Aftermath 11

Tetsuma took a steady breath as he began recounting the details of the mission. The room had grown silent as he spoke, all eyes on him. His voice was calm but with a serious edge, the gravity of what had transpired evident in every word.

"Our patrol along the border of the Land of Hot Water had been routine—nothing out of the ordinary," Tetsuma began, glancing briefly at his team members before continuing. "We'd been keeping an eye out for any unusual activity, as we always do. The border has always been a tricky area to patrol due to its proximity to other nations, and we've had our fair share of skirmishes in the past."

He paused for a moment, his gaze shifting to the Hokage before continuing. "Then, a flare shot up into the sky—a Konoha Anbu signal flare. It wasn't from our squad. We immediately moved to investigate, sensing something wasn't right."

Tetsuma's expression hardened. "When we arrived at the source of the signal, we found something we hadn't expected: one of our own Anbu operatives. He had been missing for several months. The man was barely alive, badly injured, and clearly had been tortured or experimented on. Before he died in our arms, he managed to tell us he had been ambushed."

The room grew heavier as the weight of the words sank in. Tetsuma took a moment, his eyes narrowing as he recounted the details. "We were immediately on guard, but that wasn't all. We soon realized we were in the middle of an ambush. Kaito Yotsuke, an S-rank shinobi from the Ginkaku Force of Kumogakure, was leading a squad of at least nine people, most of whom were high-level Jonin. They were well-coordinated, and they knew exactly how to set up an ambush."

He let the information settle before continuing. "Kaito's squad was formidable. At least five of them were Jonin, and they had been specifically chosen for their skills in ambushing and assassination. The fight was chaotic, and we were at a significant disadvantage. Kaito himself was no slouch. He's known for his lightning-based techniques, and he was more than capable of holding his own."

Tetsuma's jaw tightened as he recalled the battle. "The ambush was expertly planned, but we managed to hold our ground. With the squad members we had, and our knowledge of the terrain, we were able to fight back. But it wasn't easy. We lost one of our own, and the ambush was just the beginning."

He looked at the Hokage and the others, his expression grim. "This wasn't a typical attack. Kaito Yotsuke's squad wasn't just there to kill—they were there to capture or eliminate anyone who could uncover their true intentions. They were highly organized, well-prepared, and seemed to be working under a larger directive. We didn't get much out of Kaito himself, but we know that his presence and the tactics employed point to something far more dangerous."

Tetsuma finished his report, his eyes meeting the Hokage's. "We managed to capture Kaito Yotsuke, but the bigger threat is still out there, pulling the strings. We need to investigate this further, or this could be just the first of many attacks."