Chapter 201: Encounter
"Wait." Iraka raised his hand, signaling his two teammates to stop.
"What's wrong?" Beroka asked, puzzled.
"Look over there." Iraka pointed ahead.
Beroka followed his gaze and saw three young Ninja—one wearing a Konoha uniform and headband, while the other two, dressed similarly, lacked them. They appeared to be around eight or nine years old, speaking with nearby villagers.
"There's actually a Konoha Ninja here, but why is only one wearing a headband and uniform?" Beroka muttered in confusion. "Either they all hide their identities, or they all reveal them. What's with this half measure?"
Noticing the stares, Kakashi looked back in their direction. The skin tone of the three figures immediately caught his attention. His expression turned serious. That wasn't tan skin—it was the complexion of Cloud Ninja.
"Be careful," Kakashi whispered to Might Guy and Obito. "We might've found the ones who injured the giant eagle. They're not wearing headbands."
"So dark… Are they from the Cloud like the ones we fought before?" Obito asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Most likely," Kakashi replied calmly. "But stay alert. The ones last time pretended to be from Iwagakure. These could be disguised too."
Iraka noticed they'd been spotted. Without hesitation, he drew the sharp sword from his back. The Land of Lightning was at war with the Land of Fire—seeing enemy Ninja, especially young ones, was enough reason to attack.
"Let's lure them to the mountain," Obito said, glancing around. "If we fight here, the houses will burn."
The nearby buildings were made of wood; any stray Fire Release would destroy them.
"Obito's right!" Might Guy said enthusiastically, giving a thumbs up.
"Good thinking," Kakashi nodded. "And if we fight on the mountain, the noise will alert Mugetsu-sensei in case things go wrong."
Without hesitation, the three leaped onto the rooftops, moving swiftly toward the mountainside.
"After them!" Iraka ordered, springing forward. The three Kumogakure Ninja pursued across the rooftops, exchanging kunai and shuriken mid-chase.
Despite their aggression, the Cloud Ninja's throwing accuracy was inferior. Kakashi and Obito's precise attacks forced them on the defensive as they closed the distance.
By the time both sides reached halfway up the mountain, the Konoha trio stopped.
"What's wrong? Tired already?" Beroka sneered, touching the shallow cut on his cheek from a shuriken. His expression twisted with anger. Being wounded by children was humiliating.
"I'll handle the one with the sword," Kakashi said quickly. "Guy, you take the big one. Obito, keep the last one busy."
Iraka appeared to be the leader—probably the strongest. Under normal circumstances, Might Guy would take him on, but since Iraka used a sword, Kakashi's own swordsmanship made him the better choice.
"Why do I get the weakest one again?" Obito grumbled, though his eyes were already fixed on Haiiro. Complaints aside, he was fully alert.
"At their age, they can't have more than two years of experience," Iraka said, gripping his sword tightly. "Let's finish them fast. There might be a higher-ranked Konoha Ninja nearby."
"How long could this take? Three minutes tops," Beroka said confidently. "Then we'll surround and kill their leader."
Iraka nodded and charged first, his blade flashing. The others followed immediately.
Kakashi drew his White Fang short sword, intercepting Iraka's strike.
Obito unleashed a flurry of shuriken, forcing Haiiro to dodge continuously.
Might Guy took a deep breath, entering Rock Breathing mode, and charged straight at Beroka.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Guy's sudden burst of speed caught Beroka completely off guard. The kick struck squarely, launching him into a tree with a heavy thud.
"Beroka! Don't get careless!" Iraka snapped, frowning as he parried Kakashi's next blow. The young boy's swordsmanship was sharper than expected, forcing Iraka to focus entirely on defense.
"Damn it, he's fast!" Beroka cursed, veins bulging in frustration. His face flushed red—not from embarrassment, but from pure fury. He'd bragged about finishing the fight in minutes, only to be sent flying before even landing a hit.
"Is this fast? My youth has just begun to burn!" Might Guy shouted, eyes blazing as he attacked again.
He hadn't even used Total Concentration Breathing yet, much less the Eight Gates.
After the initial exchange, Beroka realized his mistake. This boy was far from ordinary.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Their fists and feet collided like hammers and steel.
Though Beroka was larger and bulkier, Guy's rigorous training and mastery of Rock Breathing made his body a weapon. Their battle was evenly matched.
"What kind of monster kid is this?!" Beroka thought, teeth clenched. He'd trained in Lightning Release Body Techniques, making him faster and stronger than most Taijutsu users—yet he couldn't overpower a child.
Enraged, Beroka released his chakra, Lightning crackling around his body. He lunged forward, thrusting a lightning-coated fist toward Guy.
But instead of panic, Guy's eyes gleamed with excitement.
A stronger opponent only made his spirit blaze brighter.
Whoosh!
Guy vanished from sight, using Soru to slip past Beroka's attack.
Boom!
Beroka's Lightning-infused punch shattered a thick tree in half.
"Rock Breathing, Total Concentration Breathing! Eight Gates—Gate of Opening, open!"
As his chakra surged, Guy's power spiked dramatically. The ground beneath his feet cracked from the sudden pressure. He'd gauged Beroka's strength—and now, he was ready to end it.
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