—So… what the hell am I supposed to do? Infiltrate Konoha?? Seriously? —Akihiro protested, clearly upset.

  —We’ll find a way, don’t worry.

  —A way? Are you kidding? This mission is clearly way above my level. And don’t even get me started on getting out of there. It’d already be a miracle to set foot in their territory without getting killed. Last time, we barely crossed the border and were intercepted by several squads… sneaking into the vilge is a whole different level.

  The silence that followed was heavy.

  —Look… —Akihiro said, lowering his voice a bit. —If I’m going to do this, I need a real pn. No empty promises or sugar-coated words. One wrong move in there and there won’t even be a body left to recover.

  —I know —Miyuki replied seriously. —Alright, I’m going to be completely honest with you from now on. The odds of getting in are low. The odds of getting out? Even lower. Konoha isn’t like other vilges. They don’t just have a fwless surveilnce network— their sensory units are elite, their response system is immediate and ruthless. If you’re detected, you’ll have less than five seconds to react before you’re erased. Once inside, you’ll be completely alone. No backup, no extraction pns. It’ll just be you, your wits… and your luck.

  Akihiro looked down, frowning. His fingers drummed nervously on the table.

  —Perfect. Sounds like a slow and painful death… dressed up as a glorious mission —he said with a sigh. —Alright then. Let’s start from the beginning. How do I get in? —I asked.

  Miyuki unrolled a scroll across the table. It was a map clearly showing paths, tunnels, and hidden routes around the Konoha border.

  —There are three options —she said, pointing to a northeastern area. —This route connects to the Land of Waterfalls. It was used decades ago by smugglers and deserters. It’s not regurly monitored, but ndslides have made it unstable. With a little preparation and care, you could get into the Land of Fire without much trouble.

  She moved her finger to the southwest.

  —The second is crossing the river that connects to the Land of Rain. It has frequent patrols, but there’s a window of just four minutes between each round. With the right jutsu, you might be able to cross undetected… but if you’re caught, there won’t be time to fight or run.

  Then she tapped the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass.

  —And this is the third. The craziest one. Go straight through the main road into Konoha, crossing the Land of Fire from the border. There are a few ways to do it, but the safest is to bribe a merchant to smuggle you in with the cargo. Or you could disguise yourself as a merchant. But, to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend it.

  Miyuki looked up, serious.

  —These are the conventional options that have some chance of success… Outside of them, there are other methods, but the risks are too high to be worth considering.

  —Now, with that said… —she pointed at the Hidden Leaf Vilge—. The real challenge is getting into the vilge itself.

  —Getting into the Land of Fire is one thing, but getting inside the Hidden Leaf Vilge is a whole different story. The level of difficulty doesn’t even compare.

  —Right now, the vilge is on high alert. Threats along the borders have increased, and the danger of another Shinobi War is more real than ever. That’s why they’re being extremely cautious about who enters and leaves the vilge.

  —If you want to enter and operate as a proper spy, you’ll need a clear identity. You get what I mean?

  Akihiro’s eyes lit up.

  —Jutsu… body switch.

  —Exactly —Miyuki said, nodding.

  —The Yamanaka Cn’s jutsu is perfect. Not just for reading minds, but for infiltration. After all, you can take over a body and no one would notice the difference. At most, those idiots from the Yamanaka might catch on, but if you’re careful and don’t draw too much attention, you’ll be fine.

  —Unfortunately, I can’t help you with that. Once you’re inside, it’ll be your job to find a suitable body. If you’re discovered, all I can do is wish you better luck in your next life.

  —Alright, I understand the risks. When I became a shinobi, I knew this kind of thing could happen —Akihiro said with a heavy tone.

  —Good. Let’s iron out the final details. After that, take a break and enjoy what little time you have left with your family. You’ve got a long journey ahead —Miyuki said.

  Akihiro nodded, and the two of them spent the rest of the day carefully pnning everything to avoid any setbacks. Once night fell, Akihiro returned home.