Ever since the last Shinobi World War, where Konoha stood against the combined might of the other four great nations and emerged victorious, the leaders of those defeated villages had been in deep reflection.
After retreating in disgrace, the Kage of the four villages pondered: why, even after the death of the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, were they still unable to defeat Konoha, despite their superior numbers?
While it was clear that Tobirama Senju was incredibly strong, he didn't possess the overwhelming, near-invincible strength of his elder brother, Hashirama.
Then, after careful analysis, they realized the truth.
Their defeat wasn't solely due to Tobirama's strength, but because all of Konoha's shinobi were remarkably formidable.
In this recent war, Konoha's ninja had demonstrated superior tactical prowess, combat effectiveness, execution, and unity—qualities that far surpassed those of the shinobi from the other four villages.
What stood out even more was the performance of Konoha's lower- and mid-ranked ninja, who had completely outclassed their counterparts.
When the high-level powerhouses were evenly matched, it was the performance of the mid- and lower-level forces that tipped the scales in battle. Victory or defeat in many small-scale skirmishes had snowballed into Konoha's victory.
And then there was the ANBU.
Konoha's elite ANBU force, while not necessarily brimming with powerhouse members, had played a significant role in the war's outcome.
So, after returning to their villages, the four nations began infiltrating Konoha to gather intelligence, to learn its systems, and to replicate its methods.
Four years had passed since then, and each of the four great villages had established their own ninja academies and formed their own ANBU units. They had started creating new tactics and strategies based on the unique abilities of their shinobi.
Now, upon learning of Konoha's recent strategy of neutralizing the small nations around them, the other four nations followed suit, sending their own ANBU to start eliminating potential threats.
Suddenly, the shinobi world was thrown into turmoil. Waves of political and military upheaval swept through the smaller nations.
Meanwhile, Mochizuki Hui and his team from the First Division had successfully completed their mission. But as expected, a new mission had already been delivered.
This time, the target was once again a smaller nation, but instead of immediate destruction, the goal was to form an alliance. Failing that, they were to annihilate it.
At the end of the mission briefing, there was an additional instruction:
"Eliminate any ANBU from other villages whenever possible!"
This sentence made it clear to Mochizuki Hui and his team that the mission had just become far more complicated.
"Other village ANBU, huh? This should be interesting," Lightning remarked as the Fourth Squad moved through the trees toward their target. His tone carried an air of nonchalance, and it was clear he wasn't taking the other villages' ANBU seriously.
After all, in his eyes, Konoha's ANBU was the best. The other villages were merely trying to copy what Konoha had already perfected.
"I'm sure we'll run into them soon enough," Mochizuki Hui responded with a slight smile. In truth, he was also excited.
It wasn't arrogance that spurred him on—it was a desire to grow through battle. As his power and experience grew, so did his ambition. He no longer just sought to quietly bide his time and improve. Now, he wanted to test his strength against worthy opponents.
Real growth only came through real battles. Even legends like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha had achieved their strength through countless deadly skirmishes.
"I have a feeling that after this mission, Captain Hui will become a name known throughout the shinobi world!"
Takahara exclaimed as he leaped through the trees alongside his teammates. Over time, he had become a devoted follower of Mochizuki Hui, completely in awe of his strength and wisdom.
"I think so too. The name 'Light' will one day strike fear into the hearts of many," Sakumo Hatake added, nodding.
As a skilled swordsman himself, he had sparred with Mochizuki Hui once and knew all too well the vast gap between them. Mochizuki Hui's swordsmanship, particularly his mastery of sword-based energy techniques, had greatly inspired him.
"Definitely," Lightning chimed in with a grin. "Light is destined to shine like the sun, becoming a figure no one in this world can ignore!"
Listening to his teammates' praise, Mochizuki Hui could only shake his head. These seemingly cold, aloof comrades were really just a bunch of goofballs at heart, throwing cringeworthy lines left and right.
"Let's focus on the task at hand for now," Mochizuki Hui said. "This mission is different from the last one. Our goal isn't to destroy the Land of Fog completely but rather to secure an alliance with the Land of Fog, turning them into our eyes against the Land of Earth."
"But it's highly likely that the Iwagakure ANBU have a similar mission—to form their own alliance with the Land of Fog."
"If that's the case, our mission will most likely involve direct confrontation with the Iwagakure ANBU. Only the victor will have the right to decide the Land of Fog's fate."
Mochizuki Hui's analysis was calm and rational. He had already anticipated the coming clash.
"An ANBU showdown, huh? Let's see who comes out on top," Lightning replied confidently after hearing Mochizuki Hui's assessment.
"Typically, ANBU squads are composed of four elite chunin or one jonin leading three elite chunin," Sakumo Hatake pointed out. "But our squad consists of one elite jonin, two special jonin, and one elite chunin—an absolute powerhouse team."
"And both Hunter and the Captain are skilled in sensory and tracking ninjutsu," he continued, clearly excited. "So, I think we should take the initiative and go hunt down the Iwagakure ANBU."
"Agreed!" Takahara's eyes gleamed with enthusiasm. "If we're going to fight anyway, let's make the first move!"
"Great idea," Lightning added, also showing his approval. "Given the strength of our squad, the Iwagakure ANBU won't know what hit them."
Mochizuki Hui paused for a moment, considering the plan, before nodding in agreement. "Indeed. With our team's strength, we can venture deeper into the Fog Nation, close to the Earth Nation's border, and directly infiltrate the Iwagakure ANBU's territory."
"With our sensory capabilities, we'll have no trouble choosing the right targets and avoiding any ambushes."
"In that case," he continued with a confident smile, "I agree with White Fang's proposal."
"Finally! I've been itching for a proper fight for a while now!" Lightning exclaimed with excitement.
"Alright, then," Mochizuki Hui declared, his eyes sharp with determination. "Target: The Fog Nation, near the Earth Nation's border. Mission: hunt the Iwagakure ANBU. Let's move out!"
This time, the Fourth Squad had already parted ways with the rest of the First Division, giving Mochizuki Hui full autonomy over their actions.
The hunt was on.
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