The Land of Fields
Yuhara gazed out at the endless expanse of dense forest. It was lush and vibrantly green—like a child's wild scribble brought to life in a palette of exaggerated colors. Yet beneath that beauty lurked a quiet sense of dread, an unnatural stillness that gnawed at the nerves. This place was a green hell, waiting patiently to swallow everything whole.
The Konoha ninja squad had reached their designated location. So far, they seemed to be in luck—no enemy encounters along the way. Their mission objective was clear: a specific Cloud ninja operative. According to protocol, unnecessary conflict was to be avoided.
Although the Third Great Ninja War had reached its later stages, and the scale of open battles between nations had visibly shrunk, the intensity had only escalated. Years of bloodshed had given rise to a festering hatred between nations. Now, that hatred burned hotter than ever—feeding each skirmish with greater fury and desperation.
It was Yuhara's first time on a battlefield. Not just any battlefield, but the war-torn ninja world. He could feel the oppressive atmosphere weighing down on him, but to be honest, he had no idea what he was supposed to do. He was completely out of his depth.
Luckily, their captain, Hinoki, was competent. As soon as they arrived, he began arranging the squad's formation. The usual warmth in his demeanor was gone, replaced with the sharp seriousness of a seasoned commander.
With everyone assigned to specific roles, even rookies like Yuhara could adapt quickly. After all, in war, if you didn't learn fast… you died.
The unit quickly deployed in a "search and encirclement formation"—a classic V-shaped spread. The formation's flanks would sweep forward like the hands of a clock, searching for the enemy. Once contact was made, the outer teams would lure the target toward the center where the rest of the squad could quickly surround and overwhelm them.
This setup worked well for larger teams with average individual combat power, leveraging numbers to take down stronger opponents. But it was inherently passive—more suited for waiting than initiating. In essence, a kind of "turtle formation." However, considering the nature of ninja combat and the need for stealth, the formation was spread out. The outermost scouts could operate over 20 kilometers from the center.
Captain Hinoki remained near the middle of the formation to maintain control of the battlefield. Yuhara's squad, meanwhile, was stationed at the rear junction of the V—the safest position available.
Yuhara doubted this was mere coincidence. He suspected Hinoki's placement had less to do with strategic positioning and more to do with protecting his sister.
Once deployed, Yuhara and Nobuyoshi concealed themselves in a thick bush. Kirikou climbed into the crown of a tree over ten meters high, while Saku had seemingly vanished. He was nowhere to be found.
Because they were part of the backup team, silence and immobility were essential. The enemy could appear from any direction—including behind. So they stayed low and alert.
The forest was dim, the canopy filtering the sunlight into green shadows. Only the occasional birdsong broke the silence. Time crawled by, and the tension only grew heavier.
The first day passed without incident. Then the second. The squad held their position for seven long days, and nothing happened.
Calling it a "turtle formation" didn't feel accurate anymore. This was more like a spider guarding its web. Or a rabbit trap.
But even with nothing happening, no one relaxed. The scouts constantly searched the outer perimeter, while Yuhara's squad could only sit, motionless, maintaining a state of tense readiness. It was grueling.
Yuhara had no idea when—or if—this mission would end.
Hopefully, the enemy would never come.
Just as that hopeful thought crossed his mind, a sharp birdsong pierced the stillness. It was close. The sound snapped Yuhara's drifting mind back into focus. A few seconds later, another similar chirp responded from deeper in the forest.
At first, Yuhara paid it no mind. Birds singing in the woods—what of it?
But then Nobuyoshi pulled out a small notebook and silently scribbled a message in pencil. He turned it toward Yuhara:
"Changing search direction. Captain approved."
Yuhara nodded slightly to indicate he understood. He couldn't decipher Konoha's code signals, so he relied on Nobuyoshi as his translator.
Still, something about the message stood out. The wording—"captain approved"—implied that this change hadn't originated from Hinoki himself. Someone must've provided information or made a recommendation that prompted the shift.
That meant someone was feeding Hinoki real-time intel. A sensor ninja.
Yuhara instantly realized who it had to be.
The squad's "radar" would be placed in the safest position. That ruled out him, Nobuyoshi, and Kirikou. Which left only one candidate: Saku.
No one even knew where Saku was. She hid so well that even her teammates were unaware of her exact position—only that she was nearby.
Yuhara now understood. His squad's safe placement wasn't just Hinoki's favoritism. It was strategic. Saku was likely embedded with them because it offered the best protection for the sensor.
And since she was capable of relaying information across such vast distances, her sensory range had to be immense. The hallmark of a truly exceptional perception-type ninja.
As noon approached, the forest grew hotter and more humid. The birdsong signals became more frequent. With each update, Saku would relocate, leaving behind no traces. Despite her youth, she showed the discipline and skill of a professional.
Then, after another brief signal, Nobuyoshi quickly shoved his notebook in front of Yuhara's face.
"Direction 15. Prepare for combat."
All the muddled thoughts clouding Yuhara's mind—Is this sensor ninja really reliable? Should I run or fight when things go south?—were instantly wiped away. It was like his entire brain had been deleted, leaving behind only the pounding of his heart.
He licked his dry lips, unsure if the scent in his nose was the earth… or blood.
"Confirm enemy identity…"
"Target verified—Kumogakure ninja, operative 'Is.' Two killed."
"Enemy pursuit initiated—five enemies down."
Information crackled through the formation like dry leaves underfoot. In a single encounter, Konoha had already killed five enemies—a 20% casualty rate.
"Enemy approaching ambush zone…"
Nobuyoshi had barely finished writing when a sudden birdsong erupted near their position.
This time, he broke silence.
He stood up abruptly and whispered to Yuhara, "Enemy reinforcements. Intelligence was wrong. It's not a two-man team. There are four."
Yuhara's mind reeled. If the original unit included an elite jonin skilled in infiltration, then doubling the number likely doubled their overall combat power. Rookie genin would never be part of these kinds of missions. Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin's fates were proof enough of what happened to weak links.
Yuhara's brain felt like it had short-circuited.
The forest exploded into chaos. Noise. Movement. Energy.
But before panic could take hold, Captain Hinoki's voice came through, clear and cold.
Nobuyoshi's grip tightened around his kunai. He glanced at Yuhara and whispered one final word:
"Mission… continues."
Yes. No matter the change in circumstances, the mission must proceed.
Because…
Dying was one thing. Failing the mission? That was worse.