"Prepare for action."
Under the cover of night, the squad moves swiftly, with black clothing providing the best camouflage.
Dressed in tactical attire, the two from the Wooden Golem unit maintained their calm demeanor as they surveyed the area ahead.
The operation went much smoother than anticipated.
She hadn't expected the security here to be so lax.
Uchiha Clan.
The task of guarding the clan's land was decided by the clan elders. Over the years, there had been no significant threats, so it was only natural for the Uchiha to relax their guard.
After all, this was Konoha. The Uchiha clan had no reason to fear for their safety.
It's also this overconfidence that allowed Uchiha Itachi's actions to unfold so easily in the original series.
Think about it—despite Itachi's collaboration with Anbu and the secret support of Obito, the Uchiha clan was not easily wiped out.
On one hand, Uchiha Fugaku did not resist, and on the other, the clan's guards were woefully inadequate.
Years of pampering had transformed the once iron-fisted Uchiha clan of the Sengoku era into a toothless tiger that only knew how to boast.
"Ahead is the destination."
"According to the intelligence, Samui is being held here."
In front of them stood a sprawling manor.
The house belonged to Uchiha Bai Ye, and Samui had not been placed in a cell within the Konoha Guard but instead confined here.
What luxury.
The expansive house and its lavish furnishings filled Wooden Golem with a surge of anger.
History had shown countless times how cruel the treatment of prisoners could be—especially for female ninjas.
One could only imagine the horrors Samui might be enduring.
Earlier, there had been contact with a negotiation team, but no useful information had come through. The only thing known was that Uchiha Bai Ye had left the village during the day, making this the ideal moment to rescue her.
However, following Lord Raikage's orders, a mere rescue mission wouldn't adequately demonstrate the might of Cloud Shinobi Village.
Rescuing Samui was only part of the mission. This was much bigger than just one individual.
Cloud Shinobi Village had sent a negotiation team to Konoha, and this wasn't a secret. The entire ninja world was waiting for the outcome. How this unfolded would shape Cloud Shinobi's standing in the world of ninjas.
But what had happened upon the negotiation team's arrival in Konoha? The Konoha guards had immediately attacked them, and their leaders were arrested by the captain of the guard. Now, their fates were uncertain.
Wasn't that a slap in the face of Cloud Shinobi Village and the Fourth Raikage?
How could Raikage tolerate such disrespect?
Thus, he sent two of his best elites, the Wooden Golem unit, to rescue the leader of the negotiation team.
Tonight, the Uchiha clan's blood would flow, and the Sharingan would be collected.
Raikage had heard the rumors about Hatake Kakashi, known as the "Copy Ninja," and the Sharingan he wielded. If the Sharingan could be used by someone like Kakashi, an outsider, surely it could benefit the ninjas of Cloud Shinobi Village as well.
To achieve this, Raikage was prepared to pay a small price.
Moreover, the Konoha high-ranking officials had remained silent, and a mere guard captain dared to disrespect Cloud Shinobi Village?
Who gave him the courage?
Before long, the other villages in the ninja world would know how Konoha had disrespected Cloud Shinobi, and Raikage would make sure to teach them a lesson.
Taking Uchiha Bai Ye down was the safest course of action. According to the intel, Uchiha Bai Ye had conflicts with Konoha's higher-ups, especially with the Third Hokage. And Bai Ye had even been involved in the capture of the Third Hokage's son. This made him a perfect target—since targeting him wouldn't invoke too much anger from Konoha's leaders.
These were Raikage's calculations, and the real purpose of sending Wooden Golem here.
Konoha dared to hit Cloud Shinobi in the face? Then it would meet the fury of Cloud Shinobi Village!
"Let's go!"
With a swift motion, Wooden Golem drew her kunai and climbed over the wall, showing no hesitation.
But the next moment, she and her teammates were stunned.
The manor was vast, and the walls weren't as empty as they'd expected.
At that moment, a woman was calmly adjusting her hair, the blood-red strands at the roots catching the light. She sighed slightly, seemingly troubled by something.
After disguising herself, she appeared with black, straight hair, but it would always grow out, needing occasional retouching.
"If you want my advice, you should have just appeared in Konoha. No one would have dared to say a word to me."
Despite the woman's calm demeanor, Wooden Golem spotted a man sitting at the table, uninterested in the intruders as he sipped tea.
Uchiha Bai Ye!
Regarding Bai Ye's identity and appearance, they had received full briefing before the mission, but according to their information, Bai Ye was not in the clan.
Was the intelligence wrong?
Wooden Golem signaled her subordinates to hold back, aware that they had been noticed. However, it seemed Bai Ye wasn't interested in them. He made no move, too lazy to even acknowledge their presence.
"Forget it, Third Hokage has his own plans," Wooden Golem muttered.
Kushina sighed and shook her head as she glanced at the night-clad ninjas, pity flashing across her face.
As Bai Ye's closest confidante, no one knew his strength better than she did. Three years ago, when he saved her from the Nine-Tails' claws, his power had been terrifying. Now, three years later, no one knew just how much stronger he had become.
Not everyone could make the Nine-Tails tremble with a single glance.
"You're so naive," Bai Ye chuckled lightly, shaking his head.
It wouldn't be long, right? Young Naruto would soon be left to fend for himself—drinking expired milk and eating instant noodles. Bai Ye found himself amused by the thought, eagerly anticipating Kushina's reaction when that day came.
Bai Ye finally turned his attention to the two Wooden Golem ninjas.
"Well, it's your turn now."
With his legs crossed, an unreadable glint appeared in his eyes.
"I'm curious—how did you manage to bypass the Fire Country's borders, especially Konoha's security forces?"
He leaned forward, an air of indifference cloaking his words.
"And I wonder, how did you get past Konoha's barriers without anyone noticing, or did someone open them for you so you could come in and disrupt my village's order?"
He stood slowly, the atmosphere shifting.
"Well, no matter."
Shaking his head, Bai Ye let out a small sigh, and the gentle smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a chilling murderous intent.
"Let me ask you one thing."
His voice was cold and threatening as he stepped toward the two intruders.
"Do you even know who the hell I am?"