In the woods, three ninjas bearing the Shimura family crest traveled along a well-trodden path.
"I'm lucky this time. I actually came across such an easy mission!" one of them exclaimed, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Good thing we accepted it immediately; otherwise, someone else might have snatched it," another chimed in, clearly in high spirits.
Their task was straightforward: eliminate wild animals that had been destroying medicinal fields in Mizawa Village, a small settlement within the Land of Fire. The mission, though not particularly dangerous, came with a generous reward. Unbeknownst to them, however, they had become bait in a much larger scheme.
Behind them, more than a dozen ANBU operatives trailed silently. Each step they took was calculated, watching closely for any signs of an enemy.
These three Shimura clan members were nothing more than pawns in a dangerous game. Their family, desperate to unearth the force targeting them, had sent them out without their knowledge of the peril they faced. Whether they lived or died was secondary; what mattered was drawing out the enemy.
After hours of walking, the trio reached Mizawa Village and met the village chief, an elderly man who leaned heavily on his cane. His eyes lit up with relief when he saw them approach.
"Thank you for coming, noble ninjas," the old man said, bowing deeply. "The beasts have been wreaking havoc on our fields. Please help us."
"Don't worry," one of the Shimura ninjas replied confidently. "We'll take care of the problem."
After gathering information about the animals, the three ventured into the surrounding woods. For hours, they searched and successfully eliminated every wild beast they encountered, fulfilling their mission. By the time they returned to the village, night had fallen. Deciding it was too late to travel, they opted to stay in the village overnight.
Unbeknownst to them, the ANBU operatives remained hidden in the woods just outside the village, their sharp eyes never leaving their targets. The ANBU team consisted of highly skilled ninjas, the weakest among them being a special jonin. Two elite jonin led the group, their vigilance unbroken.
"This feels wrong," murmured an ANBU operative wearing a bird mask. "Those three have no idea they've been abandoned by their own clan, used as bait."
The operative glanced at the man beside him, who wore a dog-face mask. "Do you really think someone will show up to attack them?"
The man in the dog mask considered the question. "If there really is a force targeting the Shimura family, they'll take this chance. But… if the three are attacked, we're stationed too far away to save them in time."
"That's assuming anyone will attack," interjected a third operative wearing a bear mask. "This whole operation is based on speculation. There's no concrete evidence that anyone is targeting the Shimura clan."
"How do you explain all the recent deaths in their family, then? Even an elite jonin like Shimura Tomohisa was killed," the bird-masked operative countered.
"Bad luck," the bear-masked man said with a shrug, his tone laced with indifference. "The Shimura family has done enough shady things to warrant it."
The dog-masked operative let out a low chuckle. "You've got a point there. They've made plenty of enemies over the years."
"Enough talking," one of the elite jonin leading the team snapped. "Stay focused."
The group fell silent, resuming their watch over the unsuspecting trio in the village.
Elsewhere, on a barren wasteland, a lone figure sat atop a boulder. His appearance was obscured by a transformation jutsu, and a red-eyed bird circled overhead before descending to perch on his outstretched hand. A small note was tied to its leg.
The man opened the note, reading the coded message written in the Uchiha clan's secret script.
"Three Shimura clan members have accepted a mission to exterminate wild beasts and are heading to Mizawa Village in the west," it read.
After burning the note, the man rose and disappeared into the wilderness, heading west. A day later, he reached a mountaintop overlooking a forested expanse. Deciding to wait there, he sat down, eating some dry rations while keeping his Sharingan active to survey the area.
Hours passed before his patience was rewarded. Three figures appeared on the horizon, running toward him. His Sharingan allowed him to clearly see the Shimura clan emblem emblazoned on their clothing.
"Perfect," he muttered to himself.
He descended the mountain swiftly, stealthily closing the distance between himself and his targets.
As he moved, he considered his next move. He needed their deaths to appear as accidents, natural and untraceable. His mind raced with possibilities.
"There's a town nearby where wandering ninjas often cause trouble," he thought. "Yes… I'll hypnotize them, make them pick a fight, and let the wandering ninjas handle the rest."
His lips curled into a cold smile as he prepared to execute his plan.
(End of this chapter)
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