"What did you say?"
"The Daimyo's convoy accelerated?"
Minato's surprised exclamation echoed from the Hokage's Office.
An Anbu wearing a cat-faced mask was reporting the intel he had gathered.
"Yes. The Daimyo's convoy has met up with the escorting unit."
"After the rendezvous, the Daimyo suddenly ordered the convoy to proceed at full speed."
Minato's azure eyes were filled with astonishment and doubt. "Did they encounter any attacks along the way?"
The Anbu's reply was unexpected.
"They did not encounter any attacks," the Anbu continued. "According to the brief report, this order was personally given by the Daimyo."
"No attacks?" Koharu's brows furrowed, her aged face filled with surprise and suspicion. "Then why did the Daimyo abandon this plan?"
"He was the one who proposed it. What is he thinking?"
"Who knows what the Daimyo is thinking," Homura said, his expression equally grim. "For this plan, Konoha fully cooperated."
"To abandon it now means all our efforts have gone to waste, and we've alerted the enemy."
In their view, the Daimyo's actions were far too reckless.
"Elders."
Minato's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting the two Advisors' speculation.
"The intel just now was very clear." Minato walked quickly to the map, his gaze sharp as a blade.
The two Advisors' attention was immediately drawn to him.
Minato's hand swept across the map, then pressed heavily on a point.
It was the last location before the Daimyo's convoy accelerated.
"The Daimyo isn't trying to flush out the enemy," Minato said, his voice growing colder. "With this action, he's telling us..."
"The snake is no longer interested in biting him, the bait."
After this explanation, the two Elders were instantly aghast.
Yes, why hadn't they encountered any attacks in the most dangerous section?
The office fell into a deep silence.
Minato turned and asked the Anbu, "When will the Daimyo arrive?"
The Anbu replied, "He is expected to reach the village before dark."
"Issue the order," Minato said decisively. "Have the Anbu deploy immediately and clear all civilians within a three-kilometer radius of the Daimyo's residence."
"Tell the Barrier Team to activate the village's highest-level defensive barrier."
"When the Daimyo arrives, I want a completely secured Konoha."
"Additionally, inform Transit Station One. The troops are to retreat one hundred kilometers and rebuild their defensive line."
"Notify the Intelligence Department. I want to know the movements of all units near the Land of Lightning's border, accurate to every single squad."
Command after command flowed from the Fourth Hokage without the slightest hesitation.
"Minato, isn't this an overreaction?" Koharu hesitated, her lips tight. "Such a large-scale deployment, what if it's just..."
"There is no 'what if'," Minato cut her off sharply. "Kumogakure used the lives of four Jōnin to make all of us believe their target was the Daimyo."
"But they gave up the best timing for an assassination."
"This only proves that assassinating the Daimyo was a decoy from the beginning."
"Kumogakure's true target is Konoha."
"But there are only a dozen Kumogakure shinobi who infiltrated," Homura couldn't help but argue. "And four of them died."
"That's why I ordered the Intelligence Department to monitor the main forces in the Land of Lightning."
Minato's explanation silenced the two battle-hardened Advisors.
They opened their mouths but said nothing more.
The shadow of war had settled into their hearts.
Along the main road, dust billowed.
The Daimyo's convoy, escorted by hundreds of shinobi, raced toward Konoha like an arrow loosed from a bow.
The carriage jolted, the scenery outside the window flashing past rapidly.
Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was tense and heavy.
Ragyō sat upright on the cushion, her expression stern.
But beneath her lowered eyelids was quiet vigilance, her Sharingan ready to activate at any moment.
Inside her sleeve, her hand gripped a poisoned kunai tightly.
As an elite Uchiha, her instinct for sensing danger was sharp.
From the moment Arashi crushed the teacup, she knew something serious had occurred.
She didn't ask.
Her elder sister had taught her never to speak about things she shouldn't question.
All she needed to do was, when the moment came, use her life to buy even a fraction of a second for the man beside her.
Unlike her calmness, Kurenai appeared flustered.
The girl's crimson eyes were filled with worry and confusion.
The previously warm and lighthearted atmosphere had suddenly become heavy and strained.
Even Ragyō, who had been smiling and chatting with her earlier, had gone silent.
After much hesitation, perhaps emboldened by Arashi's earlier gentleness, Kurenai finally spoke softly, "Sir... are we in danger?"
Arashi's tightly closed eyes slowly opened.
The coldness in his gaze softened as it met the girl's anxious expression.
He offered a faint smile, his voice calm and gentle as he comforted her.
"Don't be afraid."
"We are not in danger."
"I just suddenly felt like arriving at Konoha earlier to see what kind of welcome the Fourth Hokage has prepared for me."
"Hold on tight. We'll be home soon."
The reassurance did not ease Kurenai's nerves. Instead, it only deepened the unease in her heart.
She said no more.
She simply straightened her back, muscles tensing in preparation.
Outside the carriage, the wind howled.
The Twelve Guardian Ninja tightly flanked both sides of the carriage.
Asuma, running at high speed, could no longer hold back his doubts.
With a few swift movements, he appeared beside Enmaru and asked in a low voice, "Hey, Enmaru-senpai. What the hell is going on?"
"Wasn't the Daimyo's plan to fish? If we're running like this, what kind of fish are we going to catch?"
His voice was full of irritation and confusion.
Several other Guardian Ninja nearby turned their heads at his words, their eyes questioning.
Enmaru's expression was darker than ever.
He glanced at the surrounding Konoha shinobi and replied in a low, serious tone.
"Fishing?"
"Asuma, tell me this."
"What kind of fish would abandon bait that's right in front of it?"
Asuma froze.
Yes, why?
Enmaru's voice grew sharper. "We're not the bait at all."
"Those bastards' target isn't us."
"It's Konoha."
All the Guardian Ninja were stunned.
In the next second, killing intent surged.
A rage fueled by the thought of their home being violated and their loved ones threatened filled them.
Their killing intent was so strong that the leading Konoha shinobi turned back in alarm, not understanding why their comrades had suddenly become so terrifying.
"Bastards."
Asuma let out a low roar, eyes bloodshot as the chakra blades at his waist began to hum violently.
Hizashi's veins bulged as his Byakugan activated.
Uchiha Natsume, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio, and every member of the Guardian Ninja erupted with fury.
They finally understood why the plan had been abandoned and why they were now speeding toward Konoha.
They were no longer hunters.
They were racing against death.
What they were protecting now was not just the Daimyo.
It was Konoha.
It was the village they were born in.
It was the tens of thousands of relatives and friends who lived there.
At this moment, they all had only one thought.
Before the enemy makes their move.
They must... make it back.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)