The Konoha team arrived at Iron Ridge Fortress six days later.
A carriage simply couldn't move as fast as ninja. Horses needed rest, and unless you paid to change horses at relay stations along towns and roads, even six days wouldn't be enough for the trip.
For ninja—the true "high-end beasts of burden"—all they needed was a Soldier Pill (Hyōrōgan) to keep moving at full strength.
A journey like this would take them two days at most.
"We're about to enter Iron Ridge Fortress in the Land of Iron," Bai Xing said while removing the forehead protector from his head.
"Security there is strict. Take yours off."
This was to avoid unnecessary conflict while crossing the border.
The three others nodded without objection.
At the moment, the entire group—Bai Xing's Team 11, the wealthy merchant, and his two guards—had all changed into thick coats to deal with the cold.
"So cold," the blonde girl muttered while leaning against the carriage window, exhaling a puff of frosty air.
"I didn't expect we'd get the chance to do an out-of-village mission together. It feels nice."
Hearing that, both Uchiha Mikoto and Might Dai showed faint expressions of disappointment.
Bai Xing kept a calm face.
But the uninformed Mizutani Shōto looked confused.
"What? Won't you have chances later?" he asked.
"Wait! Don't tell me—you're planning to become missing-nin?!"
He immediately shrank back in fear.
Along the way he had already seen the team's abilities. Ordinary hired killers were completely helpless against them.
The carriage sped along the road, wind roaring past. The two guards in front were too focused on the road to notice the conversation.
During wartime, travel wasn't leisurely like the famous Wave Country mission that took a month.
"It's not that," Bai Xing replied casually.
"She's just too talented. She'll probably leave the team soon."
He rested his chin on his hand, breathing in the cold air outside.
"Also… this road has been a little too quiet."
"There might be an ambu—"
Before he could finish—
The horses suddenly stepped on a trap hidden by the roadside.
"Neigh—!!"
Both horses screamed and collapsed instantly.
The guards were thrown violently to the ground.
The carriage slammed down.
Before anyone inside could react, four shuriken shot out from the forest, targeting the two guards.
Clearly the attackers had no intention of letting any civilians survive.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
"E–Enemy attack!" A-Jin shouted while struggling to climb out of the shallow pit.
Beside him, A-Yin had smashed into the horse and fainted.
When A-Jin looked up—
He saw Uchiha Mikoto already standing before him with a kunai in hand, perfectly deflecting all four shuriken.
"Who's there?!"
"Heh. As expected—Uchiha ninja aren't that easy to deal with."
A man wearing a dark red vest and an Iwagakure headband stepped out of the forest.
While Mikoto focused on him—
Two voices suddenly sounded behind her.
"Earth Release: Rock Bullet Technique!" ×2
"Not good!"
Mikoto immediately tried to turn around to help—
But the Iwa ninja in front wouldn't allow it.
"Don't forget about me!"
Clang!
Kunai clashed, sparks flying.
The force was so strong Mikoto nearly lost her grip.
After a brief standoff, the enemy retreated slightly, noticing the tension and slight weakness in her strength.
He seized the chance and launched a brutal elbow strike toward her face, intending to knock her unconscious and capture her.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
BAM!
A flash of green pants appeared.
The kick smashed away the attack.
The Iwa ninja staggered back and steadied himself.
"Who are you?!"
"The Fierce Beast of Konoha's Taijutsu—Might Dai!"
Meanwhile—
Bai Xing had already left the carriage, while Yakushi Nono guarded the remaining intact section.
Before Bai Xing floated numerous fist-sized stones—the result of the enemy's Earth Release: Rock Bullet Technique, albeit weaker than usual.
Based on the earlier glimpse of the opponent's clothing, Bai Xing judged they were likely Iwagakure ninja.
"But why would Iwa ninja appear in the Land of Iron?"
"That makes no sense."
As the stones prepared to rain down and kill the team's leader—
The two hidden attackers in the forest smiled.
"Forget it."
"Let's capture them and interrogate them."
The easiest solution right now would be activating ROOM, then using ROOM: Shambles to instantly stop the stones.
—but he was supposed to be a genin.
Bai Xing slowly drew the ninja sword he always carried.
His face darkened.
"One-Sword Style—Net!"
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
Ten rapid cuts.
Every stone in front of him was sliced away or knocked flying.
Technically, the move could also be called "random slashing like crazy."
But with enough training—
It wasn't actually random.
The two enemies in the forest froze.
"…What the hell?"
"Since when does this kid know swordsmanship?! That wasn't in the intel!"
Bai Xing lowered his sword and glanced at the blade.
A huge vein popped on his forehead.
"This sword cost 20,000 ryō."
The once sleek blade now had numerous dents and chips.
"I spent two thousand every year maintaining you…"
Meanwhile—
"What was that kid muttering about?" asked the bald ninja Ayai, turning to his teammate Vey.
They hadn't used transformation techniques.
After all, transformations interfered with ninjutsu performance.
Besides, they were actually Kumogakure ninja. Earth Release wasn't their specialty.
If they used it poorly, anyone could see something was wrong.
"Maybe… he's just nervous?" Vey whispered.
Near the carriage, Bai Xing continued muttering under his breath.
"This mission pays about forty thousand…"
"Split it four ways… I only get twenty thousand…"
"Then repair costs…"
"This damn sword—what's the point of maintaining it anymore…"
A few seconds later—
His eyes turned cold.
"So if I report that the mission difficulty increased…"
"I should get more reward money, right?"
In the next instant—
Bai Xing's body turned into a blur.
Only Ayai, who had jōnin-level perception, saw it clearly.
"Move!"
Ayai shoved Vey aside.
A white flash streaked past them.
Behind them—
CRACK!
The massive tree they had been hiding in split diagonally and collapsed.
"M–Monster!"
Vey stared in horror.
If the captain hadn't pushed him away—
he would already be a corpse in two halves.
Standing beside another tree, Bai Xing raised his head angrily.
He had originally wanted to scold these so-called Iwa ninja for not fighting on the battlefield and instead disturbing a poor genin's mission.
But when he looked carefully—
His expression froze.
In his black eyes reflected the blue-and-white flak jackets worn only by Kumogakure ninja.
"…Cloud Village?"
His mind spun rapidly.
In an instant he realized something critical about his team.
Young + Uchiha + Genius = Uchiha Mikoto
"…Damn it!"
"Danzō, you old bastard!"
"I knew someone was trying to kill me!"
—Whenever something shady happened, just blame Danzō.
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