Shadows On The Leaf

Under the cover of night, Shisui moved like a shadow, barely a whisper in the wind. He watched from a treetop as the four puppeteers of the first patrol moved forward in formation.

With an almost imperceptible movement, Shisui activated his Body Flicker Technique. In an instant, he appeared behind the first of them, before the man could turn around, a stab pierced his throat. 

The other three reacted, backing away and sending their puppets towards the spot where Shisui had been. But all they found was an afterimage that vanished upon contact. 

"Where is it?!" one of the puppeteers shouted nervously. 

"Everywhere," Shisui replied, his voice echoing from multiple directions. 

In the blink of an eye, Shisui appeared between two of them. With swift movements, he killed one with a thrust of his Tantō, while throwing a kunai at the other's chest. Both fell before realizing what was happening.

The last puppeteer stepped back, throwing a scroll into the air that released a spider puppet with multiple sharp limbs. "I'll get you!" 

Shisui watched him coldly, his Sharingan eyes flashing in the darkness. The puppet attacked, but Shisui dodged with superhuman grace, leaving behind an afterimage.

Before the puppeteer could react, Shisui appeared in front of him, his Tantō shining under the moonlight. With a single movement, the fight was over. 

Further away, the second patrol was in defensive formation, their puppets floating in a perfect circle around them. They had heard the echoes of the earlier battle and were prepared to confront the intruder. 

"Stay alert!" ordered the leader, an experienced puppeteer. 

Shisui, hidden in the shadows, observed their defensive pattern. With a soft exhale, he released a genjutsu on one of the puppeteers. The man, confused, sensed movement on one side of the forest and reacted, sending his puppet towards a non-existent target. 

Shisui took advantage of the opening and appeared in front of him. With a blow to the chest, the blade of his Tantō pierced the man's heart before he could even scream. 

"Left!" another puppeteer shouted, sending his puppet towards the spot where Shisui had just been. But it was an afterimage. Shisui appeared behind him, and with a quick twist to the man's neck, the puppeteer fell to the ground lifeless.

The remaining two backed away, retracting their puppets. "He's so fast!" one of them exclaimed, fear evident in his voice. 

"Don't panic! We're attacking together," the leader said, concentrating his chakra into a large scorpion-shaped puppet. The puppet launched itself at Shisui, who seemed to be everywhere at once. 

Shisui swung his Tantō in a quick arc, disabling the puppet's attacks as he closed the distance with the third puppeteer. A kunai pierced his throat before he could react. 

The leader, desperate, released a booby trap from his puppet, but Shisui was no longer there. He appeared behind him, his Sharingan spinning intensely. The puppeteer leader stood paralyzed, trapped in a genjutsu so powerful that he couldn't even scream. 

In the illusion, he saw his puppets attacking him, tearing him apart with his own blades. Meanwhile, in the real world, Shisui finished him off quickly, piercing his heart with his Tantō. 

The forest fell completely silent. Shisui looked at the bodies and deactivated his Sharingan, his face impassive.

With one last glance, he was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving the scene clear of any witnesses. 

/////

Shisui reached the perimeter of the facility, his figure barely visible in the shadows. From his position, he spotted Kinoe, who stood motionless next to a tree, her gaze fixed on the main entrance. 

"Kinoe" Shisui said softly as he deactivated his Sharingan. 

Kinoe turned his head slightly, just enough to recognize his partner. "Shisui. Are you done with the patrols?" 

"Yes. It wasn't complicated," Shisui replied calmly. "How is the situation here?" 

Kinoe shook his head, his gaze returning to the entrance. "There were no reinforcements and no escape attempts. Tatsuma and Kabuto must still be inside." 

Shisui nodded, his attention focused on the illuminated hallway that led into the facility.

Footsteps broke the silence, echoing from the hallway. Slow, firm, and ever closer. 

Both ninjas tensed instantly. Shisui brought one hand to the handle of his Tantō, while Kinoe did the same with hers. Their stances were firm, ready for any threat that might emerge from the hallway. 

"Do you think it could be them?" Kinoe muttered, his eyes fixed on the entrance. 

"It is possible, but let us not let our guard down," Shisui replied. 

