Sesrch and Rescue Opt. 4

The next morning, Silver and his team, still on edge, ventured deeper into the dense forest of the Land of Grass. Whisper, who had been sent to deliver the coded message to Konoha's Anbu Headquarters, was still absent. Her absence had cast a shadow over the team's morale, but they all knew the urgency of her task. The coded message was vital, and without her return, they couldn't make the next move.

Embers, his tone laced with concern, said to the others as they continued their search, "She should have returned by now."

Sight didn't respond immediately, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon, but he understood the underlying worry. "Maybe she's just delayed. She's doing something important. No point in worrying until we know for sure."

The team continued to move cautiously through the dense forest, their mission weighing heavily on them. With the daylight slipping away, they found themselves at a small clearing near a stream, their goal of uncovering more intelligence feeling even more urgent.

"Set up camp. We'll rest here," Silver instructed. "But stay alert. We don't know what we're dealing with."

As the team began preparing for the night, Silver couldn't shake the sense of urgency that had been growing in him. Every decision felt like it was leading them closer to a storm they weren't fully prepared for. They sat down to analyze the coded message they'd discovered, but the puzzle pieces still didn't fit.

Suddenly, a rustling noise from the trees broke the silence. The team instantly went into defensive positions. Silver's hand flew to his kunai pouch, ready for any surprise. Sight activated his Byakugan, scanning the area for any movement.

Then, through the trees, emerged Whisper.

Her appearance was sudden, but her demeanor was different. Her face, usually calm and composed, was now set in a stern expression. It was clear that something had happened during her trip back.

"Whisper!" Silver exclaimed, lowering his kunai slightly. "Where have you been? What's the status on the message?"

She took a deep breath and stepped forward, her gaze hardening. "I delivered the message to Konoha Headquarters, but on my way back, I overheard something troubling."

The team immediately straightened, their attention fully on Whisper. Her words were never idle, and the urgency in her tone told them that this wasn't just another piece of information.

"I overheard Kumogakure shinobi talking," she continued, her voice low. "They're planning an attack on Konoha, but not in the way we expected. They plan to target Konoha shinobi and merchants traveling outside the village—hitting our trade routes and disrupting our supply lines. The plan is more extensive than we thought."

Embers, who had arrived with his squad just moments earlier, overheard this and immediately stepped forward. "What do you mean? Why target merchants and shinobi outside the village?"

Whisper nodded. "They want to destabilize Konoha—not just through a direct attack on the village, but by crippling our economic support and weakening our outer defenses. It's a sabotage operation, targeting merchant convoys and Konoha patrols. If they succeed, it could have a devastating impact on our ability to supply the village."

Silver's mind immediately went to the implications. "This isn't just a small skirmish. They're aiming for long-term damage."

"And they're acting fast," Whisper added, her expression grim. "The Kumogakure shinobi I overheard said the operation was being pushed up—sooner than they initially planned. If we don't act now, the damage could be irreversible before we even realize what's happening."

Embers looked at Silver, his gaze hardened with resolve. "We need to get this information back to Konoha. If we can stop their attacks before they start, we might be able to prevent a full-scale disaster."

Silver nodded. "Right. I'll contact Konoha and the Anbu Minister. But first, we need to make sure this intel is solid. Let's head back to the village as quickly as possible and ensure the proper measures are taken."

As the team made preparations to return to Konoha, Silver could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on them. They were up against more than just the original mission now—they had an enemy faction moving fast and with a clear goal to destabilize the entire village. They could not afford to let their guard down.

Falcon's team remained close by, ready to help where needed. The combined strength of the two Anbu squads would be crucial in dealing with whatever came next. But for now, the priority was clear: get the information back to Konoha before it was too late.