Bab 67: Chp-67: The Incident at Windmill Town
"Have the scouts not returned yet?"
"No, it's been three hours. They should be reporting back every two hours, but there's been no sign of them."
Inside the command tent, a gaunt Iwa ninja furrowed his brows.
Next to him sat a burly Iwa ninja with reddish patches on his cheeks. He shook his head and said, "They probably discovered something that delayed them."
The gaunt Iwa ninja hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "Lord Tonton, could it be that something happened to them, preventing them from reporting back?"
No sooner had he spoken than the burly Iwa ninja slammed his hand on the table. "Impossible, absolutely impossible."
"We sent out so many scouts. Not one has returned. If something happened, do you mean to say all of them are in trouble?"
Tonton found such a hypothesis too far-fetched.
A dozen scouts, all skilled in stealth. If every single one of them was compromised, how formidable would the enemy have to be?
Not only could they detect the scouts accurately, but they could also ensure no information was relayed back, making them vanish without a trace.
Even with the Tsuchikage here, such a feat would be impossible!
When did Konoha produce such a powerhouse?
"Let's wait a bit longer," Tonton said impatiently.
After pondering for a moment, he added, "If we still haven't heard anything in another hour, we'll send out another team to investigate."
"Understood, Lord Tonton."
The gaunt Iwa ninja nodded.
...
About 500 meters away, Satoru crouched on a tree branch, silently observing the town.
His body blended with the tree, emitting no detectable presence.
Windmill Town, named for the windmills around it, was a notable settlement in the heart of the Land of Grass.
But now, the usual peace was replaced by chaos. Signs of conflict were everywhere, with Iwa ninjas looting supplies and the unburied bodies of Grass ninjas lying around.
Satoru frowned, murmuring, "Approximately 200 enemies. According to Iwa Tetsu's intel, this is Iwagakure's vanguard. Judging by the chaos, they arrived less than a day ago."
Satoru couldn't help but reflect on the brutality of war.
The Land of Grass, weak in military strength and sandwiched between great powers, was always the battlefield when wars broke out, suffering devastation from invading forces.
Grass Ninja Village, notorious for siding with the strong, would now be in hiding, awaiting the unfolding of events.
As for the brave Grass ninjas who resisted, their unburied bodies told their fate.
Satoru's thoughts drifted to his previous world, where global tensions were also high, with major powers engaging in conflicts and sanctions. He wondered how things had developed since then.
...
While Satoru was lost in thought, chaos erupted in the Iwa camp.
"Still no sign of the scouts by evening?"
"Lord Tonton, no scouts have returned, but we've dispatched a new team as per your orders."
Tonton looked troubled. As the vanguard, they had few scouts to spare, and all were out with no intelligence.
"What on earth is happening?"
Though he had been composed earlier, the prolonged silence was unsettling.
At that moment, the tent door burst open.
A panicked Iwa ninja rushed in.
"Lord Tonton, there's a situation!"
"Is it Stone Earth's team? What have you discovered?"
As the Iwa ninja explained, Tonton's eyes narrowed.
...
In the trees, Satoru continued his silent watch.
Through his Byakugan, he saw the largest tent filled with Iwa ninjas, who were having a heated discussion and then giving orders.
Several Iwa ninjas then dispersed, spreading out in all directions.
Satoru's frown deepened.
Clearly, they had detected something and were taking countermeasures.
An ominous feeling crept in as dusk fell. Satoru decided to withdraw.
However, his expression soon darkened.
The Iwa ninjas sent out had circled around, surrounding him from behind, forming a trap.
They must have anticipated his sensory abilities, using diversions to mislead him before circling back to entrap him.
By the time he realized it, the encirclement was complete.
"Have I been exposed?"
Satoru clicked his tongue.
The vanguard must have a skilled sensor ninja to have detected him despite his advanced hiding technique.
Satoru quietly retreated into the foliage.
The encirclement was not tight, allowing for potential escape if he moved carefully.
He had no intention of fighting. With a 200-strong vanguard nearby, including Jonin, combat was too risky.
Eyeing a gap in the encirclement, Satoru thought he might slip through.
But as he moved, the Iwa ninjas adjusted their positions, keeping him at the centre.
"Damn it!"
Satoru cursed under his breath.
They hadn't just guessed his location; they had locked onto him.
His every move was relayed instantly.
"This has turned into a real mess."
Satoru's headache grew...
...
In the camp, an Iwa ninja sat cross-legged, eyes closed, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Target moved 12 meters to three o'clock."
"Now, moving towards six o'clock."
...
He transmitted each update through his sensory jutsu to the Iwa ninjas.
"Good work, Stone Earth," Tonton praised.
"Rest assured, Lord Tonton, he won't escape."
Stone Earth opened his eyes, his face pale but smiling. Connecting with so many Iwa ninjas at once was taxing.
Tonton's expression was cold.
"To think a Konoha scout infiltrated this far. We must capture him!"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone