Overdrafting the Future, Starting in Naruto

Chapter 33: Patience, and then the Assault!

"Captain, this is a ploy to lure us away from here, right?" Yamanaka En said immediately.

Hatake Sakumo nodded. "It's very likely."

"The convoy was attacked, but those people couldn't take the iron ore."

"Besides, just attacking the convoy might affect the mining operation, but it's not a fatal blow. They could simply halt transportation temporarily." Transporting the mined ore was not a particularly urgent matter.

Uchiha Namiichi said, "Our mission is to protect the mining area. Getting robbed on the road has nothing to do with us."

His words sounded ruthless, but Genichi nodded in agreement. They could certainly chase after the attackers and eliminate them. But what if it really was a ploy to lure the tiger out of the mountains? If the mining area was destroyed, their mission would be a failure. At that point, even if they killed the people who attacked the convoy, what would be the point?

After listening to his subordinates' opinions, Sakumo nodded slightly. "Return to your posts. Increase your vigilance."

"Although we can't give chase, it's necessary to check on the situation of those attackers. I'll use a shadow clone."

"Dismissed!"

With that command, Genichi directly dispelled his own shadow clone. Namiichi and En used the Body Flicker Technique to depart. Sakumo, meanwhile, formed a hand seal and sent a shadow clone speeding towards the scene of the incident.

Atop the tree, Genichi watched Sakumo's shadow clone rapidly disappear into the distance.

"Sigh, can't you just let me complete the mission while training in peace?" Genichi sighed to himself. He really had no interest in fighting and killing. After all, that involved genuinely putting his life on the line. Training was much more interesting. Constantly improving himself gave him a sense of accomplishment and a sense of security.

"But the attackers..." Genichi mused. "Who could they be?"

"An internal struggle within the Land of Rivers?"

"Or a combination of internal factions and a resentful Land of Wind?"

"Or something else entirely?"

...

Meanwhile.

Sakumo arrived at the scene of the incident. Overturned carriages, dead horses, and the bodies of the convoy escorts. The ore was scattered all over the ground.

Sakumo found no traces of ninjutsu. But then again, one generally didn't need ninjutsu to deal with samurai and ordinary people.

He then followed the tracks, soon arriving at the edge of a river. The tracks vanished.

Sakumo looked up and down the river, then crossed to the other side and found some more tracks. Looking into the forest, however, Sakumo did not continue his pursuit. He turned back the way he came. Although he could have just dispelled the shadow clone, he didn't.

The shadow clone returned all the way to the defensive zone and then went straight to Genichi's position.

"Genichi, the enemy will very likely infiltrate via the river. Pay special attention to it," Sakumo instructed. The river they had seen earlier had its source in another river in the mountains. Coincidentally, the mining camp had also dug a channel from that river to draw water. This connected all three points.

It was very likely the enemy would travel upstream to infiltrate their perimeter. Of course, the defensive perimeter they had set up would not have overlooked this point. That area was the responsibility of Shinnosuke's team. But as the most important observer, Genichi could see in all directions, so it was also part of his duty.

"Don't worry, Sensei. I understand!" Genichi nodded.

Sakumo said no more, and his figure vanished, heading towards Shinnosuke's position to report the situation.

Atop the tree, Genichi thought for a moment, then raised his hand and formed a seal.

Poof!

A water clone appeared, then leaped away.

After crossing two mountain peaks, Genichi's water clone arrived before a river that flowed through a valley. This was the mine's water source.

"Genichi!" A figure appeared. It was Nara Kakuto.

"Kakuto!" Genichi greeted him, then explained, "Sakumo-sensei said the enemy might try to invade from here, so I came over to set up an ambush."

Nara Kakuto didn't mind. On the contrary, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Then I can relax a bit." He didn't use Water Style. Of course, this wasn't a problem with Sakumo's arrangements. The two teams were rotating their defensive zones. In two days, they would switch. At that time, this area would become Genichi's patrol zone.

Although the feasibility of poisoning the water was minimal, if the corpse of an animal were placed in the water, it would still contaminate the water source.

...

The afternoon passed peacefully.

At night, Shinnosuke's team rested, while Genichi's team of four was responsible for the first half of the night watch. This meant their duty was heavier, and they needed to defend a wider area. This was a temporary arrangement to deal with potential attackers. Otherwise, the two teams would arrange their own separate night watch rotations.

However, this night passed peacefully.

For the next two days, no one infiltrated.

Until the third day, when the convoy transporting ore out was attacked again.

"Could it be that these guys' mission is simply to stop the ore from being transported out?" En couldn't help but wonder. Namiichi was also suspicious.

"Genichi, what do you think?" En asked.

Genichi shook his head. "Anything is possible."

"It's possible their mission is just to attack the transport convoys. But it's also possible that our opponent this time is very patient, and very difficult to deal with."

En said, "You're leaning towards the latter, aren't you, Genichi?"

Genichi smiled and admitted, "We can't afford to underestimate our opponents."

Namiichi frowned. "Then what should we do?"

"We don't have enough manpower."

"The mine will probably request that we take the initiative."

En smiled. "Namiichi, didn't you say that wasn't part of our mission?"

Namiichi said coldly, "But these rats hiding in the dark are provoking us. We must teach them a lesson!"

This was the Uchiha way. They could be calm, but they were also very proud and conceited.

However, Genichi agreed with Namiichi. From their position, it was correct to stick to the mission requirements. The mission they received was to protect the mine, not the transport convoy. There was no problem with them not taking action.

But for a leader like Sakumo, there were more things to consider. There was also Konoha's reputation, which was a very important factor to consider. Sakumo was his master, so of course Genichi thought more about it.

A moment later, Sakumo returned and said bluntly, "The foreman of the mine has requested that we deal with the attackers during the next ore shipment."

"I've agreed."

The three of them looked at Sakumo and said nothing, quietly awaiting their orders.

Sakumo said, "When the time comes, Genichi, you will stay behind and coordinate with Shinnosuke's team to lock down that river."

"Namiichi, En, you will act with me."

The three of them nodded in unison. "Understood!"

"Dismissed!"

With the order given, the three of them returned to their respective posts.

Three days passed in a flash.

On this day, early in the morning, a convoy once again left the mining area transporting ore. Sakumo, Namiichi, and En's real bodies were hidden within it. The ones left in the defensive zone were only clones.

On the mountain peak, in the tree, Genichi was still holding his telescope. But this was also just a clone. His real body was currently hidden at the confluence of two rivers, transformed into a protruding rock in the water with the Transformation Jutsu.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

On the surface of the river, still shrouded in a thin layer of mist, figures ran forward.

Atop the tree, Genichi's clone blew the warning whistle.

The enemy was attacking!

And they were coming from two directions: one from the river, and one from the front.

(End of Chapter)