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The moonlight shimmered on the calm waters as the team approached the small fishing village along the coast. For the past three days, they had been observing the village in shifts, watching for any sign of the human traffickers who had been targeting villages like this one. The attackers typically targeted women and children, and their intel suggested that this village was likely the next victim.

On the third night, during his watch, Shisui Uchiha noticed something unusual—a large ship appeared on the horizon, barely visible in the dim moonlight. The ship came to a stop offshore, and small skiffs were silently lowered into the water. Shadowy figures began rowing toward the village docks, their movements precise and coordinated. They had arrived.

Shisui immediately signaled to the others, and Sakumo Hatake, Haruto Takeda, and Daichi Uzumaki quickly joined him. They crouched on the cliffside, eyes fixed on the shadowy figures now reaching the docks, where the saboteurs began cutting mooring lines and sabotaging the villagers' fishing boats. This was their strategy—cripple the village's ability to escape before launching their full attack.

Sakumo's face remained calm and composed as he quickly signed out their orders using hand signals.

Haruto and Shisui were to head for the main ship. Their mission was to eliminate the crew but capture at least two alive, including the leader. They needed information on the location of the traffickers' main hideout.

Sakumo and Daichi would take care of the saboteurs at the docks, ensuring that none escaped and capturing two of them for interrogation.

Without a sound, the team vanished, each shinobi disappearing in a flicker of movement as they set out for their respective targets.

Haruto and Shisui sprinted across the water, the waves beneath their feet barely rippling as they neared the main ship. The night air was cool, and the only sounds were the quiet lapping of the sea against the hull and the soft wind. Haruto reached out with his chakra sensitivity as they approached the vessel. "Fifteen onboard," he whispered to Shisui. "No sign of prisoners."

Shisui nodded, his Sharingan glowing faintly in the moonlight. "Let's make this quick. We need their leader alive."

They climbed silently onto the side of the ship, Shisui moving with the grace of a shadow. He was the first to act, swiftly eliminating the lookout on the deck with a clean, silent cut from his kunai. The man dropped to the floor without a sound.

While Shisui moved toward the crow's nest, Haruto kept low, his eyes scanning the deck for his next targets. Three crew members stood near the ship's wheel, talking quietly, oblivious to the danger approaching. With a flick of his wrist, Haruto unleashed a set of shurikens, each striking its mark with precision. The two nearest men fell, their throats slit by the well-aimed projectiles before they even had a chance to react.

The third man spun around in shock, but Haruto was already there. His hands glowed faintly with chakra as he activated his Chakra Scalpel Jutsu. With one precise motion, Haruto slashed across the man's chest, severing his heart and lungs with surgical accuracy. The man collapsed silently to the deck.

Haruto was efficient and controlled, making sure not to reveal his Thunder Scalpel yet—there was no need. The Chakra Scalpel was more than enough to handle these mercenaries without drawing unnecessary attention to himself.

Meanwhile, Shisui had made his way to the crow's nest and spotted the captain of the ship, a grizzled man barking orders at the remaining crew. His Sharingan flashed as he placed the captain under a genjutsu, freezing him in place.

Shisui quickly dispatched two more of the crew members with a series of silent strikes, leaving the captain and a few others still alive. He signaled to Haruto, who nodded and moved toward the last man standing on the deck.

The final crew member backed away, his eyes wide with fear as he watched his comrades fall. Haruto's gaze was cold and focused as he approached. Without a word, Haruto raised his hand, lightning crackling at his fingertips as he channeled his lightning chakra into his palm.

Before the man could make a sound, Haruto struck, the lightning coursing through the man's body and instantly paralyzing him. The man's muscles seized up, and he collapsed, still conscious but unable to move.

"That's two," Haruto said quietly, standing over the paralyzed man. "We can interrogate them once the rest of the crew is dealt with."

Back at the docks, Sakumo and Daichi moved quickly to intercept the saboteurs. As the skiffs reached the shore, Daichi unleashed his Hidden Mist Jutsu, thickening the air with a heavy fog that enveloped the enemy. The attackers paused, confused by the sudden mist, but before they could react, Sakumo descended upon them with deadly precision.

Sakumo's chakra-infused blade flashed through the mist, incapacitating the saboteurs one by one with swift, silent strikes. His movements were swift and lethal, giving the enemy no chance to escape. Daichi, with his chakra chains at the ready, captured two of the saboteurs alive, restraining them with ease as the mist thickened around them.

Within moments, the skiffs were secured, and the attackers were either dead or restrained.

With both the main ship and the docks secured, the team regrouped near the village. Shisui brought the genjutsu-bound captain ashore, while Haruto dragged the paralyzed crew member behind him. Sakumo and Daichi arrived shortly after, their two captives in tow.

The village had been spared, but the mission was far from over. They needed information, and the captives would provide it. They had the leader and enough men to interrogate and find the main hideout of the traffickers.

Sakumo gave a brief nod to his team, pleased with their performance. But he knew this was just the beginning.

"Let's get the answers we need," Sakumo said, his voice calm but firm, "and finish this."