Two battalions of Konoha ANBU entered the Wave Country, and within two months, their supplies were completely depleted.
Without soldier pills, obtaining food became difficult and easily exposed their positions.
Without Ninja tools, many Anbu had to meticulously search battlefields, making them susceptible to traps set by enemies on Ninja tool pouches.
The Vortex Ninja, however, did not have this concern; the Uzushiogakure had always protected the nobles of Vortex Country and could obtain replenishment from them.
To better pressure the Vortex Ninja, their supplies needed to be cut off; the nobles needed to realize that helping the Vortex Ninja at this time was dangerous and fatal.
The noble mayor Night Light was tasked with killing was the most steadfast supporter of Uzushiogakure in the vicinity.
Night Light didn't tell Song Niao where they were going or what they were going to do.
Anbu members only needed to execute orders, not to think.
With a change of identity, Night Light also became an exploiter who disregarded the lives of his subordinates.
The two advanced towards the target town. They didn't aim to complete the mission quickly, only to avoid rash actions and a tragic death.
"Song Niao, how old are you?"
"Captain Fox, I am 12 this year."
He had just graduated and, after the Village lowered the Chunin requirements, he had fortunately become a Chunin.
Night Light didn't know what to say to his subordinate, so he asked, "What is your dream?"
"My dream?" Song Niao said:
"My dream is to be like Lord White Fang, accumulating mission experience in the Anbu and becoming the strongest Ninja!"
Konoha White Fang was an Anbu legend, constantly growing stronger in Anbu battles, continuously honing his swordsmanship, and becoming a Kage-level Ninja.
Konoha Ninja have three ways to learn Ninjutsu.
The first way is through family inheritance.
Top-tier Ninjutsu and secret techniques, like infectious diseases, are only spread through mother-to-child, blood, and bodily fluids.
What White Fang used was inherited sword techniques.
The second way is to gain the trust of a team leader or captain and be taught Ninjutsu.
It is difficult and rare to encounter a teacher or captain with a compatible temperament.
The third way is to join the Anbu and render meritorious service to the Village.
This path requires luck, the luck to keep living.
This path is also the fairest and one of the underlying logics of Anbu Ninja's loyalty.
"Good luck, Song Niao, you will become a Ninja like Lord White Fang sooner or later."
Upon reaching the outskirts of the town, Night Light carefully observed the town from a distance with binoculars.
The town had approximately 1000 households and was surrounded by a wooden wall. Every few dozen meters along the wall were arrow towers, and on top of the arrow towers were samurai trained by the mayor.
Ordinary samurai trained their bodies daily and carried long swords; a Genin would still need several moves to defeat a samurai.
More advanced samurai could refine Chakra and use Chakra to enhance their body techniques, equivalent to a Genin in a Ninja Village.
Even more advanced samurai could only be trained by the Land of Iron.
These samurai were poorly paid and very cheap.
Night Light and Song Niao found a blind spot in the samurai's vision, avoided the patrolling samurai, and climbed into the town.
The town was divided into an inner and outer city.
The inner city was where the noble mayor lived and worked.
A bustling night was a luxury only afforded by large cities like Kyoto; small towns, for defense, enforced strict curfews.
The streets of the small town were empty; everyone was hiding in their homes.
Ordinary people could die at the hands of Ninja from Ninja Villages or wandering Ninja.
All commoners gathered around the nobles, hoping that the nobles and the hired Ninja would bring them peace.
Night Light and Song Niao successfully infiltrated near the inner city.
"Be careful!"
A team of samurai appeared from the side; Night Light quickly hid in an alley.
Song Niao quickly followed.
There were a few trash cans in the alley, and Night Light and Song Niao hid behind two separate trash cans.
After the samurai team left, Night Light said, "Song Niao, be extremely careful from now on. Look for defensive weaknesses and climb over the inner city wall."
Like the outer city, the inner city also had arrow towers and samurai.
After the two climbed into the inner city, they lay on the ground, quickly pressed themselves against the base of a building, and slowly moved along the wall.
More than ten minutes later, they finally arrived at the brightest lit area.
In the distance was the mayor's study.
There were two figures on the study window, but it was impossible to tell which one was the mayor from their silhouettes.
The window suddenly opened, and someone rushed out from inside.
It was a Vortex Ninja!
The mayor stood by the window and noticed the Vortex Ninja suddenly stopped talking, then broke through the window and rushed towards the corner of a certain building.
Two other Vortex Ninja appeared from other places, and samurai who had received the message were also quickly running towards them.
The rustling sound of Kunai cutting through the air and the clanking of the samurai's armor made Song Niao extremely nervous.
After seeing his captain's retreat signal, he quickly ran outwards.
He hadn't expected there to be a Vortex Ninja squad here.
Kunai thudded against the surrounding wooden walls.
One Kunai was not dodged and pierced Song Niao's shoulder.
Another Kunai struck his foot.
Just as he was about to call for help from his captain, he saw that Captain Fox had been hit by a Kunai and turned into white smoke.
What?
Shadow Clone?
When?
Song Niao suddenly recalled that when they infiltrated the inner city, the captain had disappeared for a moment, and then hid behind different trash cans.
He gave a bitter laugh, remembering the key points his teacher taught about the Substitution Jutsu at the Ninja School.
Substitution Jutsu transforms a wooden stake into one's own appearance, hiding oneself in the shadows, and launching a sneak attack when the enemy attacks the wooden stake.
The key to Substitution Jutsu is to find or create an opportunity for the enemy to lose sight of you.
Shadow Clone could be considered an advanced Substitution Jutsu.
All of Captain Fox's malicious tricks against the enemy were used on him.
His life, like a Shadow Clone, was used to deceive the enemy.
Song Niao looked at the noble.
He had long suspected that the mission might be to kill the noble in this town.
Sure enough, behind the window, Captain Fox, using some unknown method, had infiltrated behind the noble and raised a Kunai.
Captain Fox actually possessed such exquisite infiltration techniques.
The Vortex Ninja and samurai were all focused on him; the captain's timing for the attack was truly excellent.
He and the noble mayor would die at the same second.
When he was first recruited into the Anbu, Song Niao had thought he possessed some special talent, was favored by the higher-ups, and was about to rise to prominence.
After a few months in the Anbu, he realized he was just a tool.
That morning, the captain had still wished him well, hoping he would achieve his dream and become a Ninja like White Fang.
Now, to complete the mission, he died tragically in the captain's scheme.
Is this what the Anbu is like?
The Vortex Ninja arrived beside Song Niao's corpse, leaned down, and used a Kunai to cut open Song Niao's mask.
Beneath the mask was a young face.
His face bore resentment, unsure of what he resented.
Night Light's order to Song Niao was to infiltrate the inner city; he hadn't even said what to do, so he knew no secrets.
Even if the body were taken away, Uzushiogakure would not obtain any evidence.
"No! The mayor is dead!"
Hearing the samurai's shout, the Vortex Ninja turned his head in horror and saw the mayor dead in front of the window, slumped over the windowsill, with a Kunai in the back of his neck.
"Damn it!"
The Vortex Ninja cursed, the support they had just discussed was now in vain.