Uchiha Yang and Uchiha Retsu followed the marks, moving swiftly through the dense Konoha forest, tracking the enemy's movements. They soon arrived at a fork in the path where the enemy had split up again.
After surveying the area, Uchiha Yang crouched and examined the disturbed ground. "Things have changed again. These aren't just the footprints of two people. There are nearly twenty sets of tracks here. I see Yan's markers—one points west, meant for those following us, while the other points east, where most of the footprints lead."
Uchiha Retsu's expression turned serious. "That's not all. Yan must've uncovered something huge. The western mark wasn't left for our reinforcements; it's for pursuers from another village. Yan knew this was big—so big the village would inevitably send backup. The eastern mark was left for us and any Uchiha support. One thing's clear—this isn't just a smuggling operation. Let's move; Yan could be exposed any second."
Edge of Konoha Forest
"They split up earlier, and Yan must've pursued them into the woods. He's skilled at tracking. A battle erupted 1,500 meters from the last split—fast and brutal. I found bodies. The technique used was definitely Yang and Lie's. One ninja was poisoned. These kids are in trouble—this won't be an easy fight." After catching up with the main force, Uchiha Ming reported to Uchiha Nobunaga and the clan leader.
"Speed up." Nobunaga ordered, prompting the squad to move even faster.
Deeper in Konoha Forest
The towering trees cast long shadows as Uchiha Yang and Uchiha Retsu darted between thick branches, barely making a sound. Every few moments, they stopped to reassess, then pressed on. After a relentless sprint, they skidded to a halt.
Retsu cursed. "Damn it! They split up again! At this rate, we'll never catch them. They must be getting suspicious, and their pace isn't slowing." Frustrated, he punched a nearby tree.
Yang remained quiet, signaling Retsu to be on guard. They both leaped backward and formed seals—but before releasing their jutsu, they caught sight of the intruder. A boy, about their age, stood in front of them, kunai in hand. He wasn't afraid—on the contrary, he looked relieved.
Retsu smirked. "Oi, Blondie, you lost? Camping out here?"
Yang blinked, startled by Retsu's ridiculous comment. Even the newcomer looked confused.
Scratching his head, the boy introduced himself. "I'm Namikaze Minato, a student from the Academy. My teammate was kidnapped. I followed their trail and ran into you guys. You're here to rescue someone too?"
Realization struck Yang and Retsu—inside the wooden box was a Konoha child!
Yang immediately turned to Retsu. "Go ahead alone. If you catch up but don't see Yan, don't engage. Leave Uchiha markers and wait for backup. If you find Yan, stick with him."
Retsu hesitated. "You sure?"
Yang nodded firmly. "I'll go with Minato. He's got a lead. Our instincts were right—this is no small operation. If we're not careful, we're dead."
Without waiting for a response, Yang turned to Minato. "You can track your teammate, right?"
He quickly carved two sets of marks—one for Konoha, one for Uchiha—before vanishing into the trees with Minato. As he took off, he called back, "Retsu—stay alive!"
Elsewhere in the Forest
Beneath a large tree, Uchiha Ieyasu studied the markings on the ground. He turned to his brother. "According to Yan's signals, the enemy split up again. Yan followed the main force. Yang went left. Retsu went straight. Whoever's with Yang… we'll only know when we see them."
The clan leader exhaled sharply. "I'll go after Yang. Nobunaga, you and Ming take a squad and chase Yan and Retsu."
Nobunaga's gaze hardened. "Understood. Take five teams with you."
Deeper in the Forest—Enemy POV
A burly man dashed across the treetops, carrying a red-haired girl on his back. Three shinobi flanked him, forming a tight triangular formation. One of them smirked. "Still tailing us?"
The girl chuckled. "Persistent one, isn't he? A real talent. A shame. We'll send him to his grave within the hour."
The burly man said nothing, only quickening his pace.
Flashback: 30 Minutes Earlier
Two squads of foreign ninjas met at a designated rendezvous. One of them frowned. "Why stop? This wasn't the plan."
The masked leader replied, "We've got a pursuer. We need a new strategy. Sanai has transformed into the girl. I'll carry her. Three of you double back—throw off their scent. The rest of you, take the real girl left to the extraction point. If no one's there, head straight for Kumogakure."
He turned to the rear group. "You move back for thirty minutes, then loop around. We'll meet ahead and cut down our tail."
The team swiftly dispersed.
Uchiha Retsu's Pursuit
Retsu sprinted ahead—then stopped dead. Three enemies blocked his path. Their eyes locked. The fight was on.
"Uchiha Shuriken Jutsu!" "Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
Without waiting, Retsu unleashed a barrage of shuriken and fireballs, then immediately retreated.
"Damn," he muttered. "One Jonin, two Chunin. I can't fight all three."
One of the enemies smirked. "He's fast. But he's alone. Kill him."
They accelerated their pursuit. Retsu swore under his breath. "Damn it. I hate being chased. If I don't slow them down, I'm dead."
Whipping around, he unleashed another attack. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" "Uchiha Shuriken Jutsu!"
His pursuers countered effortlessly. "Water Style: Water Wall!" "Shuriken Jutsu!" "Lightning Style: Ground Shock!"
Lightning arced toward Retsu—only for him to vanish in a puff of smoke.
A shadow emerged from the ground. "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"
A startled Chunin was yanked underground, leaving only his head exposed. Before the others could react, Retsu lunged from the earth and slashed at the nearest opponent's back.
Grinning, he exhaled. "Now it's one-on-one."