"You two have been watching me for quite a while, haven't you?"
The disguised shinobi's cold voice drifted across the narrow path. Obito tensed, but Kakashi immediately grabbed the back of his jacket and prevented him from jumping out.
Neither of them moved.
The man waited beside the locked warehouse, his head tilted slightly as he listened for the smallest sound. A long, suffocating moment passed without a response.
Finally, his shoulders relaxed.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed. The spy had not actually discovered them. He had merely sensed something unusual and thrown out those words to provoke any hidden observers into revealing themselves.
Obito glanced at Kakashi, but the latter pressed one finger against his mask, warning him to remain silent.
The warehouse was one of the most heavily restricted buildings in Wildfire Outpost. When Minato's team arrived the previous day, Commander Akiyama had personally supervised the storage of the medicine and supplies they had transported from Konoha.
Inside were antidotes, medical equipment, preserved food, Explosive Tags, emergency communication scrolls, and enough military supplies to support the outpost for weeks.
If the warehouse was destroyed, the entire defensive line would be crippled.
The supposed Konoha chūnin wore a standard flak jacket, while bloodstained bandages concealed most of his face. He looked around once more before stepping away from the lock.
Then he rapidly formed several hand seals.
A small cloud of white smoke erupted beside him, and a grey sparrow appeared on his forearm. The bird was ordinary enough to escape the attention of most border patrols, but its eyes were unnaturally sharp.
The spy removed a paper scroll from beneath his bandages. It had been rolled into a tube no thicker than his little finger.
After fastening it to the sparrow's leg, he lowered his voice. "Take this intelligence to Wind Eye. Tell him Konoha's reinforcements have arrived, but the Yellow Flash has returned to the village. The medical supplies are stored here."
Obito's eyes widened.
For once, his mind reached the correct conclusion almost immediately. He leaned toward Kakashi and whispered, "That guy really is—"
Before he could finish, the space beside him was empty.
A piercing scream of steel tearing through the air erupted near the warehouse.
Kakashi appeared above the spy with his short sword already drawn. Silver light flashed through the morning shadows, and the grey sparrow was cut down before it could spread its wings.
A few drops of blood slid along the edge of Kakashi's blade. He flicked them onto the ground and landed between the spy and the dead bird.
"What exactly are you doing?" Kakashi asked. His voice was calm, but the point of his sword was already aimed at the man's throat.
Fujiwara stared at him from behind the bloodstained bandages.
For a fraction of a second, neither moved.
Then Fujiwara threw something at the ground.
"Smoke bomb!" Kakashi warned, leaping backwards as the metal sphere shattered.
Thick grey-black smoke exploded through the passageway, swallowing the warehouse entrance and reducing visibility to almost nothing. Kakashi held his breath and listened for movement.
A soft impact came from the roof.
"He's escaping above us!"
Kakashi burst through the smoke just in time to see Fujiwara land on the camp's outer wall. The disguised shinobi abandoned all pretence of being injured and sprinted toward the forest with the speed of an experienced infiltrator.
"Obito, alert Commander Akiyama!" Kakashi shouted. "Tell him there's a spy inside the outpost!"
Obito was already running in the opposite direction.
Unfortunately, it was not toward the command centre.
"Don't think you're getting away!" Obito roared as he scrambled onto the wall and launched himself after Fujiwara.
Kakashi stared at him in disbelief. "You complete idiot!"
Fujiwara was a spy who had successfully infiltrated a Konoha military outpost. No one knew his true strength, what traps he had prepared outside the walls, or how many allies were waiting nearby.
Naturally, Obito had charged after him alone.
Kakashi gritted his teeth and formed a cross-shaped hand seal. A Shadow Clone appeared beside him in a burst of smoke.
"Follow Obito and mark the trail," Kakashi ordered. "Avoid direct combat unless necessary."
The clone nodded and raced after them. Kakashi's original body turned toward the command centre, moving as quickly as he could.
Every second mattered.
The alarm spread through Wildfire Outpost minutes later.
Shinobi rushed toward defensive positions while guards sealed the gates and activated the perimeter barriers. Commander Akiyama immediately gathered his available forces inside the command centre.
The commotion naturally reached the medical ward.
Ren and Rin arrived just as Kakashi finished explaining what had happened. When Ren heard that Obito had ignored orders and chased the spy into the forest, he could not stop himself from rubbing his forehead.
That was Obito for him—the most unpredictable person of their generation, capable of discovering an enemy infiltrator through pure coincidence and then ruining the advantage by charging after him without thinking.
"Commander, I'll lead a pursuit team," one of the jōnin volunteered. "If we leave now, we can catch them before they reach the border."
Akiyama reached for his weapon pouch. "I'll go personally. Fujiwara had access to the medical ward, so we don't know how much information he obtained."
"Wait, Commander Akiyama," Ren said.
The scarred jōnin stopped and turned toward him. "What is it?"
"Fujiwara's message revealed that the enemy knows where our supplies are stored," Ren explained. "Capturing him is important, but protecting the outpost should be the priority."
