After a day of hard work and travel, dusk gradually settled.
Captain Yamato suggested resting in a cave for the night, which would also allow them to check their Ninja tools and weapons.
Inside the dark cave, a dazzling fire illuminated the surrounding walls, instantly drying out the damp environment a little.
As the firelight flickered, Chizhao's gaze penetrated the gaps in the light and shadow, falling on Yamato, who was carefully organizing his Ninja tools.
She rested her chin on her hand and asked, almost unconsciously, "Captain Yamato, how long have you been in the Anbu?"
Hearing Chizhao unconsciously call him Yamato again, he smiled helplessly:
"It's been about ten years."
Ten years...
Chizhao said nothing more; she knew very little about Konoha's Anbu.
She only knew it was a bloody and cruel place.
She had assumed that most of the people inside were cold-hearted, emotionless, and perhaps a little eccentric or perverse.
But Yamato, who had been immersed in the deep waters of the Anbu for nearly ten years, still maintained the gentleness and friendliness of a normal person.
Oh, right, and there was Kakashi Hatake, who liked to read perverted books.
It was quite unbelievable.
Seeing Chizhao silently gazing at the fire, and then at the white fox mask tilted on her head, Yamato spoke again, breaking the silence:
"Chizhao, why did you choose to join the Anbu? A girl like you would usually choose to be a regular Ninja in Konoha, wouldn't she?"
"Well..."
She paused for a moment, then looked at the three boys sitting silently on the other side, each busy with their own tasks.
Their expressionless faces and distant aura unconsciously drew her into a vortex of empathy.
"Captain Yamato... why are some people born into the Anbu? Why are some people destined to stay in the Anbu?"
Chizhao did not answer him directly; instead, she posed these strange questions to him.
Her words carried a hint of faint sadness and confusion.
"I joined the Anbu by my own choice, but... how many people can choose for themselves like me? Perhaps I'm just lucky."
Yamato stared blankly at the approximately 12-year-old girl in front of him; her self-questioning and self-answering left him unsure how to respond.
He could sense that Chizhao's psychological age, with her unique way of thinking about problems, did not match her outward appearance.
He recalled his own childhood as a test subject, and the countless cultivation tanks that shattered before his eyes.
He was the one she spoke of, the one destined to stay in the Anbu because he had no choice.
Those were truly profound questions.
Feeling the atmosphere become too heavy, Chizhao quickly scratched her cheek awkwardly and laughed:
"Even though it's in the Anbu, I strongly support Captain Yamato's philosophy. To make Class Six more united and friendly, I will do my best to contribute!"
Her voice was firm and gentle, like a flame flickering in the darkness, softening Yamato's heart.
His brows relaxed, and in the firelight, his black pupils were covered with a layer of warmth:
"Then I'll leave it to you, Chizhao."
Meanwhile, the other three were also eavesdropping on their conversation to varying degrees.
Fu Yamanaka wiped the katana in his hand, his gaze calmly falling on the smiling girl's face. He was unconsciously infected by her optimism, and a slight curve appeared on his lips.
Aburame Torune, who was feigning sleep nearby, recalled what she had said to him in the classroom.
"...You can get close to me."
Hmph, how could that be possible?
She just doesn't know how dangerous I am; if she did, she would definitely avoid me.
Sai, who was a little further away, didn't pay attention to their conversation. He simply leaned against the stone wall with his knees bent, the sketchbook Chizhao had found resting on his lap.
He stared blankly at it with a pen in hand, unsure how to begin.
After "Root" was disbanded, he and Shin-nii were separated.
Later, he learned that Shin-nii was sick and could no longer be a Ninja with him.
Although he couldn't ease his pain.
At least, the two brothers no longer had to fight each other.
But after leaving Shin-nii, he felt like a soulless shell again, unsure how to interact with people.
Just as he was now, unsure how to interact with the paintbrush in his hand.
Finally, he closed the sketchbook and put it back in his bag. After tidying his sleeping bag, he closed his listless eyes and immersed himself in his monochrome world.
Night was deep, and the Gekko shone brightly on the earth.
The firelight in the cave gradually weakened until it extinguished in dreams.
After several days of long travel, the Special Intelligence Division Class Six finally reached their mission destination.
The bright moon in the sky flickered, and five Anbu Ninja, dressed in night clothes and wearing animal masks, each concealed themselves among the dense treetops.
Like ghosts in the night, they silently monitored every move of the Grass Ninja building below.
Chizhao peered through her mask, carefully examining the slightly dilapidated complex of buildings ahead.
In front of the building, Grass Ninja patrolled back and forth, and every corner of the rooftops was filled with wary eyes. The entire area was enveloped in a suffocating atmosphere of vigilance.
Looking around, the surrounding residences were scattered but mostly dilapidated, starkly revealing the deep scars left by war.
Among these broken houses, a few children could occasionally be seen huddled in corners, their thin bodies barely covered by worn straw mats, trembling as they faced the cruelty of this world.
This scene made Chizhao truly experience the ruthlessness of war for the first time, and an indescribable sense of helplessness welled up in her heart.
The feasts of the powerful often came with the endless suffering of the common people.
Recalling Captain Yamato's carefully planned operation earlier in the day, Chizhao quickly replayed it in her mind.
"Our target is that crucial secret scroll, but the chaotic situation in the Land of Grass makes information about the scroll's hiding place extremely elusive."
"Our primary mission is to acquire the scroll and then take it away without anyone noticing."
"Torune, you're with Fu."
"Chizhao, you're with Sai."
"I'll create a diversion outside to attract their forces, then you'll seize the opportunity to go in and search for the scroll."
The Gekko above was gradually obscured by dark clouds, and everything around them became dim again.
Yamato silently gestured a few messages with his hands in front, then leaped onto the nearest rooftop.
One of the Grass Ninja was successfully distracted, and a cry of alarm pierced the night sky.
"Enemy invasion! Enemy invasion!"
Instantly, several Grass Ninja on the rooftops reacted quickly, chasing Yamato's retreating figure into the darkness of the forest.
A temporary gap appeared in the previously impenetrable defense line.
The four-person team seized this fleeting opportunity and quickly launched their operation.
According to the assigned routes, Torune and Fu infiltrated from the front, using the Mind Body Switch Jutsu to invade enemy minds and obtain useful intelligence.
She and Sai infiltrated from the upper floor of the building, using the Ninja Art: Super Beast Imitation Drawing Jutsu to assist in drawing complex room layouts and systematically checking possible hiding places for the scroll.
She had thought it was a perfect team cooperation plan, but Sai seemed to have no intention of acting with her.
He didn't even give her a chance to communicate.
Before she could react, Sai had already left her alone, flipped through a window, and disappeared from sight.
Huh?
What happened to team cooperation!?