Naruto: Chronicles of a Fire Ninja-Chapter 351 - 347: Enemy at the door

Just like Yomi and Ryota, Kaida also got a basic idea of how the outpost worked and how they swapped roles. Since he was a Jonin, he wondered what his role would be and which team he would lead, but Kaida couldn't pay much attention to these thoughts.

His mind was constantly wandering to what the toad sage had said and how two of his family members were clearly in danger at the moment. Well, Shisui could be the last of his worries; because of his body flicker technique, he could easily run away if the need arose.

So his main worry was about Yomi and a little about Ryota as well, because from his recent spar he knew that his friend was almost a Jonin rank ninja but still not powerful enough to handle everything.

The same thoughts kept repeating in his mind for one whole day, which was given to the new arrivals for rest before they actually started their duty.

'F**k it, I am doing it. If they find it excessive, I can always apologize later,' he said and made a shadow clone with 60 percent of his chakra reserves. Since the distance between these two posts was only 150 km, the clone could easily reach there with more than enough chakra to spare.

After sending the clone, Kaida finally sighed in relief, because the main sense of anxiety always comes from the unknown. With that gone, he decided to focus on his duty at his outpost.

...

"Don't you think you are worrying too much, Kaida? I know you are anxious about something, but this place is packed with arrays and seals, with 40 ninja. In a sense, this is the second safest place I have been after the village," Yomi said.

"Yeah, and I am not here for your security. I am here just because the feeling of anxiety inside me was increasing with every second. With this, it is a little better, so I am here for myself," Kaida's clone said. Isao and Ryota had left the two love birds alone after confirming that he was really Kaida and not some enemy ninja using transformation jutsu.

After requesting for quite some time, Yomi and others agreed to let the clone stay on the condition that he would not disturb them during their stay.

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With this, the normal working days started for Kaida and group, but after every 30 hours, Kaida had to send a new clone to the Northern base because his shadow clone there would get dispersed by that time due to low chakra. It was highly wasteful, but with the sense of relief he was getting, it was totally worth it for him.

...

In a remote desert oasis, hidden beneath towering rock formations, two groups of shinobi converged under the cover of darkness. The cool night air carried whispers of anticipation as elite forces from both Kumogakure and Iwagakure assembled for Operation Desert Strike.

Kitsuchi stood with his arms crossed, observing the area from the sky, as Deidara's clay bird landed softly on the sand. The Iwa forces—twenty Tenketsu Jonin, twenty Chunin, and three medical ninja—had already taken defensive positions around the meeting point. The arrival of Kumo's forces, led by Darui and C, completed their assembly.

"Thirty Tenketsu Jonin, thirty Chunin, two regular Jonin, a seal master, and five medical ninja," C reported, stepping forward. "The total force Kumo had brought for this mission."

"Let's get this meeting over with, hm," Deidara said, his visible eye scanning the gathered forces with barely concealed impatience. "Standing around in the open isn't my idea of art."

Inside a hastily erected but still quite sturdy and luxurious command tent, the four leaders gathered around a detailed map of the region. Kitsuchi, being the most experienced among those present, stepped forward.

"The operation requires precise timing and coordination," he began. "We'll divide our forces into five strike teams. Each team will approach the target from different vectors to overwhelm their sensor network."

Darui nodded, his usually lazy expression replaced with sharp focus. "The teams need to be balanced between our villages. It'll make it harder to trace back to either Kumo or Iwa."

"Three teams of twenty, two teams of fifteen," C suggested, marking positions on the map. "Each with a mix of Jonin and Chunin. Medical ninja distributed among the larger teams. And three medical ninja on standby for any emergency case."

Deidara leaned forward, pointing to several locations. "I've already scouted the approach routes, hm. The sand dunes here and here provide perfect cover. My art can create additional distractions if needed."

"No," Kitsuchi cut in firmly. "Your techniques are too distinctive. You and I, along with Darui and C, are here only as insurance. The official story needs to be a group of rogue ninja who were part of Kumo and Iwa at some time, bore resentment toward Konoha for killing their subordinates in fire country. That's why they banded together and attacked it."

"But what's the fun in that, if I can't show my art?"

"Everything is not always for fun, Deidara," Kitsuchi said with a firm tone. Since he was among the few people who had taught Deidara in his childhood days, he was also among the few people Deidara listened to.

"The seal master can establish a chakra-dampening field in the area Deidara has scouted," Darui added, continuing the meeting. "It won't hide us completely, but it'll make it harder for their sensors to get an accurate read on our numbers."

After hours of discussion, they finalized their strategy. The forces were divided into five teams:

Team One: 20 members - Mixed Jonin and Chunin, one medical ninja

Team Two: 20 members - Mixed Jonin and Chunin, one medical ninja

Team Three: 20 members - Mixed Jonin and Chunin, one medical ninja

Team Four: 15 members - Mixed Jonin and Chunin, one medical ninja

Team Five: 15 members - Mixed Jonin and Chunin, one medical ninja

"The outpost is a day's journey from here," Kitsuchi announced to the assembled forces. "We move in scattered formation, maintaining communication through C's sensory network. Upon arrival, we'll rest for twenty-four hours before launching the attack."

The seal master, a quiet Kumo ninja with elaborate tattoos covering his arms, was one of the few people who got the protection of the four people as well, because among all the ninja present there, aside from the top four, he was the most important one.

As the night deepened, the teams began their carefully choreographed movement across the desert. They traveled in staggered intervals, using the natural terrain to mask their progress. The moon cast long shadows across the sand dunes, providing additional cover for their advance.

Darui and C took up positions at the rear, while Kitsuchi and Deidara monitored from above, the latter grudgingly keeping his "artistic contributions" in check. Their progress was methodical, professional, and most importantly, virtually undetectable to all but the most sophisticated sensor networks.

'Let them think they're safe behind their walls,' Kitsuchi thought as he watched the teams navigate the treacherous desert terrain. 'By the time they realize what's happening, it'll be too late.'