The group approached the cargo quickly, eager to leave the area as soon as possible. However, what they found left them perplexed.—?Is this... the cargo? —Akihiro asked, turning to Hiroshi with evident incredulity in his voice.Hiroshi shrugged.—When I scouted the camp, this is what I found and secured —he replied, pointing at the cargo's contents.

  In front of them, there wasn't a box or a valuable object as they had assumed. It was a young girl. At first gnce, she appeared to be the same age as Aiko, the youngest member of the team.

  The girl looked almost unreal: her pale skin glowed like marble, her long white hair cascaded down to her waist, and her gray eyes dispyed circur patterns that seemed to move.—Rinnegan? —Akihiro thought in arm, though he quickly dismissed the idea. —No... the design is simir, but it's not the same.

  She wore a simple white dress. Her figure seemed fragile, yet something about her presence was unsettling, even to Akihiro.—What is a member of the Ryūmei cn doing here? —Miyuki asked, her voice a mix of surprise and suspicion.—The Ryūmei cn? —Aiko repeated, frowning. Her confusion was shared by the rest of the group.

  Miyuki turned to them, her expression serious.—They're the only cn in Kusagakure with a Kekkei Genkai. Their abilities are incredibly valuable to our vilge. Their lineage is strictly monitored; they should be protected at all times.

  Miyuki crouched, scrutinizing the young girl closely. Her eyes examined every detail, searching for answers.—Who are you? —she asked firmly. —What are you doing here?

  The girl didn’t respond immediately. Her gray eyes met Miyuki’s, and for a moment, the air seemed heavier. Finally, her voice broke the silence.—I was captured by those you call mercenaries.

  The statement didn’t surprise the team; it was obvious given the situation.—How did they manage to capture you? —Miyuki asked.The girl lowered her gaze, as if reliving the moment of her capture.—My cn is divided. Some of the younger members don’t accept the strict rules of Kusagakure. They betrayed me and the vilge, handing me over to those so-called mercenaries.

  Miyuki clenched her fists, her expression hardening.—Why would they target you?

  The girl raised her eyes, her gaze reflecting a mix of sadness and resignation.—They wanted my Kekkei Genkai to save their young master.

  The silence grew heavy again, but this time the tension was palpable.—Save their master? —Akihiro asked incredulously. —What the hell are they pnning to do with you?—Use my chakra to stabilize his condition. —The girl’s voice was calm, but the meaning of her words hit them like a storm. —My Kekkei Genkai allows me to manipute the vital energy in my body and others. It’s the only thing that could keep their cn leader alive.

  Aiko stepped forward, indignation clear on her face.—They intend to use you as a resource? As if you were nothing more than an object?

  The girl didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh.—To them, I am nothing more than a tool.

  Miyuki gritted her teeth. Something about the girl’s words stirred a deep unease within her.—Those ‘mercenaries’ weren’t mercenaries, were they? —Miyuki asked, her gaze cold and probing. —They were undercover Takigakure ninjas, weren’t they?

  The girl hesitated for a moment before nodding.—Yes. They were taking me back to Taki. But you stopped them.

  The group fell silent, trying to process the implications. Hiroshi broke the silence with a question ced with concern.—If they really were Taki ninjas... things could get very dangerous, both in the short and long term.

  There was a moment of tense silence before Aiko broke the stillness with a hesitant voice:—What do we do now?

  Miyuki stood up decisively.—We’ll take this girl back to Kusagakure. Her cn needs to answer for this… and we need to protect her.Aiko, Akihiro, and Hiroshi nodded silently.—And what about the mission? It’s obvious this wasn’t the cargo we were supposed to intercept —Hiroshi asked, frowning.Miyuki was thoughtful for a moment, carefully evaluating the situation.—Whether I like it or not, we can’t abandon the mission without an acceptable reason. Even though the girl is important, leaving a B-rank mission unfinished for this alone will cause trouble with the higher-ups. For now, we’ll take her with us and complete the mission. Once it’s finished, we’ll return to Kusagakure with the full report —she answered firmly.

  The team nodded, understanding the weight of their leader’s words. Without further discussion, they got to work organizing themselves.—Aiko, you carry her. She doesn’t seem capable of moving on her own —Miyuki ordered, pointing at the young girl who still sat motionless on the ground.Aiko nodded silently and knelt so the girl could climb onto her back. Although the young girl also said nothing, her calm gaze briefly met Aiko’s, as if trying to convey something.—Ready —Aiko said, adjusting her position to ensure she could move easily.—Perfect. Stay alert. We still don’t know if there are more enemies nearby —Miyuki warned.

  With everything prepared, the group set out quickly, maintaining a defensive formation as they moved through the forest.It didn’t take them long to find the real cargo. It was hidden in a clearing, guarded by several men who seemed far inferior to the mercenaries they had faced earlier.—Let’s finish this quickly. Akihiro, come with me. Hiroshi, stay with Aiko —Miyuki murmured. Everyone nodded, and Akihiro moved with her using the Body Flicker Technique. The two appeared a short distance from the cargo.—Don’t hold back. Use your Genjutsu and Ninjutsu at full power —Miyuki instructed—. But don’t stray too far from me. Understood?—Yes —Akihiro replied with determination.

  Without further words, the two unched themselves toward the cargo. Akihiro immediately began using a powerful Genjutsu.The enemies saw their allies transform into adversaries, and, driven mad, started attacking one another.

  Chaos erupted in seconds. The men guarding the cargo began attacking each other, completely immersed in Akihiro’s Genjutsu.Miyuki took advantage of the confusion, moving toward the cargo. Her goal wasn’t to eliminate everyone but to secure what they had come for.

  Unfortunately, a group of men who remained unaffected by the illusion blocked her path.Miyuki didn’t waste time. With a quick hand seal, she unleashed a powerful Wind Release Jutsu. A cutting gust shot out, decapitating several and incapacitating the rest.

  Meanwhile, Akihiro maintained control over his Genjutsu, but the rge number of men within range was visibly taxing his energy.Miyuki dealt with the st conscious guard and approached the cargo. She carefully checked for any seals or traps before lifting the lid of one of the crates. When she did, she confirmed its contents: a stash of weapons and explosive scrolls. This was undoubtedly the valuable cargo they were after.—This is it. Let’s finish this —Miyuki said, closing the crate firmly.

  She pulled a scroll from her belt, and upon unrolling it, a rger scroll appeared. With calcuted movements, she began transferring the crates into the rger scroll. Once the process was complete, Miyuki made a hand seal, and the crates disappeared, stored inside the scroll. After securing everything, she pced the rge scroll on her back and returned the smaller one to her belt.

  With the cargo secured, Miyuki performed several hand seals.—Earth Release: Land Colpse Jutsu —she decred, pcing her hands on the ground.

  The area around her began to colpse. The bandits and the remains of their carts were dragged down by the crumbling earth, becoming completely buried.

  Akihiro, seeing this, stopped his Genjutsu. A moment ter, Miyuki appeared by his side.—Shall we go? —Akihiro asked, already anticipating her response.Miyuki nodded, and the two used the Body Flicker Technique to return to the others.