Chapter 55: Shinno's Interrogation, The Infiltration Operation!
At the foot of the cliff, after just a brief moment of intimacy, Uchiha Ci quickly gathered his thoughts and looked around.
The three of them were no longer on the same cliff where they had fought with Kakuzu. That place was now surrounded by dozens of cultists dressed in black robes and samurai armor, with their search area still expanding.
At some point, the team had moved to the other side of the valley—specifically, the cliff that Kakuzu had collapsed with his Wind Release: Pressure Damage.
Right under the noses of the cult members, it was a bold move, to say the least. However, if this continued, it was only a matter of time before they were discovered and surrounded.
"Do you see it?" Shinno stood beside them, looking down and speaking calmly. "The commotion from your battle with Kakuzu has already alerted them."
"What you're seeing, and what you're not seeing—on the outside, there are four squads expanding their search around the battle center. At the entrance to the cult's headquarters, six fully armed chunin squads are on guard."
"Inside, who knows how many members there are."
"Today seems to be a special day for them, as most of their forces have been called back to the headquarters."
Shinno paused, then turned back to look at Uchiha Ci and Mei Terumi, speaking calmly again, "It's time to face reality, isn't it?"
"With your strength, the idea of wiping out the Jashin Cult is nothing but a pipe dream."
Uchiha Ci frowned slightly, about to retort. However, Mei Terumi turned around at that moment, her gaze firm and resolute.
"I have to go. There's information I must confirm."
"And it's not impossible."
She pointed toward the castle with a furrowed brow. "The underground cave is directly beneath the castle. We don't need to go through the front; we just need to open a direct tunnel from above to infiltrate."
"The enemy's defenses are focused here, and the castle's watch is not particularly tight."
"This is our chance."
Shinno shook his head slightly. "First, you don't know the depth of the cave. Second, how can you be sure that the tunnel you create will lead directly to the cave?"
"And," Shinno asked calmly, "how can you be certain this isn't a trap? What if there are hundreds of people waiting inside the castle for you to walk right into it?"
"Just buy me some time," Mei Terumi's gaze was steady, and she spoke decisively. "I'm proficient in Water, Earth, and Fire Style ninjutsu. I can use Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique to scout the location and gather intel within the castle. Plus, the limestone forming the cave can be easily corroded by my Lava Release."
"I only need a little time." Mei Terumi turned her gaze to Uchiha Ci.
Though Shinno was strong, it felt as though he was just idly wandering around, uninterested in anything. To accomplish what they needed, she still had to rely on herself and her other teammate, Uchiha Ci.
But Mei Terumi suddenly hesitated.
Looking at Uchiha Ci, who had just gone through a fierce battle, covered in burns, scratches, and blood, she felt that her request might be too much.
At that moment, Shinno sneered and spoke up, "Little girl, have you forgotten?"
"When we first got here, it was your idea to follow that seemingly feasible plan."
"And what happened?"
He pointed to Uchiha Ci, who was struggling to get up from the ground. "Because of your hesitation, you missed the chance to infiltrate the cult's headquarters."
"Because of your hesitation, you ran into Kakuzu, the S-rank rogue ninja from the Village Hidden in the Waterfall."
"Because of your hesitation, this kid is now half-dead lying here."
"That Hidan kid who was with you was captured, and the cult's security increased. And now you still want him to die for you?"
"If you had listened to this kid earlier, you would've already charged into the cult's headquarters by now, wouldn't you?"
Shinno didn't say everything, but his words clearly conveyed his discouragement.
From the start, Shinno had been observing as an outsider. He could see things very clearly.
In his eyes, the only one in this team truly determined to reach the Jashin Cult's headquarters was Mei Terumi.
Uchiha Ci and Hidan were just two hot-headed kids, wanting to play hero and act tough.
It wasn't until Uchiha Ci fought Kakuzu to the brink of death that Shinno noticed his potential. That's when he started paying a little more attention to this makeshift team.
Shinno's interrogation caused Mei Terumi to fall silent.
She exhaled, clenched her fists, and couldn't help but feel foolish.
This was her own mission, so why had she instinctively relied on Uchiha Ci?
For a moment, no one spoke.
The tension was as thick as the air before a sow's labor, with everyone on edge, fully alert.
Suddenly,
"No problem, I'll buy you the time you need!"
Uchiha Ci, who had been struggling to get up, suddenly spoke.
"Hmm?"
Both Mei Terumi and Shinno turned to him in surprise, their faces filled with disbelief.
Their expressions seemed to ask, "Do you really think you're in any shape to be talking right now?"
"Do you even realize how badly injured you are?"
And besides, do you even have the chakra to move?
"The plan is fine. Kakuzu's appearance was an unexpected event." Uchiha Ci opened his Sharingan and surveyed the enemy's positions below, calmly analyzing. "With their current defenses, a direct assault is no longer feasible."
"But I think it's worth a try."
After speaking, Uchiha Ci turned to Mei Terumi and asked, "I'll draw their attention while you gather intel. Where should we meet afterward? How much time do you need?"
Mei Terumi took a deep breath. After a moment of internal struggle, she spoke in a cold and determined tone:
"You need to descend from here, skirt the outer wall, pass the previous battle site, and lead them around the perimeter. Then, head to the fork in the road before the entrance to the underground cave of the cult's headquarters, and climb up the inner wall of the castle. That will be the meeting point..."
Mei Terumi pointed to the terrain below and carefully explained the route and key points Uchiha Ci needed to pay attention to.
Then, her expression grew more serious as she continued:
"You have about five minutes. Once I've finished gathering intel, I'll arrive at the fork first and use Hiding in Mist Technique to help you escape."
"If everything goes well, I might find the information I need and also locate Hidan."
"Then, we'll rescue him."
Shinno couldn't help but sneer, "That sounds great, but what if something goes wrong?"
He paused, then added darkly:
"For example, if you let this kid draw their attention, and after getting what you want, you don't come back—"
"Without your Hiding in Mist Technique to help him escape, this kid..."
Before Shinno could finish, Uchiha Ci laughed.
"In that case, I'd probably face ten squads of cultists, twelve search team ninjas, who knows how many rogue samurai, and eighteen fully armed chunin using the cult's secret techniques."
"In that situation, I'd most likely die."
Then, Uchiha Ci turned his gaze to Mei Terumi:
"But I believe in you!"