An Unexpected Target

After several days of careful travel, Ishiki Kujo's team finally crossed the Land of Grass and arrived at the border—where the forest abruptly gave way to a barren expanse of jagged stone.

Beyond that, they could see it: a line of towering watchtowers dotting the rocky landscape—Iwagakure's border outposts.

Their mission was simple on paper: locate one of those towers. A specific one. Inside was a Konoha deep cover operative, a spy. They were to make contact, retrieve the intel, and, depending on the situation, either exfiltrate the asset or leave them in place.

The operative would leave a mark—a symbol known only to Konoha's intelligence corps. That mark would confirm identity and signal readiness for contact.

But to find it, they'd have to scout each tower, one by one.

Fortunately, their squad included Hyūga Tokuma. As long as they could get within two kilometers, Tokuma's Byakugan could observe the tower thoroughly without alerting its occupants.

Generally, the shinobi stationed at such towers weren't the elite. Much like Konoha, Iwagakure assigned chūnin or the occasional jōnin to border patrols—rarely anyone important.

Even Ishiki, as a genin, had only been assigned to high-risk missions early on because of his exceptional medical skills and use of Fine Disease Extraction Technique—a jutsu rare even among chūnin.

After days of scouting, they finally located the right tower—the one with the mark.

Now, they just had to wait for a contact window.

By sunset, a lone figure emerged from the outpost and made a long circuit around the perimeter.

"That should be him," Tokuma confirmed.

He traced the operative's path across the map, marking key waypoints. "We leave our signal along this trail. If he's one of ours, we'll have a response by tomorrow."

"I'll handle it," said Aburame Muta, stepping forward.

Muta's Parasitic Insects were perfect for the task—stealthy, precise, and irrefutable proof of identity. Only the Aburame clan could breed and control them.

That night, beneath a sky scattered with stars, Ishiki Kujo reclined in the grass, gazing upward with anticipation.

May 1st was only a few hours away.

Which meant one thing: a new Stand.

While his current Stand—Magician's Red—was immensely powerful, he'd already internalized much of what it had to offer. Fire manipulation, instant ignition, control over temperature—his chakra and Ripple-based techniques now achieved similar effects.

What he wanted was something more unique. More precise. Ideal for assassination.

Something ninjutsu couldn't replicate.

But then—trouble.

In the dead of night, Inuzuka Zawa, who was on watch, jolted them awake.

"Someone's approaching the outpost," he said, sniffing the air. "Definitely Iwa shinobi."

Tokuma activated his Byakugan instantly. At the same time, Ishiki summoned a small glass of water, channeling his Ripple Sense through it.

"Two brats headed toward the tower," Tokuma muttered. "Judging from their gait and chakra signatures, they're young. Probably snuck out of the village."

Ishiki furrowed his brow. "Farther back… another team. They're tailing them but keeping distance. They don't seem interested in bringing them back."

Two kids, and a hidden escort. That was unusual.

And then it clicked.

These weren't ordinary brats. In Iwagakure, the only children who'd get an escort like that were politically important—like Konoha's Konohamaru.

Which meant…

"Black hair, twin buns… must be Kurotsuchi, granddaughter of the Tsuchikage," Ishiki thought. "And the other one… no way. Don't tell me that's Deidara?"

The thought amused him. If he took both out now, would Ōnoki lose his mind—or his temper?

"Keep your heads down," Inuzuka Zawa said sharply. "We stick to the plan. No unnecessary actions."

"Too late," Ishiki said grimly.

He looked down at the ripples in the water. The tailing team—they were four. Now they were five.

Someone had joined them… and immediately went underground.

"Direct trajectory. They're heading straight toward us."

Someone had sensed them—and was burrowing closer.

"Elite Iwa shinobi," Ishiki muttered.

"Move!" Zawa barked, wasting no time.

The four of them moved in perfect sync, withdrawing into the night with practiced speed.

But even as they retreated, Tokuma hurled a kunai skyward.

In its arc, it struck something midair—a misshapen white bird, flapping awkwardly toward them.

The second they touched, the bird detonated, bursting into flame and sound.

A firework in the dark.

A flare.

A signal.

Every Iwa shinobi in range—tower and field unit alike—would now be zeroing in.

"That's Deidara," Ishiki growled, instantly recognizing the bird. "Explosive clay."

It was unmistakable.

"Those two kids are heading this way," Tokuma said. "Should we take them out?"

"They're likely the Tsuchikage's granddaughter and his protégé," said Muta, finally speaking. "Kurotsuchi and Deidara. If we capture them, Iwa would pay handsomely."

Ishiki glanced at him. "Didn't expect that bloodthirst from you, bug-boy."

"Don't even think about it," Zawa cut in. "Mission comes first. That kind of move could doom us all."

He was right. Even knowing who the targets were, the presence of elite guards meant this was no time to gamble.

But then—

"It's not about what we want anymore," Ishiki said quietly, still watching the ripples.

"They've already surrounded us."