Chapter 136 Every Kunai is an RPG!

News of another attack on Konoha's base camp in the Land of Rivers quickly spread among the camps.

Uzumaki Raiden, directly involved in the incident, emerged from the central tent after being questioned by Mitokadu Homura. Outside, Uchiha Fugaku, Might Duy, and others were already waiting for him.

Due to the sudden attack by Sand Ninja, Hizashi Hyuga and Kaoru Hyuga had no time to continue their earlier conversation and anxiously awaited Raiden's appearance.

"Raiden, the supplies are ready. What's the plan?"

Uchiha Fugaku tossed a scroll to Raiden while glancing around at the bustling camp. Sand Ninja's attack had shaken the camp awake. A sense of urgency filled the air, and anxiety hung heavy over everyone.

"Let's move. If we want to avoid more attacks like this, we need to spread our surveillance network quickly.

"Our mission now is to locate and eliminate the Sand Ninja squad targeting our reconnaissance teams. Until they're dealt with, extending our reach in the Land of Rivers will be nearly impossible."

Raiden looked toward the sky, then strode toward the camp's exit. Fugaku and Duy exchanged glances before following. Hizashi pulled on Kaoru's sleeve, urging her to keep up as they joined the others.

The morning light was faint, with the sun still hidden behind the horizon, though the sky had begun to brighten. The group moved swiftly through the forest, heading deeper into the Land of Rivers.

Though the team's physical strength was impressive, Kaoru Hyuga, the newest member, lagged behind. Her stamina wasn't on par with the others. To accommodate her, Raiden deliberately slowed the pace so she could keep up.

After hours of travel, Kaoru, who hadn't rested much earlier, looked visibly exhausted. Hizashi, noticing her condition, spoke up.

"Captain, we've been on the move for four hours. Should we take a break?"

"Alright," Raiden replied, stopping on a nearby tree branch. Fugaku and Duy landed nearby, instinctively taking up watchful positions.

"Fugaku, where are we now?"

Fugaku unrolled the map, making some quick calculations. "We've covered about 150 kilometers from the camp.

"There's a small town not far from here. We can gather information and rest there."

"How far is this 'not far' town?" Raiden asked, raising an eyebrow.

"At our current pace, we'll reach it in two hours."

Raiden shot Fugaku a skeptical look. He had expected "not far" to mean much closer. With Kaoru's current state, another two hours of travel was out of the question.

"We'll rest here for an hour and then continue."

Raiden's initial plan to reach the town before dawn for a covert investigation would need adjustment.

"Hizashi, stay on guard. The rest of you, take a break," Raiden instructed. "I'll set up a sensory barrier."

Raiden descended from the tree, pulling out a scroll. While moving through the Land of Rivers, he had been strategically placing sensory barriers. These barriers would detect any chakra signatures in the vicinity, excluding those of Konoha ninjas. Any other signatures would likely belong to Sand Ninja or other hostile forces, allowing the team to investigate.

"Yes!" Fugaku responded, activating his Sharingan and scanning the surroundings from a branch. Duy leaned against a tree trunk to rest but remained alert. Meanwhile, Hizashi hesitated, glancing at Kaoru. He wanted to say something but seemed unsure.

The team rested quietly until Fugaku's expression suddenly changed. He dropped from his perch and approached Raiden, speaking in a low voice.

"There are over a dozen chakra signatures nearby. They're all ninjas."

Raiden opened his eyes, focusing his Kagura's Mind Eye to confirm. After a moment, he nodded.

"They haven't noticed us. Their route heads east. Could their destination be the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire?"

He pondered briefly, then pulled out five kunai, attaching explosive seals to each.

"It's Sand Ninja. Let's test their strength. If they don't have a high-level shinobi leading them, we'll take them out."

Raiden handed the kunai to Fugaku. "These are special. They explode with the power of five detonating tags when they hit their target. Use them when I give the signal."

"What about the others? Shouldn't they join us?" Fugaku asked, gesturing toward the resting Hizashi and Duy.

"Let them know the situation, but have Duy and Hizashi stay back to protect Kaoru. Bringing a medical ninja into a fight is too risky."

"You notify them. I'll move ahead," Raiden said, vanishing into the woods. Fugaku secured the kunai in his tool pouch, explained the situation to the others, and then followed Raiden.

Ryo Aihara, a newly promoted Jonin of Sand Ninja, led the convoy transporting supplies. Despite his rank, he lacked the skills typically associated with a Jonin, a fact well-known among his comrades, who secretly mocked him.

Today's mission was particularly strange. They were to deliver supplies to a remote wilderness instead of a designated camp. Suspicious of the unusual task, Ryo remained on high alert.

"Captain, can't we move faster? At this pace, we'll never finish!" one of the younger Chunin complained.

"Idiot! Shut up and stay vigilant!" Ryo snapped, his sharp tone silencing the group.

The young ninja muttered to himself, "He doesn't even act like a man. How did someone like him get promoted?"

"Shhhhhh!"

The sound of kunai slicing through the air cut the young Chunin's complaint short. Ryo's eyes widened as his instincts screamed danger.

"Enemy attack!" he bellowed.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Explosions ripped through the convoy, engulfing several ninja in flames. Screams echoed as chaos erupted. Ryo barely evaded the blasts, but the young Chunin wasn't as lucky, consumed by fire and debris.

(End of Chapter)