The footsteps grew clearer, until finally a figure emerged from the darkness: Tatsuma, walking with his characteristic unchanging bearing. Behind him, Kabuto appeared, visibly tired, and a third man that Shisui and Kinoe did not recognize. 

"Relax," Tatsuma said, noticing the two's defensive stance. 

Shisui slowly lowered his Tantō, though his gaze was fixed on the stranger. "Tatsuma, who is he?" 

Tatsuma stepped forward. "This is Jūro. He is Root's spy who infiltrated this facility. He helped us accomplish the mission from within." 

Kinoe and Shisui exchanged a quick glance. Kinoe was the first to speak. "We had no information that there was a spy. Why were we not informed?" 

Kabuto intervened. "Because neither Tatsuma nor I knew until we encountered him inside. It seems Danzō-sama decided not to share that information with us." 

"It's safer this way," Tatsuma commented coldly. "If we had been captured, we wouldn't have had anything to reveal and the spy wouldn't have been discovered."

Shisui looked at Jūro for a moment before nodding. "Fine. If Danzō-sama trusts him, that's enough for me." 

"What happened inside?" Kinoe asked, finally relaxing his posture. 

Kabuto let out a sigh. "A sensor and a few puppets. Nothing we couldn't handle." 

Tatsuma looked at Kinoe and Shisui seriously. "And out here? Anything to report?" 

"Nothing," Kinoe replied. "Everything was quiet. It seems they were overconfident in the security of this facility." 

Tatsuma nodded. "Alright. We're done here. We move now." 

"Do we need to erase more traces?" Shisui asked. 

"The lab has already been destroyed," Kabuto said, adjusting the equipment he was carrying. "We just need to make sure no one can follow us." 

"Understood," Shisui replied.

Kinoe looked at Tatsuma. "Anything else?" 

"No," Tatsuma said. "Let's go."

They both nodded, taking their positions as the group began to move forward under the moonlight. 

The silence of the night returned.

/////

Tatsuma stood in front of Danzō. The other members of the team, Kinoe, Shisui, Kabuto and Jūro, stood in absolute silence behind him, forming an orderly line. Danzō's gaze was fixed on Tatsuma. 

"Report," Danzō ordered in a firm voice. 

Tatsuma bowed his head slightly before speaking. "The mission was successfully completed, Danzō-sama. We eliminated the enemy patrols, destroyed the laboratory, and ensured that no traces were left that could be traced back to Root. In addition, we have recovered key information and material from the facility." 

Danzō raised an eyebrow in interest. "Continue." 

Tatsuma nodded. "We brought back the advanced prototype of the puppet called Tenjō no ningyō, which integrated highly complex mechanisms and was constructed from a rare material derived from a rock that exudes powerful chakra. We recovered the blueprints, parts, and the rock, making sure that no traces were left behind."

Tatsuma took out a scroll and respectfully presented it to Danzō. "Here is everything we obtained. The material was sealed in these scrolls for safe transport." 

Danzō calmly took the scroll, inspecting it briefly before placing it on the table beside him. "Interesting. This could be useful for future operations. Good work." 

The Root leader remained silent for a few seconds, pondering before continuing. "Jūro?" 

Tatsuma turned his head slightly towards the spy before answering. "Due to the circumstances, it was not possible to maintain his position as an infiltrator. After the destruction of the facility, his survival would have raised immediate suspicion. I brought him back with me." 

Danzō's eyes fell on Jūro, silently assessing him. Finally, he turned his attention back to Tatsuma. "Setbacks?" 

"The patrols were eliminated without incident by Shisui. Kinoe guarded the perimeter without incident. Inside the facility, we encountered minor resistance. Kabuto and I neutralized the ninja protecting the lab, including a sensor and several puppeteers. Nothing jeopardized the mission," Tatsuma explained. 

Danzō closed his eyes for a moment, pondering. Then he opened them, fixing his gaze on Tatsuma. "You did a good job." 

"Thank you, Danzō-sama," Tatsuma replied firmly. 

Danzō gave a slight nod, ending the matter. "Rest. There will be more work soon." 

Tatsuma bowed his head once more in respect. "As you command." 

Without another word, the team turned in unison and walked out of the room.