin, Kaneya and Yinbu, who were leading the group.
With years of mission experience under their belts, the silence of the canyon didn't sit right. Nothing seemed out of place—and that was the problem.
Yinbu turned to glance at Kaneya and said:
"Leave this to me."
He reached into his gear pouch, pulled out a scroll, and swiftly undid its seal.
"Secret Technique: Bee's Eye."
This was a puppet-based reconnaissance technique—Bee's Eye, a specialized puppet jutsu used for surveillance and early warning.
From the scroll emerged a puppet nearly a meter tall, shaped like a hornet. Under Yinbu's control, it took flight, hovering steadily above them.
At the same time, Yinbu closed his eyes—his field of vision now transferred to the hornet puppet, observing the canyon from a bird's-eye view.
After a moment, Kaneya saw Yinbu nod subtly. That was enough.
"Stay alert. Continue pursuit," Kaneya ordered.
Still at the front of the formation, Kaneya and Yinbu led the group deeper into the canyon. Though Yinbu's eyes were closed, the puppet's surveillance allowed him to move flawlessly.
Meanwhile, the four-man Minato Squad—concealed within the canyon—spotted the hornet puppet ascending into the air.
"Stay hidden. Don't make any sudden moves…"
Minato, hidden in the canyon, immediately signaled tactical hand signs, instructing Veigar and the others to remain still and observe.
As more signals came, the team quickly understood Minato's strategy:
Retreat was not an option.
Leaving early could jeopardize the mission—possibly causing failure, or worse.
Thus, Minato's command was clear: remain concealed at all costs and prepare for immediate combat if necessary.
"Fourteen shinobi—closing in…"
Veigar's sensory perception picked up on the approaching group—Kaneya, Yinbu, and twelve others. His expression darkened as he quickly relayed the information via hand signs to Minato, Kakashi, and Shōgetsu.
Now, escape was no longer an option. The odds of slipping away unseen were slim.
Minato's heart was unsettled. As he had feared—the first to arrive were Sunagakure ninja.
"They're here…"
The squad of Suna shinobi soon entered the team's line of sight. All four hidden Leaf ninja thought the same thing in unison.
Ssshhh… Ssshhh…
They watched silently as the Suna squad leapt past them at speed. Veigar and the others held their ground, letting them go without engagement.
But then—
Minato's eyes narrowed. He spotted someone—a supposed Suna shinobi at the back of the group—flashing coded hand signals used in mission protocols.
That shinobi was relaying information.
"Two jōnin. Three chūnin. Eight genin."
"Puppet user. Scout-type. Tracker. Wind Release user…"
The detailed hand signs gave away the entire composition of the squad—confirming for Minato that this "Suna ninja" was actually the contact they had been waiting for.
As the Suna squad departed, Minato immediately issued new hand signals:
"Prepare to move. Enemy has tracking-type ninja."
He also discreetly left behind a marker containing critical intel.
...
At the rear of the Suna squad, the chūnin tasked with tracking Veigar's group suddenly reported:
"Captain Kaneya. Captain Yinbu—
The trail ends here. All signs vanish beyond this point."
Instantly, both jōnin reacted.
"The canyon—just now!"
They spun around, giving the immediate order:
"Retrace your steps! The targets are still in that canyon!"
Before the words even left their mouths, the two jōnin had already taken off at high speed—followed in shock by the rest of their squad.
Back in the canyon, Minato—having just planted the intel marker—spotted Kaneya and Yinbu returning.
The word "retreat" was already forming on his lips, but he swallowed it, replacing it with a firm:
"Hide."
Standing at the canyon's center, Kaneya tightly gripped his kunai, alert. Yinbu remained motionless, his sight locked through the puppet's aerial vantage.
Moments later, the rest of the Suna shinobi regrouped around the two leaders.
Veigar quietly tightened his grip on the ninjatō at his waist and looked to Minato, signaling:
"What now?"
It was obvious—they'd been found. While their precise locations remained hidden, the enemy now knew they were close.
In response, Minato relayed the information they had received from their disguised ally, along with that shinobi's likely identity as their mission objective.
Without a word, he also drew a custom kunai—the signal to Veigar, Shōgetsu, and Kakashi: prepare to strike.
"Search."
At Kaneya's command, the Suna shinobi split into four-man cells and began sweeping the canyon.
From his perch in the tree canopy, Kakashi watched one squad approach, his short blade already drawn, muscles tensed and ready.
Elsewhere, Minato, Veigar, and Shōgetsu were similarly prepared.
The Suna search was forcing their hand—combat was inevitable.
Closer and closer the enemies came. The squad moving toward Kakashi was growing visibly more cautious.
Suddenly—
A flash of sunlight reflected off Kakashi's blade, casting a gleam into the eyes of one of the approaching Suna shinobi.
"They—"
He realized it instantly—someone was hiding above them. The glint had come from a weapon.
As he opened his mouth to shout—
Four shadows burst from the trees above, descending on the Suna squad like blades in the wind.
Ssshhh! Ssshhh! Ssshhh! Ssshhh!
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