The northern border of the Land of Fire served as the intersection between the Lands of Frost and Waterfall.
Although Kakashi was stuck leading the main caravan due to the "troublesome" Lord Lop Nur, the Leaf high-ranking officials felt that the presence of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Kaede was more than enough to suppress the rising star of the Cloud, Hagoromo Matou.
Only Kaede and Itachi knew the truth: since Shisui's death, they were polar opposites, united only by a thin veneer of professional courtesy.
Their cooperation was a fragile illusion. Furthermore, the relationship between Kaede, Lop Nur, and Hagoromo Matou was part of a grander, hidden design orchestrated by Shiraishi.
Without Kakashi's grounded leadership, this elite team was actually drifting toward a fatal crisis.
The Mental Network Council
Inside the Shiraishi Mind Network, Uchiha Kaede projected several maps. "The Seven-Tails' exact location is still unconfirmed, but besides the Cloud, several mercenary groups have appeared."
The Akatsuki, with their signature red-cloud black robes, had become giants in the underworld, devouring the market share of older organizations.
Because every member was an S-rank rogue ninja, they were nearly impossible for anything smaller than the Five Great Villages to handle.
"Sasori and I are currently near your team's position," Deidara's voice chimed in. "Matou is close as well."
Shiraishi's stance remained firm: "It is best if the Seven-Tails returns to the Hidden Waterfall rather than being claimed by any of the Great Villages.
Since the Sand currently lacks the capacity to safely house another beast, maintaining the status quo is the optimal choice."
The Sand would not permit the Stone, Leaf, or Cloud to grow stronger—especially the Cloud, whose efficiency in controlling Tailed Beasts made them the Sand's primary concern.
"One more thing," Deidara asked. "Is it necessary to make a move on Sasori?"
Sasori was a high-priority fugitive of the Sand and a painful tie for Lady Chiyo. Shiraishi pondered before shaking his head. "Akatsuki's sensory ninjas might be watching. Don't act rashly; your cover as a mole is too vital. We will deal with Sasori's apprehension later."
"Uchiha Kaede," Matou's voice broke the silence, brimming with battle intent. "The Cloud has already begun a covert encirclement of your position. Will you face me, or shall it be Itachi?"
Though they were both split-bodies of Shiraishi, the inherent bloodline hostility between the Hagoromo and Uchiha lineages made their interactions sparse.
"My Mangekyo puts a strain on the spiritual energy of all five of us," Kaede replied. "Let Itachi handle it. We need more data on his current capabilities anyway."
Thunder vs. Water
In reality, following Matou's warning through the network, Kaede's three-tomoe Sharingan flickered to life. Sensing the change, the rest of the Leaf squad went into a state of high alert.
Suddenly, a vast wave of electricity erupted from the ground, sweeping across the clearing. As the lightning formed a restrictive barrier, a silver blur whistled through the air.
Hagoromo Matou had arrived.
The Cloud's current genius was hailed as the successor to the Sword of Nunoboko, recognized by the Sage of the Six Paths himself. In Matou's hands, the staff pulsed with a raw, ancient power.
The moment the staff appeared, Itachi reacted. His Sharingan tracked Matou's every move as he flicked his wrists, launching a web of Water-Wire Chakra Strings.
Ever since Joyu Tsukigaya demonstrated the power of this technique at the Five Kage Summit, villages across the world had begun incorporating these simple yet deadly tools.
Itachi was a master of the five elements; aside from his signature Fire Style, he specialized in Water Style to counter the Uchiha's natural elemental bias.
The water strings shot out like a silver web, attempting to entangle Matou.
Matou spun his staff, the prayer beads rattling. He combined the pure power of the Hagoromo lineage with specialized Lightning Style, unleashing a shockwave that seemed to split the dark sky.
The overbearing lightning clashed with Itachi's "soft" water strings, which held firm, absorbing and redirecting the impact.
He's as troublesome as they say, Matou thought.
While they engaged in their first round of testing, Kaede and the other Leaf ninja were intercepted by other Cloud experts.
Despite their masks, Kaede immediately recognized one particular figure: Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
Itachi flickered toward Matou, his water strings snagging the Sword of Nunoboko. Simultaneously, he lunged with a heavy punch. Matou pivoted, blocking with his forearm.
In the span of inches, the two traded a flurry of blows. Their taijutsu reached a pinnacle of technique—clashing loudly one moment and engaging in silent, breathtaking grappling the next.
Matou utilized a unique sensory field, using Lightning Style to create a localized magnetic domain that allowed him to predict Itachi's next move.
Itachi's defense was ironclad. Matou clapped his hands together, and a bolt of lightning thundered down from the clouds.
Itachi countered by layering his water strings with a Great Fireball, creating a massive steam explosion that masked his repositioning.
Because it was a time of relative "peace," neither side was truly fighting to the death yet. It was a high-stakes game of keep-away, a rhythmic skirmish between the Leaf and the Cloud.
Meanwhile, not far off...
"Lord Lop Nur, are you absolutely certain this desolate mountain region contains the 'Legendary Northern Black Boar' you crave?" Kakashi asked, sounding exhausted.
"Oh, quite certain," Lop Nur replied breezily.
Kakashi rolled his eyes. Lately, this man had been inventing excuses to hunt for "mountain delicacies" every single day. The level of luxury he demanded was absurd.
Unbeknownst to the Leaf's elite escort, Lop Nur's massive, slow-moving caravan was drifting straight into the battlefield where the Cloud and Leaf Anbu were currently clashing.
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