Several shinobi looked toward the young genin, but Ren continued without hesitation.
"If the enemy's objective is the warehouse, Fujiwara may be deliberately drawing our strongest fighters away. A second team could already be waiting for the camp to empty before attacking or sabotaging the supplies."
Akiyama's expression changed.
Ren pointed toward the map spread across the central table. "Move the most valuable medicine, Explosive Tags, and communication equipment to separate locations. Strengthen every guard post and verify the identity of all personnel inside the camp. We found one infiltrator, but there may be others."
The command centre became silent.
Akiyama studied Ren for a moment before slowly nodding. The boy's judgment was remarkably composed for his age.
"You're right," he admitted. "If I leave personally and this turns out to be a diversion, I'll be handing the enemy exactly what they want."
Ren glanced at Kakashi. "Send an experienced tracker after Fujiwara. Kakashi and I will accompany them. We can retrieve Obito while the rest of your forces secure the camp."
In truth, Ren would have preferred to remain inside Wildfire Outpost.
The outpost had walls, traps, medical support, and dozens of Konoha shinobi. Chasing an unknown spy toward the border meant abandoning every one of those advantages.
Unfortunately, both Kakashi's clone and Obito were already outside. Remaining behind while his teammates risked their lives would be difficult to justify.
Besides, Ren was not entirely defenceless.
The Simulated Realm Instantaneous Transfer granted by his Substitution Technique gave him an exceptional escape method. Combined with the Transformation Technique's ability to alter his body, Ren was confident that he could survive even if the pursuit turned into an ambush.
At the very least, he could run faster than Kakashi.
Akiyama considered the proposal before looking toward a young woman waiting near the doorway. She had wild brown hair, red fang markings on her cheeks, and a large black ninken standing beside her.
"Tsume!" he called.
Tsume Inuzuka stepped forward with an impatient expression. "I heard everything."
Her partner, Kuromaru, bared his teeth as though he were already eager to begin the hunt. Despite her age, Tsume's tracking ability and coordination with her ninken made her one of the outpost's best choices for a pursuit mission.
"Take Kakashi and Ren with you," Akiyama ordered. "Follow the spy and bring Obito back safely. Capture Fujiwara if possible, but kill him if necessary. Your teammates' survival takes priority."
Tsume gave a sharp nod. "Understood."
Akiyama immediately turned toward the remaining shinobi. "Move the supplies and divide them between three guarded locations. Double the sentries along the walls and inspect every seal around the warehouse."
He slammed one hand against the table. "Reconfirm the identities of every shinobi, medic, guard, and civilian worker inside this outpost. I want service records, mission histories, and chakra signatures checked. There will not be a second mistake."
Wildfire Outpost entered a state of maximum alert.
Tsume and Kuromaru led Ren and Kakashi through the gate minutes later.
Kakashi's Shadow Clone had left a trail using a subtle tracking method—bent grass, scratched bark, and small cuts carved into stones at irregular intervals. To an ordinary traveller, the marks would appear natural. To Kakashi, they formed a clear path.
The pursuit team raced along the foothills.
Wind tore at Ren's clothes as they moved through the forest, leaping over exposed roots and crossing uneven stretches of stone. Kuromaru remained at the front, his nose low to the ground whenever the trail became unclear.
"They're moving quickly," Tsume said. "The spy's trying to reach higher ground."
"Could he be heading toward the Land of Rivers?" Ren asked.
"Possibly, but this path bends toward the western ridgeline." Tsume glanced at Kuromaru. "If he continues in that direction, he'll reach one of the mountain passes leading south."
Toward the Land of Wind.
That only strengthened the suspicion that Fujiwara was connected to Sunagakure.
Within a short time, they had covered several kilometres. The trail led them toward a shallow stream cutting through the mountains.
Kakashi stopped beside the water. The marks left by his clone had disappeared, while dozens of disturbed stones made it difficult to determine which direction the fugitives had taken.
"He entered the stream to hide his scent," Kakashi said. "He knew someone would track him."
Kuromaru sniffed both banks before growling in frustration. The flowing water had scattered Fujiwara's scent in several directions.
Tsume crouched near the edge. "He may have used a scent-masking powder as well. This man prepared his escape route in advance."
Kakashi suddenly stiffened.
Memories that did not belong to his original body flooded into his mind—the result of his Shadow Clone being destroyed. He saw trees flashing past, Obito hurling shuriken, Fujiwara turning near a rocky slope, and the sudden gleam of a concealed blade.
Kakashi immediately looked upstream. "They're two kilometres ahead. My clone caught up with them, but Fujiwara destroyed it."
"Is Obito still alive?" Ren asked.
"Yes. He and Fujiwara are fighting near a ravine." Kakashi's expression darkened. "Obito refused to withdraw."
"Of course he did," Ren muttered.
Tsume rose, and Kuromaru shot forward. "Save the complaints for later. Move!"
