Naruto: Evolution

Taking advantage of the break, Hayato gathered the three, who were positioned in different spots around the caravan.

When they stood before him, he observed them seriously before speaking:

"If we keep up this pace, by this time tomorrow we will have already crossed the border of the Land of Fire. Once we enter the Land of Tea, I want all three of you to be more alert."

It was the fourth day since they had left Konoha.

While ordinary travelers did not have the physical endurance of a ninja, after four days of continuous marching, the caravan had managed to get close to the border with the Land of Tea.

And Hayato's warning was not in vain.

Compared to the Land of Fire, a powerful and well-protected nation, the environment of the Land of Tea was much more unstable.

The problem lay not only in the lack of resources but also in security.

This world was plagued with bandits and criminals. Even a country with considerable military strength, like the Land of Fire, could not completely eradicate them, much less a small and weak nation like the Land of Tea.

Moreover, smaller countries were the ideal hiding place for rogue ninjas and wandering mercenaries. They were lands where the law had little authority and where any sufficiently organized group could impose its own will.

That was why, once they crossed the border, the possibility of being attacked would increase considerably.

"I understand, Master Hayato. I'll have Hakumaru be more alert to any changes in nearby scents." Momo nodded.

The ninja dogs of the Inuzuka Clan were animals trained with extreme care within the family. Their sense of smell far surpassed that of any ordinary dog and was one of the best tracking and perception tools.

Using their keen nose to detect strange or unusual scents was a highly effective perception technique, ideal for detecting hidden presences before they could pose a threat.

"I will also take care of keeping watch." Azora, arms crossed, nodded confidently.

There was no need to explain too much about the perceptive ability of the Byakugan.

Although Azora belonged to the secondary branch of the Hyūga Clan, he was still the best in reconnaissance and detection within the team.

Not even Hayato could match him in that area.

Finally, Gen nodded.

"Don't worry, Captain, I will also increase the frequency with which I monitor the area."

The defensive formation was well established. Gen had the most important position: the front of the caravan.

After all, any threat coming from the front was the one that could most easily turn into an ambush.

There was a reason he had been assigned that position.

Aside from Hayato, he was the strongest on the team, but more importantly, he had talent in sensory arts.

Since becoming Orochimaru's disciple, his clan had provided him with abundant resources, including those related to perception techniques.

His spiritual energy was not inferior to his vital energy, and since perception largely depended on spiritual energy, he had a natural advantage in this discipline.

Thanks to his talent, learning these types of techniques was twice as efficient with half the effort.

Even though he had not been training in perception for long, he had already developed a fairly competent ability in this field.

But the most important thing was the reason he had decided to specialize in this: to complete his combat style.

Sensory techniques did not have direct offensive power, but their usefulness in battle was unquestionable.

Facing an enemy without information was like fighting blindfolded.

Knowing exactly how many enemies there were, their location, and their chakra level could make the difference between a well-calculated battle and a desperate fight.

Seeing that the three had understood his instructions, Hayato said nothing more.

After a short break and regaining energy with some food, the caravan resumed its journey.

Gen returned to his position at the front of the convoy, remaining alert at all times. At regular intervals, he formed hand seals to activate his perception ability and scan the area around him.

His sensory ability allowed him to detect chakra fluctuations within an approximate radius of five hundred meters. Although it did not compare to the range of the Byakugan, it was enough for him to identify any suspicious presence in the surroundings.

Being his first high-level mission, he remained constantly vigilant.

He knew he had the ability to complete a B-rank mission on his own, but strength was not everything. He still lacked experience in this type of assignment, so he preferred to act cautiously rather than be overconfident.

…

The next day.

As planned, the caravan left the Land of Fire behind and crossed the border into the Land of Tea.

Perhaps due to the proximity between the two territories, the landscape did not show significant changes. On both sides of the road, the vegetation remained lush, and the trees stood dense.

However, just as Hayato had warned, once inside the Land of Tea, Gen and Azora became even more cautious.

Time passed without incident, and little by little, the sun began to set.

With the evening light painting the sky, Gen increased the frequency of his perception.

Each time he reached the limit of his last scan, he would form seals again and repeat the technique without delay, ensuring the path ahead remained clear.

The only reason he could afford to use his perception so frequently was his large chakra reserves and rapid recovery.

For example, although Azora's Byakugan vastly surpassed his sensory ability in terms of precision and range, the difference in chakra reserves was notable.

Azora could not keep his Byakugan activated constantly without risking depleting too much energy.

If he overused it and they ended up facing an enemy, his endurance would be compromised, increasing the danger instead of reducing it.

"Hmm?!"

Just after surpassing the range of his last scan, Gen reactivated his ability. However, what he detected this time made his body tense up.

Each time he used his perception, it was as if he gained a second sight. In the darkness, any person or object with chakra shone like a point of light in his mind.

But now, as he scanned the area, he detected something that made him furrow his brows.

About a hundred meters ahead, underground, a dense concentration of chakra fluctuations vibrated in an abnormal pattern.

They did not seem to come from people but from multiple objects buried with large amounts of chakra.

Moreover, on both sides of the road, within the forest undergrowth, he distinguished nearly twenty hidden presences.

This time, there was no doubt—they were people.

"STOP! It's an ambush!"

Reacting quickly, his voice echoed throughout the caravan without even turning his head.

At the same time, his hand swiftly reached for the tool pouch at his waist, pulling out two kunai.

With a flick of his wrist, he threw them without hesitation toward the exact point where he had detected the underground anomalies.

Propelled by his strength, the kunai sliced through the air with impressive speed, crossing the distance without losing momentum.

But they were not ordinary kunai.

Attached to their ends were already-activated explosive tags.

Just an instant later, the kunai embedded themselves into the ground of the path at an oblique angle.

And then—

Boom

________

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