Pakura nervously shifted, tightly gripping the kunai in her hand as she watched Iwagakure border outpost from her team's hiding place. Thankfully, they were far away from the never-ending sands of the Land of Wind and the forests were quite lush here, in the Land of Claw that was located between the Land of Rock and Wind. They were in the forests at the very borders between Claw and Rock, waiting for these... mercenaries the Kazekage hired to deal with the border outposts so the Suna army can march further into the Land of Rock's territory without being obstructed. Pakura had her own thoughts about some no-name mercenaries however and that was the source of her recent frustration. She was responsible for her team and the hired kunais were already a half-hour late!

"The Kazekage won't be happy... we should be attacking right about now, not wait for late-comers." One of her men gruffly grumbled. ​​

"Oh do shut up Nakaro." Mirano, the trap expert of the team, snorted at Pakura's second in command. Mirano was also the only member of the team who knew who exactly was hired by the Kazekage. She, or rather her clan, was the one who introduced them to the Kazekage, after all. Something that only increased the suspicion of Pakura.

Mirano's clan was quite small and a new one. They were originally merchants specializing in seals and weaponry. Apparently, Mirano's father had quite the position in Biri-Biri company before they 'settled' in Sunagakure for whatever reason the ferocious politician deemed enough to make Suna suffer his presence for.

Then again, Sunagakure was in no position to refuse since they brought a big reduction of merchandise cost from Biri-Biri company which in turn gave Suna ninjas a big advantage in the field. Sadly it also gave them quite a bit of political capital and Mirano's grandfather somehow found himself in the Council, not even a year after they settled in the village and Mirano proved to be elite jonin skill-wise.

Pakura didn't trust their loyalty to the village more than she could throw them, honestly.

"Maybe we would be calmer if you finally told us who are the mercenaries? All we know is that they were hired through the Biri-Biri company. Our lives kinda depend on them, you know?" Pakura dryly stated, hoping Mirano would at least hint at their identity. Right now, the team was sitting ducks and it would be only a question of time until they were found and hunted.

"Well, sucks to be you, then, no?" Mirano just grinned happily, her eyes refusing to leave the outpost tower. "Alas, my fun seems to end here since... look." She pointed at the tower and instantly a huge explosion shook their world.

Pakura suddenly found herself fumbling helplessly before falling onto her ass as her eyes widened, watching the big ball of crimson red flames engulf the entire tower and its surrounding. Even from afar, she could feel the incredible heat and a shudder went through her spine at the thought of actually being targeted by it. Sure, it was not as hot as her scorch but the heat reached much, much farther than her Bloodline ever could.

Slowly, the crimson flames started receding and the ground stopped shaking. Her team started to recollect their wits from the spectacle they just saw when yet another explosion resounded from afar, then another, and another, until the count, reached nine and even the earth couldn't decide in which direction to shake and instead was jerking from side to side, making even the now prepared Pakura having to spend quite some chakra to keep standing.

'The fuck is happening?' Pakura thought, her stomach sinking when she realized every explosion came from the direction of Iwa border outposts that were scheduled to be hit sometime next week by Suna ANBU. Her eyes flickered to Mirano who was still laughing like mad but to Pakura's surprise, she was the only team of her team who managed to stand still through the world-shaking earthquakes. The woman didn't even look 'shaken', and it honestly made Pakura quite worried when she remembered she was supposed to be trained by the Biri-Biri company. 'What the heck is Biri-Biri company planning?' Pakura narrowed her eyes. Mirano was in no way just an elite jonin. The woman was solid S-rank!

When the trembling finally subsided and Pakura was about to give the order to retreat, a hand landed on her shoulder, almost making her jump in fright as she realized somebody managed to sneak up on her back. She slowly turned her head, only to be met with faceless darkness under the hood of a cloak so black, even the ANBU would moan in envy. Despite her various experiences and ability to suppress fear, Pakura knew she was scared. Something about the black figure who was as if melting into the shadows, made her hair stand. She didn't even dare to peer into the faceless void under the hood in an irrational fear it would suck her in.

'Killing intent...' Her mind idly supplied. It was just so different from what she was used to. Killing intent should be malicious, angry, menacing, even disgusting, not just... dark. The killing intent of the man was making her feel empty, apathetic, and cold. 'It's making me sluggish... Snap out of it, woman!' Pakura's mind shrieked at her but she just couldn't. This was far too different from what she was used to.

The man suddenly lifted his hand from Pakura's shoulder and Pakura gasped for air, instantly leaning on a nearby tree for support in order to prevent herself from a shameful display of falling from fear in front of her subordinates.

"The contract is fulfilled, remind the Kazekage to send the money." A lifeless dark voice came from the hood, making Pakura's team take a step back at how eerie it sounded before the man simply vanished. Ten trained jonin-ranked ninjas were unable to spot how. He just... blinked out of existence right in front of their eyes. Pakura and her team couldn't help but gulp, the intimidation tactics clearly working.

"What the hell was that?" Nakaro quietly asked, still shaken from the cold and soul-wrenching feeling of the killing intent.

"That... was Rei of Kiri, the leader of Yozora." Mirano commented, making others' eyes widen when they realized the man who created a lake in the desert a few years prior was just in front of them

'So that's why the Kazekage so readily accepted…' Pakura mentally nodded. It was then she also noticed Mirano being far too relaxed. No barely noticeable shivering, no veiled fear on her face, no flinchy behavior that could be seen in all of the members of her team. Pakura narrowed her gaze at the trap mistress of the team. 'She expected it and knows how to counter... it. How? That feeling must be some new way of showing the killing intent but why would Mirano be able to counter it?' Pakura pondered only for her eyes to narrow even further. 'Looks like I will have to be extremely careful of you, Mirano.'

"Anyway, I will talk with the Kazekage about the payment." Mirano shrugged Pakura's suspicious gaze off. Not like she would in her team for much longer. After this, her father would be promoted even higher in the council and she would become the head of the clan in his stead, meaning being holed up in the village. "And look! He even destroyed nine additional outposts as a gift for Sunagakure!" She cheerfully exclaimed, seeing only further looks of fright when the ninjas finally remembered the nine additional explosions.

Mirano couldn't help but roll her eyes. 'Looks like getting SS rank will be much easier than you first thought, won't it, Rei-sama... If only my oaf of father didn't volunteer our family to settle in Suna.' She grumbled.