Chapter 31 – What Are You Doing~
In the world of shinobi, unleashing a ninjutsu of immense destructive power always came with a price.
A technique like the one Hatake Kyūjō had just used—an electrifying release that could rival even S-rank Ninjutsu—could only be wielded under two specific conditions. At least, that was how Chiyo saw it.
One: The technique was extremely difficult to master and required a genius with absurd chakra capacity.
Two: It demanded a steep price from the user—perhaps in the form of their body... or even their soul.
Truth be told, Chiyo wasn't wrong.
Right now, Kyūjō's chakra was completely drained.
And Chiyo knew full well—this was her best chance to finish off the absurdly gifted youngster who, despite his age, had power that defied logic.
— — —
Meanwhile, Hatake Kyūjō was leading his comrades—those same ninja who, just moments ago, had been fighting tooth and nail against the forces of Sunagakure.
Now, however, they looked like ghosts of their former selves. Their chakra reserves were empty, and their legs could barely hold them upright.
They pushed forward through enemy territory, desperate to reach the safety of the Konoha encampment.
— — —
As they ran, the so-called "Elite Jōnin" behind Kyūjō were panting hard, some nearly tripping with every step. Kyūjō glanced back and let out a small sigh. He slowed down slightly and threw a glance over his shoulder.
"Didn't we agree beforehand?" he asked casually. "You were supposed to save a little chakra for retreat. At this pace, we'll be caught before we even see the treeline."
Akimichi Chokyū, face soaked in sweat, simply let out a sheepish chuckle and scratched the back of his head.
"My bad... I got a little too fired up chasing those guys."
Kato Dan, pale but breathing steadily, added, "It's my fault too... I guess I got too swept up in the rhythm of the battle."
Before either of them could continue, Captain Araki—grizzled, dependable, and by far the most experienced among them—shook his head gently.
Though older, Araki was in better shape than the rest, still holding onto about thirty percent of his chakra.
"No... I'm the one who should take responsibility," he said firmly. "I'm your captain. And I still have energy to spare. If the Sunagakure forces catch up, I'll stay behind and hold them off."
From the rear, Sarutobi Chikawa chimed in, despite wheezing and wiping sweat from his face.
"Hahh... Why are you guys arguing about responsibility now?" he said with a smirk. "What matters is that we absolutely trashed those sand punks tonight!"
"They wanna chase us? Let 'em come! I don't care! If they show up again, I'll just knock their teeth in. I don't need anyone shielding me."
Surprisingly, the calmest member of the team, Kurama Kaeha, gave a firm nod of agreement to Chikawa's fiery words.
Truth be told… Kaeha wasn't worried at all.
Why should he be?
They had him.
Their new teammate. A walking force of nature.
This guy had just gone toe-to-toe with Chiyo—the living legend of Sunagakure—and walked away without even a scratch.
His uniform wasn't dirty. His stride was light. His expression, completely composed.
What was there to be afraid of?
If the sky fell... well, he'd probably be the one to catch it first.
Honestly, the others were just panicking too easily. They'd lost the basic instinct of what it meant to be shinobi. Not like him. Kaeha had seen it clearly from the start.
He was the only real ninja here.
As a genjutsu specialist, Kaeha expertly hyped himself up with inner monologue, and soon, his once-weary legs were pumping with newfound energy.
— — —
Kyūjō, meanwhile, could only smile faintly as he listened to their chatter.
For some reason, a strange warmth bloomed quietly in his chest.
Something... oddly nostalgic.
Was this what people called—bonds?
— — —
But time was ticking, and time wasn't kind.
Despite their efforts, the team's sluggish pace—barely reaching the standard of even a half-trained genin—was catching up to them.
Within his sensory field, Kyūjō could already feel it. The pursuit squad from Sunagakure was closing in.
At most... they had fifteen minutes left before they were overtaken.
Yet strangely, Kyūjō's expression only grew calmer.
— — —
And then, the inevitable happened.
The first to collapse wasn't a frail support-type... but their front-line brawler, their living wall—
Akimichi Chokyū.
His breathing sounded like the hissing of an old steam engine. As Kyūjō prepared to step forward and unleash a final attack to wipe out the pursuers, he paused.
He considered suggesting a full stop. Let everyone rest. He could handle the rest alone.
After all, even if Chiyo herself was leading the charge, none of them truly understood...
The one she was chasing wasn't an ordinary human.
But before Kyūjō could speak, Captain Araki—normally just a plain-faced man with a loud voice—stepped forward and planted his feet.
A faint glow seemed to shimmer around him as he turned to address the team.
"Keep moving," he said, full of resolve. "Don't look back."
"I'll take care of the Sunagakure forces. As long as I'm still breathing, I won't let a single one of them cross this point!"
With a heart full of fiery determination, Araki turned and faced the oncoming threat.
And then—
Before he could even strike a pose.
A burst of air pressure blasted past him.
A split-second later, sharp pain flared at the base of his neck.
Then... everything went black.
His body hit the ground with a dull thud.
— — —
Even Kyūjō looked a bit awkward after that.
His chakra hadn't recovered enough yet, and he wasn't confident in subduing a seasoned Elite Jōnin with pure physical strength alone.
So... he used just a bit. A very small bit. Barely even a sliver...
A tiny flicker of invisible Busoshoku Haki, the kind he'd never used in front of anyone else.
One soft palm strike to the back of Araki's neck.
Result?
Instant knockout.
...And maybe a minor clavicle fracture on one side. Not serious. Not too serious…
Hopefully Tsunade-sama could patch him up later.
— — —
As for the rest of the team…
They stared, dumbfounded, at their fearless leader lying in a heap at Kyūjō's feet—less than five seconds after giving his rousing speech.
And then, in perfect unison, all five of them turned toward Kyūjō and yelled:
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING~~~ OUCHH...!!"
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