The pitch-black forest was alive with the sound of rustling leaves as Sakumo's team of four swiftly moved southward.
All of them were seasoned Jonin, hardened by countless battles and missions. It didn't take a genius to figure out what their captain, Sakumo Hatake, was planning.
He was going all in—staking everything on this operation.
If they succeeded, it would be a triumphant victory for the team.
If they failed, Sakumo would likely meet his end, but the rest of them? They'd remain largely unaffected.
After all, they were merely following orders issued by their captain.
As they continued their rapid advance, one of the team members suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Gaishu, what's wrong? Did you sense something?" one of the teammates asked, looking toward the scout ninja who had halted.
Gaishu gritted his teeth, shaking his head quickly, his expression contorted with inner turmoil.
"What's the matter? Move forward!" another teammate urged.
But Gaishu remained silent. As the rest of the team paused to look at him, he suddenly exhaled heavily, his face set with determination.
"No! You guys keep going. I'm going back to help Captain Sakumo!"
"Are you out of your mind? The captain ordered us to move south for two hours. Are you planning to disobey orders?" the teammate snapped.
Gaishu raised his head and glared fiercely at the speaker, nodding firmly.
"Orders be damned! Don't pretend you haven't figured it out!
Captain Sakumo is sacrificing his life so we can survive without facing punishment!
I can't accept this! I refuse to live like this! If it comes to it, I'll die with him!"
With those resolute words, Gaishu turned and sprinted back toward the direction they had come from, leaving no room for hesitation.
The remaining three teammates frowned deeply at the sight.
It didn't take long before one of them stepped forward and began chasing after Gaishu.
"You two continue the mission. I'll go bring Gaishu back!" he declared.
Despite his words, his heart had already made up its mind—to stand with Gaishu and support Sakumo Hatake.
He was a Jonin, too, a former team leader with enough skill to make a difference in battle.
If there was even the slightest chance of buying Captain Sakumo some breathing room, he was willing to take it.
Meanwhile, beneath Tōrakuji Bridge, Rinjin and Sakumo Hatake hung like two oversized bats under the bridge's surface, staring at each other with wide eyes.
After dangling in this awkward position for so long, both of them were starting to feel flushed and strained.
What was supposed to be a quick ambush half an hour ago had turned into an exasperating wait—the Sand ninja squad they were targeting had been delayed!
And the consequence of their tardiness? Rinjin and Sakumo had been left hanging there—literally—for an extra thirty minutes.
Just as Sakumo was about to awkwardly suggest taking a break, Rinjin suddenly raised a finger to his lips.
"Shhh~ They're here!" Rinjin whispered.
Sakumo's spirits instantly lifted, his hand slowly reaching for the short blade strapped to his back.
Then, Rinjin gave Sakumo a sly wink and leaned close, his voice low but mischievous:
"Middle of the group—a young man and woman. You charge ahead; I'll cover your rear."
Sakumo blinked, slightly taken aback. "Cover my rear"? That phrasing was… unfortunate.
Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Sakumo couldn't help but mentally complain.
This guy—he always managed to make things feel less serious, even during missions.
Taking a deep breath, Sakumo forced himself to focus, slapping his cheeks lightly to shake off his inner grumbles.
At that moment, a faint vibration rippled through the bridge above them.
Rinjin glanced at Sakumo and shook his head slightly.
This wasn't their target—it was the advance scouting unit of the Sand ninja squad.
Sakumo caught Rinjin's silent signal and nodded in understanding.
If anyone knew Rinjin better than most, it was Sakumo. After all, there had been a time when he had to monitor Rinjin's every move—even when the guy was taking a dump.
Minutes passed, and the faint rustling of leaves from the forest beyond the bridge grew louder and more chaotic.
Suddenly, Rinjin's eyes lit up. He nodded firmly at Sakumo.
Seeing the signal, Sakumo Hatake wasted no time, swiftly unfurling a scroll and weaving hand signs with both hands.
"Earth Release: Tracking Fang Technique!" he murmured.
With a low rumble, Sakumo pressed his hands against the underside of the bridge.
Instantly, countless symbols and seals emerged from the scroll, crawling into the stone structure above.
Retracting the scroll, Sakumo drew his iconic short blade—the gleaming White Fang—from his back.
"I'm going in!" he declared.
With one hand gripping his blade and the other forming seals, Sakumo vanished into thin air.
Body Flicker Technique.
Above the bridge, chaos erupted.
The sound of blades slicing through wood echoed sharply as Sakumo materialized amidst the Sand ninja squad.
His first strike pierced cleanly through a figure in a black hood.
But the sensation in his hand and the sound in his ears told him something was off—this wasn't a human.
It was a puppet.
"Hiratori!" a woman's sharp scream rang out from the far end of the bridge.
Seconds later, a man clutching his bleeding arm appeared at the opposite end, shouting back:
"I'm fine! Ryūfei, kill him!"
The moment his words fell, the Sand ninja squad sprang into action, weapons drawn as they charged toward Sakumo.
Meanwhile, the woman named Ryūfei quickly retrieved a scroll from her pouch and unfurled it in one swift motion.
"White Secret Technique: Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu!" she cried.
The scroll floated in mid-air as ten white puppets materialized around her.
It wasn't surprising that she had resorted to such a powerful technique right away—Sakumo's speed had caught them off guard.
In just a single exchange, he had destroyed a substitution puppet and injured her husband.
This man was dangerous.
As the Sand ninja rushed toward him, Sakumo glanced at the intimidating puppets behind him before turning his focus to the wounded Hiratori.
One kill at a time.
Lightning crackled at his feet as Sakumo charged forward, ignoring the attacks coming from behind.
Hiratori's position was guarded by seven or eight Sand ninja, all ready to intercept him.
The narrow bridge worked to their advantage, forcing Sakumo into a direct confrontation.
But the same limitation constrained their offensive options—there was little room for anything other than close combat.
Sakumo wasn't fazed.
If he were alone, he might have considered retreating by now.
But lurking in the shadows was Rinjin—his hidden ace.
With the White Fang flashing in his hand, Sakumo plunged into the crowd, his blade a blur of motion.
The short sword danced like a baton, its back deflecting incoming strikes while its edge cut down enemies.
Blood sprayed across the bridge as Sakumo carved through the Sand ninja with relentless precision.
The air was thick with the scent of iron as the battle raged on.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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