Konoha’s Five-Element Ninja

Chapter Eleven: The Banner of Convenience

Completely unaware of the secret plot between the two leaders of rival villages, Hayama continued making his way through the dense rain country forest. The never-ending downpour made him feel a chill, and he began to miss the 996 work schedule of his previous life. After all, 996 was a true blessing compared to the exploitation of child labor that occurred in Konoha. A place like this seemed destined for trouble.

As Hayama leaped from one branch to another, several kunai came hurtling toward him without any attempt at concealment. Frowning slightly, he swiped them aside mid-air and landed. For a moment, he was confused about what kind of ninja would be so blatant in their attack.

He didn't have to wonder for long.

Three rogue ninja stood before him. The leader, a somewhat handsome man in his thirties with fair skin, played casually with a kunai. His companions, both masked, revealed nothing of their faces, but Hayama's years of experience told him they weren't particularly strong.

"Hey, kid, hand over everything you've got if you don't want to die," the leader sneered, flipping his kunai lazily. "I haven't had a proper meal in days, so you'd better not get on my bad side. Otherwise..." He dragged the blade theatrically across his throat.

"...."

Hayama's mind went blank for a moment. The war had raged for years—how had idiots like these survived? Before Hayama could say anything, the leader's two sidekicks grew impatient.

"Why waste time talking? There are only two of them. Let's take the guy down for food and keep the girl to... you know. One more hit and we can call it a day and go home."

Well, well. Hayama's first thought was that these guys were practically professional death-flag planters. This situation was a classic setup: declaring "there are only a few of them," "this is our last mission before we retire," or "don't worry, we can handle it." It was like they were begging to die. Even Jiraiya, as brash as he was, wouldn't have been so reckless. Hayama couldn't help but think that if he had the backing of a Hokage, he'd be kicking Uchiha and Senju alike, living steadily until the end credits rolled.

He signaled quickly to his teammates and didn't bother responding to the rogues. Instead, he rushed forward, prepared to teach them what happened when you messed with the wrong ninja.

In the blink of an eye, Hayama closed the distance, his body low to the ground. The sudden burst of speed sent his hood flying back, revealing his determined expression. At about ten meters away, he dug his foot into the earth, leaving a sizable divot as he launched himself forward like a shadow.

The rogue leader and his men never saw it coming. By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late. In one swift move, Hayama buried his blade into the leader's chest. The momentum carried the man backward, and he crumpled to the ground.

With practiced precision, Hayama sidestepped another rogue and dispatched him as well. His movements were quick and clean, leaving no time for hesitation or mercy.

The third rogue, upon seeing his comrades so easily dealt with, fell to the ground. A yellow puddle began forming beneath him—he was so terrified he had wet himself. Shaking his head in disappointment, Hayama ended the final rogue's misery swiftly, knowing better than to leave someone like that behind.

"Young people shouldn't be so reckless," he muttered to himself. "You can't handle it."

From their positions, Hayama's teammates, Tatsu and Yura, watched their captain's efficiency in awe. They knew firsthand that he wasn't someone to mess with. Despite his rank as a middle-tier ninja, Hayama was notorious for his prowess, earning him nicknames like "Chuunin Killer" and "Master of the Crushing Blow."

Even Tatsu couldn't help but chuckle, recalling the time Hayama had taken down an opponent with an infamous low blow. He found it darkly amusing, though he dared not laugh aloud lest Hayama decide to show him what a real low blow felt like.

Hayama ignored Tatsu's smirk, quickly burying the fallen rogues and resuming their mission. After all, a few bandits wouldn't stop them from reaching their destination.

Five days later, the team finally arrived at their target location. They disguised themselves as merchants, blending into a small town without raising suspicion. Renting a small house and setting up a fruit stall, they lay low and waited for the right time to complete their objective. On the surface, everything appeared normal.

But as days turned into weeks, the atmosphere began to shift.

"How many is that now?" Hayama asked, his voice calm but firm.

"The fifth group," Yura replied without looking up from the grapes she was inspecting.

In just two days, no fewer than five large bands of Sand ninja had passed through, looting everything in sight. Though they didn't know the full extent of the situation, Hayama had a gut feeling that trouble was brewing.

"The time has come," Hayama finally said. "Let's retrieve the intel and get out of here."

And with that, the team disappeared into the night.

…

Meanwhile, back at the Konoha forward operating base, the upper ranks of the village gathered for a crucial meeting. Seated around a large table were some of the most powerful figures in the village, including the future Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade.

The discussion began with dry reports: stockpiles of food and weapons, medical supplies, troop numbers. Jiraiya, half-listening, struggled to stay awake, much to the annoyance of Tsunade, who didn't hesitate to kick him under the table. Orochimaru, always the observer, silently took note of everything.

Finally, the room fell silent as the commander, Uchiha Kagami, spoke.

"It's time to discuss how we'll drive the Sand ninja out and end this war," he said, his voice steady but authoritative.

Before Kagami could continue, a masked ANBU operative burst into the room.

"Sir, we've detected a large movement of Sand ninja in the western region."

Kagami's expression darkened. The room erupted in chatter, with questions and accusations flying in all directions. Despite the commotion, Kagami maintained his composure, waiting for the noise to die down before speaking again.

"Locate their position," he commanded. "Everyone else, prepare for battle."

He glanced around the room, his gaze settling on the three young Sannin. "When this fight is over, we'll all return home," he said, determination in his voice.

The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air.

As the meeting concluded, Kagami's final statement lingered: a banner raised high, marking the next chapter of this bloody conflict.