They sprinted upstream.
The terrain became steeper with every passing minute. Sparse woodland replaced the dense forest, and large slabs of stone rose from the earth like broken teeth.
Soon, the distant clang of metal reached them.
A burst of orange fire illuminated the trees ahead, followed by the unmistakable roar of Obito's Great Fireball Technique. Birds exploded from the canopy and scattered into the sky.
"They're close," Kakashi said. His hand tightened around his sword.
Before they could advance, Kuromaru abruptly stopped.
The large ninken turned toward the eastern ridge, the fur along his spine rising. A deep growl rumbled from his throat.
Tsume immediately understood his warning. "More shinobi are approaching."
"How many?" Ren asked.
Kuromaru sniffed the wind and barked three times.
"Three," Tsume translated. "About a kilometre away, moving fast. They're heading directly toward Fujiwara."
Enemy reinforcements.
Kakashi quickly judged the distance between the two approaching groups. If they continued toward Obito together, the enemy shinobi would reach them from behind during the fight.
"Tsume, go after Obito," he said. "With Kuromaru, you can subdue Fujiwara more quickly than we can."
Tsume's eyes narrowed. "And what will the two of you do?"
"We'll intercept the reinforcements here," Kakashi answered. "The terrain is narrow, so they won't be able to pass us without fighting."
Tsume looked between the two boys. Even if they were unusually talented genin, leaving them to confront three unknown enemies was dangerous.
"We don't need to defeat them," Ren added. "We only need to delay them until you capture Fujiwara and return."
Another clash of metal echoed from the ravine. Obito did not have time for a longer discussion.
Tsume clicked her tongue. "Fine. Don't take unnecessary risks. Stall them and retreat if they're too strong."
She pointed toward a split in the rocks. "I'll return as soon as I secure Obito. Until then, neither of you is allowed to die."
Ren smiled faintly. "We'll do our best."
Tsume and Kuromaru disappeared upstream, following the sound of battle.
Ren and Kakashi immediately moved behind a group of large boulders overlooking the narrow mountain path. Kakashi unsealed several Explosive Tags and attached them beneath loose stones, while Ren concealed wire traps between the trees.
They had less than a minute to prepare.
Through a gap in the rocks, Ren saw three figures rapidly approaching. They wore dark grey combat uniforms, and metal forehead protectors gleamed beneath their hoods.
Four vertical lines had been carved into each plate.
"They're from Amegakure," Kakashi whispered.
Ren relaxed slightly.
Shinobi from any village could be dangerous, but opponents from the Five Great Shinobi Countries usually possessed stronger techniques, better equipment, and more reliable ways to escape death. If these had been Sunagakure jōnin, Ren's first priority would have been determining how to retreat.
Against Rain shinobi, he could afford to be more aggressive.
That did not mean he would underestimate them. Amegakure had endured for years while trapped between the great nations, and anyone who survived its constant wars was unlikely to be weak.
"Kakashi," Ren whispered, "what is your strongest Wind Release technique?"
Kakashi glanced at him. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough. I can cover an area about ten metres wide, and the wind is powerful enough to send a large boulder rolling. Why?"
Ren watched the approaching figures. They were less than a hundred metres away.
"I have another question." Ren lowered his voice further. "Can you keep a secret?"
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. "What are you planning?"
"A tactic that could eliminate all three of them before they understand what's happening." Ren's gaze remained fixed on the path. "But I need your Wind Release to make it work."
Kakashi studied him for half a second. "Explain."
Ren leaned closer and whispered the plan.
For once, Kakashi's composed expression cracked. He stared at Ren as if he were trying to determine whether his teammate had lost his mind.
"That technique can do something like that?" he asked.
Ren gave him a calm look. "You're the one who promised to keep it secret."
The Rain shinobi closed the distance.
One hundred metres.
Eighty.
Sixty.
The shinobi in front suddenly slowed. Perhaps he had noticed the unnatural arrangement of several stones, but his warning came a fraction too late.
His foot tightened the nearly invisible wire stretched across the path.
An Explosive Tag ignited beneath him.
"Scatter!" he shouted.
The explosion ripped through the mountain pass. Fire and shattered stone burst upward, forcing the three Rain shinobi to separate as they leapt away from the blast.
Kakashi's hands were already moving through seals.
Ren crouched behind the boulder, his muscles tensing as he locked onto the exact location he had chosen. A familiar spatial distortion gathered around his body, invisible to everyone except him.
The Rain shinobi emerged from the smoke with weapons drawn, searching for whoever had ambushed them.
They expected arrows, shuriken, or another trap.
They did not expect the enemy to appear among them.
"Substitution Technique: Simulated Realm Instantaneous Transfer."
Ren vanished.
There was no burst of smoke, no discarded log, and no warning flicker of chakra. One moment he was crouching beside Kakashi; the next, the space behind the Rain shinobi twisted.
One of them sensed something and began to turn.
He was already too late.
A quiet voice spoke directly behind him.
"Found you."