In his report to Hiruzen Sarutobi, Haruto Saito detailed his actions in eliminating the hidden forces of Kirigakure's infiltration unit. He had first gathered intelligence, then carried out reconnaissance and clean-up operations—killing his way through the enemy forces using his unique ability to assess people.
It was clear that Sarutobi believed Haruto's report and hoped he could use his talent for evaluating people to systematically eliminate Kirigakure's hidden forces with the support of intelligence.
It was a heavy responsibility!
At the same time, Haruto could also analyze that the situation in the Land of Rain must have deteriorated.
Otherwise, Sarutobi would not have been so aggressive in assigning Haruto such an important mission. It was evident that Sarutobi wanted to resolve the situation in the Land of Whirlpools as quickly as possible so that Konoha could focus its full strength on the looming Great Ninja War!
"How many orders did Lord Hokage issue this time?" Haruto looked up at the covert operative.
"Orders were issued to the covert unit, the Anbu," the operative replied immediately, "and Lord White Fang also received a separate order. In total, three orders were given!"
"Hmm." Haruto nodded.
It was expected that orders would be issued to others as well. Giving instructions to him alone would be meaningless—he needed the covert unit's cooperation, but they wouldn't follow his lead unless Sarutobi had given them explicit orders.
Whoosh!
A figure suddenly appeared beside Haruto.
"Akahito!" It was White Fang.
"Captain!" Haruto greeted.
"Have you read the orders?" White Fang asked.
"Just now." Haruto nodded.
"Good." White Fang studied Haruto. "This mission is crucial. The Anbu and the covert unit will provide intelligence support. Additionally, in my private orders, the Hokage instructed me to ensure your safety as much as possible… So, where do you plan to go next?"
"Uh…" Haruto hesitated briefly before quickly asking, "Captain, are you joining me on this mission?"
"No." White Fang shook his head. "I will be returning to Konoha immediately. However, I will arrange for someone to protect you. You are the key figure in this clean-up operation, so you cannot afford any mishaps. In fact, you don't need to do the killing yourself—just identify the targets, and others can eliminate them."
"I don't think I need protection! I can handle this alone!" Haruto protested.
He'd have to be insane to let someone follow him—how else would he have the freedom to search for hidden treasures?
White Fang shook his head again. "You must be protected. If necessary, I can assign Kirichi to accompany you."
"No! Absolutely not!" Haruto immediately refused.
White Fang was practically pushing him into a fire pit! Kirichi harbored ill intentions, and Haruto had no intention of working alongside him.
"Akahito, this is for your own good!" White Fang frowned. "Why do you insist on traveling alone? It's not safe!"
"Because of merit!" Haruto pointed at himself. "My achievements are mine alone. I don't want to share them with anyone!"
That was just an excuse.
While merit was important, what Haruto truly wanted was the freedom to conduct missions and uncover hidden treasures by himself.
"Don't be greedy for achievements. You're still young. There will be many more opportunities in the future. Your mission and your safety must not be compromised…"
"White Fang, sir!" Haruto interrupted. "The Hokage's orders are clear, aren't they? I am in full command of this clean-up mission! That means, for this mission, I am the highest-ranking authority. Even if you are the Anbu captain, you cannot overstep and force arrangements on me."
"I am only concerned about your safety," White Fang countered.
"I refuse to have anyone follow me. I will be traveling alone!" Haruto insisted firmly.
White Fang was frustrated.
He couldn't control Haruto. His authority held no weight over him!
There was no choice—Haruto was a direct student of the Hokage himself!
Moreover, Haruto was the type who would argue with anyone when he set his mind on something.
"Fine, but you have to at least tell me where you're headed next," White Fang finally said after some thought.
"I'm heading east, across the entire Poison Punishment Forest, to reach the central region of the Land of Whirlpools. There are many villages there, and I plan to gather intelligence on Kirigakure's hidden forces among them to locate my targets…" Haruto explained. "Traveling through the Poison Punishment Forest shouldn't be dangerous, right? There are plenty of venomous creatures in there, but with my strength, I won't have any trouble…"
"Hmm…" White Fang hesitated before saying, "The deeper parts of the Poison Punishment Forest are rarely traversed by humans, and there are no villages there. If you travel alone, you shouldn't face too many issues… That being said, once you cross the forest, contact the covert unit immediately. I will assign personnel to assist you there."
"Alright. That's settled then—no changes!" Haruto declared.
"One more thing," White Fang added. "During your mission, you must contact the covert unit every two days so they can track your general whereabouts."
"Understood." Haruto nodded.
"That's all then." White Fang studied Haruto one last time before cautioning him, "Akahito, this mission is extremely dangerous. As you seek out Kirigakure's hidden forces, they will also take notice of you, track you, and hunt you down. While the covert unit ninjas are not particularly strong, they have the ability to alert more powerful enemies to pursue you. Be extremely careful."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Haruto reassured him confidently.
"I hope you don't act recklessly…" White Fang sighed, still somewhat uneasy.
Under normal circumstances, ninja missions did not require any protection. How one completed a mission was up to the individual—if a ninja died on the job, it simply meant they weren't strong enough.
But this time was different. White Fang had received a direct order from Sarutobi.
Had it not been for Sarutobi's command, White Fang wouldn't have pressed the issue or made these arrangements.
Afternoon.
Disguised, Haruto left Shanlong Village alone, heading east toward the Poison Punishment Forest!
The village was only a few dozen kilometers away from the forest. At Haruto's speed, he would reach it in about an hour.
Halfway there—
Haruto used the Transformation Jutsu to alter his appearance once more, changing back from a samurai to a ninja, and donned his mask.
Ahead lay the grasslands.
This was the borderland of the Poison Punishment Forest, a vast expanse of grass that stretched as far as the eye could see. From a human perspective, it seemed endless. But it was also dangerous—being so close to the forest, poisonous creatures frequently roamed the plains.
Just as Haruto stepped onto the grasslands—
Chirp!
A sharp cry rang out from the sky.
"Hmm?" Haruto looked up.
He couldn't pinpoint which bird had made the call—there were too many flying overhead. The sky was vast, and in every direction, birds were soaring, some near, some far.
Most of these birds originated from the Poison Punishment Forest. Many were venomous, and some were even ninja birds.
"A dangerous presence…" Haruto felt a slight unease.
His sensory abilities were extremely sharp, and at that moment, he sensed danger—
And it was coming